How to Use Active and Passive Voice in Indonesian

Understanding Active and Passive Voice in Indonesian

In Indonesian, like in English, sentences can be expressed in either active or passive voice. The active voice emphasizes the doer of the action, while the passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action. However, Indonesian forms passive voice differently from English, often using specific prefixes and verb forms.

Active Voice in Indonesian

The active voice in Indonesian typically follows the structure: Subject + Verb + Object. The verb usually does not have a prefix or may have the prefix me- to indicate an active verb.

For example:
Dia makan nasi. (He/She eats rice.)
Here, Dia is the subject, makan is the active verb, and nasi is the object.

Passive Voice in Indonesian

The passive voice in Indonesian is commonly formed by adding the prefix di- to the verb. The structure is usually: Object + di-Verb + (oleh + Subject). The subject can be omitted if it is unknown or unimportant.

For example:
Nasi dimakan oleh dia. (The rice is eaten by him/her.)
Here, nasi is the object that becomes the subject of the passive sentence, dimakan is the passive verb, and oleh dia indicates the doer of the action.

Common Prefixes for Active and Passive Verbs

Indonesian verbs use prefixes to indicate voice and focus. The most common are:

• me-: active voice prefix
• di-: passive voice prefix

Examples:
Active: memasak (to cook)
Passive: dimasak (is cooked)

Examples of Active and Passive Sentences

• Active: Saya menulis surat. (I write a letter.)
• Passive: Surat ditulis oleh saya. (The letter is written by me.)
• Active: Mereka membersihkan rumah. (They clean the house.)
• Passive: Rumah dibersihkan oleh mereka. (The house is cleaned by them.)

When to Use Passive Voice in Indonesian

Passive voice is often used in Indonesian when the doer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from context. It is also common in formal writing and news reports to emphasize the action or the object rather than the subject.

Practice: Translate These Sentences