Commands, requests, and invitations: tolong, silakan, mohon, jangan, -lah, mari/ayo
Can give simple commands, make polite requests, and express prohibitions in everyday situations
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Tolong bantu saya.
Please help me.
Silakan masuk.
Please come in.
Jangan lupa bawa payung!
Don't forget to bring an umbrella!
Mari kita makan!
Let's eat!
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Dalam bahasa Indonesia, kalimat perintah dibentuk dengan cara yang sangat sederhana — cukup gunakan bentuk dasar kata kerja!
Bentuk dasar kata kerja = kalimat perintah: "Duduk!" (Sit!), "Makan!" (Eat!), "Baca!" (Read!)
| Kata | Fungsi | Contoh |
|---|---|---|
| tolong | please (asking for help) | Tolong tutup pintu. (Please close the door.) |
| silakan | please (offering/inviting) | Silakan duduk. (Please sit down.) |
| mohon | please (very formal) | Mohon maaf. (I humbly apologize.) |
Jangan = don't: "Jangan merokok di sini!" (Don't smoke here!)
Catatan: Gunakan jangan (bukan tidak) untuk larangan.
Akhiran -lah membuat perintah lebih lembut dan sopan:
| Keras | Lembut |
|---|---|
| Duduk! | Duduklah. (Do sit down.) |
| Makan! | Makanlah. (Do eat.) |
| Pergi! | Pergilah. (Do go.) |
Mari (formal) dan ayo (informal) = let's:
"Mari kita makan!" / "Ayo pergi!"
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsed 'tidak' instead of 'jangan' for negative commands
'Tidak' is for statements: 'Saya tidak makan' (I don't eat). 'Jangan' is for commands: 'Jangan makan!' (Don't eat!). Think: jangan = 'don't (do it)!'.
Used 'tolong' when offering (should be 'silakan') or vice versa
'Tolong' = I need YOUR help (tolong bantu saya). 'Silakan' = I'm offering YOU something (silakan duduk). Easy test: who benefits? You → tolong. Them → silakan.
Command sounds too harsh without -lah in a polite context
Add '-lah' to soften commands: 'Duduk!' (harsh) → 'Duduklah.' (gentle). Especially important with strangers or elders.
Tolong bantu saya.
Please help me.
'Tolong' is used when asking someone to do something for you — it implies you need help or a favor.
Silakan masuk.
Please come in.
'Silakan' is used when offering or inviting someone to do something — it's hospitable, not a request for help.
Jangan lupa bawa payung!
Don't forget to bring an umbrella!
'Jangan' is the negative imperative marker — always use 'jangan' (not 'tidak') for prohibitions and negative commands.
Mari kita makan!
Let's eat!
'Mari' (formal) or 'ayo' (informal) + 'kita' (we, inclusive) creates invitations. 'Mari kita...' is very common in daily Indonesian.
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises