oke
/ɔke/
The English phrase 'okay' can be translated into Indonesian as oke.
The term oke is a common informal way to express agreement or to say something is OK. It is frequently used as a tag question at the end of a sentence to seek agreement, much like how 'okay?' is used in English.
Meaning: OK (intj)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While oke is widely used in conversation, it is considered an informal spelling of the loanword 'OK'. In formal situations, you should use baik to express agreement or to say that things are 'fine' or 'good'. For informal interactions, you might also use Ya to say 'okay' or Sip, which is a popular term among Indonesian youth to signify acceptance or agreement.
How do you pronounce it?
/ɔke/
Did you know?
- Because oke is a loanword from English, it is often treated by Indonesian speakers as a 'universal' word that bypasses local language hierarchies, making it very easy for foreigners to use without offense.
- Indonesians often pair oke with a thumbs-up gesture, but in some traditional contexts, a thumbs-up can be seen as rude or aggressive.
- To express a more reluctant 'okay', Indonesians might use ya sudah, which implies a sense of resignation similar to 'fine, if you insist'.
Examples in context
- Oke, mari kita mulai.Okay, let's begin.This example shows the use of oke to start a sentence.Tatoeba #11787863 by Pacific, translation #11787855 by terrynoti
- Pokoknya jangan pergi, oke?Just don't leave, okay?This example demonstrates using oke as a tag question at the end of a sentence to seek agreement.Tatoeba #13585165 by HAGNi, translation #13584759 by Native77
- Oke.Okay.This example shows oke used as a standalone response.Tatoeba #4706161 by Bilmanda, translation #1391646 by enteka
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dimas and Sari are discussing their lunch plans.
- DimasKita makan siang sekarang, oke?We eat lunch now, okay?
- SariOke, ayo pergi.Okay, let's go.
- DimasKamu mau makan di mana?Where do you want to eat?
- SariDi restoran itu saja, oke?Just at that restaurant, okay?
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry oke, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
