supaya

Supaya is a subordinating conjunction used in Indonesian and Malay to express purpose or outcome. It translates roughly as “so that,” “in order that,” or “so as to,” and it links a main clause with a subordinate clause that states the intended result of the action in the main clause. The subordinate clause can share the same subject as the main clause or introduce a different subject, depending on the sentence structure.

Usage and function: Supaya introduces clauses that describe the goal or consequence of an action. It is commonly attached to verbs to express aims, but it can also follow adjectives or nouns that indicate a desired state. For example, “Saya belajar supaya lulus ujian” means “I study so that I pass the exam,” and “Dia bekerja keras supaya keluarga terjamin” means “He works hard so that the family is guaranteed (well-off).” The construction is versatile in both spoken and written language.

Nuances and alternatives: In formal written Indonesian, the word agar serves a similar purpose and often carries a more formal or literary tone; both can be used to express purpose, with pilihan depending on register and style. Colloquial speech may substitute biar or supaya in casual contexts. Supaya is widely understood across Indonesian-speaking communities and remains common in contemporary usage.

Common points: Supaya expresses intention or expected outcome rather than reason or cause. Misusing it to state a cause or motive (instead of purpose) would be incorrect; use karena, sebab, or karena untuk causal explanations.