Suffix -an derives nouns from verbs and to a lesser extent, from nouns, adjectives and other classes. It also occurs with full and partial duplication. It has a number of different functions.
It attaches to verb bases:
| Verb Base | Meaning | Noun | Meaning |
| lukis tulis minum pilih | to paint to write to drink to choose | lukisan tulisan minuman pilihan | picture writing drink choice |
It acts as modifiers to another noun:
| barang curian binatang buruan rumah sewaan budak belian | stolen goods hunted animals rented house bought slaves |
The followings are action nouns that describe the action of the verb and can occur as head of a phrase containing prepositions such as terhadap.
| ancaman terhadap pemerintah tuntutan rakyat bantuan bank dunia larangan terhadap pornografi buatan Amerika | threat on the government people’s demand World bank aid/help prohibition on the pornography made in America |
To indicate the instruments:
| timbangan kendaraan saluran angkutan | scale vehicle channel transport | bendungan parkiran gantungan ayunan | dam parking place hanger craddle |
It attaches to noun bases:
| Noun Base | Meaning | Noun + an | Meaning |
| darat gambar pasar keluh hari minggu bulan tahun jam | land picture market sigh, groan day week month year hour | daratan gambaran pasaran keluhan harian mingguan bulanan tahunan jam-jaman* | mainland description market complain daily weekly monthly yearly hourly |
*) This is an exception for one syllable root word.
To indicate a variety of what is indicated by the base. It is common with words for plants.
| obat-obatan pohon-pohonan bunga-bungaan buah-buahan sayur-sayuran daun-daunan | medicines all kind of trees all kind of flowers all kind of fruits all kind of vegetables foliage |
To indicate something that resembles or imitates what the base specifies:
| mobil-mobilan perang-perangan orang-orangan | toy car manouvres puppet, scarecrow |
It attaches to adjective bases:
| Adjective Base | Meaning | Noun | Meaning |
| asin kotor lanjut manis samar | salty dirty advanced sweet vague, indistinct | asinan kotoran lanjutan manisan samaran | pickle, salted vegetables excrement, garbage continuation sweets camouflage, disguise |
A few forms with either full and partial duplication have verbal bases:
| Verbal Base | Meaning | Noun | Meaning |
| runtuh tumbuh goreng saji | collapse grow fry offer | reruntuhan tumbuh-tumbuhan, tetumbuhan goreng-gorengan sesajian | ruins all sorts of plants fried foods temple offerings |
Reference:
Indonesian Reference Grammar by James Neil Sneddon, 1996.
Indonesian Reference Grammar by James Neil Sneddon, 1996.
