Imperative Requests
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use the base verb for commands, add 'jangan' for negative, and add 'tolong' or 'silakan' to be polite.
- Use base verb for direct commands: 'Makan!' (Eat!)
- Add 'jangan' for negative commands: 'Jangan makan!' (Don't eat!)
- Add 'tolong' for polite requests: 'Tolong makan!' (Please eat!)
Imperative Structure Table
| Type | Marker | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Direct
|
-
|
Root
|
Makan!
|
|
Negative
|
Jangan
|
Root
|
Jangan makan!
|
|
Polite
|
Tolong
|
Root
|
Tolong makan!
|
|
Invitation
|
Silakan
|
Root
|
Silakan makan!
|
|
Formal
|
Mohon
|
Root
|
Mohon makan!
|
|
Softened
|
Root
|
-lah
|
Makanlah!
|
Meanings
The imperative mood is used to give orders, instructions, or make requests to others.
Direct Command
A forceful instruction.
“Duduk!”
“Diam!”
Polite Request
Asking someone to do something nicely.
“Tolong bantu saya.”
“Silakan masuk.”
Prohibition
Telling someone not to do something.
“Jangan lari.”
“Jangan berisik.”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb
|
Buka!
|
|
Negative
|
Jangan + Verb
|
Jangan buka!
|
|
Polite
|
Tolong + Verb
|
Tolong buka!
|
|
Invitation
|
Silakan + Verb
|
Silakan buka!
|
|
Formal
|
Mohon + Verb
|
Mohon buka!
|
|
Softened
|
Verb + -lah
|
Bukalah!
|
|
Passive
|
Di- + Verb
|
Dibuka!
|
|
Prohibition
|
Dilarang + Verb
|
Dilarang buka!
|
Formality Spectrum
Mohon duduk (Offering a seat)
Silakan duduk (Offering a seat)
Duduk! (Offering a seat)
Duduk sini! (Offering a seat)
Imperative Modifiers
Polite
- Tolong Please
- Silakan Go ahead
Negative
- Jangan Don't
Formal
- Mohon Request
Examples by Level
Makan!
Eat!
Tolong bantu saya.
Please help me.
Jangan lari.
Don't run.
Silakan masuk.
Please come in.
Mohon tunggu sebentar.
Please wait a moment.
Jangan lupa bawa buku.
Don't forget to bring the book.
Silakan duduk di sini.
Please sit here.
Tolong ambilkan air.
Please get me some water.
Duduklah, jangan berdiri terus.
Do sit down, don't keep standing.
Mohon segera hubungi kami.
Please contact us immediately.
Janganlah kamu bersedih.
Do not be sad.
Tolong jangan berisik di perpustakaan.
Please don't be noisy in the library.
Harap jangan menginjak rumput.
Please do not step on the grass.
Silakan diperiksa kembali dokumennya.
Please have the documents checked again.
Mohon dimaklumi keterlambatan ini.
Please understand this delay.
Jangan sampai kamu terlambat lagi.
Don't let yourself be late again.
Hendaklah kita menjaga kebersihan lingkungan.
We should keep the environment clean.
Dilarang membuang sampah di sini.
It is forbidden to throw trash here.
Mohon agar segera ditindaklanjuti.
Please have this followed up immediately.
Janganlah kiranya Anda merasa tersinggung.
I hope you do not feel offended.
Harap maklum, segala keputusan bersifat final.
Please be advised, all decisions are final.
Janganlah hendaknya kita melupakan sejarah.
Let us not forget history.
Mohon perkenan Bapak untuk menandatangani.
May I request your signature, Sir.
Diharapkan partisipasi aktif dari seluruh hadirin.
Active participation from all attendees is expected.
Easily Confused
Both mean 'no' or 'not'.
Both are polite markers.
Similar word order.
Common Mistakes
Tidak makan!
Jangan makan!
Makan kamu!
Makan!
Tolong jangan makan!
Tolong jangan makan!
Silakan makan saya.
Silakan makan.
Mohon jangan lari-lari.
Mohon jangan lari.
Tolonglah duduk.
Silakan duduk.
Jangan tidak datang.
Harap datang.
Duduklah kamu.
Duduklah.
Tolong dibantu.
Tolong bantu.
Janganlah kamu pergi.
Jangan pergi.
Dilarang untuk merokok.
Dilarang merokok.
Mohon agar supaya datang.
Mohon datang.
Harap dimaklumi saja.
Harap dimaklumi.
Sentence Patterns
Tolong ___ saya.
Jangan ___ di sini.
Silakan ___ ke dalam.
Mohon ___ dokumen ini.
Real World Usage
Tolong taruh di depan pintu.
Jangan lupa like ya!
Mohon tunggu sebentar.
Silakan belok kiri.
Buka buku halaman sepuluh.
Jangan telat ya.
Use 'Tolong'
Don't use 'Tidak'
Soften with '-lah'
Context is Key
Smart Tips
Always start with 'Tolong' or 'Mohon'.
Check if it's negative; if so, look for 'Jangan'.
Use 'Silakan' to show hospitality.
Add '-lah' to the verb.
Pronunciation
Emphasis
Commands often have a falling intonation.
Command
Makan! ↘
Firm instruction
Memorize It
Mnemonic
J-T-S: Jangan (Don't), Tolong (Please), Silakan (Go ahead).
Visual Association
Imagine a traffic light: Red (Jangan/Stop), Green (Silakan/Go), Yellow (Tolong/Caution/Please).
Rhyme
Jangan untuk larangan, Tolong untuk permintaan, Silakan untuk undangan.
Story
Budi is hungry. He says 'Makan!' (too rude). He tries 'Jangan makan!' (doesn't make sense). Finally, he says 'Tolong makan!' (Please eat).
Word Web
Challenge
Write 5 commands you would give to a friend using JTS.
Cultural Notes
Politeness is highly stratified; using 'tolong' is mandatory.
Often adds 'dong' to soften commands.
Uses 'mohon' for all requests.
Rooted in Austronesian verb structures.
Conversation Starters
Tolong bantu saya?
Silakan masuk!
Jangan lupa makan ya?
Mohon tunggu sebentar.
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
___ makan di sini.
___ bantu saya.
Find and fix the mistake:
Tidak lari!
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Please sit down.
Answer starts with: Sil...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
___ tunggu sebentar.
___ masuk ke ruangan.
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises___ makan di sini.
___ bantu saya.
Find and fix the mistake:
Tidak lari!
saya / tolong / bantu
Please sit down.
Jangan lari
___ tunggu sebentar.
___ masuk ke ruangan.
Score: /8
FAQ (8)
No, 'tidak' is for statements. Use 'jangan' for commands.
Yes, it is the standard way to ask for help.
Use it when inviting someone to do something.
Indonesian is an isolating language; it doesn't use conjugation.
Add 'tolong' or '-lah'.
'Mohon' is more formal than 'tolong'.
Usually, you drop the pronoun to make it a direct command.
No, Indonesian is gender-neutral.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Imperativo
Spanish has complex conjugation; Indonesian has none.
Impératif
French requires subject agreement.
Imperativ
German is highly formal-dependent.
Meireikei
Japanese relies on verb endings for politeness.
Fi'l al-amr
Arabic is highly inflected.
祈使句
Chinese uses particles like 'ba' to soften.
