Formulating Questions
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Asking questions in Indonesian is simple: just add 'kah' for formal questions or use rising intonation for informal ones.
- Use 'kah' attached to the question word for formal questions: 'Apakah kamu lapar?'
- Use rising intonation at the end of a sentence for casual questions: 'Kamu lapar?'
- Use question words like 'apa', 'siapa', 'di mana' at the start or end of sentences.
Meanings
The primary way to turn a statement into a question or to request specific information using interrogative pronouns.
Yes/No Questions
Questions requiring a confirmation or denial.
“Apakah ini rumahmu?”
“Kamu mau pergi?”
Information Questions
Questions using 5W1H (Apa, Siapa, Di mana, Kapan, Mengapa, Bagaimana).
“Siapa nama kamu?”
“Di mana dia tinggal?”
Question Word Formation
| Question Word | Meaning | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apa | What | Things/Ideas | Apa ini? |
| Siapa | Who | People | Siapa dia? |
| Di mana | Where | Location | Di mana rumah? |
| Kapan | When | Time | Kapan datang? |
| Mengapa | Why | Reason | Mengapa pergi? |
| Bagaimana | How | Method | Bagaimana ini? |
Common Informal Shortenings
| Formal | Informal |
|---|---|
| Apakah | Apa/--- |
| Mengapa | Kenapa |
| Bagaimana | Gimana |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/No (Formal) | Apakah + S + V + O | Apakah kamu lapar? |
| Yes/No (Informal) | S + V + O + ? | Kamu lapar? |
| Information (Start) | QW + S + V | Siapa nama kamu? |
| Information (End) | S + V + QW | Nama kamu siapa? |
| Negative Question | Apakah + S + tidak + V | Apakah kamu tidak lapar? |
| Confirmation | S + V + belum? | Sudah makan belum? |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Apakah Anda sedang makan? (Dining)
Apakah kamu sedang makan? (Dining)
Lagi makan? (Dining)
Makan gak? (Dining)
The 5W1H Map
People
- Siapa Who
Things
- Apa What
Time
- Kapan When
Examples by Level
Apakah kamu lapar?
Are you hungry?
Siapa nama kamu?
What is your name?
Ini apa?
What is this?
Kamu mau pergi?
Do you want to go?
Di mana rumah kamu?
Where is your house?
Kapan kita berangkat?
When do we leave?
Mengapa dia menangis?
Why is she crying?
Sudah makan belum?
Have you eaten yet?
Bagaimana cara membuat ini?
How do you make this?
Apa yang kamu pikirkan?
What are you thinking about?
Kenapa kamu tidak datang?
Why didn't you come?
Siapa yang memberitahu kamu?
Who told you?
Apakah Anda bersedia membantu saya?
Are you willing to help me?
Boleh saya tahu siapa namanya?
May I know who the name is?
Sejauh mana kamu mengerti?
To what extent do you understand?
Apa jadinya jika kita gagal?
What will happen if we fail?
Bagaimanakah seharusnya kita menyikapi ini?
How should we address this?
Siapakah gerangan yang melakukan ini?
Who on earth did this?
Mengapa mesti kita lakukan sekarang?
Why must we do it now?
Apa kiranya yang mereka inginkan?
What might they want?
Tidakkah terpikirkan olehmu dampaknya?
Had you not thought of the impact?
Di manakah letak kesalahannya?
Where exactly does the error lie?
Bagaimana mungkin hal itu terjadi?
How could that possibly happen?
Apa yang membuatmu yakin?
What makes you certain?
Easily Confused
Learners think 'Apa' is the same as 'Apakah'.
Using 'Siapa' for objects.
Thinking they are different in meaning.
자주 하는 실수
Adalah kamu lapar?
Apakah kamu lapar?
Siapa ini?
Apa ini?
Kamu lapar tidak?
Kamu lapar?
Apakah kamu pergi ke mana?
Ke mana kamu pergi?
Kapan kamu makan?
Sudah makan belum?
Mengapa kamu tidak pergi?
Kenapa tidak pergi?
Bagaimana kamu?
Apa kabar?
Apakah kamu tahu siapa dia?
Kamu tahu siapa dia?
Apa yang kamu mau?
Mau apa?
Siapa yang kamu lihat?
Lihat siapa?
Bagaimanakah cara untuk melakukan ini?
Bagaimana cara melakukan ini?
Apa itu yang kamu maksud?
Maksudnya apa?
Siapa gerangan yang datang?
Siapa yang datang?
Sentence Patterns
Apakah ___ lapar?
___ nama kamu?
Di mana ___ tinggal?
Bagaimana cara ___ ini?
Real World Usage
Lagi apa?
Apakah Anda punya pengalaman?
Di mana hotel?
Ini pedas?
Siapa nih?
Bagaimana cara menjawab ini?
Keep it simple
Avoid 'Adalah'
Use 'Sih'
Politeness
Smart Tips
Drop the 'Apakah' and use rising intonation.
Place the question word at the end for emphasis.
Use 'belum' instead of 'tidak'.
Always use 'Apakah' and 'Anda'.
발음
Rising Intonation
At the end of a question, raise your pitch slightly.
Question Rise
Kamu lapar? ↑
Signals a question without particles.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Apakah' as a 'Question Hook'—it hooks the sentence into a question.
Visual Association
Imagine a fisherman throwing a hook (the word 'kah') into the water to catch a fish (the answer).
Rhyme
For yes or no, use Apakah, to ask a friend, just raise your voice, ha!
Story
Budi went to the market. He asked 'Apa ini?' (What is this?). The seller said 'Mangga'. Budi asked 'Berapa?' (How much?). The seller smiled.
Word Web
챌린지
Ask 5 questions to your mirror using different question words in 5 minutes.
문화 노트
Questions are often softened with 'ya' at the end.
Questions are very direct and often drop the subject.
Questions are structured to show respect using 'Anda'.
The particle 'kah' is an old Austronesian suffix used to emphasize questions.
Conversation Starters
Apa hobi kamu?
Di mana kamu tinggal?
Apa rencana kamu akhir pekan ini?
Bagaimana pendapatmu tentang ini?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
___ nama kamu?
Choose the formal question.
Find and fix the mistake:
Adalah kamu pergi?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Where is the house?
Answer starts with: Di ...
A: ___? B: Saya Budi.
You / eat / already / ?
Which is most formal?
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercises___ nama kamu?
Choose the formal question.
Find and fix the mistake:
Adalah kamu pergi?
nama / siapa / kamu
Where is the house?
A: ___? B: Saya Budi.
You / eat / already / ?
Which is most formal?
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No, it is only for formal yes/no questions.
Yes, Indonesian is very flexible.
'Apa' is 'what', 'Apakah' is a question marker.
Use 'Apa kabar?'.
It is just more informal.
No, it is optional.
Add 'tidak' or 'belum'.
No, never.
In Other Languages
¿...?
No word order change in Indonesian.
Est-ce que
French is more complex with inversion.
Verb-first
Indonesian keeps the verb in place.
ka
Indonesian 'kah' is attached to the question word.
Hal
Indonesian is more flexible with position.
ma
Indonesian 'kah' is formal.
