Formal Passive Usage
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the 'di-' prefix to turn active verbs into passive ones, shifting the focus from the doer to the object.
- Add 'di-' to the base verb: 'makan' (eat) becomes 'dimakan' (is eaten).
- The object becomes the subject: 'Buku itu dibaca saya' (The book is read by me).
- Use 'oleh' to introduce the agent: 'Surat itu ditulis oleh Budi' (The letter was written by Budi).
Meanings
The 'di-' passive is used to highlight the receiver of an action rather than the performer. It is the standard way to express passive voice in Indonesian.
Standard Passive
Focusing on the object of a transitive verb.
“Mobil itu dicuci.”
“Pintu itu dibuka.”
Agentive Passive
Specifying who performed the action using 'oleh'.
“Lagu ini dinyanyikan oleh dia.”
“Rumah itu dibeli oleh mereka.”
Passive Formation Table
| Active Verb | Passive Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Makan | Dimakan | Is eaten |
| Baca | Dibaca | Is read |
| Tulis | Ditulis | Is written |
| Beli | Dibeli | Is bought |
| Cuci | Dicuci | Is washed |
| Buka | Dibuka | Is opened |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Object + di-Verb | Buku dibaca. |
| Negative | Object + tidak + di-Verb | Buku tidak dibaca. |
| Question | Apakah + Object + di-Verb? | Apakah buku dibaca? |
| Agentive | Object + di-Verb + oleh + Agent | Buku dibaca oleh saya. |
| Past/Perfect | Object + sudah + di-Verb | Buku sudah dibaca. |
| Future | Object + akan + di-Verb | Buku akan dibaca. |
औपचारिकता का स्तर
Surat itu ditulis olehnya. (Formal letter vs casual text)
Surat itu ditulis dia. (Formal letter vs casual text)
Suratnya dia tulis. (Formal letter vs casual text)
Suratnya ditulis dia, nih. (Formal letter vs casual text)
The Passive Flow
Focus
- Objek Object
Agent
- Oleh By
Active vs Passive
When to use Passive
Is the object more important?
Common Passive Verbs
Daily Actions
- • Dimakan
- • Diminum
- • Dicuci
- • Dibuka
Examples by Level
Kue itu dimakan.
The cake is eaten.
Buku itu dibaca.
The book is read.
Pintu itu dibuka.
The door is opened.
Surat itu ditulis.
The letter is written.
Mobil itu dicuci oleh ayah.
The car is washed by father.
Tugas itu tidak dikerjakan.
The task is not done.
Apakah kopi itu diminum?
Is the coffee drunk?
Baju itu dibeli di pasar.
The clothes are bought at the market.
Keputusan itu diambil oleh direktur.
The decision was taken by the director.
Lagu ini diciptakan oleh musisi terkenal.
This song was created by a famous musician.
Masalah itu harus diselesaikan segera.
The problem must be solved immediately.
Informasi itu disampaikan melalui email.
The information was conveyed via email.
Proyek tersebut telah disetujui oleh dewan.
The project has been approved by the board.
Data tersebut dikumpulkan secara sistematis.
The data was collected systematically.
Kebijakan ini diimplementasikan bulan lalu.
This policy was implemented last month.
Peraturan itu dipatuhi oleh semua staf.
The regulation is obeyed by all staff.
Fenomena tersebut dijelaskan melalui teori relativitas.
The phenomenon is explained through relativity theory.
Karya sastra ini diterjemahkan ke dalam bahasa asing.
This literary work is translated into foreign languages.
Hak asasi manusia harus dijunjung tinggi.
Human rights must be upheld.
Strategi pemasaran ini dirancang untuk menarik pelanggan.
This marketing strategy is designed to attract customers.
Narasi tersebut dikonstruksi untuk memengaruhi opini publik.
The narrative is constructed to influence public opinion.
Nilai-nilai luhur diwariskan dari generasi ke generasi.
Noble values are passed down from generation to generation.
Kritik tersebut ditanggapi dengan sangat bijaksana.
The criticism was responded to very wisely.
Keseimbangan ekosistem harus dijaga demi keberlangsungan hidup.
The ecosystem balance must be maintained for survival.
