penting

Penting is an Indonesian and Malay adjective meaning important or significant. It describes things, actions, or ideas that have relevance, necessity, or value in a given context. The word is commonly used with expressions such as penting untuk and penting bagi to indicate that something should be considered or acted upon. The noun form kepentingan expresses the idea of importance or stake, and phrase constructions like betapa pentingnya emphasize the degree of importance.

The exact historical origin of penting is not widely documented in concise sources, but it is a native Malay-Indonesian term that has circulated for generations. It appears across formal and informal registers and is widespread in media, education, government, and everyday speech.

In usage, penting often conveys a sense of priority or necessity, rather than mere curiosity. It can describe practical matters (important to act), abstract concepts (significant in theory), or social considerations (relevant to a community). Common synonyms include utama (primary), krusial (crucial), esensial or esensial (essential), and relevan (relevant), with nuance differing by context. Antonyms include tidak penting or remeh (not important or trivial).

Examples:

Kesehatan adalah hal yang penting. (Health is an important matter.)

Penting bagi kita untuk merawat lingkungan. (It is important for us to care for the environment.)

Sangat penting untuk mematuhi protokol. (It is very important to follow the protocols.)

Pendidikan memiliki kepentingan besar bagi masa depan bangsa. (Education has great importance for the future of the nation.)