The English preposition "to" has several equivalents in Indonesian, each used in different contexts. The primary translation is ke, which indicates direction or movement toward a place. However, when "to" refers to giving something to a person, Indonesian uses kepada. For expressing purpose ("in order to"), Indonesian uses untuk. This lesson will focus primarily on ke while introducing these other forms in context.
For more lessons in this series, visit the complete course index at https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
FAQ Schema: Q: What does "to" mean in Indonesian? A: The word "to" in Indonesian is primarily translated as "ke" when indicating direction or movement toward a place. When referring to giving or speaking to a person, use "kepada." For expressing purpose, use "untuk."
Educational Schema: Course: Indonesian for English Speakers Lesson: 6 - The preposition "to" (ke, kepada, untuk) Level: Beginner Type: Language Learning Material Institution: Latinum Institute Format: Self-study reading lesson
In this lesson, you will encounter "ke" in various positions within sentences, demonstrating its flexibility in Indonesian syntax. Unlike English, where "to" always precedes its object, Indonesian word order can be more flexible, though "ke" typically comes before the place it refers to.
Key Takeaways: -
"Ke" is the primary translation for "to" (direction/movement) -
"Kepada" is used when "to" refers to people (giving/speaking to someone) -
"Untuk" expresses purpose ("in order to") -
Word order in Indonesian is more flexible than English -
"Ke" often combines with other words to form compound prepositions
6.1 I Saya go pergi to ke school sekolah every setiap morning pagi
6.2 She Dia gives memberi the (--) book buku to kepada her (--) friend temannya
6.3 We Kami need perlu to untuk study belajar Indonesian bahasa Indonesia
6.4 The (--) children Anak-anak walk berjalan to ke the (--) park taman
6.5 He Dia sends mengirim a (--) letter surat to kepada his (--) mother ibunya
6.6 From Dari Jakarta Jakarta to ke Bali Bali takes memakan waktu two dua hours jam
6.7 Please Tolong come datang to ke my (--) house rumah saya tomorrow besok
6.8 They Mereka want ingin to untuk eat makan at di a (--) restaurant restoran
6.9 The (--) teacher Guru explains menjelaskan the (--) lesson pelajaran to kepada the (--) students murid-murid
6.10 Turn Belok to ke the (--) right kanan at di the (--) intersection persimpangan
6.11 She Dia travels bepergian to ke Europe Eropa every setiap year tahun
6.12 I Saya am (--) going akan pergi to ke the (--) market pasar now sekarang
6.13 He Dia listens mendengarkan to kepada his (--) grandfather kakeknya carefully dengan seksama
6.14 We Kami have harus to untuk finish menyelesaikan this (--) work pekerjaan ini
6.15 The (--) bus Bus goes pergi to ke the (--) airport bandara directly langsung
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6.1 Saya pergi ke sekolah setiap pagi. I go to school every morning.
6.2 Dia memberi buku kepada temannya. She gives the book to her friend.
6.3 Kami perlu untuk belajar bahasa Indonesia. We need to study Indonesian.
6.4 Anak-anak berjalan ke taman. The children walk to the park.
6.5 Dia mengirim surat kepada ibunya. He sends a letter to his mother.
6.6 Dari Jakarta ke Bali memakan waktu dua jam. From Jakarta to Bali takes two hours.
6.7 Tolong datang ke rumah saya besok. Please come to my house tomorrow.
6.8 Mereka ingin untuk makan di restoran. They want to eat at a restaurant.
6.9 Guru menjelaskan pelajaran kepada murid-murid. The teacher explains the lesson to the students.
6.10 Belok ke kanan di persimpangan. Turn to the right at the intersection.
6.11 Dia bepergian ke Eropa setiap tahun. She travels to Europe every year.
6.12 Saya akan pergi ke pasar sekarang. I am going to the market now.
6.13 Dia mendengarkan kepada kakeknya dengan seksama. He listens to his grandfather carefully.
6.14 Kami harus untuk menyelesaikan pekerjaan ini. We have to finish this work.
6.15 Bus pergi ke bandara langsung. The bus goes to the airport directly.
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6.1 Saya pergi ke sekolah setiap pagi.
