Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Silakan mengisi formulir ini sebelum masuk. - Please fill out this form before entering.

Silakan is a polite invitation/permission meaning roughly “please (go ahead and…)”. It softens a directive and sounds courteous. In signs and instructions, silakan still functions as a directive, not a mere option; it’s just phrased politely.

How does silakan compare with tolong, harap, mohon, and wajib?

silakan: polite invitation/permission; friendly and neutral. Example: Silakan isi formulir ini…
tolong: “please help (by) …”; sounds like asking a favor. Example: Tolong isi formulir ini…
harap: official-sounding “please” that’s closer to an instruction. Common on signs. Example: Harap isi formulir ini…
mohon: formal, deferential request (often in announcements). Example: Mohon mengisi formulir ini…
wajib/harus: mandatory. Example: Anda wajib mengisi formulir ini…

Why is it mengisi and not simply isi?

Both are acceptable after politeness/request words:

Silakan mengisi formulir ini… (slightly more formal/neutral)
Silakan isi formulir ini… (more direct-imperative feel) For a bare command without silakan, you’d usually use the base: Isi formulir ini!

How is mengisi formed? What’s the base word?

The base is isi (to fill; contents). The prefix meN- marks an active verb. Before a vowel, meN- surfaces as meng-, so meN- + isi → mengisi. Common patterns of meN-:

meng- before g, h, k (k drops), and vowels: mengisi, mengirim (from kirim)
men- before t (t drops), d, c, j: menulis (from tulis), mencuci (from cuci)
mem- before p (p drops), b, f, v: memakai (from pakai), membaca
meny- before s (s drops): menyapu (from sapu)
me- before l, m, n, r, w, y: melihat, merasa

Could I use the passive diisi instead?

Yes, that’s very natural on signs and sounds formal/polite:

Formulir ini harap diisi sebelum masuk.
Mohon formulir ini diisi sebelum masuk. Passive focuses on the form (the thing to be acted on) rather than the person doing the action.

Why is there no subject like Anda (“you”)?

Indonesian often drops subjects when they’re clear from context, especially in instructions. You can include it in formal writing:

Silakan (Anda) mengisi formulir ini sebelum masuk. Capitalized Anda is a polite second-person pronoun in formal contexts.

Why is ini after the noun (formulir ini) instead of before it?

Indonesian demonstratives come after the noun:

formulir ini = this form
formulir itu = that form Putting ini before the noun would mean “this is a form” (Ini formulir), which is a different structure.

Can I move sebelum masuk to the front?

Yes. Both orders are fine:

Silakan mengisi formulir ini sebelum masuk.
Sebelum masuk, silakan mengisi formulir ini. If it comes first, use a comma.

Do I need ke after masuk? When do I use masuk, masuk ke, or memasuki?

Use bare masuk when there’s no explicit destination: sebelum masuk.
Use masuk ke + place when naming the destination: sebelum masuk ke ruangan.
Use memasuki + place as a transitive alternative (no ke): sebelum memasuki ruangan. All are correct; choose based on whether you specify the destination and your style preference.

Is masuk the same as masukkan?

No.

masuk = to enter (intransitive): Silakan masuk (Please come in).
masukkan = to put something into (transitive, with -kan): Masukkan kartu Anda (Insert your card). Note the spelling difference from the noun masukan (input/feedback). The verb is masukkan (double k), the noun is masukan (single k).

Is the spelling silakan or silahkan?

The standard form is silakan. You’ll see silahkan in the wild, but silakan is the recommended, dictionary-standard spelling.

Should I add untuk after silakan (e.g., Silakan untuk mengisi…)?

Prefer not to. Untuk there is redundant. Write:

Silakan mengisi formulir ini… or Silakan isi formulir ini… Similarly, in formal notices you might see Dimohon untuk…, but many editors consider untuk unnecessary.

What’s the nuance difference between this and a more forceful instruction?

Polite/neutral: Silakan isi/mengisi formulir ini sebelum masuk.
Official/strong: Harap isi formulir ini sebelum masuk.
Mandatory: Anda wajib mengisi formulir ini sebelum masuk. Choose based on how strict you want to sound.

Could I say Sebelumnya instead of sebelum?

They’re different:

sebelum = “before” (subordinator/preposition): Sebelum masuk, …
sebelumnya = “previously/earlier” (adverb): Sebelumnya, kami… In this sentence you need sebelum.

Is formulir the only word for “form”? What about form or borang?

formulir is the standard Indonesian term.
form (English loan) appears in tech/casual contexts.
borang is Malaysian; it’s not used in Indonesian. In formal Indonesian, stick with formulir.

Can I drop ini and just say formulir?

Yes, if you mean “a/ the form” in general: Silakan mengisi formulir sebelum masuk. Use formulir ini when pointing to a specific form near the reader (e.g., the one on the counter).

How do I pronounce the ng in mengisi?

The ng is a single sound [ŋ] (as in English “sing”). So mengisi is roughly meh-ng-EE-see. Indonesian stress is light and often falls near the second-to-last syllable.