Berjalan

Berjalan is a verb in Indonesian and Malay that means to walk, to go on foot, or to move by foot. The term is used for the act of locomotion on foot, as in saya berjalan ke sekolah (I walk to school). The root jalan can mean a path or way, and the prefix ber- forms a stative or active verb indicating the subject is engaging in the action of walking. In everyday Indonesian, berjalan can be accompanied by time cues such as sedang or telah to indicate aspect: saya sedang berjalan, kami telah berjalan jauh.

Berjalan kaki is the common phrase for “walking.” Other frequent collocations include berjalan cepat (to walk quickly), berjalan santai (to stroll), and berjalan kaki di taman (walking in the park). The term can also describe the operation of a device, as in mesin berjalan or komputer berjalan, meaning that a machine or computer is running or operating.

In cultural and health contexts, walking is a basic form of physical activity and a common mode of transport. It is accessible, low-impact, and often encouraged as part of daily activity, with health guidelines promoting regular brisk walking as part of cardiovascular fitness.

In Malay and Indonesian language and literature, jalan can also denote a course of life, with idioms such as jalan hidup (life path) or jalan buntu (dead end road), illustrating metaphorical uses beyond physical movement.

See also: jalan, jalan kaki, berjalan cepat, perjalanan.