"Ia besar."

Translation: It is big.

[Linus.vbg]

When should I use Ia instead of Dia?

[Rick392366]

When should I use Ia instead of Dia?

Please have a look here :

https://forum.duolingo.com/comment/28585404

The differences between "ia" & "dia"

[Linus.vbg]

Thank you!

[ZoeVincent5]

Ia does not mean it. It is short for "dia" meaning he/she. Just like you can say "Ma'kasih" as well as terima kasih.

[PERCE_NEIGE]

Rick says the opposite. He says that one of the only difference between "dia" and "ia" is that "ia" can be used for "physical object" (I guess it means also abstract things), so, for "it".
Check the link he gave.

We would need grammar link please, to know who's right or wrong.

[Meg528801]

It can be she is big or he is big

[RobayoArnold]

i am a spanish speaker and besar means 'to kiss' in spanish , jajja lol, very interesting

[Shaymian]

Why not "it is big"?

[kue_serabi]

That's another translation for it.

[GraceAnder487089]

Apaan sih

[AlvinusAru1]

Ia = Dia, It means Itu or Ini, not Ia

[Ttyfania]

Kenapa nggak "itu besar"?

[FahrulRozy7]

He is big ✓

[JamesNorel]

When should I use "ia" to say he/she instead of "dia" ?

[JamesNorel]

Oh never mind that has been asked already, sorry.

[JamesNorel]

Wait I cant actually access the forum to see the answer

[ZhouPeixin]

There's absolutely no difference, as far as I can see. I don't see why a language should have two words for "it", though.

[livia457029]

Ia does not mean it

[PERCE_NEIGE]

Please, provide grammar links, with explanations, from sites or books.

[Suerte201011]

My understanding is, you should use Dia. Ia is more commonly used for animals and maybe objects. Not an implication you want to make.

[Jabilu24Ro]

what is "is" in indo?

[AbdullahAAK]

berada/ada?

[PERCE_NEIGE]

And a lot more... Bewarna when talking about a colored thing/being, berusia when talking about an age (to be x y.o), etc... Many, many different ways to express the verb to be, related to the context, and the meaning.

[JuMarkP]

Is it also okay to translate into: "This is big"?

[PERCE_NEIGE]

No. This is big = Ini besar.