apunten

Apunten is a regional interjection found in some Austronesian languages, used to expression politeness in everyday interaction. In practice, it functions as “excuse me,” “pardon me,” or “sorry,” and is employed to attract attention, to interrupt politely, to request permission to pass, or to acknowledge a minor fault without harshness. The word is typically spoken in real-time conversation and may appear in written materials that reflect spoken usage in regional language guides.

Regional variants and related forms exist across dialects. A shorter form such as punten is common in casual speech, while longer or more formal expressions in related languages can take forms that convey a stronger apology or a request for forgiveness. These forms share a common semantic field with other Southeast Asian politeness strategies, such as asking for permission (permisi) or offering an apology (maaf).

Phonology and morphology vary by language group, but the core concept remains consistent: apunten-like terms function as a social lubricant to soften interruptions, ease social interaction, and maintain harmony in conversation. The exact usage, register, and pronunciation are influenced by local norms, age, and context.

See also: Permisi, Maaf, Pangapunten, Sundanese language, Javanese language, Indonesian language.