Reduplication for plurals, variety, and intensity: full reduplication, partial reduplication, reduplication with affixes
Can understand and use reduplication for plurals, variety, and casual actions in everyday Indonesian
Look at these examples. Can you spot the grammar pattern?
Anak-anak bermain di taman.
The children are playing in the park.
Dia berjalan-jalan di mal.
She is strolling around the mall.
Sayur-mayur di pasar sangat segar.
The various vegetables at the market are very fresh.
Banyak buku di perpustakaan.
There are many books in the library.
Pay attention to the highlighted parts. What do they have in common?
Repeating a word - in whole or in part - is one of the most typical features of Indonesian. English mostly keeps it for play (bye-bye, so-so); Indonesian uses it as grammar, written with a hyphen.
Repeating a noun usually makes the plural explicit, often with a sense of "various" or "all of them":
| Singular | Reduplicated | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| anak | anak-anak | children |
| buku | buku-buku | books |
| rumah | rumah-rumah | houses |
| pohon | pohon-pohon | trees |
But the bare noun is not singular by itself: buku can mean "a book" or "books". And when a number or a quantity word is present, do not repeat: banyak buku (many books), tiga anak (three children) - not banyak buku-buku.
Some pairs repeat with a change of sound and mean "all sorts of":
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sayur-mayur | all kinds of vegetables |
| lauk-pauk | the side dishes served with rice |
| warna-warni | colourful, of many colours |
| Form | Meaning |
|---|---|
| jalan-jalan | go for a stroll, travel for fun |
| duduk-duduk | sit around, hang out |
| berlari-lari | run about |
Jalan-jalan is one of the first words visitors to Indonesia learn: Mau jalan-jalan ke mana? - Where are you off to (for fun)?
A repeated adjective describes a group: Mangganya besar-besar. - The mangoes are all big. Anaknya pintar-pintar. - Their children are all clever.
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises
Practice ExercisesUsed reduplication when context already indicates plural (e.g., 'banyak buku-buku')
If a number or quantity word (banyak, beberapa, semua) is present, reduplication is usually unnecessary. 'Banyak buku' not 'banyak buku-buku'.
Wrote reduplicated word without hyphen (e.g., 'anak anak' instead of 'anak-anak')
Reduplicated words ALWAYS use a hyphen: anak-anak, buku-buku, berjalan-jalan. Without the hyphen, it reads as two separate words.
Assumed all reduplication means plural (missed variety/intensity meanings)
Reduplication has multiple functions: anak-anak (plural), sayur-mayur (variety), besar-besar (all big), duduk-duduk (casually sit). Context determines meaning.
Anak-anak bermain di taman.
The children are playing in the park.
'Anak' = child, 'anak-anak' = children. Full reduplication marks plural. Always written with a hyphen.
Dia berjalan-jalan di mal.
She is strolling around the mall.
'Berjalan-jalan' = stroll, walk around aimlessly. The reduplication adds a casual, leisurely meaning — not just walking but 'walking around for fun'.
Sayur-mayur di pasar sangat segar.
The various vegetables at the market are very fresh.
'Sayur-mayur' is NOT simple plural — it means 'all kinds of vegetables'. The second part changes slightly (sayur → mayur) to indicate variety, not just plurality.
Banyak buku di perpustakaan.
There are many books in the library.
When quantity is already clear (banyak = many), reduplication is NOT needed. 'Banyak buku' is correct — 'banyak buku-buku' is redundant!
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Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises