Selamat datang! Welcome to Mastering Bahasa. The best website that gives you a lot of materials that help you to gain your knowledge about Indonesian. This time we will learn about Indonesian phrases and common sentences. What is phrases based on Indonesian dictionary? Phrases is group of words or combinations of two or more words that form a unity and have a grammatical meaning. There are many Indonesian phrases and common sentences that used in Indonesian. Keep in mind, it is required a subject, a predicate and an object to form a simple sentence.
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If you want to understand about Indonesian phrases, their characteristics, type and examples of common sentences then please consider the following articles below which is designed for you to make it easy to understand about Indonesian phrases and common sentence as well.
The Indonesian Phrases
The Indonesian phrases are combinations of two or more words and make a grammatical function in a sentence and they have different meanings in accordance with their context. More easily, the Indonesian phrases are a combination of two words but it cannot be formed as a full sentence which doesn’t have a subject. Well, now let’s learn about Indonesian phrases and common sentences.
The Characteristics of Indonesian Phrases
There are four characteristics of phrases which are used to determine that they are a phrase.
- It consists of two or more words in its complication
- It has a grammatical function in a sentence
- It has a grammatical meaning
- It is non-predicative or it doesn’t have a predicate.
These characteristics are key to help you to find Indonesian phrase. It would be better if you could understand them before we begin to discuss about the categories of Indonesian phrases and common sentences.
The Examples of Indonesian Phrases
In the explanation given above, we can summarize that the phrase is a consisted of two words or more and it cannot make a perfect sentence. There are the examples of phrase for your references.
| Indonesian | English |
| Tidur siap | Afternoon nap |
| Makan siang | Lunch |
| Olahraga pagi | Morning exercise |
| Mandi susu | Milk Bath |
| Sedang belajar | Learning |
| Kepada para guru | To teachers |
| Dengan sedok teh | with tea spoon |
| Keras kepala | Stubborn |
| Murah hati | Generous |
| Tas Merah | Red bag |
As you aware, in English you can find some words become two words in Indonesian as phrases. It is possible you will find other words that will become two or three words in Indonesian as phrases. It will be easy for you to remember if you always practice to communicate in Indonesian. Practice more prefect, right?
The Types of Phrases
In Indonesian phrases, there are 4 types of Indonesian phrases that can be learned and how to use them correctly in accordance with their classes, functions and meanings.
1. The phrases based on their class
The phrases based on their class are divided by four groups. They are:
- Verbal Phrases
The verbal phrases are phrases that can be substituted a verb in a sentence and they have active words or  verbs in their formation.
For examples of Indonesian Phrases:
| Indonesian | English | Verbs |
| Tidak minum | Not drinking | Minum/Drinking |
| Akan berangkat | Will depart | Berangkat/Depart |
| Sedang belajar | Learning | Belajar/Learning |
| Akan datang | Will come | Datang/Come |
| Belum bekerja | Not yet working | Bekerja/Working |
Thus, that’s the example of Indonesian phrases and common sentences.
2. Noun Phrases
The noun phrases are phrases that be substituted nouns in a sentence and they have objects in their formation.
For examples of Indonesian Phrases:
| Indonesian | English | Nouns |
| Buku tulis | Notebook | Buku/Book |
| Meja belajar | Desk | Meja/Table |
| Sepatu Olahraga | Sport shoes | Sepatu/Shoes |
| Lemari pakaian | Wardrobe | Lemari/Cabinet |
| Jam Tangan | Wrist watch | Jam/Wacth |
However, let’s learn more example of Indonesian phrases and common sentences.
3. Adjective Phrases
The adjective phrases are phrases that can be substituted adjectives in a sentence and they have adjectives in their formation.
For examples of Indonesian Phrases:
| Indonesian | English | Adjectives |
| Murah sekali | Very cheap | Murah/Cheap |
| Sangat pintar | Very smart | Pintar/Smart |
| Cukup baik | Pretty good | Baik/Good |
| Jauh sekali | Very far | Jauh/Far |
| Sangat dekat | Very close | Dekat/Close |
Indeed, there are more example of Indonesian phrases and common sentences.
4. Prepositional Phrases
The prepositional phrases are phrases that use preposition words in their formation.
For examples of Indonesian Phrases:
| Indonesian | English | Prepositions |
| Ke pasar | to the market | Ke/to |
| Di sekolah | at the school | Di/at |
| Kepada orang tua | to parents | Kepada/to |
| Oleh kami | by us | Oleh/by |
| Di Jakarta | in Jakarta | Di/in |
Always remember, if you want to write a place such as “di sekolah” and “di Jakarta” please make sure that you add one space between “di” and “name of place” because it is not a prefix at all. Please read our previous article for your other references.
The information above is examples of phrases based on their classes for your materials if you find them in a sentence. Just keep in mind whether it is a verb, a noun, an adjective or a preposition word that used in types of phrases.
The Indonesian phrases based on the function of their constituent element
 There is only one type of the phrase based on the function of their constituent element, it is:
1. Endocentric Phrases
The endocentric phrases are phrases which the element function are “Diterangkan” (Head) and “Menerangkan” (Modifier) or “Menerangkan” (Modifier) and “Diterangkan” (Head). Besides, we will find out some words are only “Diterangkan” (Head) as their form of phrases.
