Are you about to fly to Indonesia? Here are 25 Indonesian phrases to help you familiarize yourself with the language before your departure.
Are you going to stay in Indonesia to enjoy the heavenly islands, surf spots and the atmosphere of the country? What is certain is that you will spend an unforgettable moment. However, if you do not learn some Indonesian expressions before leaving, you may be blocked to speak with the people of the country. Indeed, in Indonesia, the premises do not speak English.
Of course we thought about you with this guide so that everything goes well during your trip. From basic expressions to unpublished phrases, Indonesian will have no secret for you.
Indonesian and Balin: seizing the difference
While Bali Island is located in the heart of Indonesia, some expressions vary locally. Bali owns its own dialect so make the difference and prepare accordingly. Don’t worry, the Baliese speak mostly English. The island has become one of the most trendy destinations in the world in recent years.
Pronunciation
If the Indonesian is built on the basis of a Latin alphabet, a few letters are pronounced otherwise.
- C is pronounced TCH : coklat = chocolate, pronounces TCHOKLATT - J se prononce DJ : jalan = go, walk, se prononce DJALANN - U that is pronounced OR: rumah = house, pronounces ROUMAHH - S always pronounces SS, never Z: nasi = rice pronounces NASSI - R is pronounced rolled – NG pronounces itself as the ‘NG’ of the German monkey (sing) - H at the beginning or end of the word is marked: darah = blood and different from dara = girl - The final K is not pronounced: tidak = no, pronounces TIDA – AI pronounces EILLE as in English say (say) – AU se prononce OW comme dans l’anglais cow (vache) – SY pronounces SH as in English sheep (mouton) - OI pronounces OY
Source : Edelo
1. Basic expressions
Photo credit: Unsplah – Dikaseva
- "Selamat pagi! » Hello! - « Halo! / Hai! » Hi! - « Selamat sore » Good evening. - "Sampai jumpa! » Goodbye! - "Tolong" : Please - « Terima kasih / Kembali » : Thank you / You're welcome. - « Ya / Tidak » Yes / No - « Maaf, ... » Excuse me. - « Nama saya ... » : My name is... - Saya tidak bisa bahasa Indonesia. » I don't speak Indonesian - « Bisakah Anda bahasa ... ? » Are you talking...? - Saya tidak mengerti. » I don't understand - "Inggris / Perancis" : English / French - « Boleh saya tahu berapa harganya? » : What is the price please? - "Di mana ada terminal bis? » : Where is there a bus station?
2. saya sakit
This expression literally translates to "I don't feel very well."
Example : you wish to explain to a friend that you are not in shape. You will tell him "saya sakit" to define your evil being, which can be both physical or psychological. Put the tone so that your interlocutor understands what you feel.
3. tolong tunggu sebentar
This is one of the most practical Indonesian phrases to remember to say “A moment please”. If you want your interlocutor to wait for the time you finish something, you will be able to use this expression. Put the intonation at the end of words to support your remarks.
4. Oh, gitu.
The translation of this Indonesian expression in the literal sense is "Ahhhh, I see." You will often hear it during your conversations with the locals. The latter accentuate the end of the word to show that they are really surprised to learn what you just said to them. This expression is also used to mean "okay" and to support a surprise effect.
5. aduh
This is the word we use in French when we are not happy, a somewhat more familiar “zut”. You will usually hear it out of the mouth of tuk tuk drivers in the caps. You will see after a few days that Indonesians love to accentuate the “u” (pronounced “or”) of the words they use.
6. kepo
It is the small Indonesian expression that will give your interlocutor a smile. It means in the own sense "inquisitive" but it is rather used to describe a more ill-placed curiosity, or even considered as a comma.
7. semangat
In the literal sense, this phrase is translated as "May force be with you." Say "semangat" to those you want to encourage, motivate. Indonesians are very welded and like to help their loved ones in all circumstances and especially during difficult times.
Example : you know that one of your friends has a long working day waiting for him, you will tell him “semangat”.
8. itu terlalu
It is one of the most basic Indonesian expressions since as you know, Asians love to market and negotiate prices. Here, this translates to “it’s too expensive”. You will associate it with “Bolieh kurang” to ask to lower the price. You must have read it in many guides. In Asia, prices are often inflated but you can very easily divide them by two or not three.
9. senang berkenalan denganmu
This long sentence simply means "enchanted" when you meet someone. In Indonesia, premises are respectful to each other and regularly mark politeness formulas at the end of sentences. This is common and is used daily.
10. itu baik
This means “it’s good”. These two words will be used during a lunch at the restaurant or at a meal shared with locals. Don’t hesitate to say “Itu baik” when you love something. Indonesians are very grateful.
11. asik
Indonesians use it to describe something “cool”, “top”. This word will give your positive opinion on an object, a play, a beach or a milk-shake for example. As usual, put the intonation on the last vowel to share your enthusiasm with your interlocutor.
Example : you have just tasted a gamea latte in one of the most famous bars in Indonesia. You will tell the person who accompanies you, "Asiiiiiiik", to make him understand that you find it very good.
How to learn other expressions and vocabulary in Indonesian?
Before leaving on a trip, it may be interesting for you to learn other Indonesian phrases that return regularly to the hijack of a conversation with locals. For this, I advise you to take a look at the works below:
- Indonesian, conversation guide - Let’s learn, learn Indonesian - Indonesia
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