diper-...-kan

Passive Memper-...-kan

Level 4

diper-...-kan is the formal passive version of memper-...-kan. It is used in professional, academic, and legal contexts to describe actions where something is 'made to be' or 'treated as' a certain concept.

How It Works

The circumfix diper-...-kan is a complex morphological structure used primarily in formal Indonesian. It is the passive counterpart to the active memper-...-kan.

1. Passive Voice and Agency
Like other passive forms, the subject of the sentence is the recipient of the action. The actor (agent) is often introduced using the word oleh (by).

2. Meaning and Nuance

  • Causative/Treatment: To cause the subject to be treated as the root. For example, hamba (servant) becomes diperhambakan (to be treated as a servant).
  • Applicative/Transitive: To make a root transitive or to 'consider' the subject as the root. For example, timbang (weigh) becomes dipertimbangkan (to be considered/weighed).

3. Formal Register
These forms are useful in formal prose, but familiar words such as diperkenalkan can also occur in conversation. You will encounter it frequently in:

  • Legal documents and regulations.
  • Academic papers and formal reports.
  • News broadcasts and formal speeches.

4. Morphological Stability
Unlike the meN- prefix, the per- part of this circumfix is generally stable and does not change based on the initial letter of the root. For instance, in diperkenalkan (to be introduced), the per- remains intact regardless of the root kenal.

Examples (4)

  1. Rencana pembangunan itu sedang dipertimbangkan oleh pemerintah.

    The development plan is currently being considered by the government.

    Word by Word: Plan development that currently be-considered by government.

    Here, 'dipertimbangkan' is the passive form of 'mempertimbangkan' (to consider/weigh), used in a formal context.

  2. Teknologi baru ini akan diperkenalkan kepada masyarakat luas.

    This new technology will be introduced to the general public.

    Word by Word: Technology new this will be-introduced to society wide.

    'Diperkenalkan' (to be introduced) is the passive form of 'memperkenalkan'. It implies making the technology 'known' (kenal) to others.

  3. Masalah tersebut harus dipertanggungjawabkan secara hukum.

    That problem must be accounted for legally.

    Word by Word: Problem mentioned must be-accounted-for in-a-manner law.

    'Dipertanggungjawabkan' is a common formal term for being held responsible or providing accountability.

  4. Usulan tersebut dipertanyakan oleh banyak pihak.

    The proposal was questioned by many parties.

    Word by Word: Proposal mentioned be-questioned by many parties.

    'Dipertanyakan' means to be called into question or doubted, derived from the root 'tanya' (ask).

Common Mistakes

  • Using -kan with adjectives that already have diper- to mean 'to make more'.

    Jalan ini harus diperlebarkan.
    Jalan ini harus diperlebar.

    When using 'diper-' with an adjective to mean 'to make more [adjective]', the '-kan' suffix is redundant and considered incorrect in standard Indonesian. Use 'diperlebar' (to be widened) instead of 'diperlebarkan'.

  • Leaving out oleh before the agent of a diper-...-kan passive.

    Kemarin dia diperkenalkan saya.
    Kemarin dia diperkenalkan oleh saya.

    Indonesian has no grammatical tense inflection. Kemarin, not diper-, locates the event in the past. The added oleh makes the agent explicit; consult the passive rules for agent placement.

How It Connects

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

diper-...-kanLevel 4Passive Memper-...-kan

Learn This First

The diper-...-kan pattern is a complex passive form. To understand it, you must first be familiar with the active version (memper-...-kan) and how the passive prefix di- functions in simpler contexts, particularly with the -kan suffix.

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Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

-kandi-per-