"My older brother is twenty years old."
Translation:Abang saya dua puluh tahun.
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I think that elsewhere 'kakak' has been acceptable as 'older sibling' why isn't that the case here?
Kakak = older sibling Kakak laki-laki = older brother Kakak perempuan = older sister Abang = older brother (for male only)
hmm my thoughts also .. but upon research i discovered...
"Abang" is older brother .... kakak is older sibling
Abang is correct but formal. In daily conversation kakak is used. From the context it is clear if it is female or male. In Indonesia the context is the most important. That is also why translating only one sentence is difficult as it can have many meanings.
In another sentence, they offered "[person] umurnya sepuluh tahun." Would "Abang saya umurnya dua puluh tahun" work here?
Technically not; nya is referring to her/his (or the third person). Ibu saya umur lima puluh tahun. Ibu mas Rudi umurnya lima puluh empat tahun. However this is not commonly used this way. Nya is used for possession (tasnya (his/her bag), mobilnya (her/his car)) or in combination with "di" and the third person.
"Having" years is a way to tell age in many other languages, such as Spanish (tengo 20 años) and Hawaii (20 ona makahiki), but I understand why that pattern might fall out of use. Good to hear what common usage is like - you get a lingot!
All context and depends where you are (island) as you will refer to most new males you meet with some form of family address to show respect.
Abang is used in Sumatra and many parts of east kalimantan to address another male around your age or older, (pak is used for senior citizens).
the word 'Mass' is used in the same way throughout Java (i didnt hear abang once in a month in java travelling i don't believe, only kakak laki laki for older siblings and mass for addressing)
depending where you travel (main islands) will depend on which one you use in addressing other males or talking about family and which one is used more frequently used, all are known so really it doesn't matter if you use abang or kakak laki laki they wont care in indonesia, each island just has a preference of their own. same can be said with Wanita (woman), perempuan (woman/female) and gadis (girl) depends where you are in the country to which one will be used more frequently, so know all and adapt depending upon on what you hear in each part of the country.
As soon as i got off the ferry from Java to Sumatra i had to change from permissi Mass to permissi abang when addressing males.
Mas is written with one s. In eastern Java "mas" can indeed be used, but they also use "cak" there to address a young man. Everywhere in Java when you see the man in obviously older then you, or if someone with a high position (orang tinggi) and same age/younger then you, then use "pak". Pak can be used safely everywhere in Indonesia and "bu" for a woman.
Well safety is relative. My wife, in her 30s, was taken aback the first time someone called her bu, and still doesn't like it.
Hahaha, yes I understand. My Javanese wife is older then yours and she also does not like it when people cal her bu. In the hospital they call her nyonya and does not like that either. She is only happy with mbak.
Should be accepted, try to report it ...
And both are used in daily conversation
Why is this wrong: "Abang saya umur dua puluh tahun"? is it perhaps too colloquial? My older brother is twenty two = abang saya duapuluh tahun - no mention of old / age / umur