sebuah
The Indonesian phrase "a" is represented by sebuah.
sebuah is an indefinite article used before a singular noun to refer to one person or thing. In many casual contexts, Indonesian speakers omit the indefinite article sebuah entirely, simply using the noun itself to imply "a" or "some".
What does it mean word for word?
sebuah is a combination of the prefix se- meaning "one" and buah meaning "fruit" or a generic classifier for objects, literally translating to "one piece/thing".
Which one should you use?
While sebuah is used for inanimate objects, Indonesian requires different classifiers (like seorang for people or seekor for animals) depending on the noun being counted.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a person, you should use seorang instead of sebuah. When referring to an animal, the classifier seekor is used instead of sebuah.
Did you know?
- Indonesian uses different 'counters' for 'a' based on the soul of the object. Humans use seorang because orang means 'person', and animals use seekor because ekor means 'tail'.
- Indonesian has specialized articles for 'a' that the page doesn't list, such as sehelai for thin flat things like paper or clothes and sebutir for small round things like eggs or pearls.
- If you use sebuah to describe a person, it can sound dehumanizing. It treats the person as an inanimate object or a 'piece' of something rather than a human being.
Examples in context
- Ini sebuah desa kecil.This is a small village.This sentence is useful for demonstrating how to describe a small village using sebuah.Tatoeba #12543513 by HAGNi, translation #3933907 by felvideki
- Aku butuh sebuah lampu.I need a lamp.This sentence shows how to express a need for an object like a lamp using sebuah.Tatoeba #11228527 by Pi31415i, translation #2631910 by Joseph
- Tom adalah sebuah nama.Tom is a name.This sentence illustrates the use of sebuah when identifying a name as an object.Tatoeba #13937085 by HAGNi, translation #13876128 by araneo
- Saya membutuhkan sebuah buku.I need a book.
- Ada sebuah restoran di seberang jalan.There is a restaurant across the street.
- Saya ingin membeli satu kursi.I want to buy a chair.
- Dia seorang guru yang baik.He/she is a good teacher.
- Saya ingin menjadi seorang dokter.I want to become a doctor.
- Ada satu kucing di halaman belakang.There is a cat in the backyard.
- Saya butuh satu bantal lagi.I need one more pillow.
- 210 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Putri and Adi are looking at a picture of a house.
- PutriIni sebuah rumah yang indah.This is a beautiful house.
- AdiYa, aku suka warna catnya.Yes, I like the paint color.
- PutriApakah kamu ingin membeli sebuah rumah seperti ini?Do you want to buy a house like this?
- AdiTentu, tapi itu sangat mahal.Sure, but it is very expensive.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry sebuah, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
