istri
/ˈistri/
The Indonesian word for 'wife' is istri.
The term istri is the standard and formal way to refer to a female partner in a marriage.
Meaning: female partner in a marriage (noun)
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
istri is the standard, formal term for wife. For a more colloquial or informal way to say 'wife', particularly among close friends and couples, you can use bini. Additionally, Nyonya is a formal term used to refer to married women, functioning similarly to 'Mrs.' in English.
How does it change in a sentence?
To express the plural 'wives', the word is reduplicated as istri-istri. When expressing possession, such as 'my wife', the possessive pronoun follows the noun, as in istri saya.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈistri/
Did you know?
- In some traditional Indonesian contexts, a husband may avoid using the word istri and instead refer to his wife as ibu (mother) to show respect in front of their children.
- The word istri originates from the Sanskrit word strī, which means 'woman'.
- The formal title Nyonya was historically influenced by the Dutch word 'mevrouw' and the Portuguese 'senhora', blending European and local customs of addressing married women.
Examples in context
- Saya bukan istri Tom.I'm not Tom's wife.This sentence is useful for practicing the negation of the word istri.Tatoeba #11619907 by Pacific, translation #8868067 by CK
- Ini istri saya, Anda.This is my wife Anda.This sentence is useful for introducing one's istri to another person.Tatoeba #11979498 by Pacific, translation #10929106 by mackay
- Ini istri kedua saya.This is my second wife.This sentence is useful for specifying the number of istri.Tatoeba #13857569 by HAGNi, translation #10151892 by ddnktr
- Pak John adalah suami yang bahagia dengan istri yang hebat.Mr. John is a happy husband with a great wife.
- Hari ini, istriku dan aku akan pergi ke pantai bersama-sama.Today, my wife and I will go to the beach together.
- 63 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maya and Budi are chatting at a coffee shop.
- MayaApa kabar istri Anda, Budi?How is your wife, Budi?
- BudiDia sangat baik, Maya.She is very well, Maya.
- MayaSyukurlah kalau begitu.I am glad to hear that.
- BudiTerima kasih atas perhatiannya.Thank you for your concern.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “wife” translations and entries istri, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries istri, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
