WACE Indonesian Second Language flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

meN- prefix function

The meN- prefix forms active verbs where the subject performs the action, for example menulis (to write) and membaca (to read). Its surface form changes to mem-, men-, meng-, meny- or me- depending on the first sound of the root.

di- passive construction

The prefix di- forms passive verbs where the object of the action becomes the subject, as in 'Surat itu ditulis oleh saya'. The agent follows oleh or comes directly after the verb when it is a pronoun.

ber- versus meN- verbs

Ber- verbs typically describe states or intransitive actions focused on the subject (berjalan, bekerja, berbahasa), while meN- verbs usually take an object and describe transitive actions (menulis surat, membeli buku).

-kan suffix meaning

The suffix -kan often makes a verb causative or benefactive, meaning 'to make something become' or 'to do something for someone', for example membersihkan (to clean something) and mengirimkan (to send something).

-i suffix meaning

The suffix -i commonly marks a locative or repetitive sense, indicating action directed at a place or done repeatedly, such as menaiki (to climb onto) and mengunjungi (to visit a place).

ke-...-an nouns

The circumfix ke-...-an forms abstract nouns from adjectives or verbs, expressing a state or quality, for example kebersihan (cleanliness), kesehatan (health) and kemajuan (progress).

peN-...-an nouns

The circumfix peN-...-an forms nouns naming a process or result, such as pembangunan (development), pendidikan (education) and peraturan (regulation). The N changes to match the root's first sound.

sudah and telah

Both mark completed action, but sudah is common in speech and conversation while telah is more formal and typical of written narrative. Belum is the negative counterpart meaning 'not yet'.

sedang and akan

Sedang marks an action in progress at the moment of speaking, equivalent to 'is currently doing'. Akan marks future or intended action, equivalent to 'will' or 'is going to'.

pernah and tidak pernah

Pernah indicates that an action has been experienced at least once, while tidak pernah means it has never happened. Both appear before the verb without additional tense marking.

Formal letter salutation

Formal Indonesian letters open with 'Dengan hormat' followed by the recipient's title and name, and close with 'Hormat saya' plus the sender's name. Informal letters use Salam or Hai with first names.

aku and kamu usage

Aku and kamu are informal first- and second-person pronouns used with friends, peers and children. They are inappropriate in formal letters, applications or communication with officials and elders.

saya and Anda usage

Saya and Anda are the standard polite pronouns for formal and semi-formal contexts, including interviews, official emails and communication with adults who are not close acquaintances.

Reading response language rule

In reading and listening sections, the language of response is dictated by the question. Answering in English when Indonesian is required, or the reverse, earns no marks for that item regardless of content accuracy.

Text production criteria

Written text production is marked on relevance and development of content, range and accuracy of vocabulary and grammar, and organisation including text-type conventions, paragraphing, cohesion and appropriate register for the stated audience.

Listening passage procedure

Listening texts are normally played twice, with a pause between playings and time to read the questions beforehand. Notes may be taken during playings and used to complete answers afterwards.

Connectors of reason

Karena and sebab mean 'because' and introduce a clause of reason. Oleh karena itu means 'therefore' and introduces a consequence, signalling logical development in written and spoken responses.

Contrast connectors

Tetapi and namun mean 'but' or 'however', with namun being more formal and typical of written text. Walaupun and meskipun mean 'although' and introduce concessive clauses.

yang relative clause

Yang functions as a relative pronoun linking a noun to its description, as in 'buku yang saya baca'. It is essential for producing complex noun phrases and is a common marker of grammatical range.

Oral exam structure

The oral examination usually combines a discussion of a prepared topic with the examiner and a general conversation on familiar themes such as school, family, hobbies and future plans, lasting roughly ten to fifteen minutes.

Oral marking criteria

Oral performance is assessed on communication and interaction, content relevance and development, range of vocabulary and structures, grammatical accuracy, and pronunciation and fluency, with interaction often weighted heavily.

Requesting repetition

'Maaf, bisa diulang?' means 'Sorry, could you repeat that?' Using it when a question is unclear is a recognised interactive strategy that demonstrates communicative competence rather than a loss of marks.

Clarifying meaning

'Maksud saya ...' means 'What I mean is ...' and allows a speaker to rephrase after an error or misunderstanding. 'Sebenarnya ...' means 'Actually ...' and introduces a correction or qualification.

Unrehearsed follow-up questions

Examiners extend a prepared topic with questions such as 'Mengapa itu penting?' and 'Bisa jelaskan lebih lanjut?', testing whether the candidate can sustain spontaneous speech rather than recite a memorised script.

Indonesian vowel sounds

Indonesian vowels are generally pure and short: a as in 'father', i as in 'see', u as in 'boot', e as a schwa or as in 'say', and o as in 'more'. Clear vowels strongly aid intelligibility.

ng and ny sounds

The digraph ng represents a single velar nasal as in 'sing', and ny represents a palatal nasal close to 'ni' in 'onion'. Both are single consonants, not two separate sounds.

Final consonant release

Final consonants such as -k, -t and -p in Indonesian are pronounced lightly and often unreleased, without the strong aspiration common in English. Over-aspirating these endings can reduce clarity.

Expressing opinion orally

'Menurut saya ...' (in my opinion) and 'Saya rasa ...' (I think) introduce personal views. Supporting them with 'karena' plus a reason produces the extended, developed answers oral criteria reward.

Oral topic specificity

Strong oral topics include concrete details such as names, places, dates and numbers, for example a specific village, festival or school program, rather than broad generalities that invite only short, shallow answers.

Repair strategy value

Self-correction, paraphrase and requests for clarification are counted as positive interaction skills in oral assessment, because they keep communication going and show awareness of the listener.

Register in oral exam

The oral examination uses polite semi-formal register with the examiner: saya and Anda rather than aku and kamu, with titles such as Bapak or Ibu where appropriate. Slang is limited to reported speech.

Oral conclusion signals

Phrases such as 'Jadi, kesimpulannya ...' and 'Sebagai penutup ...' signal that a long turn is ending. They help structure extended answers and demonstrate discourse management to the examiner.