Every language from all over the world is unique and has its own characteristics. Have you ever feel frustrated and want to say specific word in other language but you cannot find the right word at all? Here we gave you several list of Indonesian phrases/word I wish we had in English.
1. Jayus
“Jayus” is Indonesian word that we used to call a joke that is not funny and can’t make us laugh. We can’t find one English word that fit with the meaning of this word.
Read more: Indonesian dirty words
2. Garing
“Garing” is Indonesian word that we used to call a joke that is not funny and can’t make us laugh. The meaning is similar with “jayus”, so we can’t also find one English word that fit with the meaning. Garing in English can be translated as crispy, but has different meaning.
Read more: Indonesian simple phrases
3. Gemes
“Gemes” is an Indonesian word that we used to describe that we feel really love and adore something cute.
4. Alay
“Alay” is abbreviation of “anak layangan”. This is used to call people that acting strange like someone from rural area. The word is often associated with negative aspects of rural area.
5. Ilfeel
“Ilfeel” is abbreviation from “ilang feeling” or when we have no more feeling toward something. For example when we like a person, but when the person turns out to be really dirty, we feel nothing anymore or “ilfeel”.
6. Baper
“Baper” means when a person really thinks a lot, too sensitive and develop their feeling because of something really trivial.
Read more: Baper meaning in Indonesian
7. Cabe-cabean
“Cabe-cabean” is a word that used to call girls that acted impolite and sometimes too friendly to the opposite sex.
Read more: Unique Indonesian words
8. Masuk Angin
“Masuk angin” is different with colds. It is a condition when a person is exposed to the wind or cold and then feel that the stomach is gassy and in pain.
9. Lusa
“Lusa” in Indonesian means “the day after tomorrow”. The phrase the day after tomorrow is too long and sometimes not effective to be used in daily conversation. It is more conventional to say it as one word “lusa.”
10. Latah
“Latah” is a response given by a person in a form of words, actions, or gestures when feel surprised. There is no English word for latah. In online dictionary the translation is “talkative” but it is not the meaning.
Read more: Untranslatable Indonesian words with no English equivalent
12. Sumringah
“Sumringah” can be translated as happy in English. However, there is a slight difference in the meaning. Sumringah is a condition when a person is feeling extremely happy that the happy feeling can be seen in her/his face.
13. Galau
“Galau” is a condition when a person is feeling really sad, confused, or has many thoughts about something that really bothering.
Read more: Meaning of Galau in Indonesian
13. Cetar Membahana
“Cetar membahana” is an Indonesian phrase popularized by Indonesian Singer Syahrini. This phrase is used to describe something that is very extraordinary and extremely eye-catching.
14. Ngulet
“Ngulet” is a term used when people get up in the morning and stretch the body on the bed. This is different with regular stretching because “ngulet” is done on the bed and the cause is the ached body after a long sleep.
15. Ngabuburit
“Ngabuburit” is an Indonesian term that used a lot when they fasting. Ngabuburit is activities that Indonesian people do to spend time while fasting so they don’t feel tortured by hunger. They do activities such as gaming, reading, walking, and so on to forget that they are hungry and waiting for dinner.
That’s all about Indonesian phrases I wish we had in English. Thank you for reading.