6.2 Dia memberi buku kepada temannya.
6.3 Kami perlu untuk belajar bahasa Indonesia.
6.4 Anak-anak berjalan ke taman.
6.5 Dia mengirim surat kepada ibunya.
6.6 Dari Jakarta ke Bali memakan waktu dua jam.
6.7 Tolong datang ke rumah saya besok.
6.8 Mereka ingin untuk makan di restoran.
6.9 Guru menjelaskan pelajaran kepada murid-murid.
6.10 Belok ke kanan di persimpangan.
6.11 Dia bepergian ke Eropa setiap tahun.
6.12 Saya akan pergi ke pasar sekarang.
6.13 Dia mendengarkan kepada kakeknya dengan seksama.
6.14 Kami harus untuk menyelesaikan pekerjaan ini.
6.15 Bus pergi ke bandara langsung.
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The Indonesian equivalents of "to" follow specific patterns that differ from English usage:
1. KE - Direction and Movement -
Used for physical movement toward places -
Always precedes the destination -
Examples: ke sekolah (to school), ke rumah (to home), ke Jakarta (to Jakarta)
2. KEPADA - To People -
Used when giving, speaking, or directing actions toward people -
More formal than "ke" when referring to people -
Examples: kepada guru (to the teacher), kepada orang tua (to parents)
3. UNTUK - Purpose -
Expresses purpose or intention ("in order to") -
Followed by verbs in their base form -
Examples: untuk makan (to eat), untuk belajar (to study)
-
Using "ke" for people - Beginners often say "ke dia" instead of "kepada dia" (to him/her) -
Omitting "untuk" in purpose clauses - English speakers might say "Saya pergi belajar" instead of "Saya pergi untuk belajar" (I go to study) -
Word order confusion - Placing "ke" after the destination instead of before -
Overusing "kepada" - Using "kepada" for places instead of "ke"
-
Identify the type of "to" in English: -
Is it showing direction? → Use KE -
Is it directed at a person? → Use KEPADA -
Is it showing purpose? → Use UNTUK -
Position in sentence: -
KE/KEPADA: Place directly before the noun -
UNTUK: Place before the verb -
No articles needed: -
Indonesian doesn't use "the" or "a" like English -
"To the school" = "ke sekolah" (not "ke itu sekolah")
KE -
Type: Preposition of direction -
Position: Before place nouns -
Cannot be omitted -
Forms compounds: ke atas (upward), ke bawah (downward)
KEPADA -
Type: Preposition for indirect objects (people) -
Position: Before person/pronoun -
More formal register -
Can sometimes be shortened to "pada" in casual speech
UNTUK -
Type: Preposition of purpose -
Position: Before verbs -
Similar to English "for" or "in order to" -
Essential in purpose clauses
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Understanding the use of "to" in Indonesian requires awareness of social hierarchy and formality levels in Indonesian culture. The distinction between "ke" and "kepada" reflects the Indonesian value of showing proper respect, especially when addressing or referring to elders, teachers, or people in authority.
In Indonesian society, the choice between these prepositions can indicate your relationship with the person you're addressing. Using "kepada" shows more respect and formality, which is crucial in professional settings, educational environments, and when speaking to elders. This linguistic feature mirrors the broader Indonesian cultural emphasis on hierarchy and respect (hormat).
The flexibility of word order in Indonesian, compared to the more rigid structure of English, reflects the language's Austronesian roots. While "ke" typically precedes its object, Indonesian allows for more variation in sentence structure than English, especially in spoken language.
Additionally, Indonesians often omit "untuk" in casual speech when the purpose is clear from context, though learners should use it consistently until they develop a natural feel for when it can be dropped. This pragmatic approach to language use reflects the Indonesian tendency toward contextual communication, where much meaning is derived from situation and relationship rather than explicit words.
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From "Laskar Pelangi" (The Rainbow Troops) by Andrea Hirata:
"Kami pergi ke sekolah setiap hari dengan semangat yang membara. Pak Harfan selalu berkata kepada kami bahwa pendidikan adalah jembatan emas untuk masa depan yang cerah."
We Kami went pergi to ke school sekolah every setiap day hari with dengan spirit semangat that yang burned membara. Mr. Pak Harfan Harfan always selalu said berkata to kepada us kami that bahwa education pendidikan is adalah golden emas bridge jembatan for untuk future masa depan that yang bright cerah.
"Kami pergi ke sekolah setiap hari dengan semangat yang membara. Pak Harfan selalu berkata kepada kami bahwa pendidikan adalah jembatan emas untuk masa depan yang cerah."
"We went to school every day with burning enthusiasm. Mr. Harfan always told us that education is a golden bridge to a bright future."
This excerpt from Andrea Hirata's beloved novel demonstrates the three main uses of "to" in Indonesian within a meaningful context. "Ke sekolah" shows directional movement, "kepada kami" indicates communication directed at people, and "untuk masa depan" expresses purpose. The passage reflects the Indonesian value of education and the metaphorical language often used in Indonesian literature.
