Celana saya kebesaran.

to be

Breakdown of Celana saya kebesaran.

• saya: my
• celana: the pants
• kebesaran: too big

Questions & Answers about Celana saya kebesaran.

Why is there no word like “are” in the sentence?

Indonesian usually doesn’t use a linking verb with adjectives. The predicate adjective just follows the subject:

• Dia cantik = She is beautiful.
• Celana saya kebesaran = My pants are too big. The word adalah is generally used before nouns in formal contexts (e.g., Dia adalah guru), not before adjectives like kebesaran.

What exactly is kebesaran, and how is it formed?

• Base adjective: besar = big.
• Circumfix: ke- … -an creates a “too X/excessively X” meaning when used predicatively with many adjectives.
• So kebesaran = too big/oversized (especially for clothing). Note: kebesaran can also be a noun meaning “greatness” or “majesty,” depending on context (e.g., kebesaran Tuhan).

Is there a difference between kebesaran and terlalu besar?

Both mean “too big,” but:

• kebesaran is very common and idiomatic for clothes not fitting.
• terlalu besar is neutral and works in all contexts. In clothing shops, both are fine. Some speakers feel terlalu besar can sound slightly stronger or more literal, while kebesaran highlights the mismatch/fit.

How is different from ?