Mencari

Mencari is a Indonesian verb meaning to look for or to search for. It is formed from the root cari with the prefix me-, which together create the active, transitive form that typically takes a direct object.

Grammatical use and tense in Indonesian do not rely on verb conjugation for tense; instead, time reference is indicated by context or adverbs. Mencari can express present or ongoing action as in "Saya sedang mencari pekerjaan" (I am looking for a job), or completed action with markers like "telah" or "sudah" as in "Saya telah mencari informasi" (I have searched for information). It commonly occurs with nouns that denote what is sought, such as "mencari kunci," "mencari alamat," or "mencari solusi."

Mencari is versatile and used across literal and figurative contexts. Literally, people search for objects, people, or places. Figuratively, it can describe seeking meaning, purpose, or identity, as in "mencari arti hidup" (searching for the meaning of life) or "mencari solusi terkait masalah." The verb also appears in fixed expressions, such as "mencari-cari," which intensifies the act of looking around or examining many possibilities; and in noun forms such as "pencarian" (the act or process of searching) and "pencari" (a seeker).

Related terms include cari (the bare root), pencarian (a search or inquiry), and pencari (a seeker). Mencari exemplifies Indonesian word formation with meN- prefixed verbs and demonstrates how root words expand in meaning through affixation.