Type 2 Passive in Indonesian

Overview

Type 2 passive is a distinctively Indonesian construction where the agent (the person doing the action) is a first or second person pronoun placed directly before the root verb, without the di- prefix. Instead of Buku itu dibaca oleh saya (formal), you say Buku itu saya baca (conversational). This construction is more natural in speech and is one of the most common sentence patterns in everyday Indonesian.

This passive type is crucial to understand because it is used constantly in conversation. It shifts focus to the object (the thing being acted upon) while keeping the sentence natural and flowing. It is sometimes called the "object-focus" or "bare passive" construction.

How It Works

Formation

Type 1 (di- passive)	Type 2 (pronoun passive)
Buku itu dibaca oleh saya.	Buku itu saya baca.
Surat itu ditulis oleh kamu.	Surat itu kamu tulis.
Uang itu diambil oleh dia.	Uang itu dia ambil.

Structure: Object + Pronoun + Root Verb

Object	Pronoun	Verb	English
Buku itu	saya	baca.	The book was read by me.
Surat itu	kamu	tulis?	Was the letter written by you?
Rumah itu	kami	beli.	The house was bought by us.
Uangnya	dia	ambil.	The money was taken by him.

Which Pronouns Allow Type 2?

Pronoun	Type 2 allowed	Example
saya	Yes	Buku itu saya baca.
aku	Yes	Buku itu aku baca.
kamu	Yes	Buku itu kamu baca.
dia	Yes	Buku itu dia baca.
kami	Yes	Buku itu kami baca.
kita	Yes	Buku itu kita baca.
mereka	Yes	Buku itu mereka baca.
Full noun (Ali)	di- preferred	Buku itu dibaca Ali.

With Time Markers

Indonesian	English
Buku itu sudah saya baca.	The book has already been read by me.
Surat itu belum kamu tulis?	The letter hasn't been written by you yet?
Rumah itu akan kami beli.	The house will be bought by us.

Examples in Context

Indonesian	English	Note
Buku itu saya baca.	The book was read by me.	Basic Type 2
Surat itu sudah kamu tulis?	Has the letter been written by you?	With sudah
Rumah itu akan kami beli.	The house will be bought by us.	With akan
Uangnya dia ambil.	The money was taken by him.	Third person
Makanan ini saya masak sendiri.	This food was cooked by me myself.	Emphasis
Baju itu sudah saya cuci.	Those clothes have already been washed by me.	Completed
Pekerjaan ini harus kita selesaikan.	This work must be completed by us.	Obligation
Film itu belum saya tonton.	That movie hasn't been watched by me yet.	Not yet
Soal ini bisa kamu kerjakan?	Can this problem be done by you?	Question
Hadiah itu dia berikan kemarin.	The gift was given by him yesterday.	Past

Common Mistakes

Using di- with first/second person in casual speech

• Wrong: Buku itu dibaca oleh saya. (in casual conversation)
• Right: Buku itu saya baca.
• Why: Type 2 passive is much more natural in speech with pronoun agents. The di- form sounds overly formal.

Adding me(N)- prefix in Type 2 passive

• Wrong: Buku itu saya membaca.
• Right: Buku itu saya baca. (root verb, no prefix)
• Why: In Type 2 passive, the verb appears in its root form — no me(N)- prefix.

Forgetting to front the object

• Wrong: Saya baca buku itu. (this is active, not passive)
• Right: Buku itu saya baca. (object fronted = passive)
• Why: The defining feature of Type 2 passive is that the object comes first, followed by pronoun + root verb.

Usage Notes

Type 2 passive is the default way to express passive meaning in everyday Indonesian conversation. It is so common that many speakers are not even consciously aware they are using a "passive" construction. In writing, both Type 1 (di-) and Type 2 are acceptable, though di- is more common in formal texts. When the agent is a full noun (not a pronoun), di- passive is preferred: Buku itu dibaca guru rather than Buku itu guru baca.

Practice Tips

1. Convert Type 1 passives to Type 2: Buku itu dibaca oleh saya → Buku itu saya baca. Practice with different objects and pronouns.
2. Listen to Indonesian conversations and notice how frequently speakers use the "Object + pronoun + verb" pattern. This is one of the most characteristic features of spoken Indonesian.

Related Concepts

• Prefix di- (Passive) — Type 1 passive with di- prefix