150 Indonesian Essential Phrases - Meaning

150 Indonesian Essential Phrases – Meaning

Hi! How are you enjoying Indonesia so far? Is your vacation or business trip or travel going well? We hope so! When you’re staying here, you’ll need to have some basic knowledge of commonly used Indonesian phrases to make sure you’re not totally ‘blank’ when travelling.

Be sure to know how to introduce yourself in Indonesian before making a conversation. It will also increase your chances of making new friends and broaden your network during your stay, so take some time to learn these phrases!

Indonesian Essential Phrases and Meaning

Here are the essential phrases you’ll mostly use in Indonesia:

1. Indonesian Greeting Phrases

Good morning = Selamat pagi (s’lah-mawt pag-jee)
Good day = Selamat siang (s’lah-mawt see-ung)
Good afternoon = Selamat sore (s’lah-mawt sore-eh)
Good night = Selamat sore (s’lah-mawt maw-lahm)
Good bye (to a person leaving) = Selamat Jalan (s’lah-mawt jah-lahn)
Good bye (if you are the person leaving) = Selamat tinggal (s’lah-mawt ting-gahl)
How are you? = Apa Kabar (up-ah kah-barr) Also learn other ways to say how are you in Indonesian!
I’m great = baik baik (bike-bike)

Read more about Indonesian greeting etiquette and manners too.

2. Indonesian Pronouns

I = Saya (sigh-ah)
You = Anda (awn-da)
You (sir, to adult man) = Pak (puck)
You (madam, to adult women) = Ibu (ee-boo)
He/she = Dia (dee-ah)
We = kita (kee-tah)
Them/they = Mereka (ma-reck-ah)
Who? = Siapa? (see-up-ah)
What? = Apa? (up-ah)
When? = Kapan? (Kah-pahn)
Where? = Kemana? (k’mah-nah)
Why? = Kenapa? (k’nahp-ah)

3. Indonesian Negations Phrases

How? = Bagaimana? (bug-eye-mah-nah)
How many? = Berapa? (burr-ah-pah)
How much is this? = Berapa ini? (burr-ah-pah in-ee)
How much is that? = Barapa itu? (burr-ah-pah-ee-too)
How long? (time) = Berapa lama? (burr-ah-pah lah-mah)
How far? = Berapa jauh? (burr-ah-pah jow-ooh)
Hold old? = Berapa umur? (burr-ah-pah oo-more)
Please (can I have?) = Minta (min-tah)
Please (help me) = Tolong (toe-long)

4. Indonesian Common Phrases

Thank you = Terima Kasih (teh-ree-mah kah-see) Also read about How to Say Thank You in Bahasa Indonesia
You’re Welcome = Sama Sama (saw-ma saw-ma)
I’m Sorry = Saya minta ma’af (sigh-ah min-tah mah-uff)
Good = Bagus (bah-goos)
Very good = Bagus sekali (bah-goos s’kahlee)
Not good = Tidak bagus (tee-duck bah-goos)
Fine = Baik (bike)
Yes = Ya (yaw)
No = Tidak (tee-duck)
Like = Suka (soo-kah)
Don’t Like = Tidak Suka (tee-duck soo-kah)
I want = Saya mau (sigh-ah mao)
Don’t want (Tidak mau) (tee-duck mao)
Family = Keluarga (k’loo-ah-ga)
Relative = Famili (fa-mee-lee)
Friend = Kawan (kah-wahn)
Lover = Kekasih (K’kah-see)