Learning pronouns in Sundanese, a language spoken primarily in the western part of the island of Java, Indonesia, is crucial for mastering both spoken and written communication. Sundanese pronouns are characterized by their forms according to person, number, and level of politeness. This guide covers personal, possessive, demonstrative, reflexive, and interrogative pronouns, providing detailed explanations and examples for each.

Personal Pronouns

Personal pronouns in Sundanese replace nouns referring to people or things and are used based on the person being referred to. Sundanese distinguishes pronouns by the level of formality.

Informal Level:

• Abdi (I/Me): “Abdi bade ka pasar.” – I am going to the market.
• Anjeun (You): “Anjeun bade dahar naon?” – What are you going to eat?
• Manéhna (He/She): “Manéhna nuju ulin.” – He/She is playing.
• Urang (We/Us): “Urang kedah gugah isuk-isuk.” – We must wake up early in the morning.
• Aranjeun (You – plural): “Aranjeun sadayana bade ka mana?” – Where are all of you going?
• Maranéhna (They): “Maranéhna nuju diajar.” – They are studying.

Polite Level:

• Kuring (I/Me): “Kuring hoyong diajar basa Sunda.” – I want to learn Sundanese.
• Maneh (You): “Naha maneh teu ka sakola?” – Why didn’t you go to school?
• Anjeunna (He/She): “Anjeunna gaduh buku anyar.” – He/She has a new book.
• Kami (We/Us – exclusive): “Kami bade angkat ayeuna.” – We are leaving now.
• Ente (You – plural or formal): “Ente kedah datang isuk.” – You must come tomorrow.
• Maranehna (They): “Maranehna bade nyieun kue.” – They are going to make cakes.

Very Polite Level:

• Sim kuring (I/Me): “Sim kuring bade nyarios ka pun bapa.” – I am going to speak to my father.
• Salira (You): “Kumaha damang, Salira?” – How are you?
• Anjeunna (He/She): “Anjeunna pohara geulisna.” – She is very beautiful.

Possessive Pronouns

Possessive pronouns in Sundanese indicate ownership and are often formed by adding the word “punya” to the personal pronoun.

• Punya abdi (My): “Buku punya abdi.” – My book.
• Punya anjeun (Your): “Mobil punya anjeun.” – Your car.
• Punya manéhna (His/Her): “Kacamata punya manéhna.” – His/Her glasses.

Demonstrative Pronouns

Demonstrative pronouns in Sundanese point to specific nouns and vary based on distance.

• Ieu (This): “Ieu buku saha?” – Whose book is this?
• Éta (That): “Éta korsi kosong?” – Is that chair empty?

Reflexive Pronouns

Reflexive pronouns in Sundanese are used when the subject performs an action upon itself.

• Diri (Self): “Kuring kedah miara diri.” – I must take care of myself.

Interrogative Pronouns

Interrogative pronouns are used to ask questions about people, places, or things.

• Saha (Who): “Saha nu bade angkat?” – Who is going to leave?
• Naon (What): “Naon nu keur dilakukeun?” – What is being done?
• Dimana (Where): “Dimana anjeun cicing?” – Where do you live?

Understanding and correctly using Sundanese pronouns is vital for navigating both simple and complex conversations. Practice forming sentences with each type of pronoun, and try to engage in conversations or writing exercises to apply these concepts actively. Remember, context and the nuances of Sundanese culture and language play a significant role in choosing the correct pronoun form.