Expressing Intent
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use 'mau' or 'ingin' before a verb to express your intention to do something.
- Use 'mau' for casual, everyday intentions: Saya mau makan (I want to eat).
- Use 'ingin' for more formal or polite desires: Saya ingin belajar (I wish to study).
- Add 'tidak' before the verb to negate: Saya tidak mau pergi (I don't want to go).
Meanings
These words function as modal verbs to indicate the speaker's desire or plan to perform an action.
Casual Intent
Expressing a simple desire or plan.
“Saya mau tidur.”
“Dia mau beli baju.”
Polite/Formal Desire
Expressing a wish or intent in a professional or respectful setting.
“Saya ingin berbicara dengan manajer.”
“Ibu ingin minum teh.”
Intentional Verb Formation
| Subject | Intent | Verb | Full Sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saya | mau | makan | Saya mau makan |
| Kamu | ingin | pergi | Kamu ingin pergi |
| Dia | mau | tidur | Dia mau tidur |
| Kami | ingin | belajar | Kami ingin belajar |
| Mereka | mau | beli | Mereka mau beli |
| Anda | ingin | bicara | Anda ingin bicara |
Common Informal Variations
| Standard | Informal | Context |
|---|---|---|
| mau | mo | Very casual texting |
| tidak mau | enggak mau | Spoken daily |
| ingin | pengen | Casual spoken |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subj + mau/ingin + Verb | Saya mau makan |
| Negative | Subj + tidak + mau/ingin + Verb | Saya tidak mau makan |
| Question | Subj + mau/ingin + Verb + kah? | Apakah kamu mau makan? |
| Formal | Subj + ingin + Verb | Saya ingin bertanya |
| Informal | Subj + mau + Verb | Saya mau pergi |
| Idiomatic | mau tidak mau | Mau tidak mau, saya harus pergi |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Saya ingin makan. (Daily life)
Saya mau makan. (Daily life)
Aku mau makan. (Daily life)
Gue mau makan. (Daily life)
Intentional Verb Map
Casual
- mau want
Formal
- ingin wish
Mau vs Ingin
Choosing the Right Intent Word
Is it a formal situation?
Intentional Usage
Social
- • mau pergi
- • mau nonton
Professional
- • ingin bertemu
- • ingin melamar
Examples by Level
Saya mau minum.
I want to drink.
Dia mau tidur.
He/she wants to sleep.
Kami mau makan.
We want to eat.
Kamu mau pergi?
Do you want to go?
Saya ingin memesan kopi.
I would like to order coffee.
Dia tidak mau datang.
He/she does not want to come.
Apakah kamu ingin belajar?
Do you want to study?
Mereka mau beli rumah.
They want to buy a house.
Saya ingin sekali bertemu dengan Anda.
I really want to meet you.
Mobil ini tidak mau menyala.
This car won't start.
Apakah Anda ingin menambahkan sesuatu?
Do you want to add something?
Kami mau merencanakan liburan.
We want to plan a vacation.
Saya ingin menyampaikan apresiasi saya.
I would like to express my appreciation.
Dia tidak mau berkompromi.
He/she does not want to compromise.
Apakah Anda ingin meninjau dokumen ini?
Do you want to review this document?
Mereka mau tidak mau harus setuju.
Like it or not, they have to agree.
Saya ingin sekali kiranya Anda hadir.
I would very much like for you to attend.
Pintu itu tidak mau terbuka meski sudah ditarik.
The door wouldn't open even though it was pulled.
Keinginan untuk berubah harus datang dari diri sendiri.
The desire to change must come from within.
Dia mau tidak mau harus menerima kenyataan.
He has no choice but to accept reality.
Hasrat yang terpendam ingin segera diungkapkan.
The suppressed desire wants to be expressed immediately.
Mesin itu tidak mau bekerja sebagaimana mestinya.
The machine refuses to work as it should.
Mau tak mau, kita harus beradaptasi.
Whether we like it or not, we must adapt.
Saya ingin kiranya Bapak berkenan hadir.
I would like to request your presence, Sir.
Easily Confused
Learners confuse intent (want) with future (will).
