nama saya
/ˈnama ˈsaja/word by word
The English phrase "my name is" is translated into Indonesian as nama saya.
nama saya is used to identify yourself. However, in many social situations, Indonesian speakers often skip the word nama entirely and simply say Saya [name] to mean "I am [name]".
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of nama (name) and saya (I/me/my), literally meaning "name mine".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
nama saya is the standard polite way to introduce yourself to strangers or in formal settings. If you are among friends or people of the same age, you can use the informal version nama aku.
How does it change in a sentence?
While English uses the verb "is", Indonesian often omits the copula adalah in casual speech, though it can be included in the phrase Nama saya adalah… for emphasis or formality. Additionally, you can simply state Saya [name] to identify yourself.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈnama ˈsaja/
Did you know?
- While nama saya is polite, if you want to be exceptionally respectful to an elder or superior, you might refer to yourself using a kinship term like 'anak' (child) instead of 'saya'.
- The word saya was originally a term of humility, derived from the Sanskrit word sahāya, meaning 'companion' or 'follower'.
- In very formal introductions, Indonesians may avoid using 'I' pronouns entirely to show humility, instead using their own name or a title.
Examples in context
- Nama saya bukan Tom.My name is not Tom.This sentence shows how to use nama saya in a negative statement.Tatoeba #11595617 by Pacific, translation #4913137 by Hybrid
- Nama saya Ichiro Tanaka.My name is Ichiro Tanaka.This sentence demonstrates a standard introduction using nama saya.Tatoeba #2788395 by deel, translation #322941 by CN
- Nama saya Ziri, bukan Jerry.My name is Ziri, not Jerry.This sentence uses nama saya to clarify a name's spelling or pronunciation.Tatoeba #11470357 by Pacific, translation #10603486 by Amastan
- Nama saya adalah John.My name is John.
- 12 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maya and Adi are meeting for the first time at a seminar.
- MayaHalo, nama saya Maya.Hello, my name is Maya.
- AdiSenang bertemu dengan Anda, Maya. Nama saya Adi.Nice to meet you, Maya. My name is Adi.
- MayaApakah Anda berasal dari Jakarta, Adi?Are you from Jakarta, Adi?
- AdiTidak, saya berasal dari Bandung.No, I am from Bandung.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- 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.
