Kakek memakai pegangan ketika sendinya terasa nyeri.

when

Breakdown of Kakek memakai pegangan ketika sendinya terasa nyeri.

• terasa: to feel
• memakai: to use
• kakek: the grandfather

Questions & Answers about Kakek memakai pegangan ketika sendinya terasa nyeri.

What does kakek mean here? Is it always grandfather?

Kakek literally means grandfather, but in Indonesian it can also refer to an old man depending on context.

In a sentence like Kakek memakai pegangan ketika sendinya terasa nyeri, it most naturally means Grandfather if the speaker is talking about their grandfather, but it could also be understood as the old man in the right context.

A few related words:

• kakek = grandfather / old man
• nenek = grandmother / old woman

Why is memakai used here? Doesn’t it usually mean to wear?

Yes, memakai often means to wear, especially with clothes:

• memakai baju = to wear clothes

But it also has a broader meaning: to use. That is the meaning here.

So:

• memakai pegangan = to use a support / to use a handhold / to hold onto something for support

This is a very common feature of Indonesian: one verb can cover several meanings that English separates.

What exactly does pegangan mean?