peN-...-an
Process Nouns with PeN-...-an
The peN-...-an circumfix creates nouns that describe the act or process of doing something. It is the noun counterpart to meN- verbs.
How It Works
The peN-...-an circumfix is one of the most productive ways to form abstract nouns in Malay. It is primarily used to denote the process or method of an action.
1. Morphological Rules
The prefix part (peN-) changes based on the first letter of the root, identical to the meN- rules:
- pe-: Roots starting with l, m, n, ny, ng, r, w (e.g., lantik → pelantikan).
- pem-: Roots starting with b or p (p is dropped) (e.g., bina → pembinaan; pilih → pemilihan).
- pen-: Roots starting with c, d, j, z or t (t is dropped) (e.g., daftar → pendaftaran; tulis → penulisan).
- peng-: Roots starting with g, h, vowels, or k (k is dropped) (e.g., guna → penggunaan; ajar → pengajaran).
- peny-: Roots starting with s (s is dropped) (e.g., sewa → penyewaan).
- penge-: Monosyllabic roots (e.g., cat → pengecatan).
2. Derivation from Adjectives
Beyond verbs, peN-...-an can be applied to adjective roots to describe the process of making something possess that quality or the act of purification. For example, bersih (clean) becomes pembersihan (cleaning/the process of making clean), and stabil (stable) becomes penstabilan (stabilization).
3. Usage and Nuance
While it usually refers to a process, it can sometimes refer to a place or result associated with the action (e.g., penginapan - lodging/place to stay). In formal writing, this affix is essential for creating technical and academic terms.
4. Contrast with per-...-an
A common point of confusion is peN-...-an vs per-...-an. Generally, peN-...-an relates to active meN- verbs (the act of doing). In contrast, per-...-an relates to ber- verbs and frequently denotes a place (e.g., perhentian - a stop/station), a collection (e.g., peralatan - equipment), or a result/state.
Examples (5)
- Proses pembangunan negara itu mengambil masa yang lama.
The process of developing that country took a long time.
Word by Word: Process development country that take time which long.
Here, 'pembangunan' (development) comes from the root 'bangun' and describes the ongoing process.
- Penghantaran barang itu akan dilakukan pada petang ini.
The delivery of those goods will be carried out this afternoon.
Word by Word: Delivery goods that will be-done on afternoon this.
'Penghantaran' (delivery) is the process noun derived from 'hantar' (to send).
- Pihak polis sedang menjalankan penyiasatan rapi.
The police are currently conducting a thorough investigation.
Word by Word: Side police progressive carry-out investigation thorough.
'Penyiasatan' (investigation) comes from 'siasat' (to investigate), following the 'peny-' rule for roots starting with 's'.
- Penggunaan plastik harus dikurangkan.
The use of plastic must be reduced.
Word by Word: Usage plastic must be-reduced.
'Penggunaan' (usage/the act of using) is derived from the root 'guna' (to use).
- Pembersihan kawasan itu dilakukan setiap minggu.
The cleaning of that area is done every week.
Word by Word: Cleaning area that be-done every week.
'Pembersihan' (cleaning) is derived from the adjective 'bersih' (clean), describing the process of making the area clean.
Common Mistakes
Forgetting to drop the initial consonant (p, t, k, s) when adding the prefix.
pentulisanpenulisanJust like the meN- prefix, the initial 't' in 'tulis' must be dropped when adding 'pen-'. The correct form is 'penulisan'.
Confusing peN-...-an (process) with peN- (agent/person).
Saya seorang penulisan.Saya seorang penulis.Use 'penulis' for the person (writer) and 'penulisan' for the act or process (writing).
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand peN-...-an process nouns, you must first be familiar with the meN- verbal system, as this noun form specifically nominalizes the action or process described by those verbs. Additionally, you need to understand the nasalization rules (where the 'N' changes based on the root's first letter) and how the -an suffix functions to create nouns.
- Nasal alternation in agent nouns
The nasal changes (N) in peN-...-an follow the same morphophonemic rules as the peN- agentive prefix and the meN- verbal prefix.
Level 3 - -anResult or Object Nouns with -an
The -an suffix is a core component of this circumfix, contributing to the nominalization of the root.
Level 2
Related Patterns
- peN-People and Tools with PeN-
peN- (without -an) refers to the person or tool performing the action, whereas peN-...-an refers to the process itself.
Level 2 - peN-...-an / per-...-anChoosing Process Nominalizers
These two are often confused; peN-...-an is usually the active process noun, while per-...-an often denotes a result, state, place, or collection.
Level 4 - meN-Active Transitive Verbs with MeN-
peN-...-an nouns are the nominalized forms of meN- verbs and follow the same nasalization rules.
Level 2 - per-...-an (peristiwa)Events and Processes with Per-...-an
Another way to form abstract nouns, typically derived from ber- verbs, often referring to places or collections.
Level 4 - ke-...-an (keadaan)Abstract States with Ke-...-an
Forms abstract nouns representing states or qualities rather than processes.
Level 3 - Consonant retention in loans
Like their verb counterparts, peN-...-an nouns often retain initial p, t, k, and s in loanwords to keep the root recognizable.
Level 3
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