Romantic relationships are an inevitable part of our daily life. Whether you have an Indonesian significant other, or enjoy watching or reading Indonesian romance, you’ll need to get familiar with Indonesian romantic vocabularies to get going!
Romantic Words in Indonesian Language
Let’s learn some of these words today.
| Cinta | Love (verb/noun) |
| Sayang | Love (verb/noun) Dear |
| Rindu | Miss (verb) |
| Kangen | Miss (verb) |
| Kencan | Date (noun) |
| Cium | Kiss (verb) |
| Peluk | Hug (verb) |
| Dekap | Hug/embrace (verb) |
| Pacar | Boy/girlfriend |
| Gebetan | Crush |
| Kekasih | Boy/girlfriend |
| Tunangan | Engagement Fiance/fiancee |
| Istri | Wife |
| Suami | Husband |
| Hadiah | Gift |
| Makan malam | Dinner |
| Goda | Flirt |
| Menikah | Marry |
| Pernikahan | Wedding/marriage |
| Malaikat | Angel |
| Manis | Sweet |
| Hati | Heart |
| Mimpi | Dream |
| Pikir | Think |
| Idaman | Ideal |
| Sempurna | Perfect |
| Cantik | Beautiful |
| Tampan | Handsome |
| Coklat | Chocolate |
| Bunga | Flower |
| Kejutan | Surprise |
There is some uniqueness in Indonesian romantic language. Check out the explanations of romantic words in Indonesian language below:
- Cinta Means Love
For example, ‘love’ itself is translated in many ways in Indonesian, such as ‘cinta’, ‘sayang’, and the more formal word ‘kasih’. Though they all mean love, in day-to-day use, ‘cinta’ is used to describe a deeper more romantic sense of love, while ‘sayang’ is a broader term that can be applied to both romantic and other forms of love (e.g family, friends). ‘Kasih’ is usually used in a more spiritual/godly term. ‘Kasih sayang’ is also a familiar phrase used to describe strong love in general.
- Sayang means Dear
Meanwhile, some Indonesian romantic words can also be used multiple ways. Taking the word ‘sayang’ as our example again, besides using it as a noun, it can be used as a verb, and another way to use it is as a petname to our loved one. So, calling your significant other ‘Sayang’ is the Indonesian equivalent for the English use of words like ‘dear’, ‘baby’, or ‘honey’.
- Pacar Means Boyfriend/Girlfriends
There are also other examples of informal and formal romantic language. The Indonesian word for ‘miss’ can be ‘rindu’ (formal) or kangen’ (informal). Of course, the informal word is more commonly used in daily conversations. The term for boy/girlfriend in Indonesian is unisexual—‘pacar’ is the more commonly used word while ‘kekasih’ is more formal and deep.
- Peluk is Hug
Since the Indonesians are quite conventional in terms of romance, there aren’t many exact Indonesian words to describe the English words such as ‘cuddle’ or ‘snuggle’. But we do have Indonesian words for kiss (‘cium’) and hug (‘peluk’). Do remember that Indonesians are not as ‘open’ as Western countries to ideas of romance, so be considerate when using romantic words in your conversations. Learn more on communication etiquette in Indonesia to help you as well.
So the next time you watch an Indonesian movie, or read an Indonesian love story, you might find these words and be familiar with them. Keep enriching your knowledge on Indonesian words and phrases! For example, you can learn how to say how are you in Indonesian, how to say take care in Indonesian, and how to say have great day to complete your conversation. Confidence is the key in speaking a new language, so learn these ways on how to talk with Indonesian like pro as well! Good luck!