tidak ... tetapi ...

Not Doing X but Doing Y

Level 3

Use tidak ... tetapi ... to say 'not [doing/being] X, but [doing/being] Y'. It is used specifically for verbs and adjectives.

How It Works

The construction tidak ... tetapi ... is a paired conjunction (formally known as a konjungsi korelatif) used to connect a negated description with a contrast, including corrections and contrasts with expectations.

1. Grammatical Category:
This pattern is used for Verbs and Adjectives. For ordinary nominal predicates, use bukan; a clear corrective pair is bukan ... melainkan .... Location predicates can take ordinary tidak, while corrective contrast can use bukan. The choice is not determined by a universal preposition rule.

2. Rule of Parallelism (Kesetaraan):
Give the contrasted elements compatible grammatical roles. Two verb phrases or two adjective phrases are clear models; coordinated clauses can also contain different predicate types.

3. Structure and Subject Ellipsis:
The structure follows: [Subject] + tidak + [Element A], tetapi + [Element B]. In formal writing, a comma is required before tetapi. A shared subject can be omitted in the second clause: Mereka tidak marah, tetapi kecewa. Repeating it in Mereka tidak marah, tetapi mereka kecewa is also grammatical and can suit emphasis or discourse clarity.

4. Register and Nuance:
This is the standard formal way to express contrast. In casual conversation, speakers often use tapi. Using the full tidak ... tetapi ... pair makes the contrast more explicit, clearly rejecting the first option in favor of the second.

5. Important Distinction:
Do not confuse this pattern with tidak hanya ... tetapi juga .... The first model denies A and adds B; the additive model retains A and adds B. The words describing A and B need not be logically mutually exclusive. Other contrastive pairings occur: TBBI explicitly illustrates tidak ... melainkan with verbal clauses, so do not teach a universal ban on that combination.

Examples (4)

  1. Mobil itu tidak mahal, tetapi sangat nyaman.

    That car is not expensive, but it is very comfortable.

    Word by Word: Car that not expensive, but very comfortable.

    This example contrasts two adjectives: 'mahal' (expensive) and 'nyaman' (comfortable).

  2. Adik tidak menangis, tetapi tertawa.

    Little sibling is not crying, but laughing.

    Word by Word: Little-sibling not cry, but laugh.

    This example contrasts two verbs: 'menangis' (to cry) and 'tertawa' (to laugh).

  3. Mereka tidak berlari, tetapi berjalan santai.

    They are not running, but walking leisurely.

    Word by Word: They not run, but walk relaxed.

    The two verb phrases supply contrasting activities, with the shared subject Mereka understood before berjalan santai.

  4. Buku ini tidak membosankan, tetapi sangat menarik.

    This book is not boring, but very interesting.

    Word by Word: Book this not boring, but very interesting.

    This example contrasts two parallel adjectives ('membosankan' and 'menarik').

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'tidak' to contrast nouns.

    Saya tidak guru, tetapi dokter.
    Saya bukan guru, melainkan dokter.

    For the ordinary profession statement, use bukan before the noun guru. Melainkan is a clear corrective connector here; the nominal negator choice does not itself ban every contrast with tetapi.

  • Omitting the comma in formal writing.

    Dia tidak tidur tetapi belajar.
    Dia tidak tidur, tetapi belajar.

    In standard Indonesian (PUEBI), a comma is mandatory before the contrastive conjunction 'tetapi'.

How It Connects

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

tidak ... tetapi ...Level 3Not Doing X but Doing Y

Learn This First

To use 'tidak ... tetapi ...', learners must first understand how to negate verbs and adjectives using 'tidak' and how to use 'tetapi' to contrast two clauses. This pattern specifically contrasts actions or qualities rather than nouns.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern