Directional Words
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'di', 'ke', and 'dari' to describe where you are, where you are going, and where you are coming from.
- Use 'di' for static location: Saya di rumah (I am at home).
- Use 'ke' for destination: Saya ke pasar (I am going to the market).
- Use 'dari' for origin: Saya dari kantor (I am from the office).
Meanings
These particles define the spatial relationship between a subject and a location. They are essential for navigation and basic communication.
Location (Static)
Indicates where someone or something is currently located.
“Buku itu di meja.”
“Ibu di dapur.”
Direction (Movement)
Indicates the destination of a movement.
“Saya pergi ke kantor.”
“Adik lari ke taman.”
Origin (Source)
Indicates the starting point or origin of a movement.
“Saya dari Jakarta.”
“Dia baru pulang dari pasar.”
Spatial Particle Usage
| Particle | English Meaning | Usage Context | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| di | at / in | Static location | Saya di rumah |
| ke | to | Destination | Saya ke sekolah |
| dari | from | Origin | Saya dari kantor |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + Verb + Particle + Place | Saya pergi ke pasar |
| Negative | Subject + tidak + Verb + Particle + Place | Saya tidak pergi ke pasar |
| Question | Subject + Verb + Particle + mana? | Kamu pergi ke mana? |
| Location | Subject + di + Place | Saya di sekolah |
| Origin | Subject + dari + Place | Saya dari Jakarta |
| Direction | Subject + ke + Place | Saya ke sana |
Espectro de formalidade
Saya berada di kantor. (Work/Social)
Saya di kantor. (Work/Social)
Aku di kantor. (Work/Social)
Gue di kantor. (Work/Social)
Spatial Particle Map
Static
- di at
Movement
- ke to
Origin
- dari from
Examples by Level
Saya di sekolah.
I am at school.
Dia ke pasar.
He is going to the market.
Kami dari rumah.
We are from home.
Ibu di dapur.
Mother is in the kitchen.
Kamu pergi ke mana?
Where are you going?
Saya baru pulang dari kantor.
I just returned from the office.
Buku itu ada di meja.
The book is on the table.
Mereka lari ke taman.
They ran to the park.
Kucing itu tidur di bawah kursi.
The cat is sleeping under the chair.
Pesawat itu terbang ke arah utara.
The plane is flying towards the north.
Dia mengambil uang dari dompetnya.
He took money from his wallet.
Pertemuan diadakan di hotel besar.
The meeting is held at a big hotel.
Setelah tiba dari luar negeri, dia langsung ke rumah sakit.
After arriving from abroad, he went straight to the hospital.
Pemerintah mengirim bantuan ke daerah bencana.
The government sent aid to the disaster area.
Dia berasal dari keluarga sederhana.
He comes from a simple family.
Mobil itu diparkir di depan gedung.
The car is parked in front of the building.
Keputusan itu diambil dari hasil rapat di Jakarta.
The decision was taken from the results of the meeting in Jakarta.
Dia melangkah menuju ke masa depan yang cerah.
He is stepping towards a bright future.
Informasi ini didapat dari sumber terpercaya di lapangan.
This information was obtained from a trusted source in the field.
Mereka berlayar dari pelabuhan ke tengah samudra.
They sailed from the harbor to the middle of the ocean.
Dari sudut pandang historis, peristiwa ini terjadi di era kolonial.
From a historical perspective, this event occurred in the colonial era.
Ia terasing dari lingkungan di mana ia dibesarkan.
He is alienated from the environment where he was raised.
Perjalanan dari titik nol ke puncak kesuksesan.
The journey from point zero to the peak of success.
Ke mana pun ia pergi, ia selalu membawa kenangan dari kampung halaman.
Wherever he goes, he always carries memories from his hometown.
Easily Confused
Learners often use them interchangeably for location and movement.
Learners use 'di dalam' when 'di' is sufficient.
Learners use 'ke' for people.
Erros comuns
Saya pergi di pasar.
Saya pergi ke pasar.
Saya ke rumah.
Saya di rumah.
Saya dari pasar pergi.
Saya pergi dari pasar.
Di mana kamu pergi?
Ke mana kamu pergi?
Saya datang di Jakarta.
Saya datang ke Jakarta.
Dia lari di taman.
Dia lari ke taman.
Saya dari sekolah pulang.
Saya pulang dari sekolah.
Dia duduk ke kursi.
Dia duduk di kursi.
Saya tinggal ke Bandung.
Saya tinggal di Bandung.
Buku itu dari meja.
Buku itu di atas meja.
Keputusan itu datang di rapat.
Keputusan itu datang dari rapat.
Dia menuju di rumah.
Dia menuju ke rumah.
Hasil ini dari penelitian di lapangan.
Hasil ini dari penelitian di lapangan.
Sentence Patterns
Saya ___ ___.
Kamu pergi ___ ___?
Dia baru pulang ___ ___.
___ ___ saya berada.
Real World Usage
Aku di jalan.
Saya dari bandara.
Ke mana arah ke hotel?
Rapat di ruang A.
Antar ke rumah saya.
Lagi di Bali nih!
The 'DKD' Rule
Don't mix di and ke
Context is King
Formal vs Informal
Smart Tips
Always check if your verb implies motion. If yes, use 'ke'.
Use 'ke mana' to ask for a destination.
Use 'di' for being home, 'ke' for going home.
Always place 'dari' before the source.
Pronúncia
Clear Enunciation
Particles are short; ensure they are distinct.
Question Intonation
Kamu ke mana? ↗
Rising pitch at the end for questions.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'DKD': Di (at), Ke (to), Dari (from). Think of a 'DKD' map for your day.
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 ada di rumah. Dia pergi ke sekolah. Dia pulang dari sekolah.
Word Web
Desafio
Label three rooms in your house with sticky notes using 'di [room name]'.
Notas culturais
Indonesians often drop the subject pronoun if it's clear from context.
Use 'gue' and 'lo' with these particles for casual speech.
Use 'berada di' instead of just 'di' for formal announcements.
These particles evolved from Old Malay spatial markers.
Conversation Starters
Kamu sekarang di mana?
Kamu dari mana?
Ke mana kamu akan pergi liburan?
Dari mana asalmu?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Saya pergi ___ pasar.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya pergi di sekolah.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
I am from home.
Answer starts with: c...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
Build a sentence with 'ke' and 'taman'.
A: Kamu dari mana? B: ___.
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesSaya pergi ___ pasar.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya pergi di sekolah.
pasar / ke / pergi / saya
I am from home.
di = ?, ke = ?, dari = ?
Build a sentence with 'ke' and 'taman'.
A: Kamu dari mana? B: ___.
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
No, 'di' is strictly for place. Use 'pada' for time.
No, use 'kepada' for people.
You can use 'ke dalam', but 'ke' is usually enough.
It's the most common mistake! Just remember: static vs. movement.
They are largely the same in standard Malay/Indonesian.
No, the sentence will be incomplete.
Use 'ke arah'.
Use the DKD mnemonic!
In Other Languages
en/a/de
Indonesian particles are invariant, while Spanish prepositions can contract with articles.
à/à/de
Indonesian strictly separates location (di) and destination (ke).
in/zu/von
Indonesian has no case system, making it much simpler.
ni/e/kara
Japanese particles are suffixes, while Indonesian particles are prefixes to the noun.
fi/ila/min
Arabic prepositions can attach to nouns as prefixes.
zai/dao/cong
Chinese word order is stricter regarding verb placement.
