Nggak means "no" or "not". It is the everyday spoken form of tidak, and it is the word Indonesians actually use when they turn something down, deny something or say a thing is not so. Textbooks teach tidak; the street, the warung and every chat message use nggak. If you learn the language from written material only, this is the first word you will fail to hear.
It is pronounced ng-GAH, starting with the "ng" of "sing" and ending in a short, clipped k that is barely released. In writing you will see nggak, gak, ngga, ga and engga: all the same word.
Here is the quick version, then each use with examples.
- Not, before a verb or adjective: Aku nggak tahu. (I don't know.)
- No, as an answer: Nggak. (No.)
- Right?, as a tag: Enak, nggak? (It's good, isn't it?)
- No need: Nggak usah. (No need. / Don't bother.)
- Nothing / no problem: Nggak apa-apa. (It's fine. / Never mind.)
1. Nggak means "not" in front of a verb or adjective
The core job. Put nggak before the verb or the adjective and the sentence is negative. Indonesian has no "don't", "isn't" or "can't": one word does all of them.
- Aku nggak bisa. I can't.
- Dia nggak datang. He didn't come.
- Nggak mahal, kok. It's not expensive, really.
- Saya nggak ngerti. I don't understand.
In our podcast episode on basa-basi, Indonesian small talk, Yohana says of herself: Saya tipe orang yang kalau ya, bilang ya. Kalau nggak, bilang nggak. I am the type who says yes when it's yes and no when it's no. Then she adds: Tapi kebanyakan orang Indonesia nggak gitu. But most Indonesians aren't like that. Two uses of the word in two lines, both ordinary.
2. Nggak as the answer "no"
On its own, nggak is "no". It is softer than it looks, because Indonesians rarely say a bare no; it usually comes with a reason, a kok or a smile.
- Mau kopi? Nggak, makasih. Want coffee? No, thanks.
- Capek? Nggak, kok. Tired? No, not really.
- Udah makan? Belum. Eaten yet? Not yet.
That last pair is the trap. A question with udah (already) is answered with udah or belum (not yet), never nggak. Our guide to udah and belum explains why belum keeps the door open and nggak shuts it.
3. Nggak as a tag: "...right?"
Put nggak at the end of a statement with a rising tone and it becomes a yes/no question, like "isn't it?" or "do you?".
- Enak, nggak? It's good, isn't it?
- Kamu mau ikut, nggak? Do you want to come or not?
- Jadi nggak? Is it still on? (Literally: happening or not? See what jadi means.)
- Bisa, nggak? Can you or not?
This is how most spoken yes/no questions are built. The textbook Apakah kamu mau ikut? is correct and nobody says it.
4. Nggak usah and nggak apa-apa
Two set phrases you will use every day.
Nggak usah means "no need" or "don't bother". It is the standard polite refusal and the standard way to wave off someone's effort.
- Nggak usah bayar. No need to pay.
- Nggak usah repot-repot. Don't go to any trouble.
- Oh nggak usah, makasih. Oh no need, thanks.
Yohana's example in the small-talk episode: you offer someone a drink, and the most common Indonesian reply is Oh nggak usah, makasih, when in fact they would like one. Offer twice.
Nggak apa-apa (often gapapa in speech and text) means "it's fine", "no problem" or "never mind". It answers an apology, a worry or a question about whether something is okay.
- Maaf, telat. Nggak apa-apa. Sorry I'm late. No problem.
- Kamu nggak apa-apa? Are you okay?
- Gapapa, santai. It's fine, relax.
5. Nggak vs tidak vs bukan
Nggak and tidak are the same word at two levels of formality. Bukan is a different word, and getting the two apart is the one real grammar point here.
| Word | Use it for | Example | |---|---|---| | nggak | not / no, spoken and casual | Aku nggak mau. (I don't want to.) | | tidak | not / no, written and formal | Saya tidak mau. | | bukan | "not" before a noun, and "isn't it?" | Dia bukan guru. (She isn't a teacher.) |
The rule: nggak and tidak negate verbs and adjectives; bukan negates nouns and pronouns. Nggak guru is wrong; bukan guru is right. Bukan also works as a tag, Kamu orang Australia, bukan? (You're Australian, aren't you?), and as a correction: Bukan itu, yang ini. (Not that one, this one.)
Common mistakes
Saying nggak before a noun. Ini nggak kopi is wrong. Ini bukan kopi (this isn't coffee).
Answering udah with nggak. Udah makan? Nggak sounds like you refuse to eat. Say belum.
Using tidak in conversation and wondering why you sound stiff. Tidak is correct everywhere, but in a chat it marks you as a learner. Switch to nggak with friends and keep tidak for writing, speeches and anyone you would call Bapak or Ibu.
Taking a bare nggak at face value. Nggak usah to an offer often means "yes, but I'm being polite". Offer again before you take it as a no.
FAQ
What does nggak mean in English?
"No" or "not". It is the spoken, casual form of tidak, and it negates verbs and adjectives: nggak bisa (can't), nggak enak (not tasty).
Is it nggak, gak or ga?
All the same word. Nggak is the fullest spelling, gak and ga are common in texts and social media, engga and ngga also appear. Say ng-GAH whichever you see.
What is the difference between nggak and tidak?
None in meaning. Nggak is spoken and casual, tidak is written and formal. Use nggak with friends and tidak in writing or with officials and elders.
What is the difference between nggak and bukan?
Nggak (or tidak) negates verbs and adjectives: nggak mau (don't want). Bukan negates nouns: bukan guru (not a teacher). Bukan also means "isn't it?" at the end of a sentence.
What does nggak apa-apa mean?
"It's fine", "no problem" or "never mind". Often shortened to gapapa. It answers an apology or a question about whether something is okay.
Learn the word people actually say
Every course teaches tidak. Almost nobody says it to you. That gap between textbook Indonesian and spoken Indonesian is the reason learners finish a course and still cannot follow a conversation, and it is the gap JADI is built to close.
Every lesson is written by Yohana, a native Indonesian teacher, around the sentences people say, with audio for each one and spaced repetition so they stay. If you are starting from zero, our beginner's guide to learning Indonesian lays out the first three months. The first 6 lesson days are free.
Comments