Bertambah

Bertambah is an Indonesian verb that means to increase, to become larger in number or amount, or to grow in degree. It describes a change in quantity or extent of the subject, rather than an action performed by an external agent.

The word is formed with the prefix ber- attached to tambah, meaning “to add.” In this construction, ber- indicates a state or ongoing process, so bertambah expresses a state of growth or expansion. It is generally intransitive, typically not taking a direct object. The subject of bertambah is usually a noun phrase representing quantity, number, time, or degree, such as penduduk, harga, usia, or produksi.

Grammatical notes show bertambah can be used with time expressions and degree modifiers. It can be followed by adverbs or adjectives to specify the manner of increase, such as bertambah cepat or bertambah sedikit. Common collocations include bertambah jumlahnya, bertambah besar, or bertambah lama. It is often used in formal, journalistic, or analytical contexts to describe trends.

Examples:

- Jumlah penduduk kota itu bertambah setiap tahun.

- Harga tiket kapal tersebut bertambah dua persen bulan ini.

- Usia anak-anak bertambah seiring waktu.

Related terms include meningkat (to rise or increase more generally) and bertambah-tambah, a reduplication form emphasizing a gradual or continuous increase. Bertambah conveys a sense of growth from a baseline toward a greater quantity or degree, and is widely used in everyday language as well as in formal writing.