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me-

A prefix is attached before the base or root word. A number of sound changes occur when the following prefixes are combined with root words in order to facilitate a smooth transition in pronunciation. What the sound will be in a particular word depends on the first sound of the root word following the prefix.

Examples

First LetterInflectionRoot WordExampleMeaning
l
m
ny
r
w		me + rootlihat
masak
nyanyi
rusak
wabah		melihat
memasak
menyanyi
merusak
mewabah		to see
to cook
to sing
to destroy
to become epidemic
Vowel
g
h		me + ngalir
gali
hapus		mengalir
menggali
menghapus		to flow
to dig
to erase
c
d
j		me + ncuci
didik
jual		mencuci
mendidik
menjual		to wash
to educate
to sell
b
f
v		me + mbuat
fokus
vonis		membuat
memfokus
memvonis		to make
to focus
to sentence
First LetterInflectionRoot WordExampleMeaning
kme + ng + drop the ‘k’kenangmengenangto remember
tme + n + drop the ‘t’tulismenulisto write
sme + ny + drop the ‘s’sapumenyaputo sweep
First LetterInflectionRoot WordExampleMeaning
pme + m + drop the ‘p’pilihmemilihto choose
p*me + m + root word + suffix ‘i’punya
pengaruh		mempunyai
mempengaruhi		to have, to own
to influence
*) In this case first letter or initial ‘p’ is retained.
With single syllable bases, which are all borrowings from other languages, me- optionally becomes menge-. In this case initial p. t. s and k are not lost as forms without them would sometimes be difficult to interpret.

Examples

MonosyllabicInflectionExampleMeaning
catme + ngemengecatto paint
pelmengepelto mop
bommengebomto bomb
Prefix me- can also be combined with any nouns, any adjective, numbers, and even verbs themselves to form another verb as follows:

me+ transitive Verb*

Root WordExamplesMeaningRemarks
masakDia memasak(or ‘masak’) nasiShe cooks rice‘masak’ can be used in their infinitive forms
makanDia makan nasiShe eats rice‘makan’ is used in their infinitive forms
minumDia minum susuShe drinks milk‘minum’ is used in their infinitive forms

me+ intransitive Verb**

Root WordExamplesMeaningRemarks
nangisDia menangisShe criesmost intransitive verbs can be used in their infinitive forms
Dia nangis(casual)She criesmost intransitive verbs can be used in their infinitive forms

me+ Noun

Root WordExamplesMeaningRemarks
rokokDia merokokHe’s smoking
kopiNgopi yuk!Let’s have coffee‘ngopi’ derives from ‘mengopi’ but ‘mengopi’ is slang word

me+ Adjective

Root WordExamplesMeaningRemarks
besarBadannya membesarHis body is getting biggerit indicates the subject changes

me+ Number

Root WordExamplesMeaning
satuMenyatu dengan alamBlend(become one) with the nature

me+ Place

Root WordExamplesMeaning
daratPesawat itu mendarat hari iniThat planes lands today

me+ Expletive

Root WordExamplesMeaning
erangDia mengerangShe groans
* Transitive verbs: verbs that can have objects
** Intransitive verbs: verbs that cannot have objects, [almost] equivalent to reflexive verbs
Reference:
Indonesian: A Comprehensive Grammar (Routledge Grammars) by James Neil Sneddon(Dec 26, 1996)
Understanding Indonesian Grammar: A Student’s Reference and Workbook by James Neil Sneddon (Mar 2008)

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