Sophisticated Control
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Sophisticated control determines which noun in a sentence performs the action of a secondary, 'hidden' verb without repeating the subject.
- Subject Control: The main subject performs both verbs. Example: 'Saya berjanji (saya) datang.'
- Object Control: The object of the first verb performs the second. Example: 'Ibu menyuruh adik (adik) mandi.'
- Avoid 'bahwa' (that) with control verbs like 'ingin' or 'mencoba' to maintain advanced flow.
Meanings
A syntactic relationship where the subject of an embedded verb is determined by an argument (subject or object) of the higher matrix verb.
Subject Control (Intent/Desire)
The subject of the main verb is also the understood subject of the following verb.
“Dia bermaksud mengundurkan diri besok.”
“Kami berencana mengunjungi Bali bulan depan.”
Object Control (Influence/Command)
The object of the main verb becomes the understood subject of the following verb.
“Dosen memaksa mahasiswa mengulang ujian.”
“Polisi memerintahkan pengendara berhenti.”
Promise Control
A specific type of subject control where a verb with an object still points back to the subject for the second action.
“Budi berjanji kepada ibunya untuk belajar giat.”
“Saya menjamin Anda untuk merasa puas.”
Control Verb Structures
| Type | Matrix Verb Example | Structure | Hidden Subject (PRO) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subject Control | Ingin (Want) | S + V1 + V2 | Same as S |
| Subject Control | Berjanji (Promise) | S + V1 + O + untuk + V2 | Same as S |
| Object Control | Menyuruh (Order) | S + V1 + O + V2 | Same as O |
| Object Control | Meminta (Ask) | S + V1 + O + untuk + V2 | Same as O |
| Causative Control | Membiarkan (Let) | S + V1 + O + V2 | Same as O |
| Passive Control | Dilarang (Forbidden) | V1(pass) + V2 | Arbitrary/General |
| Intent Control | Bermaksud (Intend) | S + V1 + V2 | Same as S |
Informal vs Formal Control Links
| Formal | Informal/Short | Example (Informal) |
|---|---|---|
| Ingin | Mau | Gue mau makan. |
| Akan | Bakalan | Dia bakalan telat. |
| Mencoba | Nyoba | Lagi nyoba benerin hp. |
| Menyuruh | Nyuruh | Dia nyuruh gue balik. |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | S + Control Verb + V2 | Saya ingin belajar. |
| Negative (Matrix) | S + tidak + Control Verb + V2 | Saya tidak ingin belajar. |
| Negative (Embedded) | S + Control Verb + untuk tidak + V2 | Saya memutuskan untuk tidak belajar. |
| Interrogative | Apakah + S + Control Verb + V2? | Apakah kamu ingin belajar? |
| Passive Object Control | O + di-Control-kan + V2 | Saya disuruh belajar. |
| Formal Subject Control | S + ber-Verb + V2 | Kami berencana mengunjungi museum. |
| Object Control with 'Untuk' | S + V1 + O + untuk + V2 | Ibu meminta saya untuk membantu. |
| Arbitrary Control | Dilarang + V2 | Dilarang merokok. |
Espectro de formalidade
Saya bermaksud untuk menyantap hidangan. (Dining)
Saya ingin makan. (Dining)
Aku mau makan. (Dining)
Gue pengen makan. (Dining)
The Logic of Control
Subject Control
- Ingin Want
- Berjanji Promise
- Mencoba Try
Object Control
- Menyuruh Order
- Memaksa Force
- Mengizinkan Allow
Subject vs Object Control
Who is the Subject of Verb 2?
Is the verb 'berjanji', 'ingin', or 'mencoba'?
Is there an Object (like 'saya' in 'Ibu menyuruh saya')?
Examples by Level
Saya mau minum.
I want to drink.
Dia bisa lari.
He can run.
Kami suka makan rendang.
We like to eat rendang.
Adik mau tidur.
Little sibling wants to sleep.
Saya mencoba belajar bahasa Indonesia.
I am trying to learn Indonesian.
Ibu menyuruh saya mandi.
Mother told me to shower.
Dia mulai bekerja jam delapan.
He starts working at eight.
Ayah meminta saya membantu.
Father asked me to help.
Kami berencana untuk pergi ke Bali.
We plan to go to Bali.
