tidak
/ˈtidaʔ/
In Indonesian, 'no' is expressed as tidak.
tidak is a particle used to show disagreement or negation. It is also used as a negating expression (noun). A common phrase is Tidak bisa, which means 'cannot'.
Meaning: used to show disagreement or negation (particle)
Which one should you use?
While tidak is used to negate verbs and adjectives, you should use bukan to negate nouns or to express 'is not' when identifying something.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtidaʔ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use tidak to negate nouns. For example, do not say Saya tidak guru. Instead, use bukan to negate the noun: Saya bukan guru.
Did you know?
- When asked a question, an Indonesian speaker might avoid saying tidak entirely and instead reply with belum, which means 'not yet'. This suggests that while something is not true now, it might be later.
- The Indonesian word for 'no' shares a distant linguistic ancestor with the Malagasy word tsy used in Madagascar.
- In many Indonesian cultures, saying tidak directly can be seen as too blunt or impolite. People often soften the negation by adding the word maaf meaning 'sorry' or by using a hesitant tone.
Examples in context
- Tidak ada yang mau.No one wanted it.This sentence demonstrates the use of tidak to indicate absence.Tatoeba #11464899 by dbahasa, translation #5008842 by CK
- Tom tidak takut lagi.Tom is no longer afraid.This sentence shows how tidak negates an adjective.Tatoeba #8872709 by HAGNi, translation #4062857 by CK
- Dia tidak punya uang.He had no money.This sentence illustrates how tidak negates a verb phrase regarding possession.Tatoeba #11254613 by Pacific, translation #289446 by CK
- Maaf, tidak bisa.Sorry, I cannot.
- Mohon maaf, saya tidak dapat melakukannya.Sorry, I am unable to do it.
- Saya sungguh minta maaf, tetapi saya tidak bisa.I sincerely apologize, but I cannot.
- Nggak bisa.I can't
- Gak bisa lah.I can't, really.
- Nggak deh.No way or Absolutely not
- 315 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rian and Sari are deciding whether to go to the cinema.
- RianApakah kamu mau pergi ke bioskop?Do you want to go to the cinema?
- SariTidak, saya sedang sangat sibuk.No, I am very busy.
- RianBagaimana kalau besok saja?How about tomorrow instead?
- SariBesok saya juga tidak bisa.I cannot do tomorrow either.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “no” translations and entries tidak, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tidak, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
