Welcome back to Mastering Bahasa website! Here we are helping you to learn Indonesian language! In this article we are going to teach you Indonesian phrases for travellers. If you need more common conversation in Indonesia, you can check Conversation in Indonesian.
As a traveler, we believe you are seeking for a journey. A journey means an adventure. An adventure should be something new and fun. And you will find all of them in Indonesia! If you are sociable, you are lucky, as most Indonesian residents like to help those in need. Don’t be shy to ask for help, don’t hesitate to ask for help! Here we provide you useful phrases and clauses for travelling in Indonesia:
| Indonesian | English |
| Permisi | Excuse Me |
| Bisa tolong saya? | Can you help me? |
| Boleh saya ganggu? | Can I borrow your time? |
| Saya butuh bantuan. | I need your help. |
| Tolong bantu saya. | Please help me. |
| Dimana letak [noun of places]? | Where is [noun of places] located? |
| Sekarang jam berapa? | What time is it? |
| Dimana [noun of places] terdekat? | Where is the nearest [noun of places]? |
| Kemana arah menuju [Noun of places]? | Which direction to go to [Noun of places]? |
| Sekarang jam berapa? | What time is it? |
| Dimana [noun of places] terdekat? | Where is the nearest [noun of places]? |
| Maukah anda menemani saya? | Do you want to accompany me? |
| Maukah anda memberi saya [Noun]? | Will you give me [Noun]? |
| Berapakah harga dari [noun]? | How much does [noun] cost? |
| Terima Kasih | Thank You. |
You may also read:
In this part, we will show you the usage of those expressions. Let’s start to learn about Indonesian phrases for travellers:
1. Permisi – Excuse Me
If you are happened to start a new adventure outdoor, surely you need a map and direction. But let’s be real. The signal is so weak for you to use your smartphone. Your smartphone isn’t smart anymore in open spaces. You need help. Don’t hesitate to ask some help! It is better to ask someone than getting lost by yourself. If you are approaching someone you want to ask, do say “Permisi”. The word of “Permisi” equals to the phrase of “Excuse Me”. Not too different with on how you excuse yourself, right?
2. Bisa tolong saya? – Can you help me?
After excuse yourself for asking help, you have to mention that you are there looking some help. It is common to say “Can you help me?”. But how do you say it in Indonesian language? You have to say “Bisa tolong saya?”. By saying that, people will understand that you are seeking some help. Thus they know they have to help you. This is a very important clause to be said instead for you looking that you are lost.
3. Boleh saya ganggu? – Can I borrow your time?
But if you play a role as a very polite tourist or traveler, you can say “Boleh saya ganggu?” Perhaps you have ever heard someone asked “Can I borrow your time?”. In Indonesia, that kind of politeness is equals to “Boleh saya ganggu?”. It means you are sorry to interrupt their activity because you need some help.
4. Saya butuh bantuan – I need your help.
Or you are too shy to excuse yourself, you can say it straight forward. Still, you have to open the conversation. You may say “I need your help” to ask them to help you. Since you are having a fun adventure in Indonesia, you have to say it in Indonesian language too! Thus, you should say “Saya butuh bantuan”. Without saying that, they will not understand that you are in trouble and need a help.
5. Tolong bantu saya – Please, help me!
You can also show how miserable you are when you really need some help. If you are more used to say “Please help me” in your life, then you can say “Tolong bantu saya” in Indonesia. It has the same meaning with “Please help me”.
6. Dimana letak [noun of places]? – Where is [noun of places] located?
If you are asking for direction, you probably used to say “Where is [noun of places] located?” For example, you are in Yogyakarta and you are asking direction to Malioboro, you then ask “Where is Malioboro located?”. To avoid misunderstanding since you are using English or any other language, you should say “Dimana letak Malioboro?” You can replace the noun of “Malioboro” to any kind of place you want to visit. By saying so, people will give you directions for the place you want to visit.
7. Kemana arah menuju [Noun of places]? – Which direction to go to [Noun of places]?
You can also ask which direction to go, especially if you are sure the place you want to visit is really close. If you need to find where Malioboro is, feel free to ask “Kemana arah menuju Malioboro?”. The person you asked for help will guide you to where you want to visit, guaranteed!
8. Sekarang jam berapa? – What time is it?
This is a common expression. If you don’t bring your watch with you, or you phone has ran out of battery, you have to ask someone then. You don’t want to miss a good time for watching a theater of Rama and Sinta in Prambanan Temple, right? Or, you don’t want to skip a very good lunch in a local restaurant. If you are used to say “What time is it?”, then feel free to say “Sekarang jam berapa?”. It is as easy as counting 1-2-3, right?
9. Dimana [noun of places] terdekat? – Where is the nearest [noun of places]?
Let’s say, you are running out of Rupiah. You need to change your money with your country’s currency into Rupiah. Without any physical money, you cannot enjoy the taste of street foods. Do you really want to miss the tastiness of Cilok, Batagor, and Siomay? No, right? You have to taste all of them before coming back to your hometown. Then you have to find a money changer. Just approach to a stranger and ask them, “Dimana money changer terdekat?”. You can replace the noun of places according to your needs. Perhaps you want to know what does the phenomenal Cendol Elizabeth taste like, then you can simply ask “Dimana Cendol Elizabeth terdekat?” Don’t be shy, have more courage!
