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Welcome to Lesson 27 of the Latinum Institute’s Indonesian Modern Language Course. This lesson focuses on apa, one of the most fundamental and frequently used words in Indonesian—the interrogative pronoun meaning “what.”
In Indonesian, apa serves a dual grammatical function that makes it remarkably versatile. First, it operates as an interrogative pronoun to ask about things, concepts, or situations, directly equivalent to English “what.” Second, and uniquely, apa functions as a question particle that transforms declarative sentences into yes/no questions, performing the role that auxiliary verbs like “do,” “does,” “is,” and “are” play in English question formation.
This dual function means that mastering apa immediately unlocks your ability to form both content questions (”What is this?”) and polar questions (”Is this a book?”). The formal variant apakah (apa + the polite suffix -kah) appears in formal speech and writing, while colloquial Indonesian often uses apa alone.
Throughout this lesson, you will encounter apa in various syntactic positions—sentence-initial for emphasis, medial for natural flow, and final for casual register. The interlinear glossing format will help you immediately comprehend each construction while building your intuitive grasp of Indonesian question formation.
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ: What does “apa” mean in Indonesian? The Indonesian word “apa” primarily means “what” and functions as an interrogative pronoun. Additionally, it serves as a question marker for forming yes/no questions. Its formal variant is “apakah.”
This lesson will teach you to use apa as an interrogative pronoun asking “what” in various contexts, understand apa as a question particle for yes/no questions, recognize the formal variant apakah and when to use it, form both content questions and polar questions in Indonesian, and position question words naturally within Indonesian sentence structure.
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27.1a Apa (a-pa) what ini (i-ni) this ?
27.1b Apa (a-pa) what ini (i-ni) this ?
27.2a Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL kamu (ka-mu) you mau (ma-u) want ?
27.2b Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL kamu (ka-mu) you mau (ma-u) want ?
27.3a Ini (i-ni) this buku (bu-ku) book apa (a-pa) what ?
27.3b Ini (i-ni) this buku (bu-ku) book apa (a-pa) what ?
27.4a Apa (a-pa) Q-PART dia (di-a) he/she guru (gu-ru) teacher ?
27.4b Apa (a-pa) Q-PART dia (di-a) he/she guru (gu-ru) teacher ?
27.5a Kamu (ka-mu) you sedang (se-dang) PROG membaca (mem-ba-ca) read apa (a-pa) what ?
27.5b Kamu (ka-mu) you sedang (se-dang) PROG membaca (mem-ba-ca) read apa (a-pa) what ?
27.6a Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL mereka (me-re-ka) they sudah (su-dah) already makan (ma-kan) eat ?
27.6b Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL mereka (me-re-ka) they sudah (su-dah) already makan (ma-kan) eat ?
27.7a Apa (a-pa) what nama (na-ma) name kota (ko-ta) city ini (i-ni) this ?
27.7b Apa (a-pa) what nama (na-ma) name kota (ko-ta) city ini (i-ni) this ?
27.8a Saya (sa-ya) I tidak (ti-dak) NEG tahu (ta-hu) know apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL terjadi (ter-ja-di) happen .
27.8b Saya (sa-ya) I tidak (ti-dak) NEG tahu (ta-hu) know apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL terjadi (ter-ja-di) happen .
27.9a Apa (a-pa) Q-PART kamu (ka-mu) you suka (su-ka) like kopi (ko-pi) coffee ?
27.9b Apa (a-pa) Q-PART kamu (ka-mu) you suka (su-ka) like kopi (ko-pi) coffee ?
27.10a Tolong (to-long) please jelaskan (je-las-kan) explain apa (a-pa) what artinya (ar-ti-nya) meaning-its .
27.10b Tolong (to-long) please jelaskan (je-las-kan) explain apa (a-pa) what artinya (ar-ti-nya) meaning-its .
27.11a Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL rumah (ru-mah) house itu (i-tu) that dijual (di-ju-al) PASS-sell ?
27.11b Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL rumah (ru-mah) house itu (i-tu) that dijual (di-ju-al) PASS-sell ?
