Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| bibi | /ˈbi.bi/ |
| tante | /ˈtantə/ |
The term is used to refer to a parent's sister or sister-in-law. Beyond biological relations, Tante is used as a polite way to address a woman who is older than you in many Indonesian social contexts.
Which one should you use?
While bibi is the standard term, tante is a colloquial alternative borrowed from Dutch. It is very common in everyday urban Indonesian speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bibi is the standard form, whereas tante is considered colloquial. In social settings, using Tante to address an older woman is a polite way to address a woman who is older than you.
How does it change in a sentence?
To indicate possession, such as 'his aunt' or 'her aunt', you can add the suffix -nya to the word, creating bibinya or tantenya.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈbi.bi/. The first of the two syllables is stressed.
When do people say it?
In many Indonesian social contexts, Tante is used as a polite way to address a woman who is older than you, even if she is not a biological relative.
Did you know?
- While tante is a polite address for older women, in some modern urban slang it can be a coded term for a 'sugar mommy'.
- In some traditional Indonesian households, bibi can also refer to a female domestic worker rather than a relative.
- The word tante evolved from the Old French ante, showing how a word traveled from Latin to France to the Netherlands and finally to Indonesia.
Examples in context
- Bibi saya seorang jurnalis.My aunt is a journalist.This sentence shows how to use bibi to describe someone's profession.Tatoeba #11962163 by Pacific, translation #11947699 by zogwarg
- Bibimu sedang melakukan apa?What does your aunt do?This sentence demonstrates a question using bibi.Tatoeba #4332909 by Bilmanda, translation #17411 by CK
- Tom tinggal bersama bibinya.Tom lives with his aunt.This sentence shows how to use the form bibinya to indicate possession.Tatoeba #11834618 by Pacific, translation #4751212 by Hybrid
- Bibi, apa kabar?Aunt, how are you?
- Tante, maukah kamu menjadi saksi pernikahan saya?Aunt, would you be my witness at my wedding?
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rian is introducing a family member to Indah.
- RianIndah, ini bibi saya dari desa.Indah, this is my aunt from the village.
- IndahHalo, Bibi. Senang bertemu dengan Anda.Hello, Aunt. It is nice to meet you.
- RianBibi baru saja sampai pagi ini.My aunt just arrived this morning.
- IndahSelamat datang di kota ini, Bibi.Welcome to this city, Aunt.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “aunt” translations and entries bibi, tante, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bibi, tante, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
