berteman

Berteman is an Indonesian verb meaning to be friends, to become friends, or to have a friendship with someone. The word is formed from the noun teman (friend) with the prefix ber-, which in Indonesian often marks a state or relation. The construction berteman with someone uses the preposition dengan to indicate the other party, as in berteman dengan teman sekelas.

In usage, berteman describes the state of a friendship rather than an explicit act of initiating it. For example, "Mereka telah berteman sejak kecil" indicates a continued friendship that has existed from childhood. Another example is "Dia berteman dengan semua murid di kelasnya," which conveys a general, ongoing social relationship with the classmates. Berteman can apply to individuals, groups, or even organizations, depending on context.

Berteman is closely related to, but distinct from, bersahabat and bergaul. Bersahabat emphasizes a closer, more intimate friendship, while bergaul refers more broadly to socializing or mingling, not necessarily a long-standing friendship. The term berteman is common in everyday Indonesian and Malay, and it conveys a neutral, general sense of amicable association without implying romance or formal commitment.

See also: teman, sahabat, bersahabat, bergaul.