menahannya

Menahannya is an Indonesian verb form built from the root tahan, meaning to hold, withstand, or delay. The prefix me- marks it as a transitive action performed by a subject, and the suffix -nya attaches to indicate the object being held or restrained. In this construction, menahan can refer to physically preventing movement, delaying an action, or witholding something. The -nya pronoun is a clitic that can refer to a thing or situation previously mentioned, effectively turning the verb into “holding it” or “restraining it.”

Usage of menahannya covers several contexts. Physically restraining an object or person, for example: Ia menahannya agar tidak lepas. (He held it so it would not slip.) Detaining someone temporarily is another sense: Polisi menahannya di kantor sampai pemeriksaan selesai. (The police detained him at the office until the inspection finished.) The form can also express withholding or delaying something, or restraining oneself, as in menahan diri.

Morphology and related forms. The base verb is menahan; adding -nya yields menahannya, the pronoun-anchored form meaning “holding it” or “restraining it.” Related terms include menahan diri (to restrain oneself), tahan (hold/withstand), ditahan (be detained), and penahanan (detention). The choice of form depends on the object and the intended nuance, but all share the core idea of preventing an action, movement, or consequence through restraint.

See also: tahan, menahan diri, ditahan, penahanan.