# Indonesian: Hi Pak or dear Pak



## 42!

Hi Pak or Dear Pak + name
this the salutation that I recive by mail from many colleagues from Indonesia.
Is this typic for Indonesia only or?
Thanks 
Grazie e ciao


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## MarX

Hi Pak!! 

Yes. That's Indonesian.

*Pak* is the vocative (or abbrevated) form of *Bapak*, which originally means _father, _but nowadays used to address an adult male.

The female counterpart would be *Bu*, the vocative form of *Ibu*, which also means _mother_, but used to address an adult female.

By the way, the final *-k* in *Pak* is not pronounced as a *K*, but as a stop instead.

Hope that helps!


MarX


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## 42!

Thanks MarX!!!
Ciao


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## smoke.nomore

Bapak as uncle in english


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## MarX

smoke.nomore said:


> Bapak as uncle in english


The Indonesian word for "uncle" is *paman*. I never really used it though. I always say *om* (from Dutch "oom").


For "father":
*ayah* (standard)
*bapak* (standard)
*bapa* (rather poetic)
*papa*
*papi*
*babé*
*abah

*Yet *Pak* is the only one used to address adult male strangers.


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