Complex Passive Structures
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'di-' verbs like 'dikatakan' or 'dipercayai' to report information objectively without naming a specific source.
- Use 'di-' + verb + 'bahwa' for general statements (e.g., 'Dikatakan bahwa...').
- Place the subject first for specific focus (e.g., 'Dia dipercayai telah pergi').
- Avoid using 'oleh' (by) unless the specific source is essential for the context.
Meanings
A formal structure used to report opinions, beliefs, or facts when the original speaker is unknown, unimportant, or intentionally withheld for objectivity.
General Rumor/Belief
Reporting what is widely believed or rumored in society.
“Dikabarkan bahwa mereka akan segera menikah.”
“Dipercayai bahwa gedung itu berhantu.”
Official/News Reporting
Formal reporting of news or academic findings where the source is a collective entity.
“Dilaporkan bahwa angka kemiskinan menurun.”
“Ditemukan bahwa virus ini bermutasi dengan cepat.”
Subject-Focused Reporting
Focusing on a specific person or thing that is the subject of the report.
“Tersangka diduga telah melarikan diri ke luar negeri.”
“Buku itu dianggap sebagai karya terbaiknya.”
Common Reporting Verbs in Passive Form
| Root Verb | Passive Form | English Equivalent | Usage Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kata | Dikatakan | It is said | General reporting |
| Lapor | Dilaporkan | It is reported | News/Official |
| Percaya | Dipercayai | It is believed | Opinions/Faith |
| Duga | Diduga | It is suspected | Legal/Crime |
| Anggap | Dianggap | It is considered | Judgment/Opinion |
| Temu | Ditemukan | It was found | Science/Research |
| Kira | Diperkirakan | It is estimated | Statistics/Weather |
| Sebut | Disebutkan | It is mentioned | Literature/Citing |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative (Impersonal) | Di-verb + bahwa + Clause | Dikatakan bahwa dia jujur. |
| Affirmative (Subject-Raised) | Subject + Di-verb + (sebagai/telah) + Phrase | Dia dianggap sebagai pahlawan. |
| Negative | Tidak + Di-verb + bahwa + Clause | Tidak diketahui bahwa ia sakit. |
| Question | Apakah + Di-verb + bahwa + Clause? | Apakah dilaporkan bahwa ada korban? |
| Past/Completed | Telah + Di-verb + bahwa + Clause | Telah ditemukan bahwa obat itu manjur. |
| Future/Potential | Akan/Dapat + Di-verb + bahwa + Clause | Dapat dipastikan bahwa dia datang. |
| Formal Insinuation | Disinyalir + bahwa + Clause | Disinyalir bahwa ada korupsi. |
Spectre de formalité
Dikatakan bahwa beliau memiliki kekayaan yang melimpah. (Discussing someone's wealth)
Dikatakan bahwa dia orang kaya. (Discussing someone's wealth)
Katanya dia kaya. (Discussing someone's wealth)
Bilangnya sih dia tajir melintir. (Discussing someone's wealth)
The Flow of Passive Reporting
Impersonal
- Dikatakan bahwa... It is said that...
Subject-Focused
- Dia diduga... He is suspected to...
Active vs. Passive Reporting
Choosing Your Structure
Do you want to focus on the person?
Examples by Level
Dia bilang dia mau makan.
He said he wants to eat.
Orang bilang Bali bagus.
People say Bali is good.
Ibu bilang jangan pergi.
Mother said don't go.
Teman saya bilang halo.
My friend said hello.
Dia dibilang pintar oleh guru.
He is said to be smart by the teacher.
Makanan ini dibilang enak.
This food is said to be delicious.
Buku itu ditulis oleh dia.
That book was written by him.
Kabar itu didengar kemarin.
That news was heard yesterday.
Dikatakan bahwa harga bensin akan naik.
It is said that the price of gasoline will rise.
Dia dianggap sebagai teman baik.
He is considered a good friend.
