Language/Indonesian/Grammar/May-and-Should

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Indonesian Grammar → Modal Verbs → May and Should

As an Indonesian language teacher with over 20 years of experience, I am excited to teach you about the modal verbs 'boleh' and 'sebaiknya'. Understanding how these modal verbs work is essential to building your Indonesian language skills.

With the completion of this lesson, consider investigating these related pages: Adjectives & Past Tense.

What are Modal Verbs?

Modal verbs in Indonesian are used to express permission, obligation, and recommendation among other things. The word 'boleh' is typically used to express permission while the word 'sebaiknya' is a common way to express recommendation or advice.

Boleh

The word 'boleh' is often used when seeking permission in formal settings. To use 'boleh', you would typically start with the word 'bolehkah' followed by the action you are seeking permission to do. For example, "Bolehkah saya pergi ke kamar kecil?" (May I go to the bathroom?), or "Bolehkah saya menempatkan tas ini di sini?" (May I place this bag here?). As you can see, 'boleh' is often used in everyday interactions.

Let's take a look at some more examples:

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Boleh saya melihat meja ini?	/ˈbɔlɛh saˈja məˈlihat ˈmɛdʒa ˈini/	May I look at this table?
Boleh saya mengambil satu lagi?	/ˈbɔlɛh saˈja məŋˈambil ˈsatu ˈlagi/	May I have one more?

Sebaiknya

The word 'sebaiknya' is a recommendation or advice that someone should do something in a certain way. For example, "Sebaiknya kamu pergi ke dokter" (You should go to the doctor), or "Sebaiknya kamu belajar bahasa Indonesia" (You should learn Indonesian).

Here are some more examples of how to use 'sebaiknya':

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Sebaiknya kamu datang lebih awal	/sə.baik.nja ˈka.mu ˈda.taŋ ˈlɛ.biʰ ˈa.wal/	You should come earlier
Sebaiknya kamu berbicara dengan dia	/sə.baik.nja ˈka.mu bɛr.biˈtʃa.ɾa ˈdɛŋan ˈdi.a/	You should talk to him/her

These modal verbs are essential in polite Indonesian communication.

Summary

In conclusion, 'boleh' is typically used to express permission while 'sebaiknya' is a common way to express recommendation or advice. Understanding how to use these modal verbs is important in building your Indonesian language skills. Practice using these modal verbs in everyday conversation to become more comfortable and confident in your language abilities.

Sources

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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