The table below is the examples of endocentric phrases in Indonesian for your ease references.
| Indonesian | English | Diterangkan (Head) | Menerangkan (Modifier) |
| Sapi Putih | White cow | Sapi/Cow | Putih/White |
| Buku Gambar | Drawing book | Buku/Book | Gambar/Drawing |
| Sudah bangun | Already get up | Bangun/Get up | Sudah/Already |
| Lima orang | Five people | Orang/People | Lima/five |
| Dua buku | Two books | Buku/Book | Dua/Two |
| Dua anak kecil | Two kids | Anak Kecil/Kid | Dua/Two |
| Seekor beruang | a bear | Beruang/Bear | Seekor/A |
| Tua Muda | Young Old | Tua Muda/Young Old | – |
| Bapak Ibu | Ladies and gentlemen | Bapak Ibu/Ladies and gentlement | – |
| Dari Jakarta | from Jakarta | Jakarta | Dari/From |
The key to learn this structure is when you find other words beside the examples above, you can try to find the head of its word and examine which word is given additional information for it.
For your easier references, there are four types of Endocentric Phrases in their formation. They are:
1. Attribute Phrases
The attribute phrases are phrases whose element of their formation uses a head (Diterangkan) and a modifier (Menerangkan) or otherwise.
For examples:
| Indonesian | English | Diterangkan (Head) | Menerangkan (Modifier) |
| Ibu Kandung | Biological mother | Ibu/Mother | Kandung/Biological |
| Pacar baru | New girlfriend | Pacar/Girlfriend | Baru/New |
| Kursi Kayu | Wooden Chairs | Kursi/Chair | Kayu/Wooden |
| Seekor kucing | a cat | Kucing/Cat | Seekor/a |
| Lima buah | Five fruits | Buah/Fruits | Lima/five |
| 2 Sepeda | Two bicycles | Sepeda/Bicycle | Dua/Two |
That’s one of the theories of Indonesian phrases and common sentences.
2. Appositive Phrases
The appositive Phrases are phrases in which one of their modifier elements can replace the position of head elements.
For examples:
| Sentences (Indonesian/English) | Diterangkan (Head) | Menerangkan (Modifier) |
| Michelle, si anak guru sangat cantik | Michelle | si anak guru                    the teacher’s daughter |
| Michelle, the teacher’s daughter is very pretty | ||
| Yoseph, teman sekolahku sangat pintar | Yoseph | teman sekolah                            my schoolmate |
| Yoseph, my schoomate is very smart |
Let’s discuss about the examples above. If you notice between those examples, there are two heads (Diterangkan), they are “Michele” and “Si anak“, and “Yoseph” and “Teman“. Because of there are additional subject in a sentence (“Michelle” and Yoseph“), the existence of a head (Diterangkan) will become a full modifier (Menerangkan) although there are already a head (Diterangkan) of phrase in a sentence.
3. Coordinative Phrases
The coordinative phrases are phrases which their constituent elements occupying the same core or head function or equivalent, so they don’t have any modifier words at all.
For examples:
| Indonesian | English |
| Bapak Ibu | Ladies and Gentlemen |
| Kakek Nenek | Grandfather and grandmother |
| Ayah Anak | Father and Son |
| Laki-laki dan Perempuan | Boys and Girls |
| Tua Muda | Young and Old |
Meanwhile, the Indonesian phrases and common sentences can be easier to learn if you continuously read and speak Indonesian words.
4. Exocentric Phrases
The exocentric phrases are phrases that one of its elements is a task word.
For examples:
| Indonesian | English |
| Kepada Ibu guru | to teacher |
| Ke Jakarta | to Jakarta |
| Di ruangan | at room |
| Dari sekolah | from school |
| Pada waktunya | in time |
We hope these examples of each type will help you to understand the difference among them and expect that you can gain more knowledge about them.
The phrases based on the unit of meaning conceived and possessed by their constituent elements
There are two types of the phases based on the unit of meaning conceived and possessed by their constituent element. They are:
1. Common Phrases
The common phrases are phrases that have real meaning. These examples below will give you more details about them.
| Phrases | Indonesian | English |
| Daging Ayam | Ibu memasak daging ayam | Mother is cooking chicken meat |
| Buku cerita | Ayah membaca buku cerita | Father is reading storybook |
| Lantai dasar | Saya sedang di lantai dasar | I am at ground floor |
| Buah Segar | Dia membeli buah segar | She is buying fresh fruits |
| Papan tulis | Dia menulis di papan tulis | He is writing on the board |
We can conclude that common phrases are phrases that express the true meaning of two words or more and they are often expressed in fact.
2. Idiomatic phrases
The Idiomatic phrases are phrases that the result of its formation raises a new meaning or in other words a meaning that is not actually or it is called connotation.
The connotation sentence is a sentence that contain a phrase that is not actually as it is. Below are examples for your ease references about the Idiomatic phrases.
| Phrases | Indonesian | English |
| Buah Bibir | Dia menjadi buah bibir | She is being discussed |
| Kambing Hitam | Dia menjadi kambing hitam | He becomes a person who is blamed |
Let’s discuss about the examples above. When you write “Buah Bibir” in a sentence, that means someone is being discussed by other people as well as “Kambing Hitam” in a sentence means a person who is blamed by someone for what they did.
We encourage you to examine the meaning and understand before write the phrases especially for Idiomatic phrases. Please read our next articles about the Idiomatic phrases that help you to increase your vocabularies.