tidak sepenuhnya

Not Entirely

Level 5

Tidak sepenuhnya means “not entirely” or “not fully.” It denies total degree or completeness. Context may suggest partial validity, but the phrase alone does not guarantee a positive degree.

How It Works

In analytical and academic Indonesian, tidak sepenuhnya is used to provide nuance. Instead of a flat rejection using tidak, this pattern denies completeness and can suggest that a claim is acceptable only in part. Partial validity is a contextual implication, not a guarantee of the construction.

1. Usage with Adjectives and Verbs:
It is frequently used to qualify descriptions or states. For example, tidak sepenuhnya benar (not entirely true) can suggest that the statement contains some truth but needs qualification. When paired with verbs like setuju (agree) or memahami (understand), it denies complete agreement or understanding; how much remains is determined by context.

2. Negation with Nouns:
A critical distinction must be made when the following word is a noun. In such cases, bukan must be used instead of tidak. For example: Ini bukan sepenuhnya salah saya (This is not entirely my fault). Using tidak before a noun in this context is grammatically incorrect.

3. Register and Casual Alternatives:
This is a formal expression standard for journalism and academic writing. In casual conversation, nggak sepenuhnya preserves the meaning not fully. Nggak terlalu means not very or not too and changes the degree being expressed. While nggak semuanya is also common, it specifically refers to quantity rather than the degree of a state.

4. Comparison with similar terms:

  • Tidak seluruhnya: Refers to the 'whole' of a physical or conceptual object.
  • Tidak semuanya: Refers to quantity (e.g., not all of the items).
  • Tidak sepenuhnya: Refers to the degree or completeness of a state or quality.

Examples (4)

  1. Teori ini tidak sepenuhnya salah, namun perlu ditinjau kembali.

    This theory is not entirely wrong, but it needs to be reviewed.

    Word by Word: Theory this not fully wrong, but need reviewed again.

    Here, 'tidak sepenuhnya' qualifies the adjective 'salah' (wrong), suggesting the theory has some merit.

  2. Saya tidak sepenuhnya percaya pada niat baiknya.

    I do not fully believe in his good intentions.

    Word by Word: I not fully believe in intention good-his.

    Used with the verb 'percaya' (believe) to show a lack of total trust.

  3. Kebijakan tersebut tidak sepenuhnya efektif di daerah pedesaan.

    The policy is not entirely effective in rural areas.

    Word by Word: Policy that not fully effective in area rural.

    A common academic usage qualifying the effectiveness of a strategy.

  4. Pernyataan saksi itu tidak sepenuhnya jujur.

    The witness's statement was not entirely honest.

    Word by Word: Statement witness that not fully honest.

    Suggests that while some parts of the statement were true, others were not.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 'tidak semuanya' (quantity) instead of 'tidak sepenuhnya' (degree).

    Saya tidak semuanya mengerti penjelasan itu.
    Saya tidak sepenuhnya mengerti penjelasan itu.

    'Semuanya' refers to 'all of them' (items/people). To say you don't 'fully' understand a concept, you must use 'sepenuhnya'.

  • Confusing 'sepenuhnya' with 'sekali' (very).

    Pernyataan itu tidak benar sekali.
    Pernyataan itu tidak sepenuhnya benar.

    Sekali is an intensifier, not a marker of completeness. The original wording does not reliably mean not very true. Use tidak sepenuhnya benar to deny complete truth; any suggestion of partial truth depends on context. For not very, use tidak terlalu before the relevant adjective.

How It Connects

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tidak sepenuhnyaLevel 5Not Entirely

Learn This First

To understand 'tidak sepenuhnya' (not entirely), learners first need to be familiar with basic negation using 'tidak'. It is also helpful to understand how adverbs of degree function in Indonesian, as 'sepenuhnya' (entirely/fully) acts as a quantifier that limits the scope of the negation.

Words in This Pattern