kulkas
/ˈkulkas/
In Indonesian, the English phrase refrigerator is translated as kulkas. Wiktionary also lists lemari es and lemari pendingin.
Meaning: appliance (noun)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| kulkas | /ˈkulkas/ (Standard Indonesian) |
| lemari es | /ləˌmari ˈɛs/ (Standard Indonesian) |
| lemari pendingin | /ləˈmari pənˈdiŋɪn/ |
| peti es | /pəˈti ˈɛs/ |
What does it mean word for word?
The term lemari es is a compound of lemari (cupboard/cabinet) and es (ice).
Which one should you use?
Kulkas is the most common everyday term used in conversation, whereas lemari es is slightly more descriptive and formal.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Lemari pendingin is a more formal or technical term often used in commercial or industrial contexts, such as referring to a commercial chiller. Peti es is a more colloquial or old-fashioned term, often used to refer to an ice box or a small portable cooler.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkulkas/
Did you know?
- The Portuguese root of lemari can be traced further back to the Latin word armārium, which originally referred to a place for storing weapons.
- The term kulkas acts as a linguistic fossil of the Dutch colonial era, preserved in everyday Indonesian speech.
Examples in context
- Ada yoghurt di dalam kulkas.There's yogurt in the refrigerator.This sentence is useful for stating what is inside the kulkas.Tatoeba #12169641 by Pacific, translation #3719079 by CK
- Ada sedikit makanan di kulkas.There is little food in the refrigerator.This sentence is useful for describing the amount of food in the kulkas.Tatoeba #7153037 by purichan, translation #326072 by CK
- Apa yang ada di dalam kulkasmu?What's in your refrigerator?This sentence is useful for asking what is inside someone's kulkas.Tatoeba #11064240 by HAGNi, translation #11064079 by CK
- Saya baru membeli kulkas yang baru.I just bought a new refrigerator.
- Jangan lupa ambil jus jeruk dari lemari es.Don't forget to get the orange juice from the refrigerator.
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Rian and Sari are in their new kitchen.
- RianSari, di mana kita taruh kulkas baru ini?Sari, where should we put this new refrigerator?
- SariTaruh saja di sudut sana, Rian.Just put it in that corner, Rian.
- RianBaik, kulkas ini sudah terhubung ke listrik.Okay, this refrigerator is already plugged in.
- SariBagus, sekarang kita bisa menyimpan makanan.Great, now we can store food.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “refrigerator” translations and entries kulkas, lemari es, lemari pendingin, peti es, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, kulkas, lemari, lemari es, lemari pendingin, pendingin, peti es, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
