catat

Catat is a verb in Indonesian and Malay that means to write down, to note, or to record information for future reference. It is used to indicate the act of preserving details so they can be retrieved later. In Indonesian, catat appears in both everyday speech and formal registers. The imperative form "Catat!" directs someone to take note, and "Catatlah ..." adds emphasis or politeness. The related verb "mencatat" expresses the action of recording, while the passive form "tercatat" means that something has been noted or recorded. The noun forms include "catatan" (a note or memorandum) and "pencatatan" (the act of recording or the records).

Catat is used in a variety of contexts: in education to indicate noting important material (catat materi), in administration for keeping records (catatan rapat, catatan keuangan), in journalism for field notes (catatan lapangan), and in everyday planning (tolong catat alamatnya). The term also features in compound phrases such as "catatan penting" (important note) or "catatan rapat" (meeting notes).

Regional and linguistic notes: catat is standard in both Indonesia and Malaysia and is widely understood in Malay-speaking communities. While synonyms exist, such as mencatat or merekam, catat remains a common and concise form for the action of noting or recording information.