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Before we get to learn on how to write a phrase in Bahasa Indonesia, we have to know that Bahasa Indonesia has eight part of speech. They are Indonesian noun ( nomina), Indonesian pronoun (pronomina), Indonesian adjective ( kata sifat), Indonesian verb (kata kerja), Indonesian adverb (adverbia), Indonesian preposition (preposisi), Indonesian conjunction (konjungsi), Indonesian interjection ( kata seruan). Phrase acts collectively as a part of speech.

But sometimes, people are confused at the difference between clause, phrase, and sentence. Clause is a group of words that have subjects and predicates. It is divided into two, independent clause and subordinate clause. Phrase is a group of words that does not have subject nor verb.

Phrase can not be used alone but it is part of the sentence. While sentence is a group of words that has subjects and predicates. Sentence is composed by clause and phrase to add an additional information about what is described.

Now we know the difference between sentence, phrase, and clause. Let’s take a look on how to make phrase in Bahasa Indonesia.

Group of words can be categorized as phrase if:

1. It has two words or more.
2. It has grammatical function.
3. It has at least one grammatical meaning.
4. It is nonpredicative. It does not have a predicate.

In English there are eight common type of phrases. Whereas in Bahasa Indonesia, phrase is based on some categorization. Based on the meaning phrase is divided into two: common phrase and idiomatic phrase. Based on categorization of class words, phrase is divided into five (verb phrase, noun phrase, adjective phrase, prepositional phrase, and abverbial phrase). Another phrase is ambiguity phrase.

In this article, the writer describes how to make phrase in Bahasa Indonesia, especially class of word phrase.

1. Verb phrase
Verb phrase is combination of phrase that is formed of combination of verb with an object or modifier.
For example : Ayah meminum kopi. ( My father drinks coffee.)
Dita akan membeli buku baru. ( Dita will buy a new book.)
Saya sedang menulis surat. ( I am writing a letter.)

2. Noun phrase
Noun phrase is a phrase that head of the word is noun. It includes a person, place, or a thing and modifier. The modifiers can come before or after noun. The modifiers are:
• Article
In english, there are only three articles, while in Bahasa Indonesia there are many articles, such as seekor, sebuah, sepotong, sebiji, sebungkus, seorang, etc.

Now you know how to write a phrase in Bahasa Indonesia. 

• Possessive noun

Now, can you understand how to write a phrase in Bahasa Indonesia?

• Possessive pronoun

• Adjective

• Participle

3. Adjective phrase

Adjective phrase is a phrase that head of the word is adjective. It describes a noun or pronoun in a sentence.

Baju adik baru. ( My little brother’s shirt is new.)

Kamarku sangat bersih dan rapi. ( My room is clean and tidy.)

Komputerku rusak. (My computer is broken.)

Dia sangat lelah sepulang bekerja. ( He is exhausted after working.)

Dia cantik memakai baju merah. ( She is pretty in red dress.)

Saya gembira melihat Indonesia di posisi ke empat di ASIAN Games. ( I am so happy to see Indonesian is in fourth position in ASIAN Games)

4. Prepositional phrase

Prepositional phrase is a group of words that contains preposition. It usually consists of a preposition and a noun or a preposition and a pronoun.

6. Adverbial Phrase

Adverbial phrase is a phrase that functions as adverb in a sentence. It can appear before or after the subject, or it can be in the beginning or the back of the sentence.