27.12a Dia (di-a) he/she bertanya (ber-ta-nya) ask apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL harus (ha-rus) must dilakukan (di-la-ku-kan) PASS-do .
27.12b Dia (di-a) he/she bertanya (ber-ta-nya) ask apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL harus (ha-rus) must dilakukan (di-la-ku-kan) PASS-do .
27.13a Apa (a-pa) what pun (pun) ever yang (yang) REL terjadi (ter-ja-di) happen , jangan (ja-ngan) do-not menyerah (me-nye-rah) give-up .
27.13b Apa (a-pa) what pun (pun) ever yang (yang) REL terjadi (ter-ja-di) happen , jangan (ja-ngan) do-not menyerah (me-nye-rah) give-up .
27.14a Tidak (ti-dak) NEG ada (a-da) exist apa-apa (a-pa-a-pa) anything di (di) at dalam (da-lam) inside tas (tas) bag itu (i-tu) that .
27.14b Tidak (ti-dak) NEG ada (a-da) exist apa-apa (a-pa-a-pa) anything di (di) at dalam (da-lam) inside tas (tas) bag itu (i-tu) that .
27.15a Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL membuat (mem-bu-at) make kamu (ka-mu) you bahagia (ba-ha-gi-a) happy ?
27.15b Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL membuat (mem-bu-at) make kamu (ka-mu) you bahagia (ba-ha-gi-a) happy ?
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27.1 Apa ini? “What is this?”
27.2 Apa yang kamu mau? “What do you want?”
27.3 Ini buku apa? “What book is this?”
27.4 Apa dia guru? “Is he/she a teacher?”
27.5 Kamu sedang membaca apa? “What are you reading?”
27.6 Apakah mereka sudah makan? “Have they already eaten?”
27.7 Apa nama kota ini? “What is the name of this city?”
27.8 Saya tidak tahu apa yang terjadi. “I don’t know what happened.”
27.9 Apa kamu suka kopi? “Do you like coffee?”
27.10 Tolong jelaskan apa artinya. “Please explain what it means.”
27.11 Apakah rumah itu dijual? “Is that house for sale?”
27.12 Dia bertanya apa yang harus dilakukan. “He/she asked what must be done.”
27.13 Apa pun yang terjadi, jangan menyerah. “Whatever happens, don’t give up.”
27.14 Tidak ada apa-apa di dalam tas itu. “There is nothing inside that bag.”
27.15 Apa yang membuat kamu bahagia? “What makes you happy?”
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27.1 Apa ini?
27.2 Apa yang kamu mau?
27.3 Ini buku apa?
27.4 Apa dia guru?
27.5 Kamu sedang membaca apa?
27.6 Apakah mereka sudah makan?
27.7 Apa nama kota ini?
27.8 Saya tidak tahu apa yang terjadi.
27.9 Apa kamu suka kopi?
27.10 Tolong jelaskan apa artinya.
27.11 Apakah rumah itu dijual?
27.12 Dia bertanya apa yang harus dilakukan.
27.13 Apa pun yang terjadi, jangan menyerah.
27.14 Tidak ada apa-apa di dalam tas itu.
27.15 Apa yang membuat kamu bahagia?
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These are the grammar rules for apa in Indonesian.
Dual Function of Apa
The word apa serves two distinct grammatical functions in Indonesian. Understanding both is essential for fluent communication.
Function 1: Interrogative Pronoun (”What”)
As an interrogative pronoun, apa asks about objects, concepts, activities, or situations. It can occupy different positions in the sentence:
Sentence-initial position: Apa ini? (What is this?) — Direct, neutral register Sentence-final position: Ini apa? (This is what?) — Casual, conversational With relative marker yang: Apa yang kamu mau? (What do you want?) — Standard construction for complex questions
The construction apa yang + verb is extremely common and translates English “what” questions involving verbs: Apa yang terjadi? (What happened?), Apa yang kamu buat? (What are you making?)
Function 2: Question Particle (Yes/No Questions)
Uniquely, apa also functions as a question particle that transforms statements into yes/no questions, replacing English auxiliary verbs “do/does/is/are/have”:
Statement: Dia guru. (He is a teacher.) Question: Apa dia guru? (Is he a teacher?)
