Aku

Aku is an informal first-person singular pronoun used in Indonesian and Malay languages to refer to the speaker. It denotes casual, intimate, or familiar speech and is typically chosen in everyday conversation, among family, friends, or peers. In formal writing, public discourse, or situations requiring politeness, speakers may prefer saya (I) in Indonesian and Malay, or other more formal forms.

In Indonesian, aku functions as the everyday equivalent of I. Its use signals closeness or informality and is common in conversations, informal media, and fiction. It is generally avoided in formal journalism, official speeches, or formal academia. In Malay, aku is similarly informal and widespread in casual discourse across Malaysia, Singapore, and other Malay-speaking communities; formal contexts often call for saya, while aku remains common in personal communication and contemporary media.

Regional and dialectal variations exist. In Javanese, aku is used as the Ngoko (informal) pronoun for I, whereas more respectful or formal levels of speech use other forms such as kula. The Indonesian and Malay pronoun systems share the feature of lacking grammatical case markings, with form choices driven largely by social relationship and context rather than syntactic function.

Related considerations include slang alternatives for I, such as gua or gue, which appear in Indonesian slang and convey even stronger informal tone or humor. These forms vary by community, age group, and setting. Overall, aku represents a key component of casual personal expression in Indonesian and Malay, distinct from formal pronouns and from regional dialectal variants.