dia
/ˈdia/
The English word 'she' is translated into Indonesian as dia. Wiktionary also lists ia.
Meaning: person (pron)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| dia | /ˈdia/ (Standard Indonesian) | |
| ia | /ˈia̯/ | feminine, masculine |
In Indonesian, the most common and neutral word to refer to 'she' is dia.
Which one should you use?
While dia is the common form, ia is a more formal or literary version that is also gender-neutral. Both dia and ia can mean either 'he' or 'she'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to someone of higher status or an elder, use beliau instead of dia to show respect.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈdia/
Did you know?
- In spoken Indonesian, dia is often shortened to -nya when used as a possessive or object, effectively merging 'she' and 'her' into a suffix.
- The word dia is a distant relative of the word siya in Tagalog and ia in Māori.
- In very casual conversation, speakers might omit dia entirely if the subject is already understood, making the sentence grammatically correct without a pronoun.
Examples in context
- Dia suka es krim.She likes ice cream.This sentence shows how to use dia to express a preference.Tatoeba #12112204 by HAGNi, translation #650986 by CK
- Dia masih di sini.She is still here.This sentence shows how to use dia to describe a location.Tatoeba #3478824 by lewis, translation #11446063 by Agestur
- Dia tidak muda ya.She's not young, is she?This sentence shows how to use dia in a question about age.Tatoeba #4325158 by Bilmanda, translation #314852 by CK
- Dia sedang belajar.She is studying.
- Saya berbicara dengan dia.I am talking to her.
- Apakah dia datang?Is she coming?
- Beliau adalah seorang profesor.She is a professor.
- Kami sangat menghormati beliau.We highly respect her.
- Dia adalah teman baik saya.She is my close friend.
- Aku mencintainya.I love her.
- Ia suka membaca buku.She likes reading books.
- 900 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are talking about a new colleague.
- MayaApakah dia guru baru di sini?Is she the new teacher here?
- BudiIya, dia sangat ramah.Yes, she is very friendly.
- MayaKapan dia mulai bekerja?When did she start working?
- BudiDia mulai bekerja hari ini.She started working today.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “she” translations and entries dia, ia, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries dia, ia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