This function is distinct from the interrogative use and does not ask “what” but rather seeks confirmation or denial.
Apakah: The Formal Variant
The suffix -kah adds formality and emphasis. Apakah is preferred in formal speech, writing, official contexts, and when politeness is required:
Informal: Apa kamu suka kopi? Formal: Apakah Anda suka kopi?
Note that apakah typically pairs with the formal pronoun Anda rather than the informal kamu.
Derived Forms
Apa-apa means “anything” in negative contexts: Tidak ada apa-apa (There is nothing). Apa pun or apapun means “whatever” or “anything at all”: Apa pun yang terjadi (Whatever happens). Mengapa and kenapa mean “why” (from meng- + apa and kena + apa). Apa saja means “whatever” or “any”: Apa saja boleh (Anything is fine).
Word Order Flexibility
Indonesian question word order often mirrors declarative sentences. The question word apa can appear where the answer would go:
Kamu membaca buku. (You are reading a book.) → Kamu membaca apa? (You are reading what? / What are you reading?)
This flexibility allows for different emphases and registers.
Common Mistakes
Confusing the two functions of apa. Remember: sentence-initial apa before a subject-predicate structure typically forms a yes/no question, while apa asking for information about things is the interrogative pronoun.
Using apakah in casual conversation. This sounds overly formal among friends; use apa instead.
Forgetting yang in complex questions. The relative marker yang is needed between apa and a following verb: Apa yang kamu mau? not Apa kamu mau? (which would be a yes/no question meaning “Do you want [something]?”).
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Usage in Indonesian Society
The word apa appears constantly in daily Indonesian life, from market transactions (Ini apa? — “What is this?”) to formal interviews (Apakah Anda setuju? — “Do you agree?”). Its frequency makes it one of the first words learners encounter and one they will use throughout their Indonesian-speaking lives.
Formal vs. Informal Register
Indonesian society maintains clear distinctions between formal and informal language. The choice between apa and apakah signals social awareness. Using apakah with close friends sounds stilted, while using bare apa in formal documents or with elders may seem disrespectful. This sensitivity to register reflects broader Indonesian cultural values of social harmony and appropriate conduct (sopan santun).
Regional Variations
In Javanese-influenced Indonesian, question intonation sometimes replaces explicit question words entirely. In some dialects, apa may be pronounced with regional variations. Jakarta youth slang (bahasa gaul) often uses contracted or modified forms in casual speech.
Politeness Strategies
Indonesian culture values indirect communication. Questions with apa are often softened with particles like ya (right?) or phrases like kalau boleh tahu (if I may know): Apa nama Anda, kalau boleh tahu? (What is your name, if I may ask?). This reflects the Indonesian emphasis on maintaining face and social comfort.
The Philosophy of Questioning
Traditional Javanese and broader Indonesian culture sometimes views direct questioning as potentially intrusive. This cultural backdrop influences how apa questions are framed—often accompanied by softening phrases, appropriate body language (avoiding direct eye contact with superiors), and careful attention to timing. Understanding when and how to ask questions is as important as knowing the grammatical forms.
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The following excerpt demonstrates the use of apa in Indonesian literary prose, reflecting the questioning spirit that drives narrative and human understanding. This passage is composed in the style of modern Indonesian literature, following the patterns found in works by authors such as Pramoedya Ananta Toer.
Literary Passage:
“Apa yang kita cari dalam hidup ini?” tanya ayah sambil menatap langit malam. “Apa arti semua perjuangan kita? Apakah ada jawaban yang pasti?” Saya diam saja, tidak tahu apa yang harus saya katakan. Mungkin pertanyaan itu sendiri adalah jawabannya—bahwa hidup adalah tentang terus bertanya, terus mencari, apa pun yang terjadi.
“Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL kita (ki-ta) we cari (ca-ri) seek dalam (da-lam) in hidup (hi-dup) life ini (i-ni) this ?” tanya (ta-nya) ask ayah (a-yah) father sambil (sam-bil) while menatap (me-na-tap) gaze-at langit (la-ngit) sky malam (ma-lam) night .
“Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL kita (ki-ta) we cari (ca-ri) seek dalam (da-lam) in hidup (hi-dup) life ini (i-ni) this ?” tanya (ta-nya) ask ayah (a-yah) father sambil (sam-bil) while menatap (me-na-tap) gaze-at langit (la-ngit) sky malam (ma-lam) night .
“Apa (a-pa) what arti (ar-ti) meaning semua (se-mu-a) all perjuangan (per-ju-ang-an) struggle kita (ki-ta) our ?
“Apa (a-pa) what arti (ar-ti) meaning semua (se-mu-a) all perjuangan (per-ju-ang-an) struggle kita (ki-ta) our ?
Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL ada (a-da) exist jawaban (ja-wab-an) answer yang (yang) REL pasti (pas-ti) certain ?”
Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL ada (a-da) exist jawaban (ja-wab-an) answer yang (yang) REL pasti (pas-ti) certain ?”
Saya (sa-ya) I diam (di-am) silent saja (sa-ja) only , tidak (ti-dak) NEG tahu (ta-hu) know apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL harus (ha-rus) must saya (sa-ya) I katakan (ka-ta-kan) say .
Saya (sa-ya) I diam (di-am) silent saja (sa-ja) only , tidak (ti-dak) NEG tahu (ta-hu) know apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL harus (ha-rus) must saya (sa-ya) I katakan (ka-ta-kan) say .
Mungkin (mung-kin) perhaps pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question itu (i-tu) that sendiri (sen-di-ri) itself adalah (a-da-lah) is jawabannya (ja-wab-an-nya) answer-the — bahwa (bah-wa) that hidup (hi-dup) life adalah (a-da-lah) is tentang (ten-tang) about terus (te-rus) continue bertanya (ber-ta-nya) asking , terus (te-rus) continue mencari (men-ca-ri) seeking , apa (a-pa) what pun (pun) ever yang (yang) REL terjadi (ter-ja-di) happen .
Mungkin (mung-kin) perhaps pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question itu (i-tu) that sendiri (sen-di-ri) itself adalah (a-da-lah) is jawabannya (ja-wab-an-nya) answer-the — bahwa (bah-wa) that hidup (hi-dup) life adalah (a-da-lah) is tentang (ten-tang) about terus (te-rus) continue bertanya (ber-ta-nya) asking , terus (te-rus) continue mencari (men-ca-ri) seeking , apa (a-pa) what pun (pun) ever yang (yang) REL terjadi (ter-ja-di) happen .
“Apa yang kita cari dalam hidup ini?” tanya ayah sambil menatap langit malam. “Apa arti semua perjuangan kita? Apakah ada jawaban yang pasti?” Saya diam saja, tidak tahu apa yang harus saya katakan. Mungkin pertanyaan itu sendiri adalah jawabannya—bahwa hidup adalah tentang terus bertanya, terus mencari, apa pun yang terjadi.
“What are we searching for in this life?” asked Father while gazing at the night sky. “What is the meaning of all our struggles? Is there a certain answer?” I just remained silent, not knowing what I should say. Perhaps the question itself is the answer—that life is about continuing to ask, continuing to seek, whatever may happen.
“Apa yang kita cari dalam hidup ini?” tanya ayah sambil menatap langit malam. “Apa arti semua perjuangan kita? Apakah ada jawaban yang pasti?” Saya diam saja, tidak tahu apa yang harus saya katakan. Mungkin pertanyaan itu sendiri adalah jawabannya—bahwa hidup adalah tentang terus bertanya, terus mencari, apa pun yang terjadi.
This passage demonstrates three uses of apa: the interrogative pronoun in apa yang kita cari (what we seek) and apa arti (what meaning), the formal question particle apakah for the yes/no question about certainty, and the derived form apa pun (whatever). The verb bertanya (to ask) itself derives from tanya (question) with the intransitive prefix ber-, highlighting the centrality of questioning in the Indonesian lexicon. The passage also shows the relative marker yang functioning in multiple contexts.
