meng-

The Meng- Form of MeN-

Level 2

Meng- is a form of meN- used to build active verbs. An active subject need not act deliberately: air menguap describes water evaporating.

How It Works

The meN- prefix is a versatile tool in Indonesian to form active verbs. The meng- variation (allomorph) follows specific phonological rules:

  • Vowels: If a root starts with a vowel, simply add meng-. Example: ambil (take) becomes mengambil.
  • G, H, and KH: Roots starting with these letters take meng- and the initial letter is kept. Example: ganti (change) becomes mengganti; hitung (count) becomes menghitung; khianat forms mengkhianati, with the suffix -i as well as the prefix.
  • The 'K' Rule: When a root starts with k followed by a vowel, the k usually drops (is deleted), subject to established lexical exceptions. For example, kategori forms mengategorikan, with the suffix -kan as well as the prefix. This process is known as peluluhan (melting/deletion).
  • Consonant Clusters: If k is followed by another consonant (a cluster), it is usually preserved. Example: kristal (crystal) becomes mengkristal.

This prefix is essential for formal Indonesian. While it often indicates a transitive verb, it can also appear in intransitive verbs like menginap (to stay overnight).

Lexical Contrast: TBBI distinguishes mengaji (recite or study the Quran) from mengkaji (study or examine), both associated with kaji. Do not mechanically delete every initial k. The one-syllable pattern in mengecat or mengeklik is treated separately.

Examples (5)

  1. Ibu sedang mengajar bahasa Indonesia.

    Mother is teaching Indonesian.

    Word by Word: Mother [progressive] teach Indonesian.

    The root 'ajar' starts with a vowel 'a', so it takes the 'meng-' prefix.

  2. Dia menghitung uang di meja.

    He is counting money on the table.

    Word by Word: He count money at table.

    The root 'hitung' starts with 'h', which requires the 'meng-' allomorph.

  3. Perusahaan itu mengirim paket hari ini.

    That company is sending a package today.

    Word by Word: Company that send package day this.

    The root 'kirim' starts with 'k'. The 'k' is dropped and replaced by 'ng' in 'mengirim'.

  4. Adik sedang menggambar pemandangan.

    Little sibling is drawing a landscape.

    Word by Word: Little-sibling [progressive] draw landscape.

    The root 'gambar' starts with 'g', so it uses 'meng-'.

  5. Air itu mulai menguap.

    The water is starting to evaporate.

    Word by Word: Water that start evaporate.

    The root 'uap' starts with 'u', so it takes 'meng-'.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting to drop the 'k' in native Indonesian roots.

    Saya mengkirim surat.
    Saya mengirim surat.

    Kirim has the established prefixed form mengirim. Initial k deletion is usual before a vowel in this pattern, but words such as mengkaji show that it is not universal.

  • Using 'meng-' for monosyllabic (one-syllable) roots.

    Dia mengcat tembok.
    Dia mengecat tembok.

    One-syllable roots like 'cat' (paint) or 'bom' (bomb) require the menge- allomorph, not 'meng-'.

How It Connects

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meng-Level 2The Meng- Form of MeN-

Learn This First

To understand the meng- allomorph, you first need to understand the general function of the meN- prefix in Indonesian, which marks active transitive verbs. The meng- form is a specific spelling and pronunciation rule that occurs when the prefix is attached to roots starting with vowels (a, e, i, o, u) or the consonants g, h, and k.

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