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When we learn about language, we will talk about vocabulary for sure because it is as important as Indonesian Grammar Rules or Indonesian Part of Speech. Therefore, you must collect as much lexical resources as you can to master Bahasa Indonesia. At this opportunity, we will discuss about Indonesian Language Useful Words. Before we start, let’s take a look at these following related articles.
- Useful Words to Get You Anywhere in Indonesia
- Indonesian Survival Phrases and Common Sentences
- Indonesian Essential Phrases
Here are some very common word that you would find really useful to deliver your purpose!
Indonesian Preposition, Auxiliary and Conjunction
- dengan = with
- untuk = for
- akan = will
- belum = have/has not
- juga = also
- sangat = very
- (adjective) sekali = very
- lebih = more
- lebih dari = more than
- kurang = less
- kurang dari = less than
- dari = from
- ke = to
- di = in
- setelah = after
- sebelum = before
- dapat = can/could
- bisa = can/could (*this also means viper poison)
- ingin/mau = want/desire
- hendak = will (formal)
- dan = and, as well as
- atau = or
- sedangkan = while
- tetapi = but
- meskipun/walaupun = although/despite/in spite
- meskipun demikian/walaupun demikian = nonetheless
- akan tetapi = however
- namun = however/but
- oleh sebab itu/oleh karena itu = Because of that, therefore
- sehingga = so
- dengan demikian = therefore
- dengan kata lain = on the other words
- di sisi lain = on the other hand
- kemudian = then
- ketika = when
- bahwa = that
- karena/sebab = because
Further readings: Indonesian Auxiliary Verbs and Indonesian Conjunctions
Indonesian Pronouns (Formal and Informal)
Indonesian Language Useful Words:
- saya (formal)/ aku (informal) = I/me/mine/my
- kamu (formal)/ Anda (informal) = you/your/yours
- kami =we/us/our/ours (excluding you)
- kita =we/us/our/ours (including you)
- mereka = they/them/their/theirs
- kalian = (plural version of ‘kamu’)
- Anda semua = (plural version of ‘Anda’)
- dia = he/she, his/her, his/hers, him/her
- beliau = formal form of ‘dia’
Further readings:
- Indonesian Formal Language
- Differences Between ‘Kita’ and ‘Kami’ in Bahasa Indonesia
- What’s the Difference between ‘Anda’ and ‘Kamu’ In Indonesian?
Indonesian Greeting & Sacred Words
Greeting is a very sacred part of Bahasa Indonesia because it show respect to others. (Check: Sacred Communication Etiquette in Indonesia and Indonesian Greeting Etiquette and Manners)
- tolong = help (n), please
- terima kasih = thank you
- maaf = sorry
- selamat = congratulation
- selamat pagi = good morning
- selamat siang = good afternoon
- selamat sore = good evening
- selamat malam = good evening/good night
- selamat tidur = good night
- mimpi yang indah = have a nice sleep
- selamat menikmati = enjoy
- selamat datang = welcome
- sampai jumpa = see you
- salam = greet!/ hi!
- hai = hi
- halo = hello
- salam damai = peace
- sama-sama/terima kasih kembali = you’re welcome
Check also: How to Say Hello in Indonesian
Indonesian Daily life Words
Indonesian Language Useful Words:
- makan = eat
- minum = drink
- bekerja = work
- bersekolah = school (v)
- berjalan = walk
- main = play
- tidur = sleep
- mandi = take a bath
- sikat gigi/gosok gigi = brush … teeth
- mencuci = wash
- tertawa = laugh
- menangis = cry
- senang = happy
- sedih = sad
- marah = angry
- jual = sell
- beli = buy
- mahal = expensive
- murah = cheap
- datang = come
- pulang = go home/back
- bicara = talk
- diam = silent
- ambil = take
- taruh = put
- waktu = time
- tahun = year
- bulan = month
- hari = day
- minggu = week
- jam = hour
- menit = minute
- detik = second
- sekarang = now
- hari ini = today
- nanti = later
- besok = tomorrow
- lusa = the day after tomorrow
- kemarin = yesterday
- Senin = Monday
- Selasa = Tuesday
- Rabu = Wednesday
- Kamis = Thursday
- Jumat = Friday
- Sabtu = Saturday
- Minggu = Sunday
- libur = holiday
- apa = what
- siapa = who
- kenapa/mengapa = why
- bagaimana = how
- di mana = where
- kapan = when
- merah = red
- biru = blue
- hitam = black
- putih = white
- hijau = green
- kuning = yellow
- jingga/oranye = orange
- merah muda = pink
- ungu = purple
- abu-abu = grey
- macet = traffic
- terlambat = late
Read also: How to Say Time in Bahasa Indonesia and How to Say Colours in Indonesian Language
Indonesian Slang Words
- Modus = having purpose, not sincere
- Baper = too sensitive/too much emotion
- Gabut = have no activity/not busy at all/a condition when you do nothing or less in a project/job
- Kepo = knowing every particular object (refer to people that want to know too much than he/she should know
- Alay = cheesy, people immature behavior
- Selo/woles = relax, less tension
- Santai/sans = relax, ask someone to be not too intense
- Kuy (bacward of ‘yuk’) = a word used to ask someone to come
- Sikat/Takis = refer to ‘go/do something without hesitant’
- Gas = not hesitant like car gas
- PHP (pemberi harapan palsu) = giving fake hope/disappointment
- Jomblo/Jomlo = single (but the sense is more negative
- Kacang = ignored (like a “krik-krik” sound when you chew peanut)
- receh = not funny at all
Check also: Indonesian Slang in Internet Chatting
Those are Indonesian Language Useful Words that will help you a lot in communication. Of course, there are still may to learn and be mastered. I hope you still have tons of curiosity left inside you! Therefore, here are several useful articles to help you collect as many Bahasa Indonesia vocabulary as you can. Do not hesitant to take a look and click more articles. Good luck and keep practice!
- Common Indonesian Nouns
- Indonesian Cultural Words
- Indonesian High Context Culture
- Indonesian Language Phrase Book