nama saya
/ˈnama ˈsaja/word by word
The English phrase "my name" is translated into Indonesian as nama saya.
nama saya is used to state the name that a person uses to identify themselves. In more formal introductory contexts, you may use the expanded phrase Perkenalkan, nama saya to mean "Allow me to introduce myself, my name is".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nama (name) and saya (I/me/my).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nama saya is a common formal way to say "My name is" and is suitable for professional settings or introductions to strangers. For a more informal or intimate tone, you can use nama aku. In very casual settings, you might use the highly informal nama gue or the even more casual Kenalin, gue which can mean "Hey, I'm" or "Nice to meet you, I'm".
How does it change in a sentence?
In Indonesian, the possessive is formed by placing the pronoun after the noun, as seen in nama saya (name mine).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnama ˈsaja/
Did you know?
- The word saya comes from the Sanskrit word sahāya, which originally meant 'companion' or 'assistant'.
- In very traditional Indonesian settings, people may avoid using saya or aku entirely and instead refer to themselves by their own name or a family title.
- Using nama gue identifies the speaker as being part of a modern, urban culture, specifically linked to the Betawi dialect of Jakarta.
Examples in context
- Nama saya bukan Tom.My name isn't Tom.This sentence shows how to negate your name using nama saya.Tatoeba #11595617 by Pacific, translation #2396297 by CK
- Nama saya Ichiro Tanaka.My name is Ichiro Tanaka.This sentence shows how to state your full name using nama saya.Tatoeba #2788395 by deel, translation #322941 by CN
- Nama saya Ziri, bukan Jerry.My name is Ziri, not Jerry.This sentence is useful for correcting someone who has misheard your name using nama saya.Tatoeba #11470357 by Pacific, translation #10603486 by Amastan
- Nama saya John.My name is John.
- Perkenalkan, nama saya John.Allow me to introduce myself, my name is John.
- Kenalin, gue John.Hey, I'm John.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rian and Maya are meeting for the first time at a seminar.
- RianHalo, nama saya Rian.Hello, my name is Rian.
- MayaSenang bertemu Anda, Rian. Nama saya Maya.Nice to meet you, Rian. My name is Maya.
- RianNama Maya sangat cantik.Maya is a very beautiful name.
- MayaTerima kasih, Rian.Thank you, Rian.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (nama, saya) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nama, saya, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