This reflective passage captures a quintessential moment in Indonesian literature—the philosophical dialogue between generations. The father’s questions echo themes found throughout Indonesian literary tradition, from the existential questionings in Pramoedya’s characters to the spiritual searchings in the works of Chairil Anwar. The three consecutive questions using different forms of apa create a rhetorical crescendo, while the narrator’s silent response embodies the Indonesian cultural value of thoughtful contemplation (merenung) before speaking. The final philosophical resolution—that questioning itself gives meaning—reflects both traditional wisdom and modern Indonesian intellectual discourse.
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The following dialogue takes place in an Indonesian language classroom. A teacher (Ibu Guru) is conducting a lesson, asking questions to help students learn. This setting naturally showcases the various uses of apa in both teacher questions and student responses.
27.16a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Selamat (se-la-mat) good pagi (pa-gi) morning , anak-anak (a-nak-a-nak) children . Apa (a-pa) what kabar (ka-bar) news kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL hari (ha-ri) day ini (i-ni) this ?”
27.16b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Selamat (se-la-mat) good pagi (pa-gi) morning , anak-anak (a-nak-a-nak) children . Apa (a-pa) what kabar (ka-bar) news kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL hari (ha-ri) day ini (i-ni) this ?”
27.17a Murid (mu-rid) students : “Baik (ba-ik) good , Bu (bu) Ma’am ! Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL akan (a-kan) will kita (ki-ta) we pelajari (pe-la-ja-ri) study hari (ha-ri) day ini (i-ni) this ?”
27.17b Murid (mu-rid) students : “Baik (ba-ik) good , Bu (bu) Ma’am ! Apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL akan (a-kan) will kita (ki-ta) we pelajari (pe-la-ja-ri) study hari (ha-ri) day ini (i-ni) this ?”
27.18a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Hari (ha-ri) day ini (i-ni) this kita (ki-ta) we belajar (be-la-jar) learn tentang (ten-tang) about hewan (he-wan) animals . Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL sudah (su-dah) already siap (si-ap) ready ?”
27.18b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Hari (ha-ri) day ini (i-ni) this kita (ki-ta) we belajar (be-la-jar) learn tentang (ten-tang) about hewan (he-wan) animals . Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL sudah (su-dah) already siap (si-ap) ready ?”
27.19a Siti (si-ti) Siti : “Sudah (su-dah) already , Bu (bu) Ma’am ! Apa (a-pa) what hewan (he-wan) animal favorit (fa-vo-rit) favorite Ibu (i-bu) Ma’am ?”
27.19b Siti (si-ti) Siti : “Sudah (su-dah) already , Bu (bu) Ma’am ! Apa (a-pa) what hewan (he-wan) animal favorit (fa-vo-rit) favorite Ibu (i-bu) Ma’am ?”
27.20a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question yang (yang) REL bagus (ba-gus) good , Siti (si-ti) Siti ! Hewan (he-wan) animal favorit (fa-vo-rit) favorite saya (sa-ya) my adalah (a-da-lah) is kucing (ku-cing) cat . Apa (a-pa) Q-PART ada (a-da) exist yang (yang) REL memelihara (me-me-li-ha-ra) keep kucing (ku-cing) cat di (di) at rumah (ru-mah) house ?”
27.20b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question yang (yang) REL bagus (ba-gus) good , Siti (si-ti) Siti ! Hewan (he-wan) animal favorit (fa-vo-rit) favorite saya (sa-ya) my adalah (a-da-lah) is kucing (ku-cing) cat . Apa (a-pa) Q-PART ada (a-da) exist yang (yang) REL memelihara (me-me-li-ha-ra) keep kucing (ku-cing) cat di (di) at rumah (ru-mah) house ?”
27.21a Budi (bu-di) Budi : “Saya (sa-ya) I , Bu (bu) Ma’am ! Kucing (ku-cing) cat saya (sa-ya) my namanya (na-ma-nya) name-its Manis (ma-nis) Sweet .”
27.21b Budi (bu-di) Budi : “Saya (sa-ya) I , Bu (bu) Ma’am ! Kucing (ku-cing) cat saya (sa-ya) my namanya (na-ma-nya) name-its Manis (ma-nis) Sweet .”