Dia berjanji untuk menelepon nanti.
He promised to call later.
Saya memutuskan untuk tidak membeli mobil itu.
I decided not to buy that car.
Guru mengizinkan kami pulang awal.
The teacher allowed us to go home early.
Perusahaan mempertimbangkan untuk membuka cabang baru.
The company is considering opening a new branch.
Dia berusaha keras untuk memenangkan kompetisi.
He is striving hard to win the competition.
Masyarakat diimbau untuk waspada terhadap penipuan.
The public is urged to be wary of scams.
Saya ditugaskan untuk memimpin rapat hari ini.
I was assigned to lead the meeting today.
Pemerintah berupaya meminimalisasi dampak inflasi.
The government is striving to minimize the impact of inflation.
Terdakwa bermaksud mengajukan banding atas putusan hakim.
The defendant intends to file an appeal against the judge's decision.
Penulis cenderung menggunakan metafora yang kompleks.
The author tends to use complex metaphors.
Delegasi tersebut berkomitmen untuk memperkuat kerja sama bilateral.
The delegation is committed to strengthening bilateral cooperation.
Kebijakan tersebut niscaya memicu perdebatan di kalangan akademisi.
The policy will inevitably trigger debate among academics.
Subjek hukum dilarang keras melakukan tindakan diskriminatif.
Legal subjects are strictly forbidden from committing discriminatory acts.
Beliau senantiasa berikhtiar menjaga kerukunan antarumat beragama.
He always endeavors to maintain harmony between religious communities.
Struktur naratifnya seolah-olah memaksa pembaca untuk merenung.
The narrative structure as if forces the reader to reflect.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up verbs like 'ingin' (control) with 'kelihatannya' (raising).
Using 'untuk' as 'in order to' versus 'untuk' as a control linker.
Both take an object, but 'berjanji' is Subject Control and 'meminta' is Object Control.
Erros comuns
Saya mau saya makan.
Saya mau makan.
Saya bisa untuk lari.
Saya bisa lari.
Dia suka dia berenang.
Dia suka berenang.
Saya mau itu.
Saya mau itu (makan).
Ibu menyuruh saya saya mandi.
Ibu menyuruh saya mandi.
Saya coba bahwa lari.
Saya coba lari.
Dia minta saya untuk saya datang.
Dia minta saya untuk datang.
Saya berjanji dia untuk datang.
Saya berjanji kepadanya untuk datang.
Kami berencana bahwa pergi.
Kami berencana pergi.
Dia memaksa untuk saya makan.
Dia memaksa saya makan.
Pemerintah berupaya bahwa menekan inflasi.
Pemerintah berupaya menekan inflasi.
Terdakwa bermaksud untuk dia banding.
Terdakwa bermaksud banding.
Saya dilarang untuk saya merokok.
Saya dilarang merokok.
Sentence Patterns
Saya bermaksud ___ minggu depan.
Pemerintah memaksa ___ untuk ___.
Kami berupaya ___ demi ___.
Ia ditugaskan ___ oleh ___.
Real World Usage
Saya berencana untuk meningkatkan efisiensi tim.
Pihak kedua berkewajiban untuk membayar denda.
Gue mau nyoba kafe baru itu.
Dokter menyarankan saya untuk berhenti merokok.
Penelitian ini berupaya menganalisis data secara kualitatif.
Mohon instruksikan driver untuk menaruh makanan di pagar.
The 'Untuk' Test
Avoid 'Bahwa' with Intent
Polite Requests
Passive Power
Smart Tips
Look for the object immediately after. That person is the one who will do the next action.
Use 'berupaya' or 'bermaksud' instead of 'mau' to sound more professional.
Remember that 'berjanji' points back to YOU, even if you mention someone else.
Use 'memutuskan untuk tidak' to show a deliberate decision.
Pronúncia
Glottal Stop in 'Mau'
In informal speech, 'mau' often ends with a slight glottal stop if followed by a verb starting with a vowel.
Intonation of Control Verbs
The stress usually falls on the matrix verb to emphasize the intent or command.
Command Intonation
SAYAmemintaANDAuntukPERGI
Strong emphasis on the request and the action.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Remember 'S-O-S': Subject Control stays with Subject, Object Control shifts to Object.
