gula
/ˈɡula/
The English word sugar is translated into Indonesian as gula. If unsure, use gula. Wiktionary also lists sakar.
Meaning: sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten food and drink (noun)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| gula | /ˈɡula/ (Standard Indonesian) |
| sakar | /ˈsakar/ (Standard Indonesian) |
The term refers to sucrose from sugar cane or sugar beet used to sweeten food and drink. In cooking, you may encounter the phrase gula merah, which refers to palm sugar or coconut sugar, a staple in Indonesian cooking.
Which one should you use?
gula is the common term used in daily life, whereas sakar is a rare or technical term related to the chemical substance sucrose.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɡula/
When do people say it?
When ordering or requesting items, you can use the phrase Tanpa gula, tolong. to say 'No sugar, please.', Bolehkah saya minta gula? for 'May I have some sugar?' or Apakah ada gula di sini? to ask 'Is there any sugar here?'
Did you know?
- Indonesian coffee culture often features 'Kopi Joss', where sugar is added to coffee that has had a piece of burning charcoal dropped into it.
- In Indonesia, the phrase gula-gula refers to candies or sweets rather than the raw ingredient 'sugar'.
- While gula is the everyday term, the technical word sakar shares a distant ancestry with the English word 'sugar' through a chain of Persian and Arabic influences.
Examples in context
- Saya tidak mau gula.I don't want any sugar.This sentence is useful for expressing a lack of desire for the form gula.Tatoeba #1106254 by Archangelix, translation #1105360 by CK
- Gula larut dalam air.Sugar dissolves in water.This sentence describes how the form gula behaves in water.Tatoeba #11479337 by Pacific, translation #243599 by CK
- Kita perlu tepung dan gula.We need flour and sugar.This sentence lists the form gula as a necessary ingredient alongside flour.Tatoeba #13772800 by HAGNi, translation #9204563 by Monde
- Tolong tambahkan sedikit gula ke dalam teh saya, terima kasih.Please add a bit of sugar to my tea, thank you.
- Saya membutuhkan 1 kilogram gula putih untuk resep ini.I need 1 kilogram of white sugar for this recipe.
- Ada gula pasir di dalam toples di dapur.There's granulated sugar in the jar in the kitchen.
- Tambahkan sejumput gula merah ke dalam bubur ketan.Add a pinch of palm sugar to the sticky rice porridge.
- Teh saya terlalu manis, tolong kurangi sedikit gula.My tea is too sweet, please reduce the sugar a bit.
- 21 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Putri and Rian are making coffee in the kitchen.
- PutriApakah kopi ini perlu gula?Does this coffee need sugar?
- RianIya, tolong tambahkan sedikit gula.Yes, please add a little sugar.
- PutriBerapa banyak gula yang kamu mau?How much sugar do you want?
- RianSatu sendok teh gula saja cukup.Just one teaspoon of sugar is enough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sugar” translations and entries gula, sakar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries gula, sakar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