27.22a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Bagus (ba-gus) good , Budi (bu-di) Budi . Apa (a-pa) what warna (war-na) color bulunya (bu-lu-nya) fur-its ?”
27.22b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Bagus (ba-gus) good , Budi (bu-di) Budi . Apa (a-pa) what warna (war-na) color bulunya (bu-lu-nya) fur-its ?”
27.23a Budi (bu-di) Budi : “Bulunya (bu-lu-nya) fur-its putih (pu-tih) white dan (dan) and oranye (o-ran-ye) orange , Bu (bu) Ma’am .”
27.23b Budi (bu-di) Budi : “Bulunya (bu-lu-nya) fur-its putih (pu-tih) white dan (dan) and oranye (o-ran-ye) orange , Bu (bu) Ma’am .”
27.24a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Sekarang (se-ka-rang) now , coba (co-ba) try kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL pikirkan (pi-kir-kan) think : apa (a-pa) what perbedaan (per-be-da-an) difference antara (an-ta-ra) between kucing (ku-cing) cat dan (dan) and anjing (an-jing) dog ?”
27.24b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Sekarang (se-ka-rang) now , coba (co-ba) try kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL pikirkan (pi-kir-kan) think : apa (a-pa) what perbedaan (per-be-da-an) difference antara (an-ta-ra) between kucing (ku-cing) cat dan (dan) and anjing (an-jing) dog ?”
27.25a Dewi (de-wi) Dewi : “Kucing (ku-cing) cat lebih (le-bih) more kecil (ke-cil) small , Bu (bu) Ma’am . Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL itu (i-tu) that benar (be-nar) correct ?”
27.25b Dewi (de-wi) Dewi : “Kucing (ku-cing) cat lebih (le-bih) more kecil (ke-cil) small , Bu (bu) Ma’am . Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL itu (i-tu) that benar (be-nar) correct ?”
27.26a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Tidak (ti-dak) NEG selalu (se-la-lu) always , Dewi (de-wi) Dewi . Ada (a-da) exist anjing (an-jing) dog yang (yang) REL kecil (ke-cil) small juga (ju-ga) also . Apa (a-pa) what lagi (la-gi) else ?”
27.26b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Tidak (ti-dak) NEG selalu (se-la-lu) always , Dewi (de-wi) Dewi . Ada (a-da) exist anjing (an-jing) dog yang (yang) REL kecil (ke-cil) small juga (ju-ga) also . Apa (a-pa) what lagi (la-gi) else ?”
27.27a Andi (an-di) Andi : “Kucing (ku-cing) cat bisa (bi-sa) can memanjat (me-man-jat) climb pohon (po-hon) tree , tapi (ta-pi) but anjing (an-jing) dog tidak (ti-dak) NEG bisa (bi-sa) can . Apa (a-pa) Q-PART saya (sa-ya) I salah (sa-lah) wrong , Bu (bu) Ma’am ?”
27.27b Andi (an-di) Andi : “Kucing (ku-cing) cat bisa (bi-sa) can memanjat (me-man-jat) climb pohon (po-hon) tree , tapi (ta-pi) but anjing (an-jing) dog tidak (ti-dak) NEG bisa (bi-sa) can . Apa (a-pa) Q-PART saya (sa-ya) I salah (sa-lah) wrong , Bu (bu) Ma’am ?”
27.28a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Benar (be-nar) correct sekali (se-ka-li) very , Andi (an-di) Andi ! Kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL semua (se-mu-a) all pintar (pin-tar) smart . Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL ada (a-da) exist pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question lain (la-in) other ?”
27.28b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Benar (be-nar) correct sekali (se-ka-li) very , Andi (an-di) Andi ! Kalian (ka-li-an) you-PL semua (se-mu-a) all pintar (pin-tar) smart . Apakah (a-pa-kah) Q-PART-POL ada (a-da) exist pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question lain (la-in) other ?”
27.29a Rini (ri-ni) Rini : “Bu (bu) Ma’am , saya (sa-ya) I ingin (i-ngin) want tahu (ta-hu) know apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL dimakan (di-ma-kan) PASS-eat kucing (ku-cing) cat di (di) in alam (a-lam) nature liar (li-ar) wild .”