Visual Association
Imagine a puppet master (the matrix verb). In Subject Control, the master moves their own legs. In Object Control, the master pulls the strings of a puppet (the object) to make it move.
Rhyme
If you want or try, the subject is 'I'. If you force or let, the object's what you get.
Story
Budi wants (ingin) to win. He tries (mencoba) to run fast. His coach orders (menyuruh) Budi to train. Budi promises (berjanji) his coach to win. In the first two, Budi is the only actor. In the third, the coach starts it, but Budi acts. In the fourth, Budi promises the coach, but Budi is still the one who wins.
Word Web
Desafio
Write 3 sentences about your career goals using 'bermaksud', 'berupaya', and 'menugaskan'.
Notas culturais
In Central Java, people often use 'nderek' (follow/join) as a control verb to show extreme politeness when wanting to do something with a superior.
The word 'pengen' is the most common control verb for 'want' in Jakarta, replacing 'ingin' or 'mau' in almost all casual contexts.
Indonesian officials love using 'mengimbau' (to urge) as an object control verb to sound authoritative yet persuasive.
Indonesian control structures evolved from Classical Malay, which used 'hendak' and 'mahu' extensively.
Conversation Starters
Apa yang Anda rencanakan untuk dilakukan setelah lulus?
Siapa yang biasanya menyuruh Anda bekerja lembur?
Bagaimana pemerintah berupaya mengatasi masalah kemacetan?
Ceritakan saat Anda terpaksa melakukan sesuatu yang tidak Anda sukai.
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Which of these is a correct Subject Control sentence?
Ibu ___ saya untuk merapikan tempat tidur.
Find and fix the mistake:
Pemerintah berupaya bahwa menstabilkan harga pangan.
Manajer menugaskan staf untuk menulis laporan.
The verb 'berjanji' (promise) is an Object Control verb because it usually has an object (the person promised).
A: Kenapa kamu tidak datang? B: Maaf, bos saya ___ saya lembur.
bermaksud - terdakwa - banding - mengajukan - itu
Score: /8
Exercicios praticos
8 exercisesWhich of these is a correct Subject Control sentence?
Ibu ___ saya untuk merapikan tempat tidur.
Find and fix the mistake:
Pemerintah berupaya bahwa menstabilkan harga pangan.
Manajer menugaskan staf untuk menulis laporan.
The verb 'berjanji' (promise) is an Object Control verb because it usually has an object (the person promised).
A: Kenapa kamu tidak datang? B: Maaf, bos saya ___ saya lembur.
bermaksud - terdakwa - banding - mengajukan - itu
Score: /8
Perguntas frequentes (8)
Not always. With modals like `bisa`, `boleh`, and `harus`, you should not use `untuk`. With control verbs like `ingin` or `mencoba`, it is optional but often omitted in casual speech.
`Menyuruh` is a direct order (boss to employee), while `meminta` is a polite request. Both are object control verbs.
Because in 'I promise you to come', *I* am the one coming. The object 'you' is just the recipient of the promise, not the doer of the second verb.
Yes, it is 'Arbitrary Control'. The subject is implied to be 'anyone' or 'the public'.
Yes, but it changes the structure. `Saya berjanji bahwa saya akan datang` is a complement clause. `Saya berjanji untuk datang` is a control structure. The latter is more concise.
Use `untuk tidak`. Example: `Saya memilih untuk tidak menjawab` (I choose not to answer).
Yes, but verbs are often shortened (e.g., `ingin` becomes `pengen`, `menyuruh` becomes `nyuruh`).
Then it is no longer a control structure. You must use `bahwa`, `agar`, or `supaya`. Example: `Saya ingin agar dia sukses`.
In Other Languages
Infinitive complements (to + verb)
Indonesian doesn't have a true infinitive form; it uses base or prefixed verbs.
Infinitivo vs Subjuntivo
Indonesian lacks the subjunctive mood conjugation.
Infinitif
Indonesian linkers are more frequently optional than French ones.
zu-Infinitive
Word order: Indonesian is SVO, German infinitive clauses are SOV.
koto/no nominalization or ~tai form
Japanese is agglutinative; Indonesian is isolating/analytic.
An + Subjunctive / Masdar
Arabic requires person/number agreement on the second verb; Indonesian does not.
Serial Verb Constructions
Indonesian uses prefixes (me-, ber-) which Chinese lacks.
