Welcome back to Masteringbahasa. After you learn popular phrase in Bahasa Indonesia, now we are going to memorize some Indonesian words and meanings. Learning new vocabulary helps improve your understanding of the language.
A
Aba (aba-aba) – command
Abai – ignore
Abu – ash
Abu-abu – gray
Acak – random
Ada – there are/is, exist
Adab – manner
Alam – nature
Alias – a.k.a
Andai – if, as if
Anjing – dog
Angka – numbers
Anti – anti
Ambang – edge
Ambil – take
Arah – direction
Asa – hope
Asam – sour, acid
Asin – salty
B
Babi – pig
Baik – good
Bata – brick
Baca – read
Bajak – piracy, hacking
Baju – clothes
Balas – reply
Barang – goods
Bibir – lips
Bicara – speak
Beli – buy
Beri – give
Besi – iron
Busa – bubble
Bukan – no, not
Bukti – evidence
Bincang – talk
Bantal – pillow
Banting – smash
Bakar – burn
Balik – turn
Basah – wet
Bubur – porridge
Burung – bird
Buruk – bad, ugly
Busuk – rotten
Buntut – tail
Bubar – disband, dismiss
Buka – open
Beras – rice (uncooked)
Berak – poop
Bulan – moon, month
Biru – blue
Related: Hard Indonesian Words to Pronounce
C
Caci – bully
Cuci – wash
Cuti – day off
Canda – joke
Candu – addict
Cantik – pretty
Celah – slit
Cinta – love
Cuma – only
Catat – note, jot down
Cara – way
Cakar – claw
Cabik – tear
Cabang – branch
Capai – reach, achieve
Capek – tired
Capung – dragonfly
Cacat – defect, handicap
Cacar – chickenpox
Cabut – abstract, remove
Coba – try
Cocok – suitable
Cukup – sufficient
Cuka – vinegar
Cita – goal
Cembung – convex
Cekung – concave
Cemara – fir-tree
Celana – trouser
D
Dana – fund
Dada – breast
Datang – come
Dasi – tie
Damai – peace
Desa – village, countryside
Dengar – heard
Dosa – sins
Demam – fever
Dorong – push
Dominasi – dominate
Denda – fined, penalty
Domba – sheep
Dilema – dilemma
Duduk – sit
Duka – grieve
Dungu – fool
Dera – castigate
Detak – tick tock
Desah – moan
Depan – front
Dengan – with
Dendam – grudge
Dukuh – hamlet
Dendang – sing happily
Dekap – cuddle
Demi – for the sake
Dingin – cold
Dompet – wallet, purse
Detik – second
Related: Indonesian Conversation Examples
E
Elang – hawk
Erang – groan
Enggan – being shy at
Enak – delicious
Esai – essay
Endapan – sediment
Embun – morning dew
Emas – gold
Engkau – you (poetic)
Elak – evade
F
Fakta – fact
Fatal – fatal
Fiksi – fiction
Fungsi – function
Fasih – fluent
G
Garam – salt
Gula – sugar
Geser – shift
Gendang – drum
Galau – worry
Ganteng – handsome
Galak – fierce
Gerak – move
Gemuk – fat
Getar – vibrate
Gesit – mobile
Gigi – tooth
Gusi – gum
Gelas – glass
Gemar – fond of
Gugup – nervous
H
Hari – day
Hanya – only
Hamil – pregnant
Hasil – result
Harap – wish
Hampir – almost
Halau – chase
Hingga – until
Hisap – suck, sipped
Hias – decorate
Himbau – urge
Hening – silence
Heran – astonish
Hemat – frugal
Hijau – green
Hitam – Black
Hilang – lost, gone
I
Ikan – fish
Ikal – curly
Ingin – want
Izin – permission, permit
Indah – beautiful
Intan – diamond
Isi – content
Intai – spy
Ikrar – vow
J
Jajan – snack
Jerit – scream
Janji – promise
Jangan – do not
Jamur – fungi, mushroom
Jalan – street, road
Jarak – distance
Jeruk – orange
Jasad – corpse
Janin – fetus
Jemur – put under the sun
Jam – hours, clock
Jelas – clear
Jernih – pristine
Jejak – trace
K
Kunci – key
Kerang – cockle, shell
Karang – reef
Kelas – class
Kemas – pack
Kecil – small
Kembali – come back
Kenal – acknowledge
Kembung – bloat
Kaki – foot
Kotor – dirty
Related: Indonesian Language Examples
L
Lancar – fluent
Lulus – graduate
Lisan – speech
Lembar – sheet
Lembur – overwork
Lelah – tired
Lengan – arm
Lihat – see
Lempar – throw
Lurus – straight
Lebar – wide
Langsing – slim
Lekuk – curve
Lesu – worn
Lupa – forget
Lusa – the day after tomorrow
Lapar – hungry
M
Manis – sweet
Marah – angry
Matang – ripe
Makan – eat
Mulut – mouth
Miskin – poor
Mekar – bloom
Mulus – smooth
Muka – face
Musuh – enemy, foe
Musang – raccoon
Malu – shy, shame
Masak – cook
Malam – evening, night
Macam – variety
Musim – season
Mata – eye
Matahari – sun
Menit – second
N
Nabi – prophet
Nasi – rice
Nanti – later
Nama – name
Nomor – number
O
Orang – person, people
Olah – process
Oleh- by
Oleh-oleh – gift
Ombak – wave
P
Pisang – banana
Pisau – knife
Pipih – flat
Pinjam – borrow
Pisah – apart
Pinggang – hip
Patah – broken
Panci – pan
Panik – panic
Pandai – smart
Pipis – pee
Pelan – slow
Pedang – sword
Pasang – tide
Pasangan – couple
Pakai – use, wear
Perang – war
Q
Qur’an – quran
R
Rasa – taste
Raba – grope, caress
Rantai – chain
Rusuh – chaos
Rambut – hair
Retak – barst
Indonesian words and meanings
S
Sisir – comb
Sampai – until
Sebuah – a, an
Sisi – side
Susu – milk
Sumpah – vow
Susun – arrange
Suka – like
Sayang – affection
Sapa – greet
Sedang – while, medium
Setiap – every
Santai – relax
Related: Indonesian Words You Need to Know
T
Tangkap – catch
Tempat – place
Tepi – edge
Tekan – press
Terang – bright
Teman – friend
Tayang – aired
Tunjuk – point
Tahun – years
Tambah – add
Takut – afraid
U
Usaha – effort
Untuk – for
Ungkap – reveal
Untung – profit
Ukur – measure
Ukir – carve
V
Variasi – variation
Vaksinasi – vaccine
Vanili – vanila
Validasi – validity
W
Watak – character trait
Warta – news
X
Xerox – Xerox
Y
Yang – which
Z
Zaman – age
Those are some of Indonesian words and meanings that you can use to practice. Include some of those words in your daily conversation and you will sound exactly like Indonesian.