Berharap

Berharap is a verb in Indonesian and Malay that means to hope, to expect, or to wish for something to happen. It expresses a speaker’s desire or anticipation about future events and is used in both everyday conversation and formal writing.

The word is formed with the prefix ber- attached to the root harap, which means hope. The prefix conveys a sense of being in a state or condition, so berharap can be understood as “to be hopeful” or “to have hope.” The sense can range from a simple wish to a more conscious expectation of a future outcome.

Usage of berharap typically includes a clause that specifies what is hoped for. Examples: Saya berharap dia bisa datang. (I hope he can come.) Mereka berharap proyek itu berhasil. (They hope the project will succeed.) Saya berharap bahwa cuaca besok cerah. (I hope the weather will be sunny tomorrow.) Berharap can appear with conjunctions such as bahwa or tetap used without one in informal speech. In more formal style, synonyms like mengharapkan may be used.

Related terms include harapan (noun: hope), harap (request or hope, as a noun or verb root), and mengharapkan (a more formal or formalized verb meaning to expect or to hope). The concept of berharap permeates everyday language in both personal and public discourse, reflecting optimistic or precautionary attitudes toward future events.