pergi
/pərˈɡi/
The English phrase "go away" is translated into Indonesian as pergi.
pergi is a verb meaning to depart or leave a place. While it is the standard way to say "to go away", it is often used interchangeably with meninggalkan (to leave or abandon), depending on whether your focus is on the act of departing or the place being left.
Meaning: to depart or leave a place (verb)
Which one should you use?
The form pergilah is used in literary contexts, where adding the suffix -lah to pergi makes the command sound more poetic or softer.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express that someone has already gone away or went, you can add the word sudah before pergi.
How do you pronounce it?
/pərˈɡi/
Did you know?
- In Jakarta slang, the word cabut is used to mean 'leaving' or 'bailing', which literally translates to 'pulling out' or 'uprooting'.
- Using pergi as a command toward an elder or a superior is seen as a serious breach of social etiquette and is extremely rude.
- To describe someone who has passed away, Indonesians use the euphemism pergi selamanya, which means 'to go forever'.
Examples in context
- Kami semua akan merindukanmu ketika kau pergi.We shall all miss you when you go away.This sentence shows how to use pergi to express missing someone when they depart.Tatoeba #3479840 by orion17, translation #18050 by Zifre
- Jika boleh, saya ingin segera pergi dari sini.If it is allowed, I would like to go away.This sentence uses pergi to express a desire to depart from a location.Tatoeba #5481999 by menyo, translation #5733669 by halucnation
- Pergi!Go away!This sentence shows pergi used as a blunt command.Tatoeba #4556833 by dbahasa, translation #433518 by CK
- Mohon pergilah, kami sedang melakukan rapat penting.Please go away, we are having an important meeting.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rian is telling Maya that he needs to leave the house.
- MayaKamu mau pergi sekarang?Are you going away now?
- RianIya, aku harus pergi sekarang.Yes, I have to go away now.
- MayaHati-hati di jalan, Rian.Be careful on the road, Rian.
- RianTerima kasih, Maya.Thank you, Maya.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry pergi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
