kok bisa
/ˈkok ˈbisa/word by word
The Indonesian phrase for 'how come' is kok bisa.
kok bisa is used to express surprise or disbelief regarding the reason behind something, much like asking 'how is it possible?'
Meaning: why (adv)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of kok, which is an informal particle used for emphasis or questioning and bisa, meaning 'can' or 'be able to'.
Which one should you use?
While mengapa is the formal word for 'why', kok bisa is used in casual conversation to express a sense of 'how is it possible?'
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
kok bisa is an informal expression. Another informal way to say 'how come?' is Kenapa Bisa?
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkok ˈbisa/
Did you know?
- The word bisa shares an ancient linguistic ancestor with the English word 'virus'. Both words trace back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'poison'.
- The word bisa in the phrase has a dual meaning that could lead to confusion. In many contexts, it means 'can' or 'able to', but it also means 'venom' or 'poison'.
- In very casual speech, kok bisa is often paired with a rising intonation and a tilted head to emphasize the feeling of disbelief.
Examples in context
- Kok bisa?How come?This example is useful for seeing how to use kok bisa in a short question.Tatoeba #11732799 by Pacific, translation #2116272 by freddy1
- Bagaimana bisa kamu tiba begitu cepat?How come you arrived so quickly?
- Mengapa bisa terjadi kecelakaan itu?How come that accident happened?
- Kok bisa kamu menang lomba?How come you won the competition?
- Kenapa bisa begitu murah?How come it's so cheap?
- Bagaimana bisa kamu lupa ulang tahunmu sendiri?How come you forgot your own birthday?
- Kok bisa dia datang terlambat?How come he arrived late?
- Kok bisa harga ini berubah?How come this price changed?
Example conversation
Adi and Indah are talking about a broken laptop.
- AdiLaptop ini mati, kok bisa?This laptop died, how come?
- IndahSepertinya kena air, Adi.It seems like it got water in it, Adi.
- AdiKok bisa air masuk ke dalam?How come water got inside?
- IndahTadi ada tumpahan gelas.There was a spilled glass earlier.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (kok, bisa) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bisa, kok, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
