If you have no clue where to start your Bahasa Indonesia learning, you always could start from Indonesian easy phrases as the starting point. These include survival phrases as well as Indonesian daily words. Therefore, you could express some common phrases that may help you communicate as a beginner. Here, we will learn the list of Indonesian easy phrases that makes you sounds like a pro.
Let’s start with the phrases that you may need or found in daily life communication.
- Apa kabar? – How are you?/What’s up?
- Saya baik-baik saja – I’m fine/I’m okay
- Mungkin – Maybe
- Terserah/serah – Whatever/Never mind
- Saya mau pergi kerja – I need to get work
- Saya mau jalan-jalan – I want to take a walk
- Saya tidak bisa berbahasa Indonesia – I don’t speak Bahasa Indonesia
- Saya tidak suka makan sayuran – I don’t eat vegetables
- Jam berapa? – What time is it?
- Hari apa ini? – What day is it?
- Sekarang pukul satu siang – It’s one p.m. now
- Berapa harga tas itu? – How much is the bag?
- Harga sepatu itu mahal – The shoes’s price is quite expensive
- Turunin harganya, lah – Please give me some discount for it
- Kamu hendak ke mana? – Where do you want to go?
- Bagaimana caranya saya ke stasiun Tanah Abang? – How am I going to the Tanah Abang station?
- Apakah ini bus jurusan Kota–Blok M? – Is this the Kota–Blok M bus?
- Di mana saya bisa membeli buku? – Where can I find books here?
- Apakah saya bisa membayar dengan kartu debit/kartu kredit? – Could I pay with debit/credit card?
- Dilarang buang sampah sembarangan – No littering
- Dilarang merokok – Don’t smoke
- Diam – Silence, please/Shut up
- Hati-hati – Be careful
- Nama saya adalah Andi – My name is Andi
- Saya berasal dari Swiss – I come from Switzerland
- Saya sedang bersekolah di sini – I am studying here
*berkuliah, studi are the other option for ‘bersekolah’ (study). However, the terms ‘berkuliah’ is used if you pursuing higher education (university or institute) - Apa yang sedang kamu lakukan? – What are you doing?
- Cuacanya panas – It’s hot
- Tolong – Please, help
- Maaf – Sorry
- Terima kasih – Thank you
- Permisi – Excuse me
- Apakah Anda bisa membantu saya? – Could you help me?
- Bolehkah saya membantu Anda? – May I help you?
- Saya sedang terburu-buru – I’m in rush
- Tolong lebih cepat – Please go faster
- Saya sedang tidak mau diganggu – I don’t want to be disturbed right now
- Jangan terlambat – Do not be late
*The other common phrase for it is ‘Jangan jam karet’ which literally means ‘do not become a rubber clock’. The rubber clock is a idiom for person who never stick with the time (very flexibly late like a rubber). Therefore, it means ‘do not be late’ - Sudah makan? – Have you eat?
*Sometimes it’s like ‘what’s up’, when a person only want to open a conversation - Makanan ini sangat lezat – The food is tasty/delicious
- Kamu sangat cantik – You are very beautiful
- Saya mau ke toilet/Saya mau ke belakang – I want to go to the toilet
*You could also change ‘toilet’ as ‘belakang’ (back) to make it more polite - On the way/otw [otewe]
*even it’s an English phrase, Indonesian really like to use it. It does not always means the person is on his/her way, but also means ‘I’m getting ready’ - Saya perginya nge-gojek/nge-grab saja – I will go with online transportation
*Both gojek and grab are online transportation (motor taxi as well as car/taxi) that really popular among Indonesian, beside commuter-line or bus
Indonesian Easy Greetings
Other important as well as Indonesian Easy Phrases that you should master is is to say hello and goodbye in Bahasa Indonesia. As you know, there are greeting etiquette that differ with other country. Let’s see the phrases for greetings in Bahasa Indonesia.
- Selamat pagi = Good morning
- Selamat siang = Good afternoon
- Selamat sore = Good evening
- Selamat malam = Good evening (after 6 p.m. usually)
- Selamat tidur = Goodnight
- Selamat petang = Good evening (near 6 p.m.)
- Selamat datang = Welcome
- Selamat = Congratulation
- Selamat ulang tahun = Happy Birthday
- Selamat Lebaran/Idul Fitri = Happy Muslim’s New Year/Happy Eid Mubarak
- Selamat Natal = Merry Christmas
- Selamat Paskah = Happy Easter
- Selamat Hari Raya Nyepi = Happy Nyepi Day (Day of Silence)
- Selamat Waisak = Happy Vesak
- Selamat Tahun Baru = Happy New Year
- Selamat Imlek = Happy Lunar New Year
- Halo/Hai = Hello/Hi
- Sampai ketemu/Sampai Jumpa = See you
- Dada (informal) = Bye
- Semoga beruntung = Good luck
- Semoga harimu menyenangkan = Have a nice day
With those Indonesian easy phrases to help your language learning faster, you have added some more essential phrases to your knowledge. Of course, there are many other vocabulary, such as how do you call family members in Bahasa Indonesia and so on. Then, keep practice and read as many sources you could get. Semoga harimu menyenangkan!