keren
/kəˈrɛn/
In Indonesian, the English word 'cool' is translated as keren.
In Indonesian, keren is used to describe something impressive, stylish or fashionable, rather than its physical temperature.
Meaning: having a slightly low temperature (adj)
Which one should you use?
While keren is used for 'cool' in the sense of being stylish or impressive, dingin is used for 'cool' in the sense of temperature.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using keren as an exclamation to mean 'Cool!' is common in informal, conversational Indonesian. Hebat can be used to describe something as 'great' or 'awesome' in a formal context. Seru means 'fun' or 'exciting' and is used to express something cool or enjoyable. Asyik conveys the idea of 'cool' or 'enjoyable' for activities, events or experiences. Gokil is a slang word meaning 'crazy' or 'wild' but is used to indicate something is 'cool' in a unique way.
How do you pronounce it?
/kəˈrɛn/
Did you know?
- The word keren has complex roots that may trace back to Balinese or even the Proto-Mon-Khmer language family, rather than being purely Austronesian like much of Indonesian.
- To describe a person as keren, Indonesians often look for a specific blend of confidence and style rather than just physical appearance.
- Despite the similarities in modern usage, keren and dingin have no linguistic connection, unlike the English word 'cool' which links temperature and style.
Examples in context
- Keren!Cool!This example shows how to use keren as a standalone exclamation.Tatoeba #4706139 by Bilmanda, translation #4215981 by megamanenm
- Tom itu keren.Tom is cool.This sentence uses keren to describe a person.Tatoeba #11815340 by Pacific, translation #2202691 by CK
- Itu sangat keren.That's pretty cool.This sentence uses keren to describe a thing or situation.Tatoeba #3902869 by Bilmanda, translation #2251196 by CK
- Inovasi Anda sangat keren!Your innovation is very cool!
- Pertunjukan itu sangat hebat!The performance was really cool!
- Mari kita pergi ke konser itu, pasti asyik!Let's go to that concert, it will be cool!
- Stylemu gokil banget, bro!Your style is really cool, bro!
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sari and Budi are talking about the weather in the mountains.
- SariUdara di sini sangat keren ya.The air here is very cool, isn't it?
- BudiIya, saya suka cuaca seperti ini.Yes, I like weather like this.
- SariRasanya segar dan keren sekali.It feels fresh and very cool.
- BudiBenar, Sari. Mari kita jalan-jalan.True, Sari. Let's take a walk.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry keren, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries keren, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
