mengapa

Indonesian

Etymology

From Malay mengapa, from Proto-Malayic *mAŋ-apa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maŋ-apa, equivalent to meng- +‎ apa.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mə.ŋa.pa/
• Rhymes: -pa, -a

Pronoun

mengapa

1. why (for what reason)

Synonyms

• (informal) kenapa

Further reading

• “mengapa” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

Malay

Etymology

meng- +‎ apa, from Proto-Malayic *mAŋ-apa, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *maŋ-apa.

Pronunciation

• (Johor-Selangor) IPA^(key): /məŋapə/
• (Riau-Lingga) IPA^(key): /məŋapa/
• Rhymes: -apə, -pə, -ə

Adverb

mengapa (Jawi spelling مڠاڤ)

1. why (for what reason)
   • 773 AH, Hikayat Bayan Budiman:

     "معاڡا كامو كمارى دں ٮىدک ٮرٮاع ٮرساما ٮماں-ٮمٮمو؟…"

     “... Mengapa kau kemari dan tidak terbang bersama teman-temanmu?”

     Why have you returned, instead of flying with your peers?

Synonyms

• kenapa

Descendants

• Indonesian: mengapa

Further reading

• “mengapa” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.