ter- (keadaan)

States with Ter-

Level 2

Stative ter- describes a condition, such as an open window or something’s location. Some conditions result from an earlier event; the prefix does not inherently mean permanent or always imply a prior action.

How It Works

The stative use of ter- is one of the most common ways to describe how something 'is' in Indonesian.

1. Meaning and Nuance
In its stative use, ter- describes a condition. Some such conditions result from an earlier event, as with a locked door; others, such as terletak, simply describe location. It is often used when the person who performed the action is unknown or irrelevant.

2. Morphological Rules
The prefix changes based on the root word:

  • te-: Used if the root starts with 'r' (e.g., terasa) and in some established words with schwa plus r in the first syllable (e.g., tepercaya). TBBI notes variation in the latter group; do not automatically remove r in every such word.
  • tel-: A rare form used in specific words like telanjur.
  • ter-: The standard form for most other roots (e.g., tercatat, terletak).

3. Stative vs. Accidental vs. Potential
While stative ter- describes a condition, it has other functions:

  • Stative: Terletak (is located) describes a location; the prefix does not mean permanent.
  • Accidental: Terjatuh (fell) describes an unplanned event.
  • Potential (Abilitative): In negative sentences or specific contexts, it indicates the ability to do something. For example, tidak terbaca means "cannot be read" or "illegible." This is further explored in potential meaning with ter-.

State and Event Readings: For a deliberate opening by a named agent, use a di- event description such as Pintu dibuka oleh saya. Ter- has accidental and other readings too, so a following oleh phrase is not universally forbidden; first decide whether the intended meaning is a state or an event.

Examples (5)

  1. Jendela itu masih terbuka.

    That window is still open.

    Word by Word: Window that still in-state-of-open.

    Here, 'terbuka' describes the state of the window, not the act of opening it.

  2. Nama Anda sudah tercatat di sini.

    Your name is already recorded here.

    Word by Word: Name you already in-state-of-record at here.

    'Tercatat' indicates the state of being on the list, focusing on the result of the registration.

  3. Kota Jakarta terletak di Pulau Jawa.

    The city of Jakarta is located on Java Island.

    Word by Word: City Jakarta in-state-of-lay at Island Java.

    Terletak describes Jakarta’s geographical location. Its meaning is located, without a general grammatical claim of permanence.

  4. Pintu itu terkunci dari dalam.

    That door is locked from the inside.

    Word by Word: Door that in-state-of-lock from inside.

    'Terkunci' describes the current condition of the door.

  5. Dia adalah orang yang paling tepercaya.

    He is the most trusted person.

    Word by Word: He is person who most in-state-of-trust.

    Tepercaya illustrates an established te- variant before a first syllable containing schwa plus r; this pattern has lexical variation.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing the prefix ter- separately with a hyphen.

    Gunung itu ter-tinggi.
    Gunung itu tertinggi.

    Attach this Indonesian prefix directly to the base: tertinggi. In this word the meaning is superlative, not the stative use taught in terbuka and terletak.

How It Connects

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ter- (keadaan)Level 2States with Ter-

Learn This First

To understand 'ter-' as a resulting state, learners should first be comfortable with how adjectives describe nouns in Indonesian without a copula, as 'ter-' words often function as stative adjectives. Additionally, familiarity with the 'di-' passive is helpful to distinguish between a passive action and a resulting state.

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