Transitive Verbs with '-kan' — Indonesian Grammar

The suffix is a versatile tool used to modify the meaning and grammatical function of base words. Its primary function is to make a verb transitive, meaning the verb must be followed by a direct object. It transforms adjectives, nouns, or intransitive verbs into actions that affect something or someone else.

Doing Something for Someone (Benefactive)

One of the most distinct uses of is to indicate that an action is performed for the benefit of someone else. When used this way, the sentence structure changes. The person receiving the benefit (the beneficiary) appears immediately after the verb, followed by the object being acted upon.

Without , you must use a preposition like (for):

– I bought coffee for Budi.

With , the preposition is removed, and the beneficiary moves closer to the verb:

– I bought Budi coffee.

Dia membukakan pintu untuk tamunya.
He opened the door for his guest.
Ibu membuatkan adik kue.
Mother made a cake for my younger sibling.
Tolong ambilkan saya segelas air.
Please get me a glass of water.

Making Something Happen (Causative)

When attached to adjectives or nouns, creates a verb that means "to cause to become X" or "to make X." This turns a state of being into an active process.

Adjectives: (clean) becomes (to make clean/to clean).
Nouns: (king) becomes (to make someone king/to treat like a king).

Mereka membersihkan rumah setiap hari Minggu.
They clean the house every Sunday.
Kabar itu menyedihkan hati saya.
That news saddened my heart.
Polisi mengamankan lokasi kejadian.
The police secured the crime scene.

Moving Objects (Instrumental)

For certain verbs involving motion or transfer, emphasizes that the object is being moved, inserted, or transferred to a new location. This often replaces the need for a preposition like "into" or "to" in the verb structure itself, though prepositions may still appear later in the sentence.

Dia memasukkan buku ke dalam tas.
She put the book into the bag.
Ayah membuangkan sampah ke tempat sampah.
Father threw the trash into the trash can.
Tolong sampaikan pesan ini kepadanya.
Please convey this message to him.

Using '-kan' in Commands (Imperatives)

In imperative sentences (commands or requests), the prefix is usually dropped, but the suffix remains. This is standard for transitive commands where you are asking someone to do something to an object.

Dengarkan baik-baik!
Listen carefully!
Nyalakan lampu itu.
Turn on that light.
Selesaikan pekerjaanmu sekarang.
Finish your work now.

Merging with Prepositions

Sometimes acts as a bridge that absorbs a preposition. This makes the sentence more direct.

(send to) becomes .
(give to) becomes .

Saya akan mengirimkan surat itu besok.
I will send that letter tomorrow.
Guru memberikan tugas kepada murid.
The teacher gave an assignment to the students.

In the course

Sentences from Lingora’s Indonesian course

67 of the course's 500 sentences use this, the first in lesson 6. A few of them, with the words “Transitive Verbs with '-kan'” is about in bold:

Ayahku membelikan hadiah untuk ibuku.
My father bought a present for my mother.
Lesson 225
Aku perlu membersihkan toilet. Ini terlalu kotor.
I need to clean the toilet. It is too dirty.
Lesson 469

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