In this lesson you will learn Indonesia's most popular phrases. You are guaranteed to hear them many times throughout your stay in Indonesia. Indonesians like to speak to foreigners and these phrases will be used to start a conversation with you. New Words
| anda |
you, your, yours: formal |
| angin |
wind, breeze |
| asal |
origin |
| Australia |
Australia |
| bahasa |
language |
| baik |
good |
| belum |
not yet |
| cari |
to search |
| dari |
from |
| datang |
to arrive |
| Inggris |
England |
| jalan |
way, street, to walk |
| jumpa |
to meet |
| ketemu |
to meet |
| khabar |
message, news |
| ke |
to |
| kita |
we |
| lagi |
again |
| ma'af |
I am sorry, excuse me |
| mana |
where |
| main |
to play, to play around, to hang out |
| mandi |
to take a shower or bath, shower, bath |
| orang |
person |
| orang Australia |
Australian |
| orang Inggris |
Englishman / Englishwoman |
| orang Jerman |
German |
| pagi |
morning |
| rumah |
house, home |
| sampai |
until |
| saya |
I, me |
| siang |
daytime |
| sore |
evening |
| malam |
night |
| nanti |
later |
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Mau ke mana?
Indonesians are a friendly bunch and always interested in making contact. This sentence you will hear more than any other: Q: Mau ke mana? - want to where? - Where are you going? It simply is the conversation opener. Don't cut the conversation short by telling your destination and moving on. Try these answers: A: jalan-jalan - walking walking - I am out for a walk
A: Ke Rumah - to house/home - going home
A: Mau main - want play - I want to have some fun And soon enough you will be in the middle of a chat. At this stage you may feel obliged to say that you don't understand a word: Ma'af, saya tidak mengerti - Sorry I no understand - Sorry I do not understand
A Twist
Main can mean a lot of things, like: To play, to have fun, to meet with friends,
to have sex, to hang out.
Since most travellers to Indonesia are at any time engaged in at least one
of these activities, main should become your favourite word. |
Saya orang Australia - I person Australia - I am Australian The official "how do you do" is:
Q: Apa khabar? - what message/news? - How do you do?
A: Khabar baik - message/news good - I am all right As a foreigner you will be asked several times a day where you come from:
Dari mana? - from where? - Where do you come from?
A: Saya dari Inggris - I from England - I am from England To return the question:
Informal (use for people under 25):
Anda dari mana? - You from where - Where are you coming from? For everybody 25 years old and over start with the formal: Anda dari mana? You will also often hear:
Q: Asal dari mana? - Origin from where? - Where are you from?
A: Saya asal dari Jerman - I origin from Germany - I am from Germany Dari mana can also mean where you are just coming from:
Q: Anda dari mana? - You from where? - Where are you coming from?
A: Dari rumah - from house - I am coming from home
A twist
If asked: " Mau ke mana?"
Try the answer: "Cari angin" searching wind - I am searching for wind
Indonesians love little jokes like this. |
Formal greetings
Selamat pagi - Good morning (until 10:00h)
Selamat siang - Good morning (10:00h - 15:00h)
Selamat sore - Good afternoon (15:00h - 18:00h)
Selamat malam - Good evening
Selamat datang - Welcome To say goodbye use:
Sampai nanti - until later - See you later
Sampai jumpa - until meet - See you again Or more formal:
Sampai ketemu lagi - Until meet again - Until we meet again
"I don't understand"
If you don't understand, try:
Bagaimana? - what?
Ma'af, saya tidak mengerti - sorry I not understand - Sorry I do not understand.
Tolong diulang - help repeated - please repeat
Tolong, bicara pelan-pelan - help speak slowly slowly - Please speak slowly
Tolong ditulis - help written - Please write it down
Tolong dieja - help spelled - Please spell it Test1. How do you say "sorry"? a) ma'af
b) tolong
c) bagaimana 2. It is 15:00h. How do you greet somebody? Selamat a) malam
b) sore
c) siang
d) pagi
3. How do you say I don't understand? Saya tidak a) dieja
b) mengerti
c) pelan-pelan
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Conversation Opener 