ber-...-an

Reciprocal Ber-...-an

Level 3

The ber-...-an pattern turns a root into an intransitive verb that describes either two people doing something to each other (like shaking hands) or many things happening all over the place (like birds flying in different directions).

How It Works

The ber-...-an circumfix is a common way to add nuance to Malay verbs and adjectives. It has three main functions:

  • Reciprocity: It indicates that an action is performed by two or more parties toward each other. For example, berkenalan means 'to get to know each other.'
  • Distributed/Plural Action: It describes an action performed by many subjects, often moving in different directions. For example, berdatangan implies people arriving from various places.
  • Mutual States: When applied to adjectives, it describes a mutual relationship of state, such as berdekatan (to be near each other) or berjauhan (to be far from each other).

Morphological Rules:
1. If the root starts with 'r', the 'r' in ber- is dropped (e.g., berebutan from rebut).
2. If the first syllable of the root contains 'er', the 'r' in ber- is dropped (e.g., beterbangan from terbang).

Important Note: Verbs with ber-...-an are intransitive. They cannot be followed directly by a noun object. You cannot say 'Mereka bersalaman tangan'; you must say 'Mereka bersalaman' (They shook hands [with each other]).

Examples (5)

  1. Mereka baru sahaja berkenalan di majlis itu.

    They just got to know each other at that party.

    Word by Word: They just only get-to-know-each-other at party that.

    The root 'kenal' (know) becomes reciprocal, meaning the action is mutual between 'them'.

  2. Burung-burung beterbangan di ruang angkasa.

    Birds are flying about in the sky.

    Word by Word: Birds fly-in-various-directions at space sky.

    Here, 'beterbangan' shows distributed action—many birds flying in different directions. The 'r' in 'ber-' is dropped because the root 'terbang' contains 'er'.

  3. Para tetamu mula berdatangan sejak awal pagi.

    The guests began arriving from various places since early morning.

    Word by Word: Plural-marker guests start arrive-in-groups since early morning.

    Using 'berdatangan' instead of 'datang' emphasizes that guests are arriving in groups or from different locations.

  4. Kita haruslah bertolong-tolongan dalam kesusahan.

    We should help one another in times of trouble.

    Word by Word: We should help-each-other in difficulty.

    When combined with reduplication, it emphasizes the continuous or intensive nature of the mutual help.

  5. Rumah-rumah itu berdekatan.

    Those houses are near each other.

    Word by Word: Houses those are-near.

    The root 'dekat' (near) becomes a state of mutual proximity.

Common Mistakes

  • Using a direct object after a ber-...-an verb.

    Mereka bersalaman tangan.
    Mereka bersalaman.

    Ber-...-an verbs are intransitive. The 'mutual' meaning is already built into the verb, so adding a direct object like 'tangan' (hand) is grammatically incorrect.

  • Redundancy with reciprocal pronouns in formal writing.

    Mereka berkirim-kiriman surat antara satu sama lain.
    Mereka berkirim-kiriman surat.

    In formal Malay, 'ber-...-an' already implies 'each other,' so adding 'antara satu sama lain' is often considered redundant.

How It Connects

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

ber-...-anLevel 3Reciprocal Ber-...-an

Learn This First

To understand the reciprocal ber-...-an pattern, learners must first be familiar with the basic ber- prefix and the -an suffix, as this pattern uses them together as a circumfix. Additionally, since reciprocal actions (like 'meeting each other') involve multiple subjects, a grasp of how Malay expresses plurality is essential.

Words in This Pattern

ber- -an