diper-

Passive Forms with Diper-

Level 4

The diper- prefix is the passive counterpart to memper-. It is used in formal Indonesian to describe something being 'made more' of a certain quality or being 'treated as' a specific role.

How It Works

The diper- prefix is an intermediate-to-advanced morphological tool used primarily in formal contexts like news, law, and academic writing.

1. Meaning and Usage:

  • Causative/Intensive: When attached to adjectives, it means 'to be made [adjective]' or 'to be made more [adjective]'. For example, diperbesar means 'to be enlarged'.
  • Attributive: When attached to nouns, it means 'to be treated as' or 'to be regarded as'. For example, diperbudak means 'to be enslaved' (treated as a slave).
  • High-Frequency Exceptions: Some common verbs like diperoleh (to be obtained/gained) are essential vocabulary at this level, even if they don't strictly follow the adjective/noun rules.

2. Suffix Combinations:
The diper- prefix often functions as a circumfix with -kan or -i:

  • diper-...-kan: Used to emphasize causative action or to make a verb transitive. Example: dipekerjakan (to be employed/put to work).
  • diper-...-i: Used to indicate repetition, intensity, or a locative target. Example: diperbaiki (to be repaired/improved).

3. Morphological Rules:

  • The 'P' Rule: Unlike meN- verbs where the 'p' is dropped, the 'p' in diper- is always retained.
  • The 'R' Rule: Before a root starting with r, the written sequence has one r rather than two. Example: diper- + rendah becomes diperendah.
  • The 'er' Rule: Learn established reduced forms such as dipekerjakan individually; an er sequence anywhere in a root is not sufficient for a universal deletion rule. Example: diper- + kerjakan becomes dipekerjakan.
  • The 'L' Exception: A unique exception occurs with the root ajar (to teach). Instead of retaining the 'r', it changes to 'l', resulting in dipelajari (to be studied) rather than diperajari. This mirrors the irregular belajar form.

4. Register:
This prefix is highly formal. In casual speech, Indonesians often use simpler di-...-kan forms or colloquial suffixes like -in.

Examples (5)

  1. Jalan ini sedang diperlebar.

    This road is being widened.

    Word by Word: Road this currently be-made-wider.

    Here, 'diperlebar' (from 'lebar' - wide) shows the causative function: the road is being made wider.

  2. Masalah itu sudah diperjelas oleh guru.

    That problem has been clarified by the teacher.

    Word by Word: Problem that already be-made-clear by teacher.

    The prefix 'diper-' is used with the adjective 'jelas' (clear) to mean 'to be made clear'.

  3. Dia merasa diperalat oleh temannya.

    He feels used by his friend.

    Word by Word: He feel be-treated-as-tool by friend-his.

    Using the noun 'alat' (tool), 'diperalat' means to be treated as a tool or exploited.

  4. Karyawan itu dipekerjakan di pabrik baru.

    That employee is employed at the new factory.

    Word by Word: Employee that be-employed at factory new.

    Note the 'r' drop: 'diper-' + 'kerja' becomes 'dipekerjakan' because of the 'er' in the root.

  5. Kualitas pelayanan harus diperbaiki.

    The quality of service must be improved.

    Word by Word: Quality service must be-made-good.

    From 'baik' (good), 'diperbaiki' is the standard formal way to say 'to be repaired' or 'to be improved'.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping the 'p' in the prefix.

    Rumah itu sedang dimerbaiki.
    Rumah itu sedang diperbaiki.

    Learners often confuse this with the 'meN-' rule where 'p' is dropped. In 'diper-', the 'p' is part of the 'per-' prefix and must stay.

  • Writing 'di' as a separate word.

    Masalah itu di perjelas.
    Masalah itu diperjelas.

    Unlike the location preposition 'di', the passive prefix 'di-' (and 'diper-') must be attached directly to the verb.

  • Using 'diper-' for simple actions without a causative nuance.

    Buku itu diperbaca oleh saya.
    Buku itu dibaca oleh saya.

    Only use 'diper-' if the active form is 'memper-'. For a simple action like 'reading', use the standard 'di-' passive.

How It Connects

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

diper-Level 4Passive Forms with Diper-

Learn This First

To understand the diper- passive, you must first be familiar with the basic Indonesian passive voice (di-) and the specific causative or intensive active prefix memper-, as diper- simply replaces mem- to change the voice of those specific verbs.

Words in This Pattern

di-per-