masih + Predicate

Continuing State with Masih

Level 2

Masih means still and marks continuity. It commonly precedes the predicate phrase, which can include another modifier such as sangat or tidak.

How It Works

The word masih is a fundamental tool for expressing duration and continuity. Unlike English, where 'still' can sometimes move around in a sentence, the basic model places masih before the predicate phrase. Another modifier may follow it, as in masih sangat muda.

Key characteristics include:

  • Versatility: It works with any type of predicate. You can be masih makan (still eating), masih muda (still young), or masih di kantor (still at the office).
  • Expectation: Using masih often implies that the speaker expected the state to have ended by now. For example, saying someone is masih tidur (still sleeping) can suggest that continued sleep is noteworthy in context; it does not specify a minimum or unusually long duration.
  • Tense Neutrality: Because Indonesian has no grammatical tense inflection, masih can refer to the past if a time marker like 'yesterday' is used, though it most commonly refers to the present.
  • Negative Form: To say 'still not yet,' use the specific phrase masih belum.

Examples (5)

  1. Saya masih lapar.

    I am still hungry.

    Word by Word: I still hungry

    Here, 'masih' is used with an adjective to show a continuing physical state.

  2. Dia masih bekerja di Jakarta.

    He is still working in Jakarta.

    Word by Word: He still work in Jakarta

    In this sentence, 'masih' precedes a verb to show an ongoing action or employment status.

  3. Adik masih di sekolah.

    Little sibling is still at school.

    Word by Word: Younger-sibling still at school

    This shows 'masih' used with a prepositional phrase to indicate a continuing location.

  4. Bapak masih bangun jam lima pagi.

    Father still wakes up at five in the morning.

    Word by Word: Father still wake-up hour five morning

    This demonstrates a continuing habit or routine.

  5. Mereka masih mahasiswa.

    They are still students.

    Word by Word: They still university-student

    This shows 'masih' used with a noun predicate to indicate a continuing role or status.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing 'masih' after the verb.

    Saya bekerja masih.
    Saya masih bekerja.

    Use Saya masih bekerja for the basic declarative pattern. This teaches the normal order without ruling out every marked afterthought in conversation.

  • Joining masih to the following negative marker.

    Saya masihbelum makan.
    Saya masih belum makan.

    Write masih and belum separately for still not yet. Masih tidak makan is also grammatical for continued not eating; it need not specifically mean refusing. The two negatives express different aspectual meanings.

How It Connects

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masih + PredicateLevel 2Continuing State with Masih

Learn This First

To understand 'masih', you need to know how Indonesian handles predicates without a copula (like 'is' or 'are') and how aspect markers are placed before verbs or adjectives to modify the timing or state of an action without changing the verb form itself.

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Words in This Pattern

masih