katanya

Reported Information with Katanya

Level 4

Katanya is a versatile marker used to attribute information to a third-party source. It translates to "he/she said," "they say," or "I heard that."

How It Works

In Indonesian, katanya is a common way to mark reported speech and hearsay. Unlike English, which often requires complex clause structures like "It is said that...", Indonesian simply inserts katanya into the sentence.

1. Reported Speech
When used to report a specific person's words, it acts like a tag. For example: "Saya lelah," katanya. ("I am tired," he/she said). Note that -nya is third-person in this reporting tag. Use kata saya or katamu for an explicit I said or you said tag. As a hearsay marker, katanya can also recall what the addressee previously claimed, as in Katanya mau pergi, kok masih di sini?

2. Hearsay and Rumors
This is its most common use in daily conversation. It marks information as second-hand. Depending on the context and tone, it can be neutral or imply skepticism.

  • Initial position: Katanya dia akan pindah. (They say he is going to move.)
  • Final position: Dia akan pindah, katanya. (He is going to move, so I heard.)
  • Parenthetical: Dia, katanya, akan pindah. (He, rumor has it, is going to move.)

3. Register and Nuance
Katanya is standard in journalism as a tag after a quotation from an identified speaker, and it also appears in conversation. An unattributed katanya can suggest hearsay. Kabarnya marks reported information; menurutnya means according to that person. Diduga expresses an allegation or supposition. These alternatives do not automatically make a claim more objective or credible; choose the form matching the source and meaning.

Examples (4)

  1. Katanya besok akan hujan lebat.

    They say it will rain heavily tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Said-it tomorrow will rain heavy.

    Here, 'katanya' acts as a hearsay marker for a general prediction.

  2. "Aku sudah kenyang," katanya sambil tersenyum.

    "I'm already full," he said while smiling.

    Word by Word: I already full, said-he while smiling.

    In this context, 'katanya' specifically attributes the quote to the person being discussed.

  3. Katanya dia pintar, tapi kok tidak bisa jawab?

    They say he's smart, but how come he can't answer?

    Word by Word: Said-it he smart, but [surprise] not can answer?

    Using 'katanya' here introduces a contrast between a rumor and the observed reality, often implying skepticism.

  4. Dia tidak datang hari ini, katanya sedang sakit.

    He isn't coming today; he said he is sick.

    Word by Word: He not come day this, said-he currently sick.

    The second clause uses 'katanya' to explain the reason provided by the subject.

Common Mistakes

  • Using katanya when you mean you said it.

    Different MeaningSaya tidak mau ikut, katanya.
    Saya tidak mau ikut, kata saya.

    Saya tidak mau ikut, katanya is a good sentence, but katanya reports what someone else said: 'I don't want to come,' he or she said. The suffix -nya refers to a third person. To report your own words, use 'kata saya' or 'saya bilang'.

  • Redundant use with other reporting verbs.

    Dia berkata katanya dia lapar.
    Dia berkata bahwa dia lapar.

    For one direct report, use berkata bahwa or a katanya reporting tag. Combining reporting expressions can introduce another level of hearsay, so the original may be interpreted differently rather than being universally ungrammatical. Use the simpler form for the intended single source.

How It Connects

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

katanyaLevel 4Reported Information with Katanya

Learn This First

To understand 'katanya', learners need to recognize the third-person suffix '-nya' and how it attaches to the root 'kata' (to say). It is also helpful to understand how Indonesian handles reported information and clause referencing.

Words in This Pattern

katanya