agar / supaya
Purpose with Agar or Supaya
Agar and supaya introduce a clause describing an intended goal or desired result. Its subject may be expressed or understood from context.
How It Works
In Indonesian, expressing purpose requires choosing between the preposition untuk and the conjunctions agar or supaya.
1. Subject Identity and Naturalness
Agar and supaya can introduce a purpose clause with either a different subject or a shared subject. Express a different subject clearly; a shared subject may be left understood. If the subject is the same, a shorter clause can omit the repeated subject, or use untuk where its meaning fits. Shared subjects do not make agar or supaya unnatural.
Example: Saya bicara pelan supaya dia tidak bangun. (I speak quietly so that he doesn't wake up).
2. Comparison with 'Untuk'
While untuk can precede a verb or a noun phrase (e.g., untuk ibu), agar and supaya introduce a subordinate clause. Its subject can be expressed or understood from context: Saya makan agar kenyang (I eat so that I feel full) has an understood subject in the purpose clause.
3. Register and Variations
- Agar: More formal, common in academic, official, or literary contexts.
- Supaya: Standard and neutral for general writing and polite speech.
- Agar supaya: A compound form used in very formal or legalistic Indonesian to add emphasis.
4. Purpose vs. Result
Do not confuse these with sehingga (so/as a result). Agar/Supaya describes a goal you want to happen (intent), while sehingga describes a result that actually happened (consequence).
Examples (4)
- Tolong kecilkan suaranya supaya adik bisa tidur.
Please turn down the volume so that (your) younger sibling can sleep.
Word by Word: Please small-en sound-the so-that younger-sibling can sleep.
A neutral, everyday request using 'supaya' to link the action to the desired goal.
- Pemerintah mengimbau masyarakat agar tetap tenang.
The government urges the public to remain calm.
Word by Word: Government active-urge society so-that stay calm.
A formal sentence using 'agar', typical of news reports or official statements.
- Kami ingin supaya Anda menolong kami.
We want you to help us.
Word by Word: We want so-that you help us.
Here, 'supaya' is used because the subject of the 'wanting' (Kami) is different from the subject of the 'helping' (Anda).
- Ibu memasak nasi agar anak-anak bisa makan.
Mother cooks rice so that the children can eat.
Word by Word: Mother active-cook rice so-that children can eat.
This example shows 'agar' connecting two different subjects: Mother (the cook) and the children (the eaters).
Common Mistakes
Using 'agar' or 'supaya' to describe a result that already happened.
Dia jatuh agar kakinya patah.Dia jatuh sehingga kakinya patah.Using 'agar' implies he fell on purpose because he wanted to break his leg. Use sehingga for unintended results.
Repeating an already clear subject when a shorter purpose clause would suffice.
Saya makan agar saya kenyang.Saya makan agar kenyang.The original is grammatical. If saya is already clear, omit the repeated subject: Saya makan agar kenyang. Untuk can also introduce a purpose, but it is not required just because the subjects are the same.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To use agar and supaya, you need to be comfortable constructing basic sentences and using conjunctions to link ideas. These words function similarly to 'so that' or 'in order that' in English, requiring a main action followed by the intended result.
- untukFor with Untuk
Untuk is the most basic way to express purpose with a noun or verb; agar and supaya extend this concept to full clauses.
Level 1 - karenaReason Clause with Karena
Understanding how to use subordinating conjunctions to link a main clause with a dependent clause (like reason or purpose) is a necessary structural step.
Level 1
Related Patterns
- untuk + VerbPurpose Infinitive with Untuk
'Untuk' is the preferred choice for brevity when the subject remains the same, whereas 'agar/supaya' is typically used to introduce a new subject.
Level 3 - sehinggaResult with Sehingga
'Sehingga' expresses the actual result or consequence, while 'agar/supaya' expresses the intended goal.
Level 2 - ingin + VerbNeutral-formal Desire with Ingin
'Ingin' (to want) is often used in the main clause before 'supaya' to express a desire for a specific outcome.
Level 1 - mau + VerbWant or Near-future with Mau
'Mau' can express the intention behind an action that is further explained by 'agar' or 'supaya'.
Level 1
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice agar / supaya in Bubblegum
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