Learn the informal Indonesian phrases fast and make you sounds like a pro as well as friendly. Of course, learn formal language is really important to learn about language system. However, practically, you need to be flexible too. Therefore, informal Indonesian phrases would be more than list of slang or broken language. So why don’t we learn to be more sociable?
Indonesian Informal way to ask
Making a great and well-structured sentence is quite hard, including to form a question. However, when you asking questions in Bahasa Indonesia, usually you don’t need the complete sentence. You just need some part of it, mostly the question word. Here are the list to help you.
- Apa or ‘apa’ (what)
- Siapa or ‘sapa’ (who)
- Di mana or ‘mana’ or ‘di’ (where)
- Ke mana or ‘mana’ or ‘ke’ (where to)
- Dari mana or ‘mana’ or ‘dari’ (where from)
- Berapa (how many/how much)
- Mengapa or ‘kenapa’ or ‘napa’ (why)
- Bagaimana or ‘gimana’ (how)
- Kapan (when)
- Yang mana or ‘yang’ (which)
- Apa kabar? or ‘baik’ (What’s up or ‘are you good’)
- Jam berapa? or ‘jam?’ (What time/What time is it?)
Indonesian Informal Verb
Part of a sentence that would commonly changed into informal for is the verb. It becomes non-standard verb. Therefore, master informal verbs would give huge sense as a sociable person more than the stiff formal form. Mostly, it could identify through the using of Indonesian affixes. In some case, the affixes are not used (mostly the me- Prefix or Prefix Ber-. Sometimes too, it is changed to other affixes. In addition, if you noticed the prefix ‘me-‘ and suffix ‘-in’ always considered as informal language. Therefore, understand the informal verbs, you at least could survive in Indonesia.
- Almost all verb without their affix (in a sentence) or verb with prefix ke- or suffix -in
- beliin (informal words of ‘membelikan’ or ‘belikan’) = buy something to someone
- jualin (informal words of ‘menjualkan’ or ‘jualin’) = sell something to someone
- buatin (informal words of ‘membuatkan’ or ‘buatkan’) = make something to someone
- keserempet = accidentally hit by vehicle (not cause serious injury)
- ketukar = switched by (informal form of ‘tertukar’)
- keduluan = passed by (informal form of ‘terdahului’)
- Saya mau main bola (informal form of ‘bermain’) – I want to play football
- Dia suka jalan sendiri (informal form of ‘berjalan’) – He likes to walk alone
- Dia jual barang (informal form of ‘menjual’) – She sells things
- Tolong ambilin buku saya (informal form of ‘ambilkan’) – Please take my book to me
Indonesian Choice of word
Other important part that you should be noted when you choose to create both formal and informal sentence is the choice of word. To master Indonesian informal phrases in simple way is depends on it. Most of it, could not used in formal situation.
Therefore, be wise to use it or you would be considered be careful. Mostly, it is very important to choose the right pronouns, both formal pronouns as well as the informal one. If you have master Bahasa Indonesia in grammar structure or any usual part, you could also learn many about Indonesian and give you more resources. Here are some lists of the choice of word.Â
- give/add = kasih, beri
e.g. = Tolong kasih ibu (Please give it to mom) - tell = bilang, kasih tau
e.g. = Bilang dia untuk ke sini (Tell him to be here) - money = duit
e.g. = Aku gak punya duit (I have no money) - no = nggak/gak
e.g. = Aku gak suka sayur (I don’t like vegetables) - like = demen
e.g. = Kamu demen sama dia, ya? (You like her, right?) - with = sama
e.g. = Dia pergi sama ibunya (He went with his mom) - beautiful = cakep
e.g. = Lukisan dia cakep (His painting is beautiful) - I = aku, gue, aing
e.g. = Aku siap (I’m ready) - you = kamu, lu, kau
e.g. = Kamu cantik (You are beautiful) - too sensitive = baper
e.g. = Kenapa sih kamu baper? (Why are you really sensitive/sad) - but = tapi, karna
e.g. = Saya suka Ani, tapi Ani gak suka saya (I like Ani, but she doesn’t) - disgusted = jijik
e.g. = Saya tidak suka kelakuannya kemarin. Jijik. (I don’t like his attitude, really disgusting) - tired = capek, bete, bodoh amat, terserah
e.g. Sudahlah tak usah dibalas. Capek. Enough! Do not take revenge on hi. It’s tiring - bule = foreigner from other country (commonly the Kaukosoid)
e.g. = Saya mau punya suami bule (I want to have foreigner husband)
If you in case are Kaukosoid (Europe or American mostly), you should understand the word bule
Use the informal Indonesian phrases that would help you a lot and do not forget to practice more about Indonesia. With knowing those, you would also way to improve your Bahasa Indonesia. I hope you could understand and use it wisely and correctly. Good luck and see you at next opportunity.