Dipercaya bahwa doa itu manjur.
It is believed that the prayer is effective.
Dilaporkan ada kecelakaan di jalan.
It is reported there is an accident on the road.
Pemerintah diduga akan mengubah kebijakan pajak.
The government is suspected to be changing the tax policy.
Ditemukan bahwa metode ini lebih efisien.
It was found that this method is more efficient.
Dia diakui sebagai pakar ekonomi dunia.
He is recognized as a world economy expert.
Disepakati bahwa rapat akan ditunda.
It was agreed that the meeting will be postponed.
Disinyalir bahwa ada aliran dana ilegal ke rekening tersebut.
It is indicated that there are illegal fund flows to that account.
Dikhawatirkan krisis ini akan berkepanjangan.
It is feared that this crisis will be prolonged.
Undang-undang tersebut dinilai tidak memihak rakyat.
The law is assessed as not siding with the people.
Karya tersebut dipandang sebagai tonggak sejarah sastra.
The work is viewed as a milestone in literary history.
Seyogianya dipahami bahwa kebijakan ini bersifat temporal.
It should be understood that this policy is temporal.
Tersirat dalam pidatonya bahwa ia akan mengundurkan diri.
It was implied in his speech that he would resign.
Dikonfirmasikan bahwa artefak tersebut berasal dari era Majapahit.
It has been confirmed that the artifact originates from the Majapahit era.
Diasumsikan secara luas bahwa teori ini tidak lagi relevan.
It is widely assumed that this theory is no longer relevant.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up 'dikenal' (is known as - reporting) and 'terkenal' (famous - state).
Learners don't know when to use 'Dikatakan bahwa dia...' vs 'Dia dikatakan...'.
Mixing 'Dikatakan bahwa...' with direct speech markers like 'katanya'.
Erreurs courantes
Dia adalah dibilang...
Dia dibilang...
Orang dibilang...
Dibilang bahwa...
Dibilang dia...
Dibilang bahwa dia...
Dia mengbilang...
Dia dibilang...
Kabar dibilang...
Dikabarkan bahwa...
Dia dibilang untuk pergi.
Dia dibilang telah pergi.
Dikatakan oleh saya...
Saya katakan...
Dianggap bahwa dia pahlawan.
Dia dianggap sebagai pahlawan.
Dilaporkan dia mencuri.
Dilaporkan bahwa dia mencuri.
Ditemukan obat itu.
Ditemukan bahwa obat itu...
Disinyalir dia korupsi.
Disinyalir bahwa dia melakukan korupsi.
Dikhawatirkan akan hujan.
Dikhawatirkan bahwa hujan akan turun.
Sentence Patterns
Dikatakan bahwa ___ akan ___.
___ dianggap sebagai ___ yang ___.
Diduga bahwa ___ telah ___ tanpa ___.
Disinyalir bahwa ada ___ di balik ___.
Real World Usage
Dilaporkan bahwa banjir telah surut.
Tersangka diduga menggunakan identitas palsu.
Ditemukan bahwa variabel X berpengaruh pada Y.
Dikatakan bahwa bos mau mengundurkan diri.
Pihak pertama dianggap telah menyetujui kontrak.
Gajah Mada dikenal sebagai pemersatu Nusantara.
Use 'Diduga' for Safety
Avoid 'Adalah'
The 'Bahwa' Bridge
Polite Distance
Smart Tips
Start your sentences with 'Dilaporkan bahwa...' instead of 'Ada berita bahwa...'.
Use the Subject + 'dianggap sebagai' + [Noun] structure.
Use 'Diduga' or 'Diperkirakan' to protect yourself from being wrong.
Replace 'Saya menemukan' with 'Ditemukan bahwa'.
Prononciation
Prefix Stress
The 'di-' prefix is never stressed. The stress falls on the penultimate syllable of the root verb.
Bahwa Link
There is usually a slight pause before 'bahwa' to separate the reporting verb from the content.
