Geraham saya terasa ngilu.

Geraham means molar. In everyday Indonesian, it refers to the large teeth at the back of the mouth used for chewing.

So Geraham saya means my molar or my back tooth.

In Indonesian, possession usually works like this:

noun + possessor

So:

• geraham saya = my molar
• rumah saya = my house
• nama saya = my name

This is different from English, where the possessor usually comes first.

Both are possible.

• gigi geraham = molar tooth
• geraham = molar

In normal speech, geraham by itself is often enough, because everyone already knows it is a kind of tooth.

So Geraham saya terasa ngilu is natural, but Gigi geraham saya terasa ngilu is also possible and a bit more explicit.

Terasa means feels or can be felt.

In this sentence, it shows a sensation that is being experienced:

• Geraham saya terasa ngilu = My molar feels sore / sensitive / achy

It sounds a little more descriptive than just saying Geraham saya ngilu.

This is a very common question.

• merasa = to feel emotionally or physically, from the point of view of the person
• terasa = to be felt, to feel, focusing on the sensation itself

Compare:

• Saya merasa sakit. = I feel pain / I feel sick.
• Geraham saya terasa ngilu. = My molar feels achy/sensitive.

So terasa fits well when you describe how something in the body feels.

Not exactly.

Ngilu is a specific kind of pain or discomfort. It often means:

• a sharp, sensitive, twinging feeling
• a nerve-like ache
• the kind of pain you may feel in teeth, bones, or muscles

For a tooth, ngilu often suggests tooth sensitivity or a sharp aching twinge, especially when eating something cold, sweet, or hard.

Sakit is more general and simply means painful, hurt, or sick.

So:

• Geraham saya sakit. = My molar hurts.
• Geraham saya ngilu. = My molar has that sharp sensitive ache.

Yes, absolutely.

• Geraham saya ngilu. = very natural
• Geraham saya terasa ngilu. = also natural, slightly more descriptive

Adding terasa makes it sound a bit like my molar feels achy. Without it, the sentence is shorter and more direct.

Yes, it is natural.

Some common natural variations are:

• Geraham saya terasa ngilu.
• Geraham saya ngilu.
• Gigi geraham saya terasa ngilu.

All of these are understandable and natural. The version you have is perfectly fine.

Indonesian often does not use a verb equivalent to English to be in simple sentences.

English says:

• My molar is achy
• My molar feels achy

Indonesian can simply say:

• Geraham saya ngilu
• Geraham saya terasa ngilu

So the sentence is complete even without a separate word for is.

Yes, Indonesian words can start with ng.

Ngilu is pronounced roughly like ngi-loo.

The ng sound is the same sound as at the end of English sing, but in Indonesian it can appear at the beginning of a word too.

That beginning sound can be hard for English speakers at first, but it is very normal in Indonesian.

A simple approximation is:

guh-RA-ham

A few helpful points:

• g is always a hard g, like in go
• r is usually tapped or rolled lightly
• the vowels are clearer and more consistent than in English

So do not pronounce the g like j.

Yes. Saya is polite and neutral for I / my.

You could also hear:

• gerahamku = my molar
• geraham aku = my molar (more casual)
• geraham saya = my molar (neutral/polite)

Examples:

• Gerahamku ngilu.
• Geraham aku ngilu.
• Geraham saya ngilu.

All mean basically the same thing, but the level of formality is different.

It depends on the kind of pain.

Use sakit if you want a general statement:

• Gigi saya sakit. = My tooth hurts.

Use ngilu if you want to emphasize that specific sharp, sensitive, aching feeling:

• Gigi saya ngilu. = My tooth feels sensitive / has a sharp ache.

For tooth problems, both are common, but ngilu is especially good when talking about sensitivity or a shooting ache.