Categories
Vocabulary

‘Lu’ Meaning in Indonesian – Slang Word – Examples

“Lu” is a word that used a lot in Indonesia. This word is used mostly between young people, especially in big cities and social media. This word is firstly used by Betawi people in Jakarta.

As television shows use this word a lot, this word started to spread to all over Indonesia. Read explanation below to know more about lu meaning in Indonesia.

Lu Meaning in Indonesian

The word “lu” is similar with “kamu”, “Anda”, or “you in English”. This is an informal word. This word is used mostly in Indonesia’s big cities. People that use this word first is people live in Jakarta since around 1970. The counterpart of this word is “gue”, that means “aku”, “saya”, or “I” in English. This word and its counterparts is an informal word used when talking with friends or younger people.

Please take note that this word is a very informal word. Thus, this word should not be used in formal occasion or when talking with older people.

In Jakarta, this word is mandatory when talking with friends, especially with the opposite gender. This is because this word is used between friends. In Jakarta, people that use “aku” and “kamu” between opposite gender is usually considered as a lover. However, in other cities, this rule is not applicable.

Lu meaning is the very informal way to say ‘You’

Read more about several words that have consimilar purposes or meaning:

A Theory About the word “Lu” History

Many people believe that this word is come from Betawi Language. However, a theory stated other facts. It is said that this word was come from Chinese people.

This word is similar with “you in Chinese” (你). Then this word was popularized by many sellers from China that come to Indonesia through Jakarta. They did a lot of interactions with Jakarta people.

Another Ways to say “Lu” in Indonesia

There are several another ways to say the word “lu” in Indonesia. People say and write it the way they want, but they still have the same pronunciation. Usually it developed in chatting applications or social medias. People change the word a little bit to make it seems cuter or to emphasize the meaning.

They also choose which one is more comfortable for them. If you find these words in Indonesia, they have the same meaning with “lu”. Below are the list of the words:

  • Lo
  • Loe
  • Elu
  • Elo
  • Eloe
  • Lau 

How to Pronounce Lu in Indonesian

There are many ways to pronounce lu in Indonesia because there are many ways to say “lu” as explained before. The most common is using “lu” and “lo” pronunciation. The word is pronounced as the way they written. “U” in “lu” is pronounced similar with “u” in “luke”. While “o” in “lo” is pronounced similar with “o” in “lock”.

As to pronounce elu and elo, add “e” before “lu” or “lo. The “e” is pronounced similar with “e” in “learn”.

Several Examples of Using word Lu in Indonesian

Below are several examples on using the word “lu” in Indonesian daily conversational sentences:

  • Lu mau kemana?”

“Where are you going?”

  • Gue mau minta tolong sama lu”.

“I want to ask for your help.”

  • Lu mau makan gak?

“Do you want to eat?”

Read more:

That’s all about “lu” meaning in Indonesia. Thank you for reading.