(eat), baca (read), membaca (read), ketik (type), mengetik (type), tertawa (laugh), senyum
(smile), tersenyum (smile), etc are the examples of verbs. Cantik (pretty), indah (beautiful),
senang (delighted), bahagia (happy), kuat (strong), etc are the example of adjectives.
To test a predicate, we can use negation “tidak” (or in English do/esn’t or to be/n’t). All verbs
can be preceded by “tidak”. Example as follows.
● main (play) > tidak main (do/esn’t play)
● membaca (read) > tidak membaca (do/esn’t read)
● ketik (type) > tidak ketik (do/esn’t type)
● tertawa (laugh) > tidak tertawa (do/esn’t laugh)
Unlike verb, to test an adjective besides using “tidak”, we can use affix “se” + reduplication + “-
nya” (with meaning “as adjective as” or “how adjective something/one”). Example as follows.
● cantik (pretty) > tidak cantik (isn’t pretty) : secantik-cantiknya (as pretty as/ how pretty
something)
● indah (beautiful) > tidak indah (isn’t beautiful) : seindah-indahnya (as beautiful as/ how
beautiful something)
● senang (delighted) > tidak senang (isn’t delighted) : sesenang-senangnya (as delighted
as/ how delighted something/one)
● kuat (strong) > tidak kuat (isn’t strong) : sekuat-kuatnya (as strong as/ how strong some
thing/one)
Now, can you list some of the verbs and adjectives in Indonesian? :)
Writtern By,
Maftuhah Ismail
Contributor to Bahasa Budaya Organization
Lingua Internacional
