berdiri

Berdiri is an Indonesian verb meaning to stand or to be standing, describing the act of rising to a vertical position or remaining upright. It can refer to both people and objects and is used for describing posture as well as existence in a given place.

Etymology and form: Berdiri is formed from the prefix ber- and the root diri (self, body). The ber- prefix marks an intransitive or stative action, so berdiri conveys a state or action in which the subject is in a standing posture rather than acting upon something else.

Usage: It is primarily intransitive and is commonly followed by location phrases such as berdiri di depan kelas or berdiri di atas panggung. It can also express duration or historical existence, as in bangunan itu telah berdiri sejak abad ke-18 (the building has stood since the eighteenth century). Phrases like berdiri tegak emphasize posture, while berdiri sendiri conveys independence or self-reliance, as in standing on one's own.

Notes: For the sense of establishing an organization or institution, Indonesian often uses didirikan rather than berdiri. Berdiri remains versatile for describing physical posture, the presence or persistence of structures, and figurative uses where something is in a standing or enduring state. It is a common, neutral verb in everyday Indonesian.