Have you ever come across words that have the same meaning even though they are different, such as “bahaya” and “ancaman” or “dampak” and “akibat”?
In Indonesian, this is called “sinonim” in Indonesian language. “Sinonim” are words with the same or similar meaning.
There is no clear standard for when to use “sinonim”. However, “sinonim” are usually used in such a way that the words used are different. This is so that sentences made up of these words are not boring. These “sinonim” can also ‘liven up’ the use of language. This makes communication more interesting.
Here are some examples of “sinonim” and how to use them.
Kredit = mencicil (credit or instalments)
Mobil pak Tono dibeli dengan cara kredit, karena ia lebih suka mencicil dari pada membayar penuh.
Mr Tono bought his car on credit because he prefers to pay in instalments rather than in full.
Rajin = giat (diligent = hardworking)
Rini selalu rajin belajar karena ia tahu jika ia giat belajar nilainya akan bagus.
Rini always studies hard because she knows that if she works hard she will get good grades.
Haus = dahaga (thirsty)
Cuaca yang panas dapat membuatmu cepat haus, cepat minum air putih agar dahaga yang kamu rasakan hilang.
Hot weather can make you thirsty, so drink a glass of water quickly to quench your thirst.
Baju = pakaian (clothes)
Baju-baju ini akan cepat rusak jika pakaian itu kamu gunakan terus untuk latihan beladiri.
These clothes will wear out quickly if you keep using them for martial arts training.
Bunga = kembang (flower)
Dina selalu rutin menyiram bunga di pekarangannya agar kembang itu besok dapat mekar dengan indah.
Dina always waters the flowers in her garden so that they will bloom beautifully in the future.
Bertemu = berjumpa (meet or encounter)
Rina dan Ari bertemu tidak sengaja di gym setelah lama tidak berjumpa.
Rina and Ari met accidentally at the gym after a long absence.
Well, that’s the meaning and a few examples of the use of “sinonim” you’ll find every day when speaking Indonesian. If you don’t really get it, don’t worry because the more you try, the more fluency and familiarity you’ll have with Indonesian language.
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Photo by Andrea Piacquadio
