kelapa
/kəˈla.pa/
The English word "coconut" is translated to Indonesian as kelapa. Wiktionary also lists nyiur.
Meaning: fruit of coco palm (noun)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| kelapa | /kəˈla.pa/ |
| nyiur | /ˈɲiur/ (Standard Indonesian) |
The word refers to the fruit of the coco palm. You can use specific phrases to describe parts of the fruit, such as air kelapa for coconut water and daging kelapa for the edible coconut meat.
Which one should you use?
kelapa is the standard, everyday word used in most contexts. In contrast, nyiur is a more poetic or literary term often found in song lyrics or classical literature.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has three syllables, with the stress on the second syllable: /kəˈla.pa/.
Did you know?
- In Indonesia, the coconut tree is known as pohon kehidupan or the 'tree of life' because every part of the plant can be used for a practical purpose.
- While kelapa is the everyday term, the more poetic word nyiur is a cognate of the Tagalog word niyog used in the Philippines.
- If you read classical Javanese literature, you will find the form klapa instead of the modern Indonesian kelapa.
Examples in context
- Daniel sedang membuat jus kelapa.Daniel is making coconut juice.This sentence shows how to use kelapa when talking about making coconut juice.Tatoeba #11994015 by Pacific, translation #5296496 by katalex
- Gurita itu membawa tempurung kelapa.That octopus is carrying a coconut shell.This sentence uses kelapa in the context of a coconut shell.Tatoeba #5889036 by Bilmanda, translation #7808129 by sharris123
- Minumannya disajikan dalam tempurung kelapa.The drinks were served in coconut shells.This sentence demonstrates the use of kelapa regarding serving drinks in shells.Tatoeba #5879069 by Bilmanda, translation #27113 by al_ex_an_der
- Apakah Anda bisa memberikan saya resep minuman kelapa?Can you give me a coconut drink recipe?
- Dia memetik buah kelapa yang matang di kebunnya.He picked ripe coconuts in his garden.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dimas and Indah are at a tropical fruit market.
- DimasApakah ada kelapa muda di sini?Are there any young coconuts here?
- IndahAda, sangat segar dan manis.Yes, they are very fresh and sweet.
- DimasAku ingin beli dua buah kelapa.I want to buy two coconuts.
- IndahBaik, aku akan mengambilkannya untukmu.Okay, I will get them for you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “coconut” translations and entries kelapa, nyiur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries kelapa, nyiur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
