Basic Locations
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'di' for location, 'ke' for destination, and 'dari' for origin to navigate Indonesia like a local.
- Use 'di' for static location: Saya di rumah (I am at home).
- Use 'ke' for movement towards: Saya ke pasar (I am going to the market).
- Use 'dari' for origin: Saya dari kantor (I am from the office).
Meanings
These three particles are the foundation of spatial orientation in Indonesian, indicating where someone is, where they are going, or where they came from.
Static Location
Indicates the place where an action occurs or a person exists.
“Buku ada di meja.”
“Saya di sekolah.”
Direction/Destination
Indicates movement towards a specific destination.
“Saya pergi ke kantor.”
“Dia lari ke taman.”
Origin/Source
Indicates the starting point of a movement or the source of an object.
“Saya dari Bandung.”
“Surat ini dari ibu.”
Particle Usage Table
| Particle | English Meaning | Usage Context | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| di | at / in / on | Static location | di rumah |
| ke | to / towards | Movement destination | ke pasar |
| dari | from | Origin / Source | dari kantor |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + di + Location | Saya di sekolah |
| Negative | Subject + tidak + di + Location | Saya tidak di sekolah |
| Question | Apakah + Subject + di + Location? | Apakah kamu di sekolah? |
| Movement | Subject + pergi + ke + Location | Saya pergi ke sekolah |
| Origin | Subject + datang + dari + Location | Saya datang dari sekolah |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Saya berada di kantor. (Work)
Saya di kantor. (Work)
Aku di kantor. (Work)
Gue di kantor. (Work)
Spatial Particles Map
Movement
- ke to
Origin
- dari from
Examples by Level
Saya di rumah.
I am at home.
Dia pergi ke sekolah.
He goes to school.
Kami dari Jakarta.
We are from Jakarta.
Buku di meja.
The book is on the table.
Apakah kamu di kantor?
Are you at the office?
Saya ingin pergi ke Bali.
I want to go to Bali.
Dia baru pulang dari pasar.
He just returned from the market.
Di mana kamu sekarang?
Where are you now?
Surat ini dari teman saya.
This letter is from my friend.
Kami akan pindah ke rumah baru.
We will move to a new house.
Dia sedang berada di tengah kota.
He is currently in the city center.
Saya belajar dari pengalaman.
I learn from experience.
Keputusan itu datang dari direktur.
That decision came from the director.
Kita harus fokus ke masa depan.
We must focus on the future.
Dia terjebak di situasi sulit.
He is trapped in a difficult situation.
Perjalanan dari Jakarta ke Surabaya.
The trip from Jakarta to Surabaya.
Dia beralih ke strategi baru.
He shifted to a new strategy.
Informasi ini diperoleh dari sumber terpercaya.
This information was obtained from a trusted source.
Masalah ini berakar di ketidakadilan.
This problem is rooted in injustice.
Dia menunjuk ke arah pintu.
He pointed towards the door.
Perdebatan ini bergeser ke arah yang lebih teknis.
This debate shifted to a more technical direction.
Narasi ini berangkat dari premis yang salah.
This narrative departs from a false premise.
Dia terbenam di dalam lamunannya.
He was immersed in his daydreams.
Peralihan ke sistem digital.
The transition to a digital system.
Easily Confused
Both can mean 'at'.
Both mean 'to'.
Both involve 'from'.
자주 하는 실수
Saya pergi di sekolah.
Saya pergi ke sekolah.
Saya dari rumah.
Saya di rumah.
Saya ke rumah.
Saya di rumah.
Saya di Jakarta pergi.
Saya pergi ke Jakarta.
Saya datang di kantor.
Saya datang ke kantor.
Buku di atas meja.
Buku ada di atas meja.
Saya dari pergi pasar.
Saya pulang dari pasar.
Dia fokus di masa depan.
Dia fokus ke masa depan.
Saya belajar dari buku.
Saya belajar dari buku.
Dia berasal di Bandung.
Dia berasal dari Bandung.
Keputusan ini berakar di masalah.
Keputusan ini berakar pada masalah.
Dia menunjuk di peta.
Dia menunjuk ke peta.
Peralihan di sistem baru.
Peralihan ke sistem baru.
Sentence Patterns
Saya ___ ___.
Apakah kamu ___ ___?
Dia pergi ___ ___ lalu pulang ___ ___.
Informasi ini berasal ___ ___.
Real World Usage
Aku di jalan.
Saya dari hotel.
Ke mana tujuan Anda?
Antar ke rumah.
Saya dari perusahaan X.
Check-in di Bali.
Space matters
Don't mix them up
Ask 'Ke mana?'
Be polite
Smart Tips
Always check if the verb implies motion. If yes, use 'ke' or 'dari'.
Check for spaces after the particle.
Use 'Ke mana' to start the conversation.
Use 'dari' for both people and things.
발음
Clear articulation
These are short, unstressed particles.
Question intonation
Kamu di mana? ↑
Rising pitch at the end for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'DKD': Di-Ke-Dari. At-To-From.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing still (di), walking forward (ke), and walking backward (dari).
Rhyme
Di untuk diam, Ke untuk jalan, Dari untuk asal, semua aman.
Story
Budi is at home (di rumah). He walks to the store (ke toko). He comes back from the store (dari toko).
Word Web
챌린지
Write 3 sentences about your day using di, ke, and dari.
문화 노트
In Indonesia, asking 'Ke mana?' is a common greeting, not an intrusion.
These particles are native to the Austronesian language family.
Conversation Starters
Kamu dari mana?
Di mana rumahmu?
Ke mana kamu akan berlibur?
Dari mana kamu belajar bahasa?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Saya pergi ___ pasar.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya pergi di kantor.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I am from Bandung.
Answer starts with: c...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Ke mana kamu? B: Saya ___ kantor.
Use: saya, dari, pasar, pulang.
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesSaya pergi ___ pasar.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya pergi di kantor.
rumah / di / saya
I am from Bandung.
di, ke, dari
A: Ke mana kamu? B: Saya ___ kantor.
Use: saya, dari, pasar, pulang.
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
Mostly yes, it covers 'in', 'at', and 'on' for locations.
No, use 'sampai' or 'pada' for time.
That is the passive prefix 'di-', which is different from the preposition 'di'.
Yes, it can mean 'since' or 'from' a certain time.
Think: Am I staying (di), going (ke), or coming (dari)?
They are used in all registers, from formal to slang.
Only at the start of a sentence.
Usually not directly; you need a location noun.
In Other Languages
en/a/de
Spanish prepositions often contract with articles (e.g., al), while Indonesian never does.
à/à/de
Indonesian strictly separates location and destination, whereas French often conflates them.
in/zu/von
German prepositions require case changes (dative/accusative), while Indonesian is invariant.
ni/e/kara
Japanese particles are post-positional (come after the noun), while Indonesian particles are pre-positional.
fi/ila/min
Arabic has complex gender and number agreement, which Indonesian lacks entirely.
zai/dao/cong
Chinese often uses these as coverbs, whereas Indonesian uses them as pure prepositions.
