Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| paman | |
| om | /ˈom/ (Standard Indonesian) |
The term refers to the brother or brother-in-law of someone's parent.
Which one should you use?
paman is the standard term for uncle, whereas om is a more casual version used in everyday speech.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
paman is the standard, more formal term. om is a colloquial term used in casual conversation, often by younger generations to address uncles or older men. For even higher levels of politeness when addressing an older man or an uncle, you may use the formal term Pak or the respectful term Bapak, which literally means father but functions as a sign of respect for older men.
When do people say it?
In Indonesian culture, there are several ways to address older males depending on the desired level of respect. While om is a common colloquial way for younger people to address an uncle, you might also hear the colloquial term Bang used to address an older male figure or brother. For formal respect, Pak or Bapak are used to address older men, including uncles.
Did you know?
- The colloquial term om is actually a direct loanword from the Dutch word for uncle, oom.
- In many Indonesian families, the specific term for uncle changes based on whether he is from the mother's or father's side, a distinction the general term paman does not make.
- In Indonesia, om is often used to address any older man, even a complete stranger, as a way to be friendly yet respectful.
Examples in context
- Tom adalah paman Mary.Tom is Mary's uncle.This sentence shows how to identify someone as an uncle using paman.Tatoeba #4788300 by Bilmanda, translation #1028532 by CK
- Paman saya sangat kaya.My uncle is very rich.This sentence uses paman to describe an uncle's characteristic.Tatoeba #11348756 by Pacific, translation #7139450 by kanlaon
- Di mana pamanmu tinggal?Where does your uncle live?This sentence uses paman to ask about an uncle's residence.Tatoeba #4332910 by Bilmanda, translation #17412 by CK
- Hey, om! Bagaimana kabarmu?Hey, uncle! How are you?
- 16 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Putri is showing Adi a photo of her family.
- PutriIni paman saya dari Jakarta.This is my uncle from Jakarta.
- AdiKapan terakhir kali Anda bertemu paman itu?When was the last time you met that uncle?
- PutriKami bertemu bulan lalu.We met last month.
- AdiKelihatannya dia orang yang ramah.He looks like a friendly person.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations and entries paman, om, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries om, paman, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
