Jangan

Jangan is a word in Indonesian and Malay that expresses prohibition, functioning as a prohibitive particle meaning "do not" or "must not." It is used before the base form of a verb in imperative clauses to forbid an action, and it can stand alone as an interjection: "Jangan!" (Don't!). Examples include Jangan keluar (Don’t go out), Jangan makan di sini (Don’t eat here), and Jangan lupa (Don’t forget).

Jangan also appears in common phrases that extend its meaning. For instance, jangan sampai (don’t let it come to [that]), jangan khawatir (don't worry), and jangan terlalu cepat (don’t hurry/too fast). The particle can be strengthened or softened with the clitic lah: Janganlah meremehkan risiko (Don’t underestimate the risk), where lah adds emphasis or a formal tone.

Grammatical notes indicate that jangan is a fixed prohibitive particle used with verbs or adjective phrases in imperative or exhortative contexts. It does not inflect for person, number, or tense; its function is to forbid an action rather than to negate a statement about reality. It is widely used in everyday speech, media, and formal writing, and it is typical in both casual and official Indonesian and Malay.

Etymology and language context: Jangan is native to Indonesian and Malay, part of the Austronesian language family. It is a standard element of everyday vocabulary in both languages and interacts with other negation forms in non-imperative contexts, where other words like tidak or bukan are used to negate declarative statements rather than imperative prohibitions.