Halo, ketemu lagi dengan saya, Iman Prabawa. In this article, I want to talk to you about the meaning of the word [ngapain] in Indonesian. As always, we are also going to be looking at examples from movies, YouTube videos, news headlines, comics, and other sources where Indonesians use the word.
Meaning of Ngapain
[Ngapain] can have more than one meaning, depending on the context.
The first meaning of [ngapain] is used to question the purpose or reason for an action or plan.
Example sentences:
1. Ngapain sih beli bra mahal-mahal? (Why buy expensive bras?)
The sentence [ngapain sih beli bra mahal-mahal?] has the same meaning as [buat apa sih beli bra mahal-mahal?], so you can replace [ngapain] with [buat apa].
2. Pak, ngapain sih kita repot-repot kuliah? (Sir, why do we even bother going to college?)
[Ngapain] in this sentence can be replaced with [buat apa]. So, [Pak, ngapain sih kita repot-repot kuliah?] has the same meaning as [Pak, buat apa sih kita repot-repot kuliah?].
3. Netizen: Ngapain sih Gus Iddam jabat tangan selalu ucapkan ‘ngapunten’? (Netizen: Why does Gus Igdam always say ‘ngapunten’ when shaking hands)
[Ngapain] in this sentence can be replaced with [kenapa]. So, [Ngapain sih Gus Igdam jabat tangan selalu ucapkan ‘ngapunten’?] has the meaning as [Kenapa sih Gus Igdam jabat tangan selalu ucapkan ‘ngapunten’?]
The second meaning of [ngapain] is used to ask what someone is doing. [Ngapain] here can be replaced with [melakukan apa].
Example sentences:
1. Seharian di Likupang bisa ngapain aja sih? (What can you do all day in Likupang?)
So, this sentence: [Seharian di Likupang bisa ngapain aja sih?] has the same meaning as this sentence: [Seharian di Likupang bisa melakukan apa aja sih?]
2. Di rumah bingung mau ngapain? (Wondering what to do at home?)
So, this sentence: [Di rumah bingung mau ngapain?] has the same meaning as this sentence: [Di rumah bingung mau melakukan apa?].
How to Pronounce Ngapain
Here is how you pronounce [ngapain] in Bahasa Indonesia.
Next, let’s watch examples where Indonesians use the word [ngapain].
Examples of Ngapain in Use
The first example we are about to watch is taken from Di Bulan Suci Ini... Episode 1 (2023). Let’s look at the clip below.
Below is the transcript from the clip, along with the English translation:
Ama: Ngga mungkin lah! Si Mbok kan takut naik pesawat. Ngga mau dia naik pesawat, ah! (No way! Mbok is scared of flying. She’d never want to get on a plane!)
Sri: Kan lebih cepet sampenya. (But we’d get there faster.)
Ama: Tapi kan, Sri. Aku sama si Mbok udah janjian, mo ke Banyuwangi bareng. (But, Sri, Mbok and I already made plans to go to Banyuwangi together.)
Sri: Mo ngapain? (What for?)
Ama: Ceng beng lah. Ama ikut, yah? (For Ceng Beng, of course! Can I come too, please?)
Wisnu: Maaf, Ama. Ngga bisa. Udah penuh barangnya. (Sorry, Ama. You can’t. There’s already too much stuff in the car.)
Sri says [mo ngapain?] in this clip. [Ngapain] in this clip refers to the first meaning I explained above, which is asking the purpose or reason for an action.
Vocabulary From the Clip
[Ngga mungkin] = impossible.
[Lah] in [ngga mungkin lah!] has no meaning. Its function is only to emphasize.
[Takut] = afraid.
[Sampe] is informal for [sampai] = arrived at the destination.
[Udah] is a common reduction of [sudah] = already.
[Bareng] = together.
[Ceng Beng] = Let’s watch the clip below. The clip below explains the meaning of Ceng Beng.
[Mo] is informal for [mau] = want.
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This wraps up today’s article. If you have any questions, just leave them in the comments below, and I’ll be happy to answer them for you.
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