We have been studying Indonesian grammar since our elementary school days. However, there is no denying that there is still room for improvement when it comes to writing Indonesian sentences. One common mistake we frequently need to correct is the incorrect use of “di.” It should be written with the following terms but often gets written separately or vice versa.
“Di” can serve as either a preposition or a prefix. To determine its function, examine how it is written – combined or separated. If “di” functions as a preposition, it must be written separately from the following word. As a preposition, “di” has three distinct purposes – marking a location, time, or direction.
This is an instance where “di” is used as a preposition that needs to be written separately from the subsequent word.
- Prepositions that mark a place:
- Di sekolah (At school)
- Di kantor (In the office)
- Di lemari (In the closet)
- Di Jakarta (In Jakarta)
- Di dalam kotak (In the box)
2. Prepositions that mark time:
- Di waktu itu (At that time)
- Di pagi hari (In the morning)
- Di sore hari (In the afternoon)
- Di siang hari (At noon)
- Di masa lalu (In the past)
3. Prepositions that mark direction or location:
- Di seberang jalan (Across the street)
- Di antara kedua benda itu (In between those two things)
- Di bawah (Under)
- Di atas (Up)
- Di tengah (In the middle)
- Di samping (Beside)
A word with the prefix “di-” indicates that it is a form of compensation added before the base word. When used with a verb, “di-” suggests a passive action, where the subject is acted upon. To make it simpler to remember, try substituting “meng-” for “di-“. If it works, then “di-” should be written as a series along with the following words.
For example, diangkat or, in English, lifted. If”di-” replaced with “meng-“,will become mengangkat (lift), then it can be concluded that “di-” is written correctly.
Here are some words that use prefixes– suitable to be replaced with “meng-“:
- Diurus become mengurus (Managed become manage)
- Dicampur become mencampur (Mixed become mix)
- Dikirim become mengirim (Sent become send)
- Dikocok become mengocok (Shaken become whisk)
- Dibuang become membuang (Discarded become throw)
- And so on
Please be aware that the function of “di” in a sentence may vary depending on its context. Many words start with the prefixes “di-“and “meng-“, such as “dibalik” (behind) and “membalikkan” (flip). However, in the context of a sentence where “di” is used to indicate a place (tempat), it should be considered a preposition and not a prefix for a passive verb. Therefore, it is crucial to choose the correct word to ensure clarity in your writing.
Well done! You now possess the ability to differentiate between the use of “di” when written together and separately with regards to the following words.
