Menyukai

Menyukai is an Indonesian transitive verb meaning to like or to be fond of something or someone. It expresses a positive attitude toward a specific object and typically takes a direct object, such as a person, thing, or activity.

The word is formed from the root suka with the prefix me- and the suffix -i, and phonological assimilation yields menyukai. This follows the Indonesian pattern where certain roots take a meN- prefix and combine with the root to form a transitive verb. The result is a form that clearly marks the action as directed toward an object.

In use, menyukai does not require tense conjugation; Indonesian marks time and aspect with adverbs or auxiliary words rather than verb endings. For example: Saya menyukai musik klasik. Dia menyukai olahraga. In casual speech, suka is more common, but menyukai can sound more formal or precise. The verb can take pronoun objects via suffixation, as in Saya menyukainya, meaning “I like it,” or Kamu menyukainya as “You like it.”

Examples of sentences illustrate the range of applications: Saya menyukai karya seni modern. Apakah kamu menyukai makanan pedas? These demonstrate how menyukai accommodates both general preferences and specific liked items or activities.

See also: suka, mencintai, mengagumi.