bapa saudara
In Malay, the English phrase "uncle" is expressed as bapa saudara. Wiktionary also lists mamanda.
Meaning: brother (or brother-in-law) of someone’s parent (noun)
Ways to say it
| Malay |
|---|
| bapa saudara |
| mamanda |
The term is used to refer to the brother or brother-in-law of a person's parent.
What does it mean word for word?
bapa saudara is a compound of bapa (father) and saudara (sibling/relative), literally meaning "father sibling".
Which one should you use?
While bapa saudara refers to an uncle, the female equivalent for "aunt" is mak cik, which literally means "mother aunt".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a more formal or literary tone, you can use mamanda. In everyday spoken Malay, people often use the colloquial term pak cik instead of the formal bapa saudara.
Did you know?
- In Malay culture, the specific term used for an uncle may change depending on whether he is the father's brother or the mother's brother.
- The word saudara comes from the Sanskrit words for 'same' and 'uterus', literally meaning 'brother from the same womb'.
- Even though bapa saudara is the official term, calling an older man pak cik is a common way to show respect in social settings, even if you are not related.
Examples in context
- Saya diberi jam tangan ini oleh bapa saudara saya.I was given this watch by my uncle.This sentence shows how to use bapa saudara when describing receiving a gift.Tatoeba #10789979 by imperiex, translation #253627 by CK
- Bapa saudara saya datang melawat hari ini.My uncle is visiting today.
- Dia merupakan bapa saudara yang sangat baik.He is a very kind uncle.
Example conversation
Farah is showing a photo to Muhammad.
- FarahSiapa lelaki dalam gambar ini?Who is the man in this picture?
- MuhammadDia ialah bapa saudara saya.He is my uncle.
- FarahAdakah dia seorang guru?Is he a teacher?
- MuhammadYa, dia mengajar di sekolah rendah.Yes, he teaches at a primary school.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “uncle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bapa, saudara, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