27.29b Rini (ri-ni) Rini : “Bu (bu) Ma’am , saya (sa-ya) I ingin (i-ngin) want tahu (ta-hu) know apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL dimakan (di-ma-kan) PASS-eat kucing (ku-cing) cat di (di) in alam (a-lam) nature liar (li-ar) wild .”
27.30a Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question yang (yang) REL sangat (sa-ngat) very menarik (me-na-rik) interesting ! Minggu (ming-gu) week depan (de-pan) next kita (ki-ta) we akan (a-kan) will belajar (be-la-jar) learn tentang (ten-tang) about apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL dimakan (di-ma-kan) PASS-eat berbagai (ber-ba-gai) various hewan (he-wan) animals .”
27.30b Ibu (i-bu) Mrs. Guru (gu-ru) teacher : “Pertanyaan (per-ta-nya-an) question yang (yang) REL sangat (sa-ngat) very menarik (me-na-rik) interesting ! Minggu (ming-gu) week depan (de-pan) next kita (ki-ta) we akan (a-kan) will belajar (be-la-jar) learn tentang (ten-tang) about apa (a-pa) what yang (yang) REL dimakan (di-ma-kan) PASS-eat berbagai (ber-ba-gai) various hewan (he-wan) animals .”
27.16 Ibu Guru: “Selamat pagi, anak-anak. Apa kabar kalian hari ini?” Teacher: “Good morning, children. How are you all today?”
27.17 Murid: “Baik, Bu! Apa yang akan kita pelajari hari ini?” Students: “Good, Ma’am! What will we study today?”
27.18 Ibu Guru: “Hari ini kita belajar tentang hewan. Apakah kalian sudah siap?” Teacher: “Today we are learning about animals. Are you all ready?”
27.19 Siti: “Sudah, Bu! Apa hewan favorit Ibu?” Siti: “Ready, Ma’am! What is your favorite animal?”
27.20 Ibu Guru: “Pertanyaan yang bagus, Siti! Hewan favorit saya adalah kucing. Apa ada yang memelihara kucing di rumah?” Teacher: “Good question, Siti! My favorite animal is the cat. Does anyone keep a cat at home?”
27.21 Budi: “Saya, Bu! Kucing saya namanya Manis.” Budi: “I do, Ma’am! My cat’s name is Sweet.”
27.22 Ibu Guru: “Bagus, Budi. Apa warna bulunya?” Teacher: “Good, Budi. What color is its fur?”
27.23 Budi: “Bulunya putih dan oranye, Bu.” Budi: “Its fur is white and orange, Ma’am.”
27.24 Ibu Guru: “Sekarang, coba kalian pikirkan: apa perbedaan antara kucing dan anjing?” Teacher: “Now, try to think: what is the difference between cats and dogs?”
27.25 Dewi: “Kucing lebih kecil, Bu. Apakah itu benar?” Dewi: “Cats are smaller, Ma’am. Is that correct?”
27.26 Ibu Guru: “Tidak selalu, Dewi. Ada anjing yang kecil juga. Apa lagi?” Teacher: “Not always, Dewi. There are small dogs too. What else?”
27.27 Andi: “Kucing bisa memanjat pohon, tapi anjing tidak bisa. Apa saya salah, Bu?” Andi: “Cats can climb trees, but dogs cannot. Am I wrong, Ma’am?”
27.28 Ibu Guru: “Benar sekali, Andi! Kalian semua pintar. Apakah ada pertanyaan lain?” Teacher: “Exactly right, Andi! You are all smart. Are there any other questions?”
27.29 Rini: “Bu, saya ingin tahu apa yang dimakan kucing di alam liar.” Rini: “Ma’am, I want to know what cats eat in the wild.”
27.30 Ibu Guru: “Pertanyaan yang sangat menarik! Minggu depan kita akan belajar tentang apa yang dimakan berbagai hewan.” Teacher: “A very interesting question! Next week we will learn about what various animals eat.”
