‘pe- + -an’ to create an abstract noun

Both confix ‘pe-… -an’ and per- -an create an abstract noun (things we cannot touch, see or feel) that indicates the process of performing the action of what the verb refers to. Some are noun based, some come from verb.

pe- + -an

The confix ‘pe-… -an’ creates an abstract noun (things we cannot touch, see or feel) that indicates the process of performing the action of what the verb refers to.

This is rather different from many ke-an words which are also abstract nouns, but in which no ‘action’ is implied. However, not all pe- -an words come from verbs. Some are noun-based, which makes them more like ke-an nouns.

Verb	meaning	add suffix -an	meaning	add prefix pe-	meaning
pakai	to use	pakaian	clothes	pemakaian	use, usage
baca	to read	bacaan	reading stuff	pembacaan	reading
tulis	to write	tulisan	writing	penulisan	the writing of
kirim	to send	kiriman	shipment, parcel, consignment	pengiriman	dispatch

Most pe- + -an words are derived from prefixed me- verbs. This is why the sound changes in me- verbs are also found in pe- + -an words. 

	prefix me-	meaning	confix pe- + -an	meaning
beli	membeli	to buy	pembelian	purchase
cium	mencium	to kiss	penciuman	sense of smell
dengar	mendengar	to hear	pendengaran	sense of hearing
lihat	melihat	to see	penglihatan	eyesight
jual	menjual	to sell	penjualan	sales

Circumfix

The following noun words are not formed by confix but through a morphological process.

Root Word	Meaning	pe – an	Meaning
raga	body, show off	peragaan	show, display, modeling, exhibition
makam	grave	pemakaman	funeral
bubar	dismiss	pembubaran	dissolution
tinggal	remain	peninggalan	estate, inheritance
dapat	earn, get	pendapatan	income, acquisition
tekan	pressure	penekanan	pressing, emphasizing
sumbat	plug, stooper	penyumbatan	clogging, blockage