tidur
/ˈtidur/
To sleep in Indonesian is tidur.
The primary word for the verb 'to sleep' is tidur, which refers to the act of resting in a state of reduced consciousness. This same word is also used as a noun to describe the state of sleep itself. There are also specific terms for the substance found in the corner of the eyes, which can be referred to as tahi mata or belek.
Meaning: to rest in state of reduced consciousness (verb)
Which one should you use?
While tidur is the standard term, you may encounter bobo, which is similar to the English term 'nap'. The word bobo is used among children, though adults also use it colloquially to refer to regular sleep.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The word can change to describe unintentional actions: tertidur is used to describe falling asleep accidentally or unintentionally, while ketiduran is commonly used to express the act of accidentally falling asleep or oversleeping.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈtidur/
Did you know?
- The word tidur is inherited from Proto-Austronesian *tuduR, linking the Indonesian word to languages spoken as far away as Madagascar.
- In a formal or poetic context, the act of sleeping is sometimes referred to as beristirahat, which literally means 'to take a rest'.
- While tidur is the standard verb, using bobo in a professional setting might make you sound like a small child or someone being overly affectionate.
Examples in context
- Di mana kamu tidur?Where do you sleep?This example is useful for asking where someone sleeps using tidur.Tatoeba #8873547 by HAGNi, translation #3820778 by CK
- Aku tidak bisa tidur.I couldn't get to sleep.This example is useful for expressing the inability to sleep using tidur.Tatoeba #4450007 by Bilmanda, translation #36519 by CK
- Di sinilah aku tidur.This is where I sleep.This example is useful for indicating a sleeping location using tidur.Tatoeba #10724131 by HAGNi, translation #2454447 by Hybrid
- Saya tidur di malam hari.I sleep at night.
- Tolong tidurlah sekarang.Please go to sleep now.
- Ayo bobo, kamu pasti lelah.Come on, let's nap, you must be tired.
- Sore ini aku ingin bobo lebih lama.This evening I want to sleep longer.
- 93 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dimas and Indah are talking about their schedules.
- DimasKapan kamu tidur semalam?When did you sleep last night?
- IndahAku tidur jam dua pagi.I slept at two in the morning.
- DimasWah, kamu harus tidur lebih awal.Wow, you should sleep earlier.
- IndahIya, aku sangat mengantuk sekarang.Yes, I am very sleepy now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sleep” translations and entries tidur, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tidur, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
