Modal 'Bisa'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'bisa' to express ability or possibility by placing it directly before the main verb.
- Place 'bisa' before the verb: Saya bisa berenang (I can swim).
- For negatives, add 'tidak' before 'bisa': Saya tidak bisa datang (I cannot come).
- For questions, add 'kah' or use intonation: Bisakah kamu membantu? (Can you help?)
Meanings
The modal 'bisa' indicates physical or mental ability, or the possibility of an event occurring.
Physical Ability
Possessing the skill or physical capacity to perform an action.
“Saya bisa lari cepat.”
“Adik saya bisa membaca.”
Possibility/Permission
Something that is allowed or has the potential to happen.
“Besok kita bisa pergi.”
“Apakah saya bisa duduk di sini?”
Bisa Sentence Structure
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + bisa + Verb | Saya bisa lari |
| Negative | Subject + tidak bisa + Verb | Saya tidak bisa lari |
| Question | Bisa + Subject + Verb? | Bisa kamu lari? |
| Formal Q | Bisakah + Subject + Verb? | Bisakah kamu lari? |
| Possibility | Subject + bisa + jadi + Verb | Itu bisa jadi benar |
| Inability | Subject + tidak bisa + Verb | Dia tidak bisa datang |
Common Informal Contractions
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| tidak bisa | nggak bisa |
| apakah bisa | bisa? |
| bisakah | bisa nggak? |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | S + bisa + V | Saya bisa masak |
| Negative | S + tidak bisa + V | Saya tidak bisa masak |
| Interrogative | Bisa + S + V? | Bisa kamu masak? |
| Polite Q | Bisakah + S + V? | Bisakah Anda membantu? |
| Short Answer | Bisa / Tidak | Bisa. |
| Possibility | Bisa + jadi | Bisa jadi. |
Spectre de formalité
Bisakah Anda membantu saya? (Asking for assistance)
Bisa bantu saya? (Asking for assistance)
Bisa bantu nggak? (Asking for assistance)
Bisa bantuin gue? (Asking for assistance)
The Many Faces of Bisa
Ability
- Berenang Swim
- Masak Cook
Possibility
- Mungkin Maybe
- Terjadi Happen
Examples by Level
Saya bisa berenang.
I can swim.
Dia bisa masak.
He can cook.
Saya tidak bisa lari.
I cannot run.
Bisa kamu bantu?
Can you help?
Apakah kamu bisa bahasa Indonesia?
Can you speak Indonesian?
Besok kita bisa pergi ke pasar.
Tomorrow we can go to the market.
Maaf, saya tidak bisa datang hari ini.
Sorry, I cannot come today.
Bisakah kita bicara sebentar?
Can we talk for a moment?
Kalau kamu bisa menyelesaikan tugas itu, beri tahu saya.
If you can finish that task, let me know.
Hal itu bisa terjadi jika kita tidak hati-hati.
That can happen if we are not careful.
Saya tidak bisa membayangkan hidup tanpa musik.
I cannot imagine life without music.
Bisakah Anda menjelaskan prosedur ini lagi?
Could you explain this procedure again?
Pemerintah bisa mengambil tindakan tegas jika diperlukan.
The government can take firm action if necessary.
Tidak bisa dipungkiri bahwa teknologi mengubah cara kita bekerja.
It cannot be denied that technology changes how we work.
Apakah sistem ini bisa diintegrasikan dengan perangkat lunak lain?
Can this system be integrated with other software?
Bisa jadi dia lupa tentang janji kita.
It could be that he forgot about our appointment.
Kapasitas produksi bisa ditingkatkan melalui otomatisasi.
Production capacity can be increased through automation.
Meskipun sulit, masalah ini bisa diselesaikan dengan pendekatan yang tepat.
Although difficult, this problem can be solved with the right approach.
Tidak bisa tidak, kita harus segera bertindak.
There is no other way, we must act immediately.
Bisa dikatakan bahwa ini adalah pencapaian terbesar tahun ini.
It can be said that this is the biggest achievement of the year.
Bisa jadi, interpretasi ini kurang tepat secara kontekstual.
It is possible that this interpretation is contextually inaccurate.
Tidak bisa disangkal lagi bahwa pengaruh budaya asing sangat kuat.
It can no longer be denied that the influence of foreign culture is very strong.
Bisa saja dia tidak bermaksud demikian.
It is possible that he did not mean it that way.
Bisa dipastikan bahwa hasil ini akan berdampak luas.
It can be confirmed that these results will have a wide impact.
Easily Confused
Both translate to 'can' in English.
Erreurs courantes
Saya masak bisa
Saya bisa masak
Saya bisa-kan masak
Saya bisa masak
Bisa saya merokok di sini?
Boleh saya merokok di sini?
Saya dapat bisa pergi
Saya bisa pergi
Bisa-nya dia datang
Dia bisa datang
Sentence Patterns
Saya bisa ___.
Real World Usage
Bisa ketemu nanti?
Keep it simple
Smart Tips
Use 'bisakah' for extra politeness.
Prononciation
Bisa
Pronounced 'bee-sah'. Stress the first syllable.
Question
Bisa kamu datang? ↗
Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Bisa is like a 'B'attery that powers your verb.
Visual Association
Imagine a battery (Bisa) being inserted into a robot (Verb) to make it move.
Rhyme
Put 'bisa' before, don't be a bore, it opens the door to doing more.
Story
Budi wants to cook. He says, 'Saya bisa masak.' But he forgets the salt. He says, 'Saya tidak bisa masak enak.' His friend asks, 'Bisa kamu bantu?' Budi says, 'Bisa!'
Word Web
Défi
Write 5 sentences about things you can and cannot do today.
Notes culturelles
Using 'bisa' for requests is often more polite than direct commands.
Derived from Old Malay roots.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang bisa kamu lakukan di akhir pekan?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Saya ___ berenang.
Score: /1
Exercices pratiques
1 exercisesSaya ___ berenang.
Score: /1
FAQ (1)
No, it is invariant.
In Other Languages
Poder
Spanish conjugates 'poder' (puedo, puedes), while 'bisa' is invariant.
Pouvoir
French requires conjugation.
Können
German conjugates based on person.
Dekiru
Indonesian uses SVO; Japanese uses SOV.
Istata'a
Arabic is highly inflected.
Néng
Chinese has different modals for different types of ability (hui vs neng).
