An imbuhan is a prefix, suffix or pair added to a root word, and each one has a function. Naming the function, not only the new word, is what earns marks in an explanation question.
This is the second skill in morphology. If naming the class of a root is still slow, revisit identifying word classes in a passage first.
What does each common imbuhan do?
The table takes one root, tulis, through six forms so you can see the function change while the root stays the same.
| Form | Class | Function | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| menulis | kata kerja | Active action by the doer | Dia menulis surat. |
| ditulis | kata kerja | Passive, action done to something | Surat itu ditulis semalam. |
| tertulis | kata kerja | State, or done without intention | Namanya tertulis di papan. |
| penulis | kata nama | The person who does the action | Penulis itu menerima anugerah. |
| tulisan | kata nama | The result of the action | Tulisannya kemas. |
| bertulis | kata kerja | Having or carrying the thing | Kad itu bertulis nama tetamu. |
Worked example: choosing between ter- and meN-
Sentence: “Gelas itu ______ kerana tangan Amirah licin.”
Nobody planned the fall, so the answer is terjatuh. If the sentence were “Amirah ______ gelas itu ke lantai kerana marah”, the action is deliberate and the answer is menjatuhkan.
Test the meaning with one question: did someone intend it? If yes, use meN- or meN-…-kan. If no, and the thing simply ended up in a state, use ter-.
The mistake that costs marks
Students often write “Dia terbuka pintu itu dengan sengaja.” The word “sengaja” says the action was deliberate, but ter- says it was not.
The repair is to match the imbuhan to the meaning. Write “Dia membuka pintu itu dengan sengaja.”
| Sentence | Verdict | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Pintu itu terbuka kerana angin. | Correct | Nobody planned it, so ter- fits |
| Dia terbuka pintu itu dengan sengaja. | Wrong | “Sengaja” contradicts ter- |
| Dia membuka pintu itu dengan sengaja. | Correct | meN- shows a deliberate action |
Check yourself
Name the function of the imbuhan in each word: pelari, kesihatan, bersenam.
Answer
Pelari uses peN-, which forms a kata nama for the person who does the action of “lari”.
Kesihatan uses ke-…-an, which turns the kata adjektif “sihat” into a kata nama for the quality or state.
Bersenam uses ber-, which forms a kata kerja meaning to do or take part in “senam”, so it describes an activity without needing an object.
What to study next
Next, use these forms in full sentences with constructing sentences using specified word forms. Test the contrasts in the BM grammar contrast practice.
For a teacher who asks you to justify each imbuhan aloud, see online one-to-one Bahasa Melayu tuition.