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Indonesian words for ‘to die” Posted by on Oct 31, 2015 in Uncategorized

Did you know that Indonesians have to think a lot to say “to die”? Here are the aspects involved in their thinking process:

  1. Who died?
  2. Is it a human or a thing?
  3. How did the person die?
  4. Are you fond of the person?
  5. Do you hate the person?
  6. Do you consider that the deceased or the dead person deserved to die?
  7. Do you expect people to perceive that the deceased is a respected person, loved by others?

Isn’t too much energy spent just to say “to die” in Indonesian? Well, for native speakers, it is not a big deal as the right words come automatically. However, for those who are learning Indonesian, it is more than just a word.

Can you imagine this? You are invited to have a dinner at your colleague’s house. Before visiting them, you hear that the family have lost their beloved grandmother. So, after you arrive at their house, you say, “Saya dengar nenek Anda “mati” “I heard that you grandmother has died.” Noticing their upset faces, you realized that you have just used the wrong “to die.”

A_ObituaryByElliottBrown

image by Elliot Brown via Flickr

So, what are the Indonesian words for “to die”?

  • Mangkat: for a king or a queen.
  • Gugur: for those who died during war or war- like situations.
  • Wafat: for those who died because of illness.
  • Meninggal dunia: for those who died naturally because of an old age, or to express a condolences to a family.
  • Tewas: for those who died because of an accident or not a natural death, such as suicide, car accident, plane crash.
  • Mampus: addressed for mockery and hatred.

 

A_Casket_AlanFranklin

Image by Alan Franklin via Flicr

Practice:

  1. Situation: You hate yourself, you feel that to die is a way for you to ease your unbearable pain in life, and then you say, “I want to die.” Which word “to die” are you going to use?
  2. Situation: You heard on the radio that a robber was shot during the stand-off with the police. The robber was severely injured, and he died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital. You want to say, the robber died on the way to the hospital. Which word “to die” are you going to use?
  3. Situation: You watch on the news and see a casket of a U.S. soldier who died in Iraq.
  4. Situation: You heard on the news that a person was killed by a car in hit-and-run accident.
  5. Situation: Your washing machine has stopped working and cannot be repaired.
  6. Situation: A father of your friend has died because of illness.
  7. Situation: You watch on TV, the police force were finally able to kill a mass murderer.
  8. Situation: You come to see a family of your employee who died in a car accident.

A_SadSituation_KatNLM

Image by Kat NLM via Flickr

Anwers:

  1. Mati
  2. Mati
  3. Gugur
  4. Tewas
  5. Mati
  6. Wafat
  7. Mampus
  8. Meninggal

 

 

 

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About the Author: asimonoff

I’m an Indonesian language instructor, instructional material developer, reading test developer, and interpreter. I have been teaching Indonesian to adult students for 15 years, and have been teaching students from many backgrounds, such as private, military and diplomatic service employees. I’m Indonesian, but am living in the US now; my exposure to different cultures in my home country and in the US has enriched my knowledge in teaching Indonesian as a second language. I approach the teaching of the Indonesian language by developing students’ critical cultural awareness and competence. This method of teaching has been proven to be a key to the success of my students. Students become conscious of the essential role culture plays in the language.