Indonesian Language Phrase Book - Meaning - Examples

Selamat datang!

To survive in another language, at least you must understand several common phrases or short pithy expression. Moreover, as part of phrase, you should also learn about popular idiomatic expression, its literal meaning and its actual meaning. So, let’s broaden your vocabulary with this mini Indonesian Language Phrase Book. Here take a look.

Indonesian Common Phrases

Here are several Indonesian Phrases that commonly used in daily life.

Hai = Hi
Halo = Hello
Selamat pagi = Good Morning
Selamat siang = Good Afternoon
Selamat petang = Good Afternoon
Selamat sore = Good Evening
Selamat malam = Good Evening/Goodnight
Selamat tidur = Goodnight
Selamat datang = Welcome
Selamat jalan = Goodbye
Terima kasih = Thank you
Sama-sama = You’re welcome
Sampai ketemu = See you
Saya baik-baik saja = I’m good/ I’m fine
Tidak apa-apa/ Gapapa (informal) = It’s okay/ Never mind
Maaf = (I’m) sorry
(Silakan) masuk = Get in(please)
(Silakan) keluar = Get out (please)
Pergi! = Go away!
Ngomong-ngomong/ btw [be te we] = By the way
*Btw is abbreviatopn of by the way
Permisi = Excuse me!
Aku sayang kamu = I love you
Aku cinta kamu = I love you (more serious romantic relationship)
Tolong! = Help!/please

Check also: Indonesian Everyday Phrases and Indonesian Essential Phrases

Q&A Phrases in Indonesian Language

Here are the examples of important question phrases and its answer used in daily activities. Take a look!

Q: Siapa nama Anda?/Nama kamu siapa? = What is your name?
A: Nama saya Jenna/ Saya Jenna = I’m Jenna
Q: Bagaimana kabarmu/Apa kabar? = How are you?
A: Baik/Saya baik. Kamu? = I’m fine. And you?
Q: Jam berapa sekarang? = What time is it?
A: Sekarang jam 11.00 = It is 11 a.m.
Q: Kamu mau ke mana? = Where are you going?
A: Saya mau ke sekolah = I’m going to school
Q: Kamu bekerja di mana? = Where do you work?
A: Saya bekerja di PT ABC = I work in PT ABC
Q: Kamu dari mana? = Where are you from?
A: Saya dari Jakarta = I’m from Jakarta
*this question could ask about your country/city/a place you visited right before you meet the addresser
Q: Kamu tinggal di mana? = Where do you live?
A: I live at Jalan Diponegoro = I live at Diponegoro street.
Q: Apakah kamu bisa berbahasa Indonesia? = Do you speak Indonesian?
A: Saya tidak bisa Bahasa Indonesia = I can’t/don’t speak Indonesian
A: Saya bisa Bahasa Indonesia sedikit-sedikit = I can speak Indonesian a little bit
Q: Kamu sudah makan? = Have you eat?
A: Ya = Yes
A: Belum = Not yet.
Q: Apa yang kamu lakukan? = What are you doing?
A: Saya sedang memasak = I’m cooking
Q: Berapa harga ikan ini? = How much is this fish?
A: Murah. Hanya 12 dollar = It is cheap, only USD 12.
Q: Apakah kamu butuh bantuan? = Do you need help?
A: Tidak. Terima kasih. No, thanks.
Q: Kamu baik-baik saja? Are you okay?
A: Ya. Aku baik-baik saja. Yes. I’m fine.

For more Indonesian Phrase Book Word List, check also:

More Indonesian Phrases to Learn!

Furthermore, another part of phrase is about idiom. It is a set of word that has very different meaning from its root word even though it is still a relation of meaning. In Bahasa Indonesia, there are many idiomatic-meaning phrase. It is very related to social-cultural aspects as well as Indonesian geographic condition. Here are the examples.

Phrase related to Animal

What to learn on Indonesian Language phrase book:

kelas (class) + kakap (snapper) = kelas kakap
– higher class, powerful and/or rich people
kelas (class) + teri (anchovy) = kelas teri
– lower class, worthless and/or poor people
kelas (class) + kambing (goat) = kelas kambing
– cheapest/lowest class (such as in cinema/concert ticket)
telur (egg) + mata (eye) + sapi (cow) = telur mata sapi
– sunny-side egg
kabar (news) + burung (bird) = kabar burung
– rumor
kambing (goat) + hitam (black) = kambing hitam
– scapegoat
kuda (horse) + hitam (black) = kuda hitam
– dark horse
buaya (crocodile) + darat (land) = buaya darat
– womanizer
lintah (bloodsucker) + darat (land) = lintah darat
– loan sharks
akal (mind) + kancil (mouse deer) = akal kancil
– cunning mind (related to Indonesian folklore about mouse deer that love to steal)
ayam (chicken) + kampus (campus) = ayam kampus
– immoral female college student
mati (die) + ayam (chicken) = mati ayam
– silly dead
tidur (sleep) + tidur (sleep) + ayam (chicken) = tidur-tidur ayam
– unsound sleep
otak (brain) + udang (shrimp) = otak udang
– very stupid
mengadu (contest) + domba (sheep) = mengadu domba
– (to) provoke
lidah (tongue) + buaya (crocodile) = lidah buaya
– aloe vera
kumis (mustache) + kucing (cat) = kumis kucing
– a type of medicinal herb
membabi ((to) pig) + buta (blind) = membabi buta
– doing something reckless

Phrase related to Plant Parts

bunga (flower) + desa (village) = bunga desa
– the most beautiful girl in the village
bunga (flower) + bangkai (corpse) = bunga bangkai
Titan arum, Indonesian endemic flower which its odor smells like rotting corpse
daun (leaf) + pintu (door) = daun pintu
– outer part of door
daun (leaf) + telinga (ear) = daun telinga
– earlobe (outer part of ear)
naik (up) + daun (leaf) = naik daun
– currently famous
buah (fruit) + tangan (hand) = buah tangan
– souvenir
buah (fruit) + pena (pen) = buah pena
– literary works
buah (fruit) + bibir (lips) = buah bibir
– a person/ phenomena that become popular topic in people conversation
batang (stem) + hidung (nose) = batang hidung
– an idiom to signify people as a whole (it is part of language style)
sebatang (a stem) + kara (a type of plant) sebatang kara
– live alone
lidah (tounge) + bercabang (branches) = lidah bercabang
– untrusworthy because he/she easily changes his/her words

There are still more to add in this mini Indonesian Language Phrase Book. I hope you will dig deeper! But, you can also check these very interesting and useful articles. It definitely will help!