Kompetensi menunjukkan potensi.

• kompetensi = competence, competency
• menunjukkan = to show, to indicate, to demonstrate
• potensi = potential

So the sentence literally reads:

Competence shows potential
or
Competence indicates potential

The structure is:

Kompetensi + menunjukkan + potensi
Subject + Verb + Object

So:

• Kompetensi is the subject
• menunjukkan is the verb
• potensi is the object

This is a very common Indonesian word order, just like English Subject-Verb-Object.

Indonesian normally does not use articles like English does.

So:

• kompetensi can mean competence, the competence, or a competence, depending on context
• potensi can mean potential, the potential, or a potential, depending on context

In a general statement like this, English usually translates it without an article:

Competence shows potential.

Indonesian often expresses ideas more directly than English.

In this sentence:

• there is no need for is
• there is no helper verb like does
• there is no extra connector like that

The verb menunjukkan already carries the meaning shows / indicates.

So Indonesian can simply say:

Kompetensi menunjukkan potensi.

menunjukkan means to show, to indicate, or to demonstrate.

It comes from the root tunjuk, which is related to pointing or showing.

A simplified breakdown is:

• tunjuk = point / show
• meN- = a common verb-forming prefix
• -kan = a suffix that often gives the sense of causing, showing, or directing an action toward something

So menunjukkan is a derived verb meaning something like to show something or to indicate something.

This is a very common learner question.

• menunjuk often means to point or sometimes to appoint
• menunjukkan means to show, to indicate, to demonstrate

Examples:

• Dia menunjuk papan. = He points at the board.
• Dia menunjukkan papan itu. = He shows that board.

So in Kompetensi menunjukkan potensi, the idea is not pointing at potential, but showing/indicating potential.

Indonesian verbs usually do not change form for tense the way English verbs do.

So menunjukkan here does not specifically mean only:

• shows
• showed
• will show

The time is usually understood from context.

In this sentence, it is best read as a general truth or general statement, so in English we normally translate it as:

Competence shows potential
or
Competence indicates potential

Yes, it sounds fairly formal, abstract, and statement-like.

That is because:

• kompetensi and potensi are abstract nouns
• menunjukkan is a standard, somewhat formal verb

It sounds like something you might see in:

• education
• psychology
• HR
• training materials
• academic or professional writing

In casual conversation, people might use more everyday wording depending on the context.

Yes. Both are words that will look familiar to English speakers.

• kompetensi is related to competence / competency
• potensi is related to potential

Even though they resemble English words, you should still learn their Indonesian usage from context. Very often they match English closely, especially in formal or academic contexts.

A rough guide:

• kompetensi: kom-pe-TEN-si
• menunjukkan: मे-nun-JOOK-kan / men-un-JOOK-kan
• potensi: po-TEN-si

A rough English-friendly approximation:

kom-peh-TEN-see meh-noon-JOOK-kan po-TEN-see

A few notes:

• u is usually pronounced like oo in food
• e can vary, but in these words it is fairly straightforward
• ng is like the sound in sing
• double consonants are both pronounced clearly enough, though naturally in speech they may flow together

For a basic neutral statement, Kompetensi menunjukkan potensi is the normal order.

If you change the order, the meaning or emphasis may change, and some versions may sound unnatural.

For example:

• Potensi menunjukkan kompetensi = Potential shows competence
  This is grammatical, but it means something different.

So if you want the meaning Competence shows potential, keep:

Kompetensi menunjukkan potensi.

Yes. That is a perfectly reasonable translation.

Because:

• kompetensi can be translated as competence or competency
• menunjukkan can be shows, indicates, or demonstrates

Possible natural translations include:

• Competence shows potential.
• Competency indicates potential.
• Competence demonstrates potential.

The best choice depends on the context and style of the English translation.