teman

Teman is a term used in Malay and Indonesian to mean "friend" or "companion." It denotes a social bond with someone ranging from a casual acquaintance to a close confidant. The word is widely used in everyday speech, writing, and media, and can function as a noun or in phrases such as teman dekat (close friend) or teman sejati (true friend). Its plural form is teman-teman, and possessives include temanku (my friend) and temanmu (your friend).

Linguistically, teman is of Malay origin and is established across the Malay-speaking world, including Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei. Its precise etymology is not clearly documented, but it remains a core term in everyday language.

In Indonesian and Malaysian usage, related terms convey nuances: kawan often emphasises companionship or a broad sense of colleague, while sahabat typically implies a closer, trusted friendship. Teman tends to be neutral and versatile, suitable for both informal and formal contexts.

Culturally, friendship plays a valued role in Malay-speaking communities, supporting social networks, mutual aid, and hospitality. Expressions of friendship appear in greetings, cooperative activities, and social life across generations and communities.

In contemporary usage, digital platforms use teman to denote “friend” in user interfaces, with teman-teman used to refer to a group of friends. The concept of teman remains central to social interaction in the Malay-speaking world.