Reporting Rise-Fall
Dikatakan (rise) bahwa dia pergi (fall).
Conveys that the first part is the frame and the second part is the news.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'D-B': Di-verb + Bahwa. Like a 'Database' of reported facts.
Visual Association
Imagine a news anchor reading a script where the name of the source is blurred out. The focus is entirely on the scrolling text (the information).
Rhyme
Kalau berita ingin akurat, pakai 'di-' agar terlihat hebat.
Story
A detective arrives at a crime scene. He doesn't know who did it, so he says 'Diduga' (It is suspected). He finds a clue and says 'Ditemukan' (It was found). He reports to the press: 'Dilaporkan bahwa...' (It is reported that...).
Word Web
Défi
Write three sentences about your favorite celebrity using 'Dikabarkan bahwa...', 'Dia dianggap...', and 'Diduga bahwa...'.
Notes culturelles
Indonesian news uses 'diduga' (suspected) very strictly to avoid 'pencemaran nama baik' (defamation) laws. You will rarely see a direct accusation without this passive reporting verb.
In formal contexts influenced by Javanese etiquette, using passive reporting is seen as more polite ('sopan') because it avoids direct confrontation or claiming absolute truth.
Indonesian scholars avoid 'Saya menemukan' (I found) and almost exclusively use 'Ditemukan bahwa' (It was found that) to maintain a 'scientific' and 'objective' distance.
The 'di-' prefix in Indonesian evolved from the Old Malay 'ni-', which was used to mark the patient-focus (passive) voice.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang dikabarkan tentang cuaca minggu depan?
Siapa yang dianggap sebagai pahlawan di negaramu?
Apa yang diduga menjadi penyebab kemacetan hari ini?
Apakah disepakati bahwa kita akan pergi jam 8?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
___ bahwa harga sedang naik.
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia adalah dianggap guru.
Dikatakan ___ proyek ini akan gagal.
Orang menganggap dia ahli.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Anchor: 'Selamat malam. ___ bahwa Presiden akan berkunjung besok.'
Select the correct structure.
Can you drop 'bahwa'?
Score: /8
Exercices pratiques
8 exercises___ bahwa harga sedang naik.
Find and fix the mistake:
Dia adalah dianggap guru.
Dikatakan ___ proyek ini akan gagal.
Orang menganggap dia ahli.
1. Diduga, 2. Ditemukan, 3. Dipercayai
Anchor: 'Selamat malam. ___ bahwa Presiden akan berkunjung besok.'
Select the correct structure.
Can you drop 'bahwa'?
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, `dibilang` is informal. Use `dikatakan` or `disebutkan` instead.
`Dianggap` means 'considered as' (judgment), while `dikira` means 'mistakenly thought to be'.
In the impersonal form (`Dikatakan bahwa...`), yes, it is required for formal writing. In the subject-raised form (`Dia dikatakan...`), you don't use it.
Mostly, yes. It implies a lack of proof. For neutral estimates, use `diperkirakan`.
Use `dipercayai` or `diyakini`.
You can, but it's often omitted to maintain objectivity. Only use it if the specific source (e.g., `oleh para ahli`) adds value.
It's a high-level formal verb meaning 'insinuated' or 'strongly indicated', often used in political analysis.
Yes, just add `akan` before the verb: `Akan dilaporkan bahwa...`.
In Other Languages
It is said that / He is said to
Indonesian lacks the 'to-infinitive' and 'to be' in this structure.
Se dice que
Indonesian uses a passive prefix, Spanish uses a reflexive/impersonal pronoun.
Es wird gesagt, dass
Indonesian has no auxiliary verb (like 'wird').
...to iwarete iru (...と言われている)
Japanese requires a quotation particle 'to', Indonesian uses 'bahwa'.
Yuqal anna (يُقال أن)
Arabic changes internal vowels; Indonesian uses a prefix.
Jushuo (据说)
Chinese uses a fixed compound word; Indonesian uses a conjugated verb.
