Lesson 4: Personal Pronouns

Personal Pronouns: 
1. First Person (I/me & we/us)
     Singular

• saya (formal)
• aku (used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• aku, gue, gua, (colloquial*)

     Plural

• kami (excluding the person we talk with)
• kita (including the person we talk with)

in colloquial expressions we mostly use "kita".

2. Second Person (you)
     Singular

• Anda (formal)
• Saudara (used for people we do not know very well)
• kamu (used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• kau, engkau (used to be applied for those closely related or dearest ones, nowadays mostly found in songs, poetry, etc.)
• kamu, lu, lo (colloquial*)

     Plural

• Anda sekalian, Anda semua (formal)
• Saudara sekalian, Saudara semua (formal, used for people we do not know very well)
• kalian, kalian semua (informal, used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• lu pada, lo pada (colloquial*)

3. Third Person (he/she/they)
     Singular

• beliau (formal)
• dia (informal)

     Plural

• beliau-beliau (formal)
  
• mereka (formal, informal)

 

Other words for second and third person:
Some of these words are taken from regional dialects, so that other regions or communities might use other words.

• pak = bapak = father, Mr.
• bu = ibu = mother, Mrs.
• kak = kakak = elder brother/sister
• bang = abang = elder brother
• yah = ayah = father, Mr.
• om = uncle
• tante = aunt
• mas = elder brother (Javanese)
• mbak = elder sister (Javanese)
• kang = akang elder brother (Sundanese)
• teh = teteh = elder sister (Sundanese)
• beli = elder brother (Balinese)
• mbok = elder sister (Balinese)

 

Structures:
Subject +Predicate

Examples:

• Saya suka. = I like it. (formal)
• Aku mau. = I want to. (used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• Gue terima. = I accept. (colloquial)
• Gua makan. = I eat. (colloquial)
• Gw capek. = I am tired. (colloquial)
• Kami berangkat. = We depart. (excluding the person we talk with)
• Kita senang. = We are happy. (including the person we talk with)
• Anda bagaimana? = How about you? (formal)
• Saudara baik-baik saja? = Are you all right? (used for people we do not know very well)
• Kamu sudah? = You finished? (used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• Kau baik. = You are nice. (used to be applied for those closely related or dearest ones, nowadays mostly found in songs, poetry, etc.)
• Engkau hebat. = You are wonderful. (used to be applied for those closely related or dearest ones, nowadays mostly found in songs, poetry, etc.) 
• Lu ke mana? = You are going where? (colloquial)
• Lo kenapa? = What happened to you? (colloquial)
• Anda sekalian kapan berangkat? = When do you all depart? (plural, formal)
• Anda semua sudah siap? = Are you all ready? (plural, formal)
• Saudara sekalian bisa menyaksikan. = You all can witness. (plural, formal, used for people we do not know very well)
• Saudara semua tidak perlu khawatir. = You all do not need to worry. (plural, formal, used for people we do not know very well)
• Kalian pilih yang mana? = Which one do you all choose?  (plural, informal, used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• Kalian semua tidur. = You all sleep. (plural, informal, used with those closely related or dearest ones)
• Lu pada mau makan? =  You all want to eat? (plural, colloquial)
• Lo pada masih bangun? = You all still awake? (plural, colloquial)
• Beliau tidak suka. = He/she doesn't like it. (formal)
• Dia sudah tahu. = He/she already knows. (informal)
• Beliau-beliau sudah pulang. = They already go home. (plural, formal)
• Mereka baru datang. = They've just arrived. (plural, formal, informal)
• Pak Amat suka menyanyi. = Mr. Amat loves to sing.
• Bu Amir pergi ke pasar. = Mrs. Amir is going to the market. 
• Pak, kami sudah siap. = Sir, we are ready.
• Bu, aku takut. = Mom, I am scared.
• Bapak duduk di kursi. = Father is sitting on the chair. 
• Ibu suka berbelanja. = Mother loves to shop. 
• Kakak bermain basket. = Elder brother/sister is playing basketball. 
• Kak Ani cantik sekali. = Ani (elder sister) is very beautiful.
• Kak, aku ikut. = Elder sister/brother, I am coming with you. 

 

 *colloquial expressions widely used in daily life, although based on the standardized Indonesian language those expressions are grammatically incorrect. Such expressions mostly mixed with local dialects, so that people in each regions in Indonesia might have their own expressions which might be the same or different with those used by others in different regions.