-in
Colloquial -in
-in is characteristic of Colloquial Jakartan Indonesian and is also heard more widely. Its functions overlap with -kan and -i, but the correspondence is not one-to-one.
How It Works
-in is especially associated with Colloquial Jakartan Indonesian. It is also used beyond Jakarta, but it is not the universal form of informal speech throughout Indonesia.
1. Common Meanings: It can express causation, as in matiin (turn off); benefit, as in beliin (buy for someone); or an affected target, as in dudukin (sit on). These overlap with -kan and -i in standard Indonesian. Some colloquial verbs also take -in where a standard equivalent has no suffix: tungguin can correspond to tunggu or menunggu, and bantuin to bantu or membantu. There is no -i suffix in menunggu.
2. Voice and Requests: The di- prefix commonly combines with -in, as in dimatiin. Dikerjain can mean worked on, but also played a trick on, depending on context; the lexical meaning does not always match a simple suffix substitution. Requests often use -in, such as bukain pintunya. It is not an imperative marker required by every informal command; Tutup pintunya! is also possible.
3. Active Prefixes: Colloquial active forms often use a nasal prefix or no prefix, as in bacain or ngebacain. Mixing full meN- with -in is less common, not universally ungrammatical. Sneddon records menggulingin in spontaneous speech. Speakers can mix styles within a conversation; do not reject a form solely because one affix is associated with standard speech.
4. Register: -in is strongly informal. For a report required to use standard edited prose, choose the appropriate standard verb form. Informal speech can still occur in an interview or workplace, and quotation may preserve it in writing. Use the situation and task to choose a register rather than treating all professional contexts as an absolute ban.
5. Different Suffixes: Gedean can mean bigger, while gedein means make bigger. For an explicit request to increase the volume, Tolong gedein suaranya uses the causative verb; the comparative does not perform the same grammatical job in this model.
Examples (5)
- Tolong ambilin HP gue dong.
Please get my phone for me.
Word by Word: Please get-for-me HP my [particle].
Here, '-in' acts as a benefactive suffix (doing something for someone), replacing the formal 'ambilkan'.
- Jangan mainin perasaan orang!
Don't play with people's feelings!
Word by Word: Don't play-with feelings [of] person!
In this context, '-in' makes the verb 'main' (play) transitive, replacing the formal 'memainkan'.
- Dia lagi nungguin temennya di depan.
He/she is waiting for their friend out front.
Word by Word: He/she [progressive] wait-for friend-his/her at front.
Nungguin is the colloquial verb here, with lagi marking ongoing action. A standard equivalent can use menunggu; menunggu itself has no -i suffix. Sneddon lists tungguin among -in verbs whose standard equivalents can lack a suffix.
- Lampunya udah dimatiin belum?
Has the light been turned off yet?
Word by Word: Light-the already [passive]-dead-in not-yet?
This shows '-in' used with the passive prefix 'di-', replacing the formal 'dimatikan'.
- Bisa tolong bukain pintunya?
Can you please open the door (for me)?
Word by Word: Can please open-in door-the?
A common request where '-in' replaces the formal '-kan' in 'bukakan'.
Common Mistakes
Confusing the verbal suffix -in with the noun/adjective suffix -an.
Tolong gedean suaranya.Tolong gedein suaranya.Gedean is a comparative meaning bigger, whereas gedein is the causative verb make bigger. For the intended explicit action request to increase the volume, use Tolong gedein suaranya. This is a meaning and construction distinction, not a claim that a comparative can never appear in an elliptical request.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The colloquial -in suffix is a highly common feature of informal Indonesian (especially Jakarta dialect) that functions as a functional equivalent to the standard suffixes -kan and -i. To understand its usage, learners must first be familiar with the standard transitive suffixes it replaces and the general distinction between formal and informal registers.
- -iBasic -i Target Marking
The colloquial -in suffix can also replace the standard -i suffix, so understanding the function of -i is necessary.
Level 2 - meN-...-kan / meN-...-iValency Contrast in Derived Verbs
Understanding how these suffixes change verb valency and meaning in standard Indonesian is essential to recognizing their colloquial equivalent.
Level 4
Related Patterns
- -kanBasic -kan Valency Change
-kan corresponds to many causative and benefactive uses of -in, but the two suffixes do not map mechanically in every verb.
Level 2 - Colloquial active roots
Colloquial -in often occurs with a nasal prefix or no active prefix. Full meN- combined with -in is less frequent but attested, so the tendency is not a categorical ban.
Level 4 - sudah / udahSudah and Udah
The suffix -in is frequently paired with other informal markers like 'udah' instead of 'sudah'.
Level 3 - di-Basic Passive with Di-
The suffix -in is commonly used with the passive prefix di- in casual speech (e.g., dibeliin).
Level 2 - meN-...-kanCausative MeN-...-kan
Many causative -in verbs correspond to standard meN-...-kan verbs; learn the actual lexical pairing rather than applying an automatic substitution.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice -in in Bubblegum
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