-
"ke sekolah" - Classic use of KE for direction to a place -
"kepada kami" - KEPADA used for indirect object (to us) -
"untuk masa depan" - UNTUK expressing purpose/benefit -
Note how "yang" (which/that) connects descriptive phrases -
The metaphor "jembatan emas" (golden bridge) is a common Indonesian expression for opportunity
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6.16 My (--) journey Perjalanan saya to ke Indonesia Indonesia began dimulai last (--) year tahun lalu
6.17 I Saya flew terbang from dari New York New York to ke Jakarta Jakarta with dengan one satu stop perhentian
6.18 The (--) flight Penerbangan attendant pramugari gave memberi the (--) customs bea cukai form formulir to kepada all semua passengers penumpang
6.19 From Dari the (--) airport bandara I saya took naik a (--) taxi taksi to ke my (--) hotel hotel saya
6.20 The (--) next (--) day Keesokan harinya I saya went pergi to ke Borobudur Borobudur temple candi
6.21 A Seorang guide pemandu explained menjelaskan the (--) history sejarah to kepada our (--) group rombongan kami
6.22 We Kami climbed mendaki to ke the (--) top puncak of (--) the (--) monument monumen
6.23 I Saya needed perlu to untuk take mengambil many banyak photos foto
6.24 Then Kemudian we kami traveled bepergian to ke Yogyakarta Yogyakarta by dengan train kereta api
6.25 The (--) conductor kondektur showed menunjukkan our (--) seats tempat duduk kami to kepada us kami
6.26 In Di Yogyakarta Yogyakarta I saya went pergi to ke the (--) traditional tradisional market pasar
6.27 A Seorang vendor pedagang offered menawarkan batik batik to kepada me saya at dengan a (--) good baik price harga
6.28 I Saya wanted ingin to untuk learn belajar Indonesian bahasa Indonesia cooking masakan
6.29 The (--) chef koki taught mengajar traditional tradisional recipes resep to kepada foreign asing students murid
6.30 Finally Akhirnya I saya had harus to untuk return kembali to ke America Amerika
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6.16 Perjalanan saya ke Indonesia dimulai tahun lalu. My journey to Indonesia began last year.
6.17 Saya terbang dari New York ke Jakarta dengan satu perhentian. I flew from New York to Jakarta with one stop.
6.18 Pramugari memberi formulir bea cukai kepada semua penumpang. The flight attendant gave the customs form to all passengers.
6.19 Dari bandara saya naik taksi ke hotel saya. From the airport I took a taxi to my hotel.
6.20 Keesokan harinya saya pergi ke candi Borobudur. The next day I went to Borobudur temple.
6.21 Seorang pemandu menjelaskan sejarah kepada rombongan kami. A guide explained the history to our group.
6.22 Kami mendaki ke puncak monumen. We climbed to the top of the monument.
6.23 Saya perlu untuk mengambil banyak foto. I needed to take many photos.
6.24 Kemudian kami bepergian ke Yogyakarta dengan kereta api. Then we traveled to Yogyakarta by train.
6.25 Kondektur menunjukkan tempat duduk kami kepada kami. The conductor showed our seats to us.
6.26 Di Yogyakarta saya pergi ke pasar tradisional. In Yogyakarta I went to the traditional market.
6.27 Seorang pedagang menawarkan batik kepada saya dengan harga baik. A vendor offered batik to me at a good price.
6.28 Saya ingin untuk belajar masakan Indonesia. I wanted to learn Indonesian cooking.
6.29 Koki mengajar resep tradisional kepada murid asing. The chef taught traditional recipes to foreign students.
6.30 Akhirnya saya harus untuk kembali ke Amerika. Finally I had to return to America.
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6.16 Perjalanan saya ke Indonesia dimulai tahun lalu.
6.17 Saya terbang dari New York ke Jakarta dengan satu perhentian.
6.18 Pramugari memberi formulir bea cukai kepada semua penumpang.
6.19 Dari bandara saya naik taksi ke hotel saya.
6.20 Keesokan harinya saya pergi ke candi Borobudur.
6.21 Seorang pemandu menjelaskan sejarah kepada rombongan kami.
6.22 Kami mendaki ke puncak monumen.
6.23 Saya perlu untuk mengambil banyak foto.
6.24 Kemudian kami bepergian ke Yogyakarta dengan kereta api.
6.25 Kondektur menunjukkan tempat duduk kami kepada kami.
6.26 Di Yogyakarta saya pergi ke pasar tradisional.
6.27 Seorang pedagang menawarkan batik kepada saya dengan harga baik.
6.28 Saya ingin untuk belajar masakan Indonesia.
6.29 Koki mengajar resep tradisional kepada murid asing.
6.30 Akhirnya saya harus untuk kembali ke Amerika.
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Movement Between Cities/Countries: -
Always use KE for destinations: ke Jakarta, ke Indonesia, ke Amerika -
DARI...KE pattern for "from...to": dari New York ke Jakarta
Giving/Showing in Service Situations: -
Service providers use KEPADA when giving items or information to customers -
Examples: memberi formulir kepada penumpang, menunjukkan kepada kami
Purpose in Travel: -
UNTUK frequently appears with travel goals and activities -
Common pattern: perlu untuk + verb (need to + verb)
Directional Compounds in Tourism: -
ke atas (upward) - climbing monuments -
ke bawah (downward) - descending -
ke dalam (into) - entering buildings -
ke luar (out) - exiting
-
pergi ke (go to) + place -
terbang ke (fly to) + destination -
naik ke (board/get on to) + vehicle/level -
kembali ke (return to) + origin -
memberi kepada (give to) + person -
menjelaskan kepada (explain to) + audience -
menawarkan kepada (offer to) + customer -
untuk + verb (in order to do something)
When interacting with service providers in Indonesia, using KEPADA shows respect and proper etiquette. Tour guides, hotel staff, and vendors appreciate when foreign visitors use appropriate formal language. The distinction between KE and KEPADA becomes particularly important in service encounters where showing respect facilitates better interactions.
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