10. Maukah anda menemani saya? – Do you want to accompany me?
If you want to climb a mountain yet to scared to do it alone, you can ask someone to accompany you! Usually, outdoor arenas provide some people that are willing to accompany you through your adventure. Although lots of them do understand English, why not challenge yourself to speak in Indonesian? You can say “Maukah anda menemani saya?” If they say, “Ya”, that means a yes. If they say, “Tidak”, or “Maaf”, it means you have to find someone else that is willing to accompany you to have a journey for you. Fight for it!
11. Bolehkah saya pinjam [Noun] anda? – May I borrow your [Noun]?
If you need to borrow something, just ask for it. Never hesitate to ask some help, even if you need to borrow something. For example, you need to fill a form with your name and phone number. If you don’t bring a pen with you, don’t hesitate to ask it. Simply say “Bolehkah saya pinjam pena anda?” If the person has a pen, surely he will lend it for you. Just don’t hesitate!
12. Bolehkah saya meminta [Noun]? – Can I ask for [Noun]?
You can also ask for something that you can have or keep. For example, you are eating in an authentic Sundanese restaurant. Let’s say, you are obsessed with “sambal”, or the spicy dressing that comes with the menu. If you are ran out of sambal and want to ask for more, you can ask to the waiter, “Bolehkah saya meminta sambal?”. You can always replace the noun of “sambal” with everything.
13. Maukah anda memberi saya [Noun]? – Will you give me [Noun]?
You can also ask for something that you can have or keep with this another expression. For example, you spilled your coffee in a café. You need a cloth to clean it up. Then ask the waiter “Maukah anda memberi saya kain?”. Or if you are not sure by yourself for what you need, you can use the word of “bantuan”. So, the expression will be “Maukah anda memberi saya bantuan?”.
14. Berapakah harga dari [noun]? – How much does[noun] cost?
When you want to buy something, never ever forget to ask for the price. Don’t be shy to ask as you don’t want to be shock when you pay for a product. For example, you are in a beach and need to drink something. You see a food stall that sells coconut water, namely “Kelapa Muda”. Then please do ask the seller “Berapa harga dari kelapa muda?” If you are clueless with the name of the product, simply say “Ini”. It means “this”. Thus, ask the seller “Berapa harga ini?” and point for the product you want to buy.
15. Terima Kasih. – Thank You
Finally, you should say “Thank you.” This expression works like a charm! You can use it everywhere and everytime. In Indonesia, we express our gratitude by saying “Terima Kasih”. As you say it, you thank people that helps you. So never forget to say this after they help you! They will feel happy and never regret to help you again in the future!
You may also read:
Anyway, as what we said before, there are so many places you can visit in Indonesia. Here are list of common places that probably you need once you are in Indonesia, all the Indonesian phrases for travellers you need to learn.
| Indonesian Noun of Places | Meaning |
| Restoran | Restaurant |
| Rumah Makan | Restaurant |
| Warung | Food Stall |
| Tempat Penjualan Karcis | Ticket Stand |
| Kamar Kecil | Toilet |
| Pusat Perbelanjaan | Shopping Centre |
| Candi | Temple |
| Pantai | Beach |
| Perpustakaan | Library |
| Museum | Museum |
| Alun-alun | City Hall |
| Istana | Palace |
| Keraton | Palace |
| Kolam Renang | Swimming Pool |
| Tempat Bersejarah | Historical Sites |
| Pusat Bantuan | Help Centre |
| Penitipan Barang | A place to keep your belongings |
| Taman | Park |
| Taman Bermain | Amusement Park |
| Parkiran | Parking Lot |
You may also read:
While here are common nouns and more Indonesian phrases for travellers:
| Indonesian Nouns | Meaning |
| Karcis, Tiket | Ticket |
| Uang | Money |
| Pulpen | Pen |
| Payung | Umbrella |
| Topi | Hat |
| Air minum | Water |
| Bekal | Food Supplies |
| Jajanan Pasar | Street Foods |
| Oleh-oleh | Souvenirs |
| Cinderamata | Souvenirs |
| Makanan | Food |
| Minuman | Drink |
| Cemilan | Snacks |
| Kopi | Coffee |
| Teh | Tea |
| Air mineral | Mineral Water |
| Jus Buah | Fruit Juice |
| Pemandu Wisata | Tour Guide |
| Polisi Hutan | Forest Guard |
| Polisi | Police |
So there are Indonesian phrases for travellers! Can’t wait for an adventure? Just visit Indonesia; there are endless adventures in this archipelago! If you need more help in mastering Indonesian language, don’t forget to turn on the news feed in here as we update our articles regularly! See you again in our next article! Sampai Jumpa!