setiap

Each or Every with Setiap

Level 2

Setiap is the standard Indonesian word for 'each' or 'every'. It is placed directly before a noun to indicate that a statement applies to every individual member of a group.

How It Works

The quantifier setiap is a versatile tool used in both formal and daily Indonesian.

1. Placement and Noun Form
Always place setiap before the noun. Do not add productive plural noun reduplication (pluralization) after it. For example, use setiap orang (every person), not setiap orang-orang. Keep lexical repetition that belongs to the noun: setiap kupu-kupu (every butterfly).

2. Classifiers
In most cases, setiap does not require a classifier like buah or ekor. You can say setiap hari (every day) or setiap mobil (every car) directly.

3. Register and Variants

  • Setiap: The standard, neutral-to-formal form used in writing and polite speech.
  • Tiap: A common shortened version used in casual conversation.
  • Tiap-tiap: A slightly more formal or emphatic distributive form, though less common than the single setiap.

4. Distributive vs. Collective
While semua (all) looks at a group as a single block, setiap looks at the members one by one. This is why we say setiap pagi (every morning) to describe a recurring habit.

5. Common Mistake: Setiap vs. Masing-masing
Learners often confuse setiap with masing-masing (each). The key difference is placement: setiap must come before the noun (e.g., setiap siswa), while masing-masing can follow the noun or stand alone, and also occurs before a noun as in masing-masing siswa (e.g., Siswa masing-masing menerima buku - The students each received a book).

Examples (5)

  1. Saya minum kopi setiap pagi.

    I drink coffee every morning.

    Word by Word: I drink coffee every morning.

    Here, 'setiap' indicates a recurring action happening every single morning.

  2. Setiap orang memiliki hak untuk berbicara.

    Every person has the right to speak.

    Word by Word: Every person have right for speak.

    In this formal context, 'setiap' applies the statement to every individual person.

  3. Setiap siswa harus membawa buku sendiri.

    Each student must bring their own book.

    Word by Word: Every student must bring book self.

    Note that 'siswa' (student) is singular, even though the meaning refers to all students.

  4. Tiap hari dia pergi ke kantor.

    Every day he/she goes to the office.

    Word by Word: Every day he/she go to office.

    This uses the casual variant 'tiap' instead of 'setiap'.

  5. Setiap negara punya bendera.

    Every country has a flag.

    Word by Word: Every country have flag.

    A simple example showing 'setiap' preceding a singular noun 'negara'.

Common Mistakes

  • Pluralizing the noun after 'setiap'.

    setiap buku-buku
    setiap buku

    Setiap distributes the statement over individual members, so do not repeat buku merely to mark plurality. Keep repetition belonging to the word itself, as in setiap kupu-kupu (every butterfly).

  • Using 'setiap' to mean 'the whole of' one thing.

    setiap dunia
    seluruh dunia

    'Setiap' means 'every' (distributive). To say 'the whole world,' you must use 'seluruh' instead.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

setiapLevel 2Each or Every with Setiap

Learn This First

To use 'setiap' (each/every), learners must understand that Indonesian nouns do not change form for plurality, as 'setiap' is placed directly before the singular form of the noun. Basic sentence structure is also required to use these phrases in context.

Words in This Pattern

setiap