di
Location with Di
The preposition di is used to show where something is located or where an action happens. It is always written as a separate word before a noun of place.
How It Works
The preposition di is one of the most common words in Indonesian. Here are the key rules for using it correctly:
- Spacing: It must always be written with a space before the noun (e.g., di rumah, not dirumah). This distinguishes it from the passive prefix di-.
- Static Location: Use di when the subject is already at the location. For the destination in a basic movement expression such as pergi ke pasar, use ke instead.
- General Meaning: It covers 'in', 'at', and 'on'. If you need to be more specific (like 'inside' or 'under'), you combine di with a locative noun:
- di dalam (inside)
- di atas (on top of / above)
- di bawah (under / below)
- Usage with People/Time: For a clock time or a person holding something, pada gives clear formal models: pada pukul lima and pada saya. Di also appears in abstract settings and temporal expressions such as di saat yang sama in official prose, so do not infer that every nonphysical use is slang.
Examples (5)
- Saya di kantor.
I am at the office.
Word by Word: I at office.
A simple sentence showing 'di' used as 'at' for a static location.
- Kucing itu tidur di bawah meja.
The cat is sleeping under the table.
Word by Word: Cat that sleep at bottom table.
Here, 'di' is combined with 'bawah' (bottom/under) to specify the exact position.
- Ibu sedang memasak di dapur.
Mother is cooking in the kitchen.
Word by Word: Mother [progressive marker] cook at kitchen.
Shows 'di' indicating the place where an action is occurring.
- Apakah kamu tinggal di Jakarta?
Do you live in Jakarta?
Word by Word: [Question marker] you live in Jakarta?
Using 'di' with a city name to mean 'in'.
- Buku saya ada di sini.
My book is here.
Word by Word: Book my exist at here.
'Di' is used with the locative pronoun 'sini' (here).
Common Mistakes
Writing 'di' and the location as one word.
Saya makan dirumah.Saya makan di rumah.The preposition 'di' must always be separated from the noun by a space. Writing it as one word makes it look like a passive verb prefix.
Using 'di' for movement toward a place.
Saya pergi di pasar.Saya pergi ke pasar.For going to the market as a destination, say pergi ke pasar. Di instead marks the site of an action; berlari di pasar can mean running in the market and does not require standing still.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The preposition 'di' is a foundational marker for static location in Indonesian. To use it correctly, learners simply need to understand that nouns in Indonesian do not require articles and that their definiteness is derived from the context of the sentence.
Related Patterns
- keDirection with Ke
While 'di' is for static location, 'ke' is used for movement toward a location.
Level 1 - dariSource with Dari
The counterpart to 'di' and 'ke', used to indicate the origin or starting point.
Level 1 - ada + di + PlaceExisting at a Place
The verb 'ada' is often used with 'di' to state that something exists or is present at a location.
Level 1 - di- / diPassive Prefix Versus Location Preposition
Explains the orthographic difference between the location preposition and the passive verb prefix.
Level 2 - di manaWhere with Di Mana
The question word for 'where', which literally means 'at which (place)'.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
- denganWith with DenganLevel 1
- di-Basic Passive with Di-Level 2
- tempat yang ...Relative Clauses After Place NounsLevel 3
- di sisi lainOn the Other HandLevel 4
- dalam halWith Respect toLevel 5
- dalam konteksIn the Context ofLevel 5
- pada akhirnyaUltimatelyLevel 5
- pada dasarnyaBasically or FundamentallyLevel 5
And 2 more in the full list.
Words in This Pattern
Practice di in Bubblegum
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