cinta
/ˈt͡ʃinta/
In Indonesian, love is expressed as cinta.
The word cinta refers to strong, intense or profound affection, most frequently used in a romantic or passionate context. It can function as a noun meaning love or as a verb meaning to have a strong affection for something or someone. For more general affection and caring, such as the love felt for friends or family, the word sayang is more common. To express the concept of loving care or general affection as a compound noun, kasih sayang is often used.
Meaning: strong affection (noun)
Which one should you use?
While cinta is used for intense or romantic love, the word sayang is a more versatile and common way to express affection towards friends, family or partners. Additionally, the term bercinta is a euphemism meaning to have sex with someone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
In formal or literary contexts, the transitive verb form mencintai is often used to mean 'to love someone'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtʃinta/
Did you know?
- The word cinta actually traces its roots back to the Sanskrit word for 'anxiety' or 'worry'.
- In Indonesian, sayang can also be used as an exclamation to express regret or pity, similar to saying 'what a shame' or 'too bad'.
- Indonesians often express love through actions and food rather than saying cinta or sayang aloud, as direct verbal declarations can feel overly dramatic.
Examples in context
- Aku cinta kota ini.I love this town.This sentence shows how to use cinta to express a love for a place.Tatoeba #8864783 by HAGNi, translation #1887558 by CK
- Aku cinta sekolah ini.I love this school.This sentence demonstrates using cinta to express affection for a school.Tatoeba #11475158 by Pacific, translation #1819087 by Amastan
- Ini cinta pertama saya.This is my first love.This sentence shows how to use cinta to describe a first love.Tatoeba #3363347 by dbahasa, translation #3962692 by JSakuragi
- Saya sangat mencintai pekerjaan sayaI love my job very much
- Ibu memberikan kasih kepada anak-anaknyaA mother gives love to her children
- Sayang, kamu sungguh istimewa bagikuDarling, you are really special to me
- Saya mencintaimu sejak lamaI've loved you for a long time
- 68 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sari and Dimas are talking about a romantic poem.
- SariPuisi ini bicara tentang cinta.This poem talks about love.
- DimasApakah kamu percaya cinta sejati?Do you believe in true love?
- SariYa, aku percaya itu ada.Yes, I believe it exists.
- DimasAku juga percaya hal yang sama.I believe the same thing too.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “love” translations and entries cinta, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cinta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
