Common Verbs
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Indonesian verbs do not change for person or tense; focus on the root word and simple sentence structure.
- Verbs never change based on 'I', 'you', or 'they' (e.g., 'Saya makan', 'Mereka makan').
- Use 'tidak' before a verb to make it negative (e.g., 'Saya tidak makan').
- Use 'apakah' at the start of a sentence to form a yes/no question.
Meanings
Indonesian verbs represent actions or states and remain invariant regardless of the subject or time.
Action
Performing a physical or mental task.
“Saya membaca buku.”
“Dia lari cepat.”
State
Describing a condition or existence.
“Dia tidur.”
“Mereka duduk.”
Verb Usage Table
| Subject | Verb (Root) | Object | Translation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saya | makan | nasi | I eat rice |
| Kamu | makan | nasi | You eat rice |
| Dia | makan | nasi | He/She eats rice |
| Kami | makan | nasi | We eat rice |
| Mereka | makan | nasi | They eat rice |
| Anda | makan | nasi | You (formal) eat rice |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + Verb | Saya makan. |
| Negative | Subject + tidak + Verb | Saya tidak makan. |
| Question | Apakah + Subject + Verb? | Apakah kamu makan? |
| Short Answer (Yes) | Ya, [Subject] [Verb] | Ya, saya makan. |
| Short Answer (No) | Tidak, [Subject] tidak [Verb] | Tidak, saya tidak makan. |
| Future | Subject + akan + Verb | Saya akan makan. |
Spectre de formalité
Saya sedang makan. (Daily life)
Saya makan. (Daily life)
Aku makan. (Daily life)
Lagi makan nih. (Daily life)
Verb Root Concept
Actions
- tidur sleep
- lari run
States
- tahu know
- suka like
Examples by Level
Saya makan nasi.
I eat rice.
Dia minum air.
He drinks water.
Mereka tidur.
They sleep.
Apakah kamu tahu?
Do you know?
Saya tidak pergi ke pasar.
I am not going to the market.
Apakah dia belajar bahasa?
Is he studying language?
Kami bekerja di kantor.
We work at the office.
Ibu memasak nasi goreng.
Mother cooks fried rice.
Dia sedang membaca buku di perpustakaan.
He is reading a book at the library.
Mereka memutuskan untuk pergi lebih awal.
They decided to leave earlier.
Saya tidak mengerti maksudnya.
I don't understand what he means.
Apakah Anda memerlukan bantuan?
Do you need help?
Pemerintah menetapkan aturan baru.
The government established new rules.
Dia berusaha menyelesaikan masalah itu.
He is trying to solve that problem.
Kami mengharapkan hasil yang baik.
We expect good results.
Apakah hal ini memengaruhi keputusan Anda?
Does this affect your decision?
Penelitian ini mengindikasikan adanya perubahan iklim.
This research indicates the existence of climate change.
Dia mengabaikan peringatan tersebut.
He ignored the warning.
Kami mengupayakan solusi damai.
We are striving for a peaceful solution.
Apakah Anda mempertimbangkan konsekuensinya?
Are you considering the consequences?
Fenomena ini mencerminkan kompleksitas budaya lokal.
This phenomenon reflects the complexity of local culture.
Dia mengartikulasikan gagasannya dengan sangat jelas.
He articulated his ideas very clearly.
Kami mengantisipasi tantangan di masa depan.
We anticipate challenges in the future.
Apakah Anda mengesampingkan kemungkinan tersebut?
Are you ruling out that possibility?
Easily Confused
Learners often use them interchangeably.
Learners don't know when to add 'me-'.
Learners struggle with the passive voice.
Erreurs courantes
Saya makans.
Saya makan.
Saya bukan makan.
Saya tidak makan.
Makan saya.
Saya makan.
Apakah makan kamu?
Apakah kamu makan?
Saya tidak suka makan.
Saya tidak suka makan.
Dia tidak pergi ke sana.
Dia tidak pergi ke sana.
Apakah mereka makan?
Apakah mereka makan?
Saya memakan nasi.
Saya makan nasi.
Dia tidak bisa makan.
Dia tidak bisa makan.
Kami tidak tahu.
Kami tidak tahu.
Dia mengabaikan.
Dia mengabaikan hal itu.
Saya mengantisipasi.
Saya mengantisipasi masalah.
Kami mengupayakan.
Kami mengupayakan solusi.
Sentence Patterns
Saya ___ ___.
Apakah kamu ___ ___?
Saya tidak ___ ___.
Saya akan ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Lagi makan nih.
Saya mau makan nasi goreng.
Saya bekerja di bidang ini.
Saya pergi ke Bali.
Saya sedang membaca buku.
Saya pesan makanan.
Start with the root
Don't conjugate
Use 'tidak' for verbs
Context is key
Smart Tips
Remember: 'tidak' + verb.
Start with 'apakah'.
Just use the root.
Don't do it.
Prononciation
Stress
Stress usually falls on the second to last syllable.
Question
Apakah kamu makan? ↑
Rising intonation at the end.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Indonesian verbs are like a rock: they never change, no matter the shock!
Visual Association
Imagine a stone statue of a person eating. No matter who walks by, the statue stays exactly the same.
Rhyme
No endings to add, no tense to fear, just say the root and make it clear.
Story
Budi is a very lazy verb. He refuses to change his clothes (endings) for anyone. Whether the King or a beggar visits, Budi stays in his pajamas (the root form).
Word Web
Défi
Write 5 sentences about your day using only root verbs.
Notes culturelles
In Javanese culture, verb choice often depends on the social status of the person you are talking to.
Jakartans often drop prefixes entirely in casual speech.
Verb usage can be more direct and concise.
Indonesian is an Austronesian language, which typically uses root-based morphology.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang kamu makan?
Apakah kamu suka lari?
Apa yang kamu lakukan hari ini?
Apakah kamu tahu tempat ini?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Saya ___ nasi.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya makans nasi.
___ makan.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I sleep.
Answer starts with: Say...
___ kamu makan?
Dia ___ air.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercisesSaya ___ nasi.
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya makans nasi.
___ makan.
nasi / makan / Saya
I sleep.
___ kamu makan?
Dia ___ air.
tidur / Mereka
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, Indonesian verbs are invariant.
Use 'tidak' for verbs.
Use 'apakah' at the start.
No, use 'tidak'.
Subject + Verb + Object.
No, because there is no conjugation.
In more formal or specific contexts.
The verb system is very simple.
In Other Languages
Conjugated verbs
Indonesian has no conjugation.
Conjugated verbs
Indonesian has no conjugation.
Conjugated verbs
Indonesian has no conjugation.
Conjugated verbs
Indonesian has no conjugation.
Conjugated verbs
Indonesian has no conjugation.
Root verbs
Word order is the main difference.
