Correct Terminology for household staff?

[godmachine12]

There is also "kacung" for page boy, but not so common now days.

Yeah, definitely not common at all. It's worth noting, for anyone with any linguistic interests anyway, what the proper word for ‘caddy’ is in Indonesian. No, it's not kadi.

 

[HarleyB1962]

I think it's important to distinguish between a professional nurse and a nanny, especially since the word "suster" can refer to both in Indonesia. Their responsibilities and work environments are quite different. Even the clothing can reflect that distinction, from medical scrubs to scrub caps for short hair, which are commonly used in clinical settings.

 

[harryopal1]

Well, it is 10 years ago that Puspawarna posted her first thread on this topic. So where are things at now? Is there a completed list? And where is Puspawarna these days? Still in Hawaii?

 

[Helpful Herbert]

I think it's still the same:
Maid = mbak
Nanny = babysister
Driver = sopir
Everything else is some kind of tukang

 

[Helpful Herbert]

Another one, for older maids (40+) from Java is Bu De. I was very confused because I thought Bu De was her name, then a new one came, also called Bu De, and I thought, what are the chances?

 

[snpark]

I think it's still the same:
Maid = mbak
Nanny = babysister
Driver = sopir
Everything else is some kind of tukang

Sitter. Not baby sister

 

[harryopal1]

And young shop assistants male and female " mbak?

 

[nd_eric_77]

Sitter. Not baby sister

I have always heard "suster" or more commonly "sus" or "cus".

 

[nd_eric_77]

And young shop assistants male and female " mbak?

Just anecdotally, "mas" seems to be the male version roughly equivalent to "mbak".