Suffixes -kan and -i in Indonesian

Overview

The suffixes -kan and -i are two of the most important verb-forming suffixes in Indonesian. They transform intransitive verbs into transitive ones and change the relationship between the verb and its object. Understanding the distinction between them is a major step toward intermediate-level fluency.

In general, -kan directs the action toward a beneficiary or causes something to happen (benefactive/causative): memberikan means "to give (to someone)." The suffix -i typically indicates that the action is directed at a location or done repeatedly: mendatangi means "to visit/come to (a place)." Both suffixes usually combine with the me(N)- prefix in formal Indonesian.

How It Works

Suffix -kan (Benefactive/Causative)

Function	Root	With -kan	Meaning
Benefactive	beri	memberikan	give (to someone)
Causative	bangun	membangunkan	wake (someone) up
Causative	besar	membesarkan	to enlarge / raise
Directive	jelas	menjelaskan	explain (make clear)
Transfer	kirim	mengirimkan	send (to someone)

Suffix -i (Locative/Repetitive)

Function	Root	With -i	Meaning
Locative	datang	mendatangi	visit (go to)
Locative	tinggal	meninggali	reside at
Repetitive	ikut	mengikuti	follow (continuously)
Emotional	cinta	mencintai	love (deeply)
Coverage	masuk	memasuki	enter (into)

-kan vs. -i Comparison

Root	With -kan	With -i
duduk (sit)	mendudukkan (to seat someone)	menduduki (to occupy a place)
jalan (walk)	menjalankan (to run/operate)	menjalani (to undergo/live through)
tulis (write)	menuliskan (to write for someone)	menulisi (to write on)
isi (fill)	mengisikan (to fill for someone)	mengisi (to fill up)

Examples in Context

Indonesian	English	Note
Tolong berikan saya buku itu.	Please give me that book.	-kan: benefactive
Saya mengunjungi rumahnya.	I visited his house.	-i: locative
Dia menjelaskan masalah itu.	He explained the problem.	-kan: making clear
Mereka membangunkan saya.	They woke me up.	-kan: causative
Dia mencintai negaranya.	She loves her country.	-i: emotional
Ibu memasukkan baju ke lemari.	Mother put the clothes in the closet.	-kan: directive
Kami memasuki gedung itu.	We entered that building.	-i: locative
Tolong carikan saya taksi.	Please find me a taxi.	-kan: benefactive
Dia mengikuti kursus bahasa.	She follows a language course.	-i: continuous
Polisi menyelidiki kasus itu.	The police investigated the case.	-i: thorough action

Common Mistakes

Confusing -kan and -i

• Wrong: menjelasi masalah (using -i for explaining)
• Right: menjelaskan masalah (using -kan for explaining)
• Why: Explaining is about making something clear (causative = -kan), not about covering a location (-i).

Forgetting that both change transitivity

• Wrong: Using a root verb where -kan or -i is needed for a direct object
• Right: Adding the appropriate suffix when the verb takes an object
• Why: Many root verbs are intransitive; -kan and -i make them transitive with specific semantic relationships.

Using -kan for location-directed actions

• Wrong: mendatangkan rumahnya for "visiting his house"
• Right: mendatangi rumahnya
• Why: When the action is directed at a place, use -i. -kan has a different meaning: mendatangkan means "to bring/import."

Usage Notes

The -kan and -i suffixes are used consistently in both formal and informal Indonesian, though in very casual speech, suffixes may sometimes be dropped. These suffixes are crucial for precision — the same root with -kan versus -i can have quite different meanings. Native speakers internalize these distinctions, and learners should focus on common verb pairs to build intuition.

Practice Tips

1. Study common verb pairs with -kan and -i: menjalankan/menjalani, mendudukkan/menduduki, menuliskan/menulisi. The contrast helps you internalize the different functions.
2. When encountering a new verb with -kan or -i, think about the relationship: is the action directed at a beneficiary (-kan) or at a location/target (-i)?

Related Concepts

• Prefix me(N)- — the active prefix that combines with -kan and -i
• Advanced Causative Constructions — extended causative patterns