How to Use Emphatic and Focus Constructions in Indonesian

Understanding Emphatic and Focus Constructions in Indonesian

In Indonesian, emphasis and focus are important to highlight specific parts of a sentence or to express strong feelings. Unlike English, Indonesian uses particular constructions and particles to achieve this effect, which can change the meaning or highlight the importance of certain information.

What Are Emphatic Constructions?

Emphatic constructions in Indonesian are used to stress or highlight a word or phrase, making it stand out in the sentence. This can be done using specific words, particles, or sentence structures that draw attention to the focused element.

Common Particles for Emphasis

Several particles are commonly used in Indonesian to add emphasis or focus. Here are some of the most important ones:

• lah: Adds emphasis or certainty to a statement.
• justru: Indicates contrast or unexpected emphasis.
• malah: Used to emphasize something surprising or contrary.
• memang: Confirms or strengthens a statement as true or expected.

Using <span class="ipa">lah</span> for Emphasis

The particle lah is often attached to verbs or adjectives to emphasize the action or quality. It can make commands sound more assertive or statements more definite.

Focus Constructions in Indonesian

Focus constructions highlight the role of a particular noun or phrase in a sentence, such as the subject, object, or location. Indonesian uses specific markers and word order to indicate focus.

One common way to indicate focus is by using the word yang to mark the focused element.

Using <span class="ipa">yang</span> to Mark Focus

The word yang functions like a relative pronoun and is used to focus on a specific noun or phrase, often translating to 'that' or 'which' in English. It helps specify or emphasize the element being talked about.

Emphatic Word Order

Sometimes, Indonesian changes the usual word order to emphasize a particular part of the sentence. For example, placing the focused element at the beginning of the sentence can highlight it.

Summary of Emphatic and Focus Strategies

• Use particles like lah, memang, justru, and malah to add emphasis.
• Use yang to mark the focused noun or phrase.
• Change word order to bring the focused element to the front.
• Combine particles and word order changes for stronger emphasis.