What Does “Galau” Mean in Indonesian?
“Galau” is a popular Indonesian slang word that describes a deep mix of emotional confusion, sadness, and overthinking. It refers to a state where someone feels mentally unsettled and unsure about what to do. There is no exact single-word translation in English, but the feeling sits between being restless, conflicted, emotionally overwhelmed, and heartbroken.
People often say they are galau when they experience:
- relationship problems
- missing someone
- confusion about life decisions
- stress from personal issues
- overthinking late at night
- feeling torn between two choices
Although it can express real emotional pain, galau is also used playfully in everyday situations — for example, when someone is being dramatic about love or cannot stop thinking about a small problem.
Examples in Indonesian:
- Aku lagi galau karena dia belum balas pesan aku. (I’m feeling galau because he hasn’t replied to my message.)
- Dia galau mau pilih kerja di Jakarta atau Surabaya. (He’s galau about choosing whether to work in Jakarta or Surabaya.)
- Jangan galau, nanti semuanya juga jelas kok. (Don’t be galau, everything will become clear later.)
- Semalaman aku galau mikirin masa depan. (I was galau all night thinking about the future.)
- Dia sering galau kalau ngomongin cinta. (She often gets galau when talking about love.)