Easily Confused
Learners often use 'me-' when they should use 'di-'.
Both use prefixes.
Both can imply state.
सामान्य गलतियाँ
Saya dimakan nasi
Nasi dimakan saya
Di makan nasi
Nasi dimakan
Dia tidur
Dia tidur
Nasi dimakan oleh saya
Nasi dimakan saya
Buku itu di baca
Buku itu dibaca
Dia dipukul saya
Dia dipukul oleh saya
Mobil itu di cuci
Mobil itu dicuci
Proyek itu diselesaikan saya
Proyek itu diselesaikan oleh saya
Dia dimarahi oleh saya
Dia saya marahi
Masalah itu di-selesaikan
Masalah itu diselesaikan
Keputusan itu di-ambil
Keputusan itu diambil
Data itu dianalisis oleh kami
Data itu kami analisis
Hal itu dipikirkan oleh saya
Hal itu saya pikirkan
Sentence Patterns
___ itu dibaca.
___ itu dibaca oleh ___.
Apakah ___ itu sudah ___?
___ itu harus ___ segera.
Real World Usage
Jalan ditutup hari ini.
Bawang dipotong kecil-kecil.
Laporan sudah dikirim.
Foto ini diambil kemarin.
Simpan di tempat yang sejuk.
Tiket harus ditunjukkan.
Focus on the Object
No Intransitive Verbs
Omit 'oleh'
Politeness
Smart Tips
Use the passive to sound like a professional.
Passive is the only way to go.
Avoid 'saya' at the start of sentences.
Use passive for clear, impersonal steps.
उच्चारण
Prefix 'di-'
Pronounced like 'dee'. Keep it short and attached to the verb.
Statement
Buku itu dibaca. ↘
Neutral information
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'di-' as a 'door' opening to the object. If the object is the star, put 'di-' on the verb!
Visual Association
Imagine a giant spotlight shining on an object (like a book). The person who wrote it is standing in the shadows behind it, labeled 'oleh'.
Rhyme
When the object is the star of the show, add 'di-' to the verb and let it flow.
Story
Budi is a chef. He doesn't say 'I cook the rice.' He says 'The rice is cooked' (Nasi dimasak). His kitchen is full of passive labels: 'Piring dicuci' (Plates are washed), 'Sayur dipotong' (Vegetables are cut). Everything is about the food, not the chef.
Word Web
चैलेंज
Look around your room. Name 3 objects and describe them using the passive voice (e.g., 'Lampu dinyalakan' - The light is turned on).
सांस्कृतिक नोट्स
The passive is extremely common here as a sign of politeness and indirectness.
Used in news and government to maintain a professional, objective tone.
Often dropped or replaced with active voice, but still used for emphasis.
The 'di-' prefix is an Austronesian heritage, common in many Malay-Polynesian languages.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang sedang dimakan?
Buku apa yang sedang dibaca?
Apakah tugas itu sudah diselesaikan?
Bagaimana keputusan itu diambil?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Buku itu ___ oleh saya.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Mobil itu di cuci.
Budi menulis surat.
Can you use 'di-' with 'tidur'?
A: Apakah tugas itu sudah ___? B: Sudah.
oleh / dimakan / kue / adik
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Score: /8
अभ्यास प्रश्न
8 exercisesBuku itu ___ oleh saya.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Mobil itu di cuci.
Budi menulis surat.
Can you use 'di-' with 'tidur'?
A: Apakah tugas itu sudah ___? B: Sudah.
oleh / dimakan / kue / adik
Makan -> ?
Score: /8
अक्सर पूछे जाने वाले सवाल (8)
No, only transitive verbs (verbs that take an object).
No, only if you want to emphasize the agent.
No, it is a prefix attached to the verb.
It helps keep the focus on the topic.
Yes, use 'sudah' before the verb.
No, it is often more polite.
Add 'tidak' before the verb.
Similar in function, but different in structure.
In Other Languages
Ser + participio
Indonesian is a prefix-based system.
Être + participe passé
Indonesian does not use auxiliary verbs for passive.
Werden-Passiv
Indonesian is more compact.
-(r)areru
Position of the marker.
Internal vowel change
Morphological process.
Bei (被)
Indonesian is agglutinative.
