Classifiers / Measure Words
Measure words / classifiers: orang, buah, ekor, batang, lembar, biji
Can use basic classifiers to count people, animals, objects, and other items correctly
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Saya punya dua ekor anjing.
I have two dogs.
Tolong beli tiga buah apel.
Please buy three apples.
Ada sepuluh orang mahasiswa di kelas.
There are ten students in the class.
Dia menulis di dua lembar kertas.
She writes on two sheets of paper.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Kata Penggolong — Classifiers / Measure Words
Bahasa Indonesia menggunakan kata penggolong (classifier) antara angka dan kata benda. Pola dasarnya: angka + kata penggolong + kata benda.
Kata Penggolong Utama
| Kata Penggolong | Untuk | Contoh |
|---|---|---|
| orang | manusia (people) | dua orang guru (two teachers) |
| buah | benda umum, buah-buahan (general objects, fruits) | tiga buah buku (three books) |
| ekor | binatang (animals) | lima ekor kucing (five cats) |
| batang | benda panjang/silindris (long/cylindrical) | sebatang pensil (a pencil) |
| lembar | benda tipis/lembaran (flat/sheets) | dua lembar kertas (two sheets of paper) |
| biji | benda kecil/bulat (small/round) | empat biji telur (four eggs) |
Catatan penting:
- Se- = satu (one): seorang (one person), sebuah (one thing), seekor (one animal).
- Buah adalah kata penggolong paling umum — jika ragu, gunakan buah!
- Dalam percakapan informal, kata penggolong sering dihilangkan: "dua buku" sudah cukup.
Ekor secara harfiah berarti "ekor" (tail) — ini menarik karena digunakan untuk semua binatang, termasuk yang tidak punya ekor (ikan, cacing)!
Common Error Patterns
Omitted the classifier between number and noun
Indonesian requires a classifier between number and noun: 'dua orang guru' not *'dua guru' (though informal speech sometimes drops it).
Used incorrect classifier for the noun category (e.g., 'buah' for people)
People → orang. Animals → ekor. General/fruits → buah. Long things → batang. Flat things → lembar. Small/round → biji.
Said 'satu buah' instead of 'sebuah' (or similar with other classifiers)
For 'one', attach 'se-' to the classifier: sebuah (one object), seorang (one person), seekor (one animal), sebatang (one stick-shaped thing).
Saya punya dua ekor anjing.
I have two dogs.
'Ekor' (literally 'tail') is the classifier for all animals. Pattern: number + ekor + animal noun.
Tolong beli tiga buah apel.
Please buy three apples.
'Buah' is the most versatile classifier — used for fruits, general objects, buildings, and abstract concepts. When in doubt, use 'buah'.
Ada sepuluh orang mahasiswa di kelas.
There are ten students in the class.
'Orang' (literally 'person') is used exclusively for counting people. 'Se-' + 'orang' = 'seorang' (one person).
Dia menulis di dua lembar kertas.
She writes on two sheets of paper.
'Lembar' is for flat, sheet-like objects: paper, photos, fabric. Think of it as 'sheet of' in English.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises