Breakdown of Meja dibersihkan setelah pesta.
Questions & Answers about Meja dibersihkan setelah pesta.
What does the word dibersihkan mean, and how is it formed?
Dibersihkan means be cleaned / was cleaned. It’s the passive form of the transitive verb membersihkan (to clean). Formation:
- Base: bersih (clean, adjective).
- Active transitive: membersihkan (to make something clean).
- Passive: di- ... -kan → dibersihkan (to be cleaned).
So Meja dibersihkan = The table is/was cleaned.
Why is the passive voice used here instead of the active?
Indonesian often uses passive to:
- Put the focus on the thing affected (the table).
- Omit the agent when it’s obvious or unimportant.
- Sound neutral or polite.
It’s very natural to say Meja dibersihkan rather than naming the cleaner.
How would I say this in the active voice?
- With a stated subject: Kami/Saya membersihkan meja setelah pesta. (We/I cleaned the table after the party.)
- Colloquial “passive type 2” (object-fronting with an actor): Meja saya bersihkan setelah pesta. (I cleaned the table—focus on the table.)
How can I include the agent in the passive sentence?
Use an oleh-phrase, especially in formal styles:
- Meja dibersihkan oleh panitia setelah pesta. (The table was cleaned by the committee after the party.)
In everyday speech, it’s more common to switch to active:
- Panitia membersihkan meja setelah pesta.
Or use passive type 2:
- Meja panitia bersihkan setelah pesta.
Does the sentence mean was cleaned (past) or is cleaned (present)?
Indonesian has no tense inflection; context or time words show time. Setelah (after) suggests the event follows a past party, so in English we usually translate as past: The table was cleaned after the party. You can add aspect markers for clarity:
- Past/completed: Meja sudah dibersihkan setelah pesta.
- Future: Meja akan dibersihkan setelah pesta.
- In progress: Meja sedang dibersihkan.
Can I say sesudah, usai, or habis instead of setelah?
Yes, with slight register differences:
- sesudah = formal/neutral synonym of setelah.
- usai = somewhat formal/literary: Meja dibersihkan usai pesta.
- habis = colloquial: Meja dibersihkan habis pesta. All mean after the party.
How do I make it clearly the table or a table?
Indonesian has no articles, so use determiners:
- Definite: Meja itu dibersihkan setelah pesta. / Mejanya dibersihkan setelah pesta. (that/the table)
- Indefinite: Sebuah meja dibersihkan setelah pesta. (a table)
Why is it dibersihkan and not something like dibersih?
Because the verb is causative/transitive: to make something clean. The suffix -kan marks that causative action. Dibersih is ungrammatical. Related forms:
- bersih (clean, adjective/intransitive stative)
- membersihkan (to clean something)
- pembersihan (cleaning, noun)
- kebersihan (cleanliness)
How do I pronounce the sentence naturally?
- Meja: MAY-jah (e like in say; j as in judge)
- dibersihkan: dee-bər-SHEE-kahn (the first e is a schwa)
- setelah: sə-tə-LAH (both e’s are schwa)
- pesta: PESS-tah
Could the sentence express a habitual action (e.g., We clean the table after parties)?
Yes, with context markers:
- Meja dibersihkan setelah setiap pesta. (The table is cleaned after every party.)
- Setiap kali ada pesta, meja dibersihkan. (Whenever there’s a party, the table gets cleaned.)
How do I make it negative or say not yet?
- Plain negation: Meja tidak dibersihkan setelah pesta. (The table was not cleaned after the party.)
- Not yet: Meja belum dibersihkan setelah pesta. (The table has not been cleaned yet after the party.)
Can I front the time phrase?
Yes:
- Setelah pesta, meja dibersihkan. This is natural and keeps the same meaning, with emphasis on the time.
How can I be more specific about the party ending?
Add a completion phrase:
- Meja dibersihkan setelah pesta selesai/usai. Or specify the event:
- Meja dibersihkan setelah pesta ulang tahun.
How do I ask Who cleaned the table?
Prefer the active question:
- Siapa yang membersihkan meja (setelah pesta)? In passive it’s possible but less natural in everyday speech:
- Meja dibersihkan oleh siapa?
Is there a polite way to tell someone to clean the table after the party?
Use a passive imperative with tolong:
- Tolong, meja dibersihkan setelah pesta. (Please have the table cleaned after the party.) Active is also fine:
- Tolong bersihkan meja setelah pesta. (Please clean the table after the party.)
Are there useful synonyms for pesta?
Yes, depending on nuance:
- acara (event), perayaan (celebration), jamuan (banquet), resepsi (reception). Example: Meja dibersihkan setelah resepsi.
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