Stative Prefix 'Ter-'
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
The 'ter-' prefix turns a verb into a state of being or an accidental action, focusing on the result rather than the doer.
- Use 'ter-' for accidental actions: 'terjatuh' (fell down by accident).
- Use 'ter-' for completed states: 'terbuka' (is open/has been opened).
- Use 'ter-' for superlatives: 'terbaik' (the best).
Meanings
The prefix 'ter-' is used to indicate that an action happened accidentally, or that a subject has reached a specific resulting state.
Accidental
The action was not intentional.
“Saya terjatuh.”
“Gelas itu terpecah.”
Resulting State
The action is completed and the state persists.
“Pintu itu tertutup.”
“Lampu itu terpasang.”
Superlative
The highest degree of an adjective.
“Dia yang tercantik.”
“Ini yang terbaik.”
Ter- Prefix Formation
| Root Verb | With Ter- | Meaning | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| jatuh | terjatuh | fell down | Accidental |
| buka | terbuka | is open | State |
| pecah | terpecah | broken | Accidental |
| baik | terbaik | the best | Superlative |
| tutup | tertutup | is closed | State |
| tinggal | tertinggal | left behind | Accidental |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Ter- + Root | Pintu terbuka |
| Negative | Tidak + Ter- + Root | Tidak terbuka |
| Question | Apakah + Ter- + Root? | Apakah terbuka? |
| Superlative | Ter- + Adjective | Terbaik |
| Accidental | Ter- + Verb | Terjatuh |
| Stative | Ter- + Verb | Tertutup |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Pintu tersebut terbuka. (Describing a room.)
Pintu itu terbuka. (Describing a room.)
Pintunya terbuka. (Describing a room.)
Pintu kebuka. (Describing a room.)
The Ter- Prefix Map
Accidental
- terjatuh fell down
State
- terbuka open
Superlative
- terbaik best
Examples by Level
Saya terjatuh.
I fell down.
Pintu terbuka.
The door is open.
Gelas terpecah.
The glass is broken.
Dia terbaik.
He is the best.
Dompet saya tertinggal.
My wallet was left behind.
Lampu itu terpasang.
The lamp is installed.
Apakah dia tercantik?
Is she the prettiest?
Tidak terbuka.
It is not open.
Buku itu tersimpan di lemari.
The book is stored in the cupboard.
Saya terbangun karena suara itu.
I woke up because of that sound.
Dia terkejut melihat saya.
He was surprised to see me.
Masalah itu terselesaikan.
The problem is solved.
Keputusan itu sudah terambil.
The decision has been taken.
Dia terlihat sangat sedih.
He looks very sad.
Semua barang sudah tersusun.
All items are arranged.
Dia tertangkap basah.
He was caught red-handed.
Ide itu terlintas di pikiran saya.
The idea crossed my mind.
Rumah itu terletak di bukit.
The house is located on the hill.
Dia tergolong orang kaya.
He is classified as a rich person.
Kejadian itu tak terduga.
The event was unexpected.
Dia terobsesi dengan pekerjaannya.
He is obsessed with his work.
Hal itu terabaikan oleh pemerintah.
That matter was neglected by the government.
Dia terjerat hutang.
He is trapped in debt.
Suaranya terdengar merdu.
Her voice sounds melodious.
Easily Confused
Both are passive-like.
Both are verb prefixes.
Both express superlatives.
자주 하는 실수
Saya terbuka pintu
Saya membuka pintu
Dia terjatuh buku
Buku itu terjatuh
Saya ter-makan
Saya makan
Pintu di-buka (when it's just open)
Pintu terbuka
Dia ter-lari
Dia lari
Saya ter-baca buku
Buku itu terbaca
Dia ter-pintar
Dia terpintar
Saya ter-tulis surat
Surat itu tertulis
Dia ter-tidur di kasur
Dia tertidur di kasur
Pintu itu ter-buka oleh saya
Pintu itu dibuka oleh saya
Dia ter-pikirkan hal itu
Hal itu terpikirkan
Dia ter-mampu
Dia mampu
Dia ter-lihatkan
Dia terlihat
Sentence Patterns
___ itu ___ (ter-verb).
Dia adalah yang ___ (ter-adj).
Saya ___ (ter-verb) karena ___.
Hal itu ___ (ter-verb) oleh ___.
Real World Usage
Sori, aku tertidur.
Tercantik!
Saya tertantang oleh posisi ini.
Paspor saya tertinggal.
Pesanan sudah terkirim.
Jalanan tertutup banjir.
Focus on the Result
No Intentional Actions
Superlative Shortcut
Polite Accidents
Smart Tips
Use 'ter-' to remove blame.
Use 'ter-' for the current condition.
Just add 'ter-' to the root.
Use 'tertinggal'.
발음
Ter- prefix
The 'e' in 'ter-' is a schwa sound (like the 'a' in 'about').
Statement
Pintu terbuka ↘
Falling intonation for facts.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Ter- is for 'The Error' (accidental) or 'The Result' (state).
Visual Association
Imagine a door that is already open (terbuka) and you accidentally trip (terjatuh) over the threshold.
Rhyme
When you trip and fall, use ter- for the call.
Story
Budi wanted to open the door (buka). He tripped (terjatuh). Now the door is open (terbuka). He is the best (terbaik) at falling.
Word Web
챌린지
Look around your room and name 3 things that are in a 'ter-' state (e.g., door is closed, light is installed).
문화 노트
Using 'ter-' shows humility by avoiding direct blame.
The prefix 'ter-' is an Austronesian inheritance.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang terjadi?
Bagaimana keadaan pintu itu?
Siapa atlet terbaik di Indonesia?
Apakah kamu pernah tertinggal pesawat?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Pintu itu ___ (buka).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya terbuka pintu itu.
Dia adalah yang paling cantik.
Ter- can be used for intentional actions.
A: Kenapa kamu terlambat? B: Maaf, saya ___.
tertinggal / dompet / saya
Which is accidental?
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesPintu itu ___ (buka).
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya terbuka pintu itu.
Dia adalah yang paling cantik.
Ter- can be used for intentional actions.
A: Kenapa kamu terlambat? B: Maaf, saya ___.
tertinggal / dompet / saya
Which is accidental?
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No, only for accidental actions, states, or superlatives.
No, it is invariant.
It is a standard way to express 'the most'.
It is neutral and used in all registers.
It will sound like an accident, which might be confusing.
Di- is intentional, Ter- is accidental/stative.
Some verbs don't take 'ter-'.
Yes, it is professional when describing states or unexpected events.
In Other Languages
Se + verb
Spanish requires a pronoun for the person involved.
Ver- prefix
German 'ver-' is not used for superlatives.
Se + verb
French uses 'être' for states, not a prefix.
Te-form + shimau
Japanese uses a separate auxiliary verb.
In- prefix
Arabic 'in-' is strictly passive.
Verb + le/wan
Chinese has no prefix system like Indonesian.
