Reduplication
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?
Pengulangan — Reduplication
Pengulangan (reduplication) adalah ciri khas bahasa Indonesia. Kata dasar diulang — seluruhnya atau sebagian — untuk mengubah makna.
Pengulangan Penuh (Full Reduplication)
Kata dasar diulang seluruhnya, biasanya untuk menunjukkan jamak (plural):
| Tunggal | Jamak | Arti |
|---|---|---|
| anak | anak-anak | children |
| buku | buku-buku | books |
| rumah | rumah-rumah | houses |
| pohon | pohon-pohon | trees |
Pengulangan untuk Ragam/Variasi
Tidak selalu berarti jamak! Kadang menunjukkan berbagai macam:
| Kata | Arti |
|---|---|
| sayur-mayur | various vegetables |
| lauk-pauk | various side dishes |
| warna-warni | various colors, colorful |
Pengulangan dengan Imbuhan (Reduplication + Affixes)
| Bentuk | Arti |
|---|---|
| berlari-lari | run around (casually) |
| duduk-duduk | sit around relaxing |
| berjalan-jalan | stroll, walk around |
Pengulangan Sifat = Intensifier
Kata sifat yang diulang berarti "semua (benda) itu bersifat...":
besar-besar = all big, kecil-kecil = all small, cantik-cantik = all pretty
Penting: Jamak TIDAK selalu butuh pengulangan. Jika sudah jelas dari konteks, cukup gunakan kata dasar: "Banyak buku" (many books) — tidak perlu "banyak buku-buku"!
Common Error Patterns
Used 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!
Practice in course
Apply this grammar in A1 course exercises