How’s your day? I hope it is as great as ever.
When learning bahasa Indonesia, it is important to learn common greetings to help you communicate better. Besides learning Indonesian greeting etiquette, it is also important to learn common greeting such as goodnight. The common phrase of good night in bahasa Indonesia somehow has similar use as in English. Good night in Bahasa Indonesia can be translated as ‘selamat malam’ and mostly used after sunset.
Even though in bahasa Indonesia good evening and good night have the same translation, but the use is quite different. Both phrases mean ‘selamat malam’ but good evening is used for greeting while good night is used for saying goodbye. Take a look at the difference term of ‘selamat malam’.
Basic Way to Say Goodnight
- Selamat malam – goodnight (after 9 pm)
- Selamat malam – good evening (from 7 pm to 9 pm)
- Selamat sore – good afternoon (from 3 pm to 7 pm)
- Selamat petang – good evening (from 7 pm to 9 pm)
‘Selamat petang’ has the same meaning as good evening. It is mostly used after sunset but before 9 pm. In Indonesia, the phrase is less common because people tend to use ‘selamat malam’ but it does common in Malayu language. For another use of ‘selamat malam’, you can check our latest article on how to say good evening in Indonesian.
The use of ‘selamat malam’ is indeed simple. You can safely say ‘selamat malam’ for evening, night, parting, or even sending someone to bed. But it is important to notice the difference use.
Here are the examples of ‘Selamat malam’ in sentence:
- Selamat malam, ayah (good evening, daddy)
- Selamat malam, bapak dan ibu (good evening, ladies and gentleman)
- Terima kasih sudah datang. Selamat malam (Thanks for coming. Good night)
Do you notice the difference? ‘selamat malam’ as good evening is used in the beginning of sentence as greetings. But ‘selamat malam’ as good night is used in the end of the sentence as it is a goodbye phrase.
In general, the use of goodnight and good evening in Bahasa Indonesia has no significant difference. You can say ‘selamat malam’ as a greeting or good bye. The important thing is to place it in the right word order.
Unless in a formal occasion, it is uncommon for Indonesian to say ‘selamat malam’ in a complete form because most people will only say ‘malam’. Take a look at below example of how to say Goodnight in Indonesian Language.
- Malam, sayang. Kamu sudah makan? (Good evening, darling. Have you eaten?)
- Malam, bu. Saya mau bertemu dengan Sasa. (Good evening, miss. I would like to see sasa.)
Indonesian uses the simple ‘malam’ instead of ‘selamat malam’ only when in informal occasion. In its simple form, ‘selamat malam’ can only be used for greeting only. It cannot be used for saying goodbye and sending someone bed.
Good night is also used when you want to send someone to bed. When using ‘selamat malam’ for this context, the phrase is used in the beginning of the sentence and the phrase should be followed with other sentences.
Take a look at below example of phrases on how to say Goodnight in Indonesian Language to wish someone to bed.
- Selamat malam. Semoga mimpi indah (good night. Have a nice dream)
- Selamat malam. Jangan lupa menggosok gigi sebelum tidur. (goodnight. Do not forget to brush your teeth before bed.)
Besides the use of ‘selamat malam’, you can also use the phrase ‘selamat tidur’ for different phrase but same meaning.
- Selamat tidur. Semoga mimpi indah (Good night. Have a nice dream)
Other greetings related to good night also commonly use in daily conversation as you can see below.
- Selamat pagi – good morning
- Selamat siang – good afternoon (from 11 am to 2 pm)
- Sampai jumpa lagi – see you later
- Selamat tinggal – good bye (if you are leaving)
- Selamat jalan – good bye (if you are staying)
- Apa kabar? – How are you?
Also learn how to say hello in Indonesian?
Other Phrases of ‘Selamat’
The word ‘selamat’ in bahasa Indonesia is not only used for greetings but also for congratulations. In fact, most congratulatory expressions use the word selamat. Take a look at below examples.
- Selamat tahun baru – happy new year
- Selamat ulang tahun – happy birthday
- Selamat berlibur – happy holiday
Also learn Indonesian Language Examples
Good night in bahasa Indonesia is literary translated as ‘selamat malam’. However, the phrase can be used for different function. Most importantly when using good night in Bahasa Indonesia is to make sure that you pronounce it in the correct way. So, now you know how to say Goodnight in Indonesian Language. Do not hesitate to check our article about Indonesian pronunciation guide. Keep on practicing and quickly become expert in Bahasa Indonesia.