Saya takut sakit gigi.

I am afraid of toothache.

Breakdown of Saya takut sakit gigi.

• adalah: to be
• saya: I
• takut: afraid
• sakit gigi: the toothache

Questions & Answers about Saya takut sakit gigi.

Do I always need to say Saya, or can I just say Takut sakit gigi?

You don’t strictly need Saya. Indonesian often drops the subject when it’s clear from context.

• Saya takut sakit gigi. – clear, neutral, complete sentence.
• Takut sakit gigi. – could also be said in casual speech, especially as a quick response, but it’s less complete and sounds more like: “(I’m) scared of toothache.”

For learners, it’s safer and clearer to keep Saya until you’re comfortable with dropping subjects.

What is the difference between Saya and Aku here?

Both mean I:

• Saya takut sakit gigi. – neutral / polite; fine in most situations (talking to strangers, teachers, in public, etc.).
• Aku takut sakit gigi. – more informal/intimate; used with friends, family, or people your age.

The rest of the sentence stays the same; only the level of formality changes.

Does gigi mean “tooth” or “teeth”? How do I know?

Gigi can mean tooth or teeth depending on context. Indonesian usually doesn’t mark singular vs plural:

• satu gigi – one tooth
• dua gigi – two teeth
• gigi saya – my tooth / my teeth (context decides)

In sakit gigi, you don’t specify one or many; it just means “toothache / tooth pain” in general.

What exactly does sakit gigi mean? Is it literally “sick tooth”?

Literally, sakit = sick / in pain, and gigi = tooth/teeth.

But sakit gigi is understood as a noun phrase meaning toothache or tooth pain, not as a full sentence like “the tooth is sick.”

Compare:

• Saya sakit. – I am sick / I feel ill.
• Gigi saya sakit. – My tooth/teeth hurt.
• Saya punya sakit gigi. – I have a toothache (possible, but less natural).
• Saya sakit gigi. – In practice, usually means “I have a toothache.”

In your sentence, sakit gigi is the thing you are afraid of.

How is Saya takut sakit gigi different from “I have a toothache”?

Saya takut sakit gigi. = you fear toothache (or the possibility of getting it).

To say you currently have a toothache, you’d usually say:

• Saya sakit gigi. – I have a toothache / My tooth hurts.
  (very natural and common)
  or
• Gigi saya sakit. – My tooth/teeth hurt.

So:

• Saya takut sakit gigi. – I’m afraid of toothache / of getting a toothache.
• Saya sakit gigi. – I have a toothache now.

Why is there no word like “of” between takut and sakit gigi?

Indonesian doesn’t need a preposition like of here. The pattern is:

subject + takut + thing you fear

Examples:

• Saya takut ular. – I’m afraid of snakes.
• Dia takut ketinggian. – He/She is afraid of heights.
• Kami takut hujan deras. – We are afraid of heavy rain.

So Saya takut sakit gigi follows the same pattern: no of needed.

Is takut a verb (“to fear”) or an adjective (“afraid”)?

Takut behaves like both in Indonesian; the language doesn’t separate them the way English does.

You use takut directly after a subject:

• Saya takut anjing. – I’m afraid of dogs.
• Dia takut gelap. – He/She is afraid of the dark.

There’s no extra verb like to be (am/is/are). Takut itself carries the meaning “to be afraid / to fear.”

Can takut be followed by a verb instead of a noun phrase like sakit gigi?

Yes. Takut can be followed by:

1. A noun phrase (thing you fear):

   • Saya takut sakit gigi. – I’m afraid of toothache.
   • Saya takut ular. – I’m afraid of snakes.

2. A verb or clause (event/action you fear):

   • Saya takut pergi ke dokter gigi. – I’m afraid to go to the dentist.
   • Saya takut gigi saya akan sakit. – I’m afraid my tooth will hurt.

So takut is very flexible in what can come after it.

Is sakit an adjective or a verb? It seems to mean “sick” and “hurt.”

Like takut, sakit straddles the line between adjective and verb in English terms.

Common uses:

• Saya sakit. – I’m sick / I’m ill.
• Gigi saya sakit. – My tooth/teeth hurt.
• Kepala saya sakit. – My head hurts / I have a headache.

So sakit can mean:

• sick / ill, when talking about a person’s overall condition.
• painful / hurts, when talking about a body part.

In sakit gigi, it means “tooth pain / toothache.”

How would I say “I’m afraid I will get a toothache” more explicitly?

You can make the future aspect clearer by adding akan or a full clause:

• Saya takut akan sakit gigi. – I’m afraid (of) getting a toothache.
• Saya takut saya akan sakit gigi. – I’m afraid I will get a toothache.
• Saya takut nanti sakit gigi. – I’m afraid I’ll get a toothache later.

Your original Saya takut sakit gigi already implies “afraid of getting toothache,” but these versions highlight the future more strongly.

How do I say “I’m not afraid of toothache”?

Use tidak before takut:

• Saya tidak takut sakit gigi. – I’m not afraid of toothache.

Pattern: subject + tidak + takut + object

Is Saya takut sakit gigi formal, informal, or neutral?

It’s neutral.

• Using Saya makes it fine for polite or semi-formal situations.
• If you switch to Aku takut sakit gigi, it becomes more casual.

So Saya takut sakit gigi is safe to use with almost anyone: teachers, friends, coworkers, etc.

How do I pronounce sakit gigi correctly?

Pronunciation tips (using English approximations):

• sakit: sa-kit

  • sa as in “sa” in “salsa”
  • kit like English “kit,” with a clear final t (do pronounce the t).

• gigi: gi-gi

  • both g are hard, like in “go,” never like “j” in “giant.”
  • gi roughly like “gee” in “geek,” but shorter.

Stress is normally on the first syllable: SA-kit GI-gi.