No matter where you go, ‘please’ is another magic word besides ‘thank you’ that really shows your courtesy and manners when talking to anyone regardless of social or economic class. Here in Indonesia, people especially value etiquette, so it will really help if you know how to say different phrases of ‘please’ in Bahasa Indonesia.
There are some sacred communication etiquette in Indonesian. It will make your relationship with people around you smoother, whether they are your taxi driver, your barber, your waiter or waitress, your housekeeper, or your friends.
Also check out how to say thank you in Bahasa Indonesia and Indonesian greeting etiquette and manners to keep in mind when you talk to Indonesians.
How to say Please in Bahasa Indonesia?
The Indonesian word for ‘please’ is tolong. Another meaning of the word is actually ‘help’. Usually, to make a certain request, the simple formula is starting your sentence with ‘Tolong’ followed by your request.
For example, ‘Tolong antar ini ke kamar saya’ means ‘Please take this to my room’. It can also be made into a question form, for example, ‘Bisa tolong antar ini ke kamar saya?’ (Can you help to take this to my room please?). Both of these forms are fine.
Learn more about Indonesian sentence structure as well as Indonesian grammar.
Below are some examples of how to say please in Indonesian. As you can see, you can apply these phrases in different places, such as general public places, train stations, hotels, restaurants, taxis, and bars.
This is some phrases on how to say please in Bahasa Indonesia:
| Please | Tolong |
| Please speak more slowly | Tolong bicara lebih pelan |
| Please translate it for me | Tolong artikan itu untuk saya |
| Please say that again | Bisa tolong diulangi? |
| Please write it down | Tolong dituliskan |
| Please send it to my address | Tolong kirim ke alamat saya |
| Please show me the way to the museum | Tolong tunjukkan saya jalan ke museum |
| One ticket to ______, please | Tolong, satu karcis ke _______ |
| Take me there, please | Tolong antar saya ke sana |
| Please clean my room | Tolong bersihkan kamar saya |
| A table for one person/two people, please. | Tolong, satu meja untuk satu/dua orang. |
| Can I look at the menu, please? | Tolong, bisa lihat menunya? |
| Can you make it less salty please? | Tolong, bisa dibuatkan tidak terlalu asin? |
| Please clear the plates | Tolong angkat piringnya |
| Please hold this for a while | Tolong pegangkan ini sebentar |
| Check, please | Tolong minta bonnya |
| One hamburger (or any food), please | Tolong, satu hamburger |
| Can you bring me a cup of coffee please? | Bisa tolong bawakan saya secangkir kopi? |
| Please tell me if he is back | Tolong kabari saya jika dia sudah pulang |
| One more, please | Tolong berikan satu lagi |
| Another round, please | Tolong, satu ronde lagi |
So, aside from mastering Indonesian grammar and vocabulary, etiquette and manners are also very important to understand for you to stay in a new country. That’s how to say please in Bahasa Indonesia. Having good manners will of course help you broaden your network and give you more chance in expanding your career in Indonesia too, so do remember to be courteous and friendly at all times!