tuhan
/ˈtuhan/
The Indonesian word for God is tuhan. Wiktionary also lists dewa.
Meaning: deity (noun)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| tuhan | /ˈtuhan/ (Standard Indonesian) |
| dewa | /ˈdewa/ (Standard Indonesian) |
The term tuhan is the most common and widely used word for God in Indonesian. It is used to refer to the single deity of monotheistic religions. You may also see the term Allah used in Indonesian to refer to God, or the phrase Tuhan Yang Maha Esa to mean The Almighty God.
Which one should you use?
Use tuhan when referring to the single God in monotheistic religions, such as Christianity or Islam. Use dewa when referring to gods in a polytheistic context, such as in Hindu or Greek mythology.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to the specific monotheistic God, the word should be capitalized as Tuhan.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtuhan/
Did you know?
- The phrase Tuhan Yang Maha Esa appears in the first principle of Pancasila, the official philosophical foundation of the Indonesian state.
- Indonesians may use dewa as a metaphor for someone who is an absolute expert in a specific field, similar to calling someone a 'god' of guitar or chess in English.
- The word tuhan is a doublet of the word tuan, which means 'sir' or 'master'. This links the concept of a deity to the concept of ownership and social hierarchy.
Examples in context
- Hanya Tuhan yang tahu.Only God knows.This sentence is useful for expressing that only God has knowledge.Tatoeba #12245355 by Pacific, translation #269633 by Eldad
- Tuhan itu Maha Mengetahui.God is omniscient.This sentence is useful for describing the omniscience of God.Tatoeba #10122722 by HAGNi, translation #10122714 by ddnktr
- Kami percaya kepada Tuhan.We believe in God.This sentence is useful for expressing belief in God.Tatoeba #11475003 by Pacific, translation #248918 by CK
- Saya percaya kepada Tuhan.I believe in God.
- Semua manusia semestinya menghormati Allah.All humans should respect God.
- Terima kasih, Tuhan Yang Maha Esa, atas segala berkat yang Kau berikan.Thank you, Almighty God, for all the blessings you have bestowed upon us.
- Ayo, kita harus berdoa kepada Yang Di Atas agar semua baik-baik saja.Come on, let's pray to God so that everything will be alright.
- Gusti Maha Kuasa melindungi kita semua.God Almighty protects us all.
- 35 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their morning routine.
- DimasApakah kau sudah berdoa hari ini?Have you prayed today?
- MayaSudah, aku baru saja berbicara kepada Tuhan.Yes, I just spoke to God.
- DimasItu kebiasaan yang sangat baik, Maya.That is a very good habit, Maya.
- MayaTerima kasih, Dimas.Thank you, Dimas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “God” translations and entries tuhan, dewa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dewa, tuhan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