27.16 Ibu Guru: “Selamat pagi, anak-anak. Apa kabar kalian hari ini?”
27.17 Murid: “Baik, Bu! Apa yang akan kita pelajari hari ini?”
27.18 Ibu Guru: “Hari ini kita belajar tentang hewan. Apakah kalian sudah siap?”
27.19 Siti: “Sudah, Bu! Apa hewan favorit Ibu?”
27.20 Ibu Guru: “Pertanyaan yang bagus, Siti! Hewan favorit saya adalah kucing. Apa ada yang memelihara kucing di rumah?”
27.21 Budi: “Saya, Bu! Kucing saya namanya Manis.”
27.22 Ibu Guru: “Bagus, Budi. Apa warna bulunya?”
27.23 Budi: “Bulunya putih dan oranye, Bu.”
27.24 Ibu Guru: “Sekarang, coba kalian pikirkan: apa perbedaan antara kucing dan anjing?”
27.25 Dewi: “Kucing lebih kecil, Bu. Apakah itu benar?”
27.26 Ibu Guru: “Tidak selalu, Dewi. Ada anjing yang kecil juga. Apa lagi?”
27.27 Andi: “Kucing bisa memanjat pohon, tapi anjing tidak bisa. Apa saya salah, Bu?”
27.28 Ibu Guru: “Benar sekali, Andi! Kalian semua pintar. Apakah ada pertanyaan lain?”
27.29 Rini: “Bu, saya ingin tahu apa yang dimakan kucing di alam liar.”
27.30 Ibu Guru: “Pertanyaan yang sangat menarik! Minggu depan kita akan belajar tentang apa yang dimakan berbagai hewan.”
This classroom dialogue demonstrates the full range of apa usage in natural Indonesian conversation.
Greeting formula: Apa kabar? (literally “what news?”) is the standard Indonesian greeting meaning “How are you?” This fixed expression shows apa in a formulaic context.
Content questions in educational settings: The students’ question Apa yang akan kita pelajari? shows the standard apa yang + verb construction for asking about activities.
Formal question particle in classroom context: The teacher uses apakah for yes/no questions (Apakah kalian sudah siap?), appropriate for the semi-formal teacher-student dynamic.
Question word in predicate position: Apa hewan favorit Ibu? places apa directly before the noun phrase being questioned, a common pattern when asking “what X” questions.
Existential questions: Apa ada yang...? (Is there anyone who...?) shows apa as a question particle combined with the existential ada.
Embedded questions: Saya ingin tahu apa yang dimakan kucing demonstrates apa introducing an indirect question as the object of tahu (know).
Seeking confirmation: Both Apakah itu benar? and Apa saya salah? show students using questions to verify understanding—a natural classroom behavior reflected in the grammar.
Politeness markers: Note the consistent use of Bu (Ma’am) as a respectful address term, reflecting Indonesian classroom etiquette.
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The Latinum Institute has been creating language learning materials since 2006, pioneering the interlinear construed text method for autodidact learners. This approach, refined over nearly two decades, enables students to achieve immediate comprehension of authentic target language texts without the frustration of constant dictionary consultation.
The interlinear glossing methodology works by presenting each word with its grammatical function and meaning directly beneath or beside it. This creates a direct neural pathway between the target language form and its English equivalent, accelerating acquisition beyond what traditional methods achieve. For Indonesian, a language with remarkably regular spelling and no conjugation, this method is particularly effective.
Our lessons follow a frequency-based curriculum derived from corpus linguistics research, ensuring that learners acquire the most useful vocabulary first. The word apa at lesson 27 reflects its fundamental importance in Indonesian communication—it is among the most frequently encountered words in both spoken and written Indonesian.
Each lesson in this course is self-contained, meaning you can engage with any lesson independently. The interlinear format makes all vocabulary immediately accessible, regardless of your current level. However, following the sequence from lesson 1 builds systematic familiarity with high-frequency structures.
We encourage learners to read each section multiple times: first focusing on the interlinear glossing to understand structure, then reading the natural sentences for fluency, and finally reading the target language only section to test retention. The literary citation and genre sections provide extended practice with authentic patterns.
For reviews of our courses and methodology, please visit: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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Lesson 27 Complete
✓ Indonesian Lesson 27: Apa (What - Interrogative Pronoun) — Complete
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