bro
In Indonesian, bro means a male comrade or friend.
bro is used as slang to address a male friend. It is a direct loanword from English and is used to refer to a male comrade or someone who shares one's ideals.
Meaning: male comrade or friend, one who shares one’s ideals (noun)
Which one should you use?
While bro is common in urban slang, it is much less formal than the Indonesian term saudara, which means brother or relative.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bro is used as slang. Other informal ways to address male friends include Bang, Mas and Bos.
Is it said differently in some regions?
The term Bang is particularly common in Jakarta, as is the term Bos, which is a popular way of addressing friends casually in Jakarta.
When do people say it?
Indonesian speakers have several informal ways to address male friends depending on the context. Bang is a common friendly term, while Mas is used for a male friend who is older or around the same age. In Jakarta, you will often hear Bos used as a casual way to address friends.
Did you know?
- In certain social circles, calling someone Bro can actually be a way to playfully mock someone who is trying too hard to act cool or Westernized.
- While bro is used for men, the Indonesian slang scene has a gender-specific counterpart for women, such as Sist, borrowed from the English 'sister'.
- In many parts of Indonesia, using bro can signal a very specific urban, middle-class identity, whereas using traditional terms like Mas signals a connection to Javanese culture.
Examples in context
- Apa kabar, bro?How are you, bro?
- Dia itu teman lama saya, bro.He is my old friend, bro.
- Tunggu aku sebentar, bro.Wait for me a moment, bro.
Example conversation
Adi and Putri are talking about a plan for the weekend.
- AdiBro, mau ikut nongkrong besok?Bro, do you want to hang out tomorrow?
- PutriAku mau, tapi jam berapa?I do, but at what time?
- AdiJam tujuh malam ya, bro.At seven in the evening, bro.
- PutriOke, sampai jumpa besok, Adi.Okay, see you tomorrow, Adi.
