Pronouns

By Speak Indo, from the Speak Indo Indonesian course.

Indonesian has formal and informal pronouns, and two words for 'we'.

How it works

Choosing a pronoun depends on the relationship and setting: • saya, neutral-polite 'I'; a safe choice with new people, customers, and elders • aku, familiar 'I'; common with friends, partners, and family • kamu, familiar 'you'; natural with peers once the relationship supports it, but potentially too direct to an elder or stranger • Anda, impersonal or explicitly formal 'you'; common in notices, advertising, and formal instructions, but often distant in face-to-face conversation • Bapak/Pak, Ibu/Bu, Kak, Mas, Mbak, titles that commonly replace 'you' in conversation • dia, he or she (same word for both) • kami, we (not including the listener) • kita, we (including the listener) • mereka, they Indonesian also omits pronouns when the meaning is already clear. Repeating 'Anda' in every sentence can sound less natural than using a title, a name, or no pronoun.

Examples

• Saya guru.
  I am a teacher. (formal)
• Aku lapar.
  I'm hungry. (informal)
• Kami dari Amerika.
  We (not you) are from America.
• Kita pergi sekarang.
  We (all of us) go now.