Aspect inside object voice

Level 4

Object + Aspect + Actor + Root Verb
Example: Buku itu sudah saya baca. (That book has already been read by me.)

How It Works

In Standard Malay, the object voice (Pasif Persona) is used to shift focus to the object of a transitive verb. When the actor is 1st person (e.g., saya, aku, kami, or the proclitic ku-) or 2nd person (e.g., anda, kamu, or the proclitic kau-), specific rules apply:

  • Aspect and Negation Placement: Words indicating time, mood, or negation—such as sudah (already), akan (will), mesti (must), tidak (not), or belum (not yet)—must precede the actor.
  • The Adjacency Rule: The actor and the verb root must be strictly adjacent. This applies to all forms, including plural pronouns like kita and proclitics like ku- and kau-. You cannot place anything between the actor and the verb.
  • No 'Oleh': Unlike the di- passive, the word oleh (by) is strictly prohibited in this construction.
  • Morphology: The active meN- prefix is removed, leaving only the root verb.
  • Register: This is the standard for formal writing. Using the di- prefix with 1st or 2nd person actors is considered grammatically incorrect in formal contexts.

Examples (5)

  1. Buku itu sudah saya baca.

    I have already read that book.

    Word by Word: Book that already I read.

    The aspect marker sudah comes before the actor saya, followed immediately by the root verb 'baca'.

  2. Surat itu mesti anda kirim segera.

    You must send that letter immediately.

    Word by Word: Letter that must you send immediately.

    The modal mesti precedes the actor anda. The verb 'kirim' is in its root form without a prefix.

  3. Kerja itu akan kami selesaikan esok.

    We will finish that work tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Work that will we finish tomorrow.

    The future marker akan is placed before the actor kami. Note that the suffix -kan remains, but the meN- prefix is dropped.

  4. Nasihat itu belum kauabaikan.

    You have not yet ignored that advice.

    Word by Word: Advice that not-yet you-ignore.

    The negation marker belum (not yet) must come before the actor-verb complex 'kauabaikan'.

  5. Tugasan ini tidak aku buat.

    I did not do this assignment.

    Word by Word: Assignment this not I do.

    The negation marker tidak is placed before the actor aku and the root verb 'buat'.

Common Mistakes

  • Placing the aspect marker between the actor and the verb.

    Buku itu saya sudah baca.
    Buku itu sudah saya baca.

    In the object voice, the actor and the root verb cannot be separated by any other words.

  • Retaining the meN- prefix in the object voice.

    Buku itu sudah saya membaca.
    Buku itu sudah saya baca.

    The verb must be in its root form. The active prefix 'meN-' must be dropped.

  • Using the di- passive with first or second-person actors.

    Buku itu sudah dibaca oleh saya.
    Buku itu sudah saya baca.

    While common in some dialects, formal Standard Malay requires the object voice (Pasif Persona) for 1st and 2nd person actors instead of the 'di-' prefix.

How It Connects

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

Aspect inside object voiceLevel 4

Learn This First

To use aspect inside the object voice confidently, you must first be comfortable with the basic object voice structure (where the actor comes directly before the verb root). You also need to be familiar with aspect markers (like 'sudah') and modality markers (like 'mesti'), as this pattern specifically deals with their unique placement before the actor in an object voice sentence.