adik perempuan
/ˈadik pərəmˈpuan/word by word
The Indonesian phrase for "little sister" is adik perempuan.
Adik perempuan is used to refer specifically to a female sibling who is younger than the speaker. The term adik can also be used more broadly as a term of address for any person younger than the speaker, regardless of whether they are biological siblings.
What does it mean word for word?
adik means younger sibling and perempuan means female or woman.
How does it change in a sentence?
In casual conversation, the gender-specifying perempuan is often dropped. In these instances, adik is used to mean both little sister and little brother.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈadik pərəmˈpuan/
Did you know?
- The word perempuan is derived from empu, which historically meant 'owner' or 'master'.
- If you use the term adik to address a woman who is actually older than you, it might be perceived as a cheeky or even disrespectful way to suggest she looks younger than her age.
- In many Indonesian families, instead of using the name of a 'little sister', older siblings will simply call her adik as a consistent nickname.
Examples in context
- Saya punya satu adik perempuan.I have one little sister.
- Adik perempuan saya sedang sekolah.My little sister is at school.
- Apakah dia adik perempuan kamu?Is she your little sister?
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about their family at a cafe.
- DimasApakah kamu punya adik perempuan?Do you have a little sister?
- MayaYa, saya punya seorang adik perempuan.Yes, I have a little sister.
- DimasBerapa usianya?How old is she?
- MayaDia baru berumur lima tahun.She is only five years old.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (adik, perempuan) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries adik, perempuan, CC BY-SA 4.0.
