Indonesian Words For Family is really important to know especially if you are a tourist or plan to visit Indonesia. Why? because in Indonesia, has been a manner for peoples to use Words used for family member to call everyone who yet you meet before.Even tough this words usually used by family it doesn’t mean it cannot be used in the general society. Like I mentioned before in other post, Indonesia as like other Asian country is a polite and inclusive society. They are living in a big family-like hood.
Here the list of Indonesian Words For Family members:
- Father / Dad : Bapak, Pak, Ayah
- Mother / Mom : Ibu, Bunda, Mama
- Sister : Kakak
- Brother : Abang
- Little Sister : Adik Perempuan
- Little Brother : Adik Laki-laki
- Boy : Laki-laki , Pemuda
- Girl : Perempuan, Pemudi
- Grandmother : Nenek
- Grandfather : Kakek
- Aunt : Bibi
- Uncle : Paman
- Mr/Sir : Tuan
- Miss : Nona
- Mrs : Nyonya
Those listed words can be use for people yet you met before, For example if you want to ask a Taxi Driver to deliver you to some place but you don’t know his name then you can call him as “Abang” which means “Brother” in friendly term. Other example when you try to called someone who is much older than you, then you call them “Pak” for male or “Ibu” for female subject.
In general term people in Indonesia always using “mr” or “mrs” to called foreigner especially from European or American tourist or visitor. So that , Don’t be offended if you are called “mrs” even tough you are not marry yet because they trying to be polite to you.
Please bear in your mind that this call words is only applied in Indonesian big cities such as Jakarta,Surabaya, Bali, Bandung, Bogor, Yogyakarta and others. In some part of Indonesia there is traditional call for people listed above, for example if you go to Riau Province they will call you as “Cik” equivalent to “Sir” or if you are in Medan r other cities/villages in North Sumatera, its really common for peoples to called “Lay/lai” for a man/boy. So make sure you ask first wherever you are about those words to the locals.
Mantap!