EYD (Ejaan yang Disempurnakan, the system also known as PUEBI) is the official set of Indonesian spelling rules used in all formal writing. Everyday speech ignores many of them, which is why even native speakers slip in essays and reports. Here’s a practical guide to the rules that matter most.
1. The “di-” rule
The most-broken rule. The prefix di- (passive verb) joins the word: ditulis, dibaca, dimakan. The preposition di (place) stays separate: di rumah, di sini. The same applies to ke-: kemana is wrong — write ke mana (to where), but kedua (second) is joined.
2. Affixes (imbuhan)
Prefixes change form based on the root’s first letter:
- me- + sukses → menyukseskan
- me- + ubah → mengubah (root is ubah)
- pe- + populer → pempopuler? No — pemopuler
Compound affixes attach to the whole word: pertanggungjawaban, ditandatangani.
3. Standard words (kata baku)
Use KBBI-standard spellings in formal writing: risiko (not resiko), praktik (not praktek), jadwal (not jadual), aktivitas (not aktifitas), analisis (not analisa).
4. Capital letters
Capitalize the first word of a sentence, proper names, titles followed by a name (Presiden Soekarno), languages and nationalities (bahasa Indonesia — note bahasa is lowercase), and the first letter of each major word in titles.
5. Punctuation and numbers
- Use a comma before tetapi, melainkan, and sedangkan.
- Decimals use a comma (3,5); thousands use a period (10.000).
- The prefix pun is separate when it means “also” (saya pun), but joined in fixed words (walaupun, meskipun).
6. Foreign words
Italicize untranslated foreign words (deadline, meeting), or use the Indonesian equivalent where one exists (tenggat, rapat).
How to catch errors automatically
These are exactly the rules a context-aware tool enforces that a basic spell-checker can’t. Run your Indonesian draft through the grammar checker — it works fully in Bahasa Indonesia and flags di- errors, nonstandard words, and affix slips. See also our guide to common Indonesian grammar mistakes.
Master these rules once and your formal Indonesian writing will read clean and professional — exactly what graders and editors look for.
AI-powered — please review results before use.