Learners use them interchangeably in formal settings.
Learners use 'bukan' to negate verbs.
자주 하는 실수
Saya mau makan-kan
Saya mau makan
Saya mau tidak makan
Saya tidak mau makan
Saya mau-nya makan
Saya mau makan
Saya mau ke makan
Saya mau makan
Saya ingin-nya pergi
Saya ingin pergi
Apakah kamu mau-kah makan?
Apakah kamu mau makan?
Saya tidak ingin-nya
Saya tidak ingin
Saya mau akan pergi
Saya akan pergi
Saya ingin untuk pergi
Saya ingin pergi
Dia mau-nya tidak datang
Dia tidak mau datang
Pintu itu tidak ingin terbuka
Pintu itu tidak mau terbuka
Saya mau kiranya pergi
Saya ingin kiranya pergi
Mau tidak mau saya pergi
Mau tidak mau, saya harus pergi
Sentence Patterns
Saya ___ ___.
Apakah kamu ___ ___?
Saya tidak ___ ___.
___ ___ saya harus pergi.
Real World Usage
Saya ingin memesan nasi goreng.
Kamu mau nonton?
Saya ingin berkontribusi.
Saya mau ke hotel.
Saya mau share ini.
Saya tidak mau.
Keep it simple
Watch your register
Use 'ingin' for requests
Be direct but polite
Smart Tips
Use 'ingin' instead of 'mau'.
Use 'mo' for 'mau'.
Use 'ingin' for all your intentions.
Use 'mau' for 'refusing to work'.
발음
Mau
Pronounced like 'mow' in 'mow the lawn'.
Ingin
Pronounced 'ee-ngin' with a nasal 'ng'.
Question
Kamu mau makan? ↗
Rising intonation at the end indicates a question.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Mau is for the 'M'ate (friend), Ingin is for the 'I'm professional'.
Visual Association
Imagine a casual 'mau' as a relaxed person on a beach, and a formal 'ingin' as someone wearing a suit and tie.
Rhyme
Mau for a friend, Ingin for the end (of a formal letter).
Story
Budi wants to eat (Budi mau makan). He sees his boss and says 'Saya ingin makan' (I wish to eat). He realizes he is late and says 'Saya tidak mau terlambat' (I don't want to be late).
Word Web
챌린지
Write 5 sentences about your plans for the weekend using 'mau' and 'ingin'.
문화 노트
Using 'ingin' shows respect, which is highly valued in Indonesian culture.
In Jakarta, 'mau' is often shortened to 'mo' or 'pengen'.
In official settings, 'ingin' is the standard for expressing intent.
Both words have roots in Malay. 'Mau' is related to the concept of volition, while 'ingin' relates to desire.
Conversation Starters
Kamu mau makan apa hari ini?
Apakah Anda ingin pergi ke Bali?
Apa yang ingin kamu capai tahun ini?
Apakah Anda ingin bekerja di luar negeri?
Journal Prompts
Test Yourself
Saya ___ makan.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya mau-nya pergi.
Saya mau makan.
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
ingin / saya / makan / nasi
Which is more formal?
Mau tidak ___, saya harus pergi.
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesSaya ___ makan.
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
Saya mau-nya pergi.
Saya mau makan.
Match 'mau' with its register.
ingin / saya / makan / nasi
Which is more formal?
Mau tidak ___, saya harus pergi.
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No, that would be redundant. Choose one based on the register.
No, it can be used for inanimate objects to express propensity, like 'pintu tidak mau terbuka'.
It is just a casual, shortened version of 'mau' used in texting.
Mostly, yes. It is the polite choice for requests.
Use 'apakah' at the start or just use a rising tone at the end.
Yes, 'tidak ingin' is the standard negative.
Mau is intent/want, Ingin is wish/desire.
Use 'akan' instead of 'mau'.
In Other Languages
Querer
Indonesian uses 'mau' for intent and 'ingin' for desire.
Vouloir
Indonesian has a formal/informal split.
Wollen
No verb conjugation in Indonesian.
~tai
Word order and structure.
Yureed
Indonesian is invariant.
Yào / Xiǎng
Very similar functional mapping.
