# Indonesian: gua = aku? elu = kamu?



## n0tAclue

Hello everyone  I was wondering about the different ways Indonesian refer to the pronouns 'you' and 'I'. I know there are formal and informal ways to do so. But I ignore if they can be simply replaced (formal with informal and viceversa) to give a phrase one or the other connotation. 
And I'm not just curious about its connotation (formal/informal), but also about the synonyms. 
For instance:
Gua sayang sama elu = I care about you
Could it be also said: Aku sayang sama elu or Aku sayang sama kamu?
And what about the formal way? Could it be: Saya sayang sama elu or Saya sayang sama kamu?
Please correct me and let me know about the alternatives. Hope I wasn't too confusing.
If examples are given, I'd appreciate it  Thank you!


----------



## MarX

n0tAclue said:


> Hello everyone  I was wondering about the different ways Indonesian refer to the pronouns 'you' and 'I'. I know there are formal and informal ways to do so. But I ignore if they can be simply replaced (formal with informal and viceversa) to give a phrase one or the other connotation.
> And I'm not just curious about its connotation (formal/informal), but also about the synonyms.
> For instance:
> Gua sayang sama elu = I care about you
> Could it be also said: Aku sayang sama elu or Aku sayang sama kamu?
> And what about the formal way? Could it be: Saya sayang sama elu or Saya sayang sama kamu?
> Please correct me and let me know about the alternatives. Hope I wasn't too confusing.
> If examples are given, I'd appreciate it  Thank you!


Hi and welcome, notaclue!
I never thought about it, but *aku sayang sama elu* in fact sounds weird. *Guä* belongs with *elu/loe*, whereas *aku* is paired with *kamu*.
*Saya* sounds a bit formal, but it's a matter of personal preference.
I know some people who use *saya* in informal situations, so they'd actually say *saya sayang sama kamu*.

*Aku sayang sama elu* is already weird enough, *saya sayang sama elu* is somehow unimaginable. To me at least.

Hope that helps!

Salam,


MarX


----------



## n0tAclue

MarX said:


> Hi and welcome, notaclue!
> I never thought about it, but *aku sayang sama elu* in fact sounds weird. *Guä* belongs with *elu/loe*, whereas *aku* is paired with *kamu*.
> *Saya* sounds a bit formal, but it's a matter of personal preference.
> I know some people who use *saya* in informal situations, so they'd actually say *saya sayang sama kamu*.
> 
> *Aku sayang sama elu* is already weird enough, *saya sayang sama elu* is somehow unimaginable. To me at least.
> 
> Hope that helps!
> 
> Salam,
> 
> 
> MarX



Hey MarX! Thanks for the reply  Well my doubt was in abstract, not based on something I've heard (unless for Gua sayang sama elu). So you say I could basically follow the rule of: guä - elu/loe, aku - kamu?  Terima kasih


----------



## MarX

n0tAclue said:


> So you say I could basically follow the rule of: guä - elu/loe, aku - kamu?  Terima kasih


Yepp!

I'd say so based on my Sprachgefühl.

Salam


----------



## rasserie

its not gua but gue

and its not elu but lho

i think.  LOL


----------



## rasserie

just a side track, the way u pronounce LHO is to emphasize a heavy L, meaning u breath out from the chest.

that is what the H is for. to heavily pronounce the letter L.


----------



## n0tAclue

MarX said:


> Yepp!
> 
> I'd say so based on my Sprachgefühl.
> 
> Salam



That'll do for me anyway! Thank you.


----------



## n0tAclue

rasserie said:


> its not gua but gue
> 
> and its not elu but lho
> 
> i think.  LOL



Thanks for replying! 
Is this in Indonesia, Malaysia or both? Because I know they both share so many words (if not most of them?). Is this the case?


----------



## theo1006

n0tAclue said:


> Is this in Indonesia, Malaysia or both? Because I know they both share so many words (if not most of them?). Is this the case?


 
Rasserie must be speaking for Malaysia.

In Indonesia *gua* and *gue* are both colloqiual for *aku*.
And *elu* or *lu* for *kamu.*
I never heard *lho* for *kamu*.  *Lho* or *lo* is an exclamation of surprise in Indonesian.

Cheers, Theo


----------



## n0tAclue

theo1006 said:


> Rasserie must be speaking for Malaysia.
> 
> In Indonesia *gua* and *gue* are both colloqiual for *aku*.
> And *elu* or *lu* for *kamu.*
> I never heard *lho* for *kamu*.  *Lho* or *lo* is an exclamation of surprise in Indonesian.
> 
> Cheers, Theo


I see Theo. Well thanks for making it clearer!


----------



## rasserie

Interestingly, some Malays converse with Hokkien speakers who knows some Malay Language using Gua and Lu with respect to I and You.

For example, Gua Caya sama Lu.
Means I believe in you.




n0tAclue said:


> Thanks for replying!
> Is this in Indonesia, Malaysia or both? Because I know they both share so many words (if not most of them?). Is this the case?


----------

