Iya is an Indonesian word that used a lot in conversation, including formal conversation and also informal conversation. Read more about meaning of “iya” in Indonesian on the explanation below:
Meaning of Iya in Indonesian
If we look at the dictionary, the translation for “iya” in English is “yes”. The word “iya” is part of the pair yes and no. In Indonesia, the pair would be “iya” and “tidak”. Yes and no are expression of the affirmative and the negative. Iya or yes take part in the affirmative.
Every language usually has their own yes and no word, including Bahasa Indonesia. The word “yes” is used to represent that it is something positive, agreement, and so on.
In sentences, especially in daily conversation, the word “iya” can also be reduced into “ya.” Some people do this because it is more convenient. It can be said equal with “yeah” in English.
Read about how to say no in Indonesian:
- How to say no in Indonesian
- How to say no in Bahasa Indonesia
- How to say no problem in Indonesia
- How to say I don’t know in Indonesian
How to Pronounce Iya in Indonesian
Pronouncing “iya” in Indonesian is not difficult. The word is spoken the same way it written. The “i” in “iya” is pronounced similar with “e” in “enough”.
While the “ya” in “iya” is pronounced similar with pronouncing “ya” in “yard”. Some people pronounce it to only “ya” to be more comfortable and short.
Other Words or Gesture To Say Iya in Indonesian
Sometimes, the word “iya” can be used to agree at something. This is the same with using yes in English.
When you agree in something, you can replace the word yes or iya with a gesture, with nodding your head. This is also can be used in Indonesia. Indonesian people nod their head when agree at something in daily conversation.
There are also other word in Indonesia that can be used to say “iya”. One of them is already mentioned, “ya”. It is a more concise version of iya. The other words that can be used to say iya in Indonesia are as follow (the use will be different according to the context of the sentences):
- Ia (other form, quite informal)
- baiklah (okay)
- Setuju (agree)
- oke (okay)
- sungguh (really)
- betul (true)
How to Use Iya in Indonesian Daily Conversation
Below are several ways to use the word iya in Indonesian daily conversation:
- A: Apakah kamu mau makan nasi goreng? (Do you want to eat fried rice?)
B: Iya (yes)
- A: Ayo pulang bersama-sama (Let’s go home together)
B: Ya (yeah)
- A: Apakah kamu setuju kalau kita makan di restoran? (Do you agree if we should eat at the restaurant?)
B: Iya, saya setuju (Yes, I agree with you)
Read more about Indonesian daily conversation:
That’s all about meaning of iya in Indonesian. Thank you for reading. Hope the information will be helpful for the readers.