Language/Indonesian/Grammar/Word-Order

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Indonesian Grammar → Basic Grammar → Word Order

As a beginner in Indonesian language learning, it is essential to understand the basics of sentence structure. Word order for sentences in Indonesian language generally follows the Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) pattern, which is similar to the English language. In this lesson, we will explore Indonesian word order in more detail and understand its use in different sentence structures.

Take some time to dive into these other pages after completing this lesson: Gender & Direct Speech.

Basic Word Order

The SVO sentence structure consists of three elements, the subject, the verb, and the object. The subject is usually at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the verb, and then the object. The verb describes the action being taken by the subject, and the object describes the entity affected by the action described by the verb.

Let's take an example sentence "Saya makan nasi" which translates to "I eat rice" in English. Here, "Saya" (I) is the subject, "makan" (eat) is the verb, and "nasi" (rice) is the object. Therefore, the order of the words is the subject, verb, and object.

Here is another example sentence:

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Dia	Dee-ah	She/he
membeli	mem-bel-ee	buys
buku	boo-koo	book

The sentence "Dia membeli buku" translates to "She/he buys a book" in English. Here, "Dia" (she/he) is the subject, "membeli" (buys) is the verb, and "buku" (book) is the object.

It is important to remember that in Indonesian language, the subject and object can be swapped in a sentence without changing its meaning. However, this brings emphasis to the object. For example, "Dia membeli buku" and "Buku dibeli oleh dia" both mean "She/he buys a book," but the latter emphasises the object "buku" (book).

Special Word Order

Sometimes, adjectives or adverbs come before the noun, while the subject and verb remain in the same order. Here is an example sentence:

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
gadis itu	gah-dees ee-too	that girl
cantik sekali	chan-tick suh-kah-lee	very beautiful
menari	muh-nah-ree	dances

The sentence "Gadis itu cantik sekali menari" translates to "That girl dances very beautifully" in English. Here, "Gadis itu" (that girl) is the subject, "menari" (dances) is the verb, and "cantik sekali" (very beautiful) is an adverb that describes the verb.

Another special word order is used for questions. In Indonesian, there are two types of questions: yes-no questions and information questions. For yes-no questions, the word "apa" is placed at the beginning of the sentence, while for information questions, the question word (e.g. "siapa" for who, "kapan" for when, "di mana" for where) is placed at the beginning of the sentence. The verb and object follow the subject.

Here is an example of both types of questions:

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Apa	ah-pah	Do/Does
kamu	kah-moo	you
makan	mah-kahn	eat

"Apa kamu makan" translates to "Do/Does you eat?" in English. Here, "Apa" (Do/Does) is the yes-no question word, "kamu" (you) is the subject, and "makan" (eat) is the verb.

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Kapan	kah-pan	When
kamu	kah-moo	you
makan	mah-kahn	eat

"Kapan kamu makan" means "When do you eat?" Here, "Kapan" (When) is the information question word.

Conclusion

The basic word order for Indonesian sentences follows the SVO pattern, with the subject, verb, and object in that order. However, special word orders exist for adjectives/adverbs and questions. With practice, you will be able to speak and understand Indonesian sentences with ease.

Sources

Great work on completing this lesson! Take a moment to investigate these connected pages: Verbs in Indonesian & Give your Opinion.

Table of Contents - Indonesian Course - 0 to A1

Course Presentation

Pronouns and Greetings

Basic Grammar

Daily Life

Sentence Structure

Indonesian Culture

Travel and Transportation

Verb Tenses

Shopping and Bargaining

Indonesian Arts

Modal Verbs

Colors and Shapes

Comparative and Superlative

Indonesian Traditions

Emergencies

Indirect and Direct Speech

Jobs and Professions

Indonesian Holidays

Other Lessons

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