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Indonesia Knowledge
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Basic Bahasa travel phrases — the 60 that actually get used

Pronunciation-friendly Indonesian for transactions, transport, food and courtesy — grouped by situation, with the grammar you can safely ignore.

3 min read

Indonesian is the easiest win in Asian travel: Latin alphabet, phonetic spelling, no tones, no conjugation. Thirty minutes with this page covers 90% of tourist interactions — and every attempt earns disproportionate goodwill. (Pronunciation rule of thumb: say it like Spanish/Italian; c is always "ch".)

Courtesy (use constantly)

| Indonesian | Meaning | |---|---| | Terima kasih (t'REE-ma KA-see) | Thank you | | Sama-sama | You're welcome | | Permisi | Excuse me (passing/attention) | | Maaf | Sorry | | Selamat pagi / siang / sore / malam | Good morning / midday / afternoon / evening | | Tidak apa-apa | No problem / it's fine | | Pak / Bu | Sir / Ma'am (use them — instant politeness) |

Transactions

| Indonesian | Meaning | |---|---| | Berapa? / Berapa harganya? | How much? / What's the price? | | Mahal! | Expensive! (market-bargaining opener) | | Boleh kurang? | Can it be less? | | Saya mau ini | I want this one | | Tidak, terima kasih | No, thank you (the polite tout-deflector) | | Ada …? | Is there / do you have …? | | Bon, ya / Minta bill | The bill, please |

Numbers & money

satu (1), dua (2), tiga (3), empat (4), lima (5), enam (6), tujuh (7), delapan (8), sembilan (9), sepuluh (10), ribu (thousand), juta (million). Prices come in thousands: "lima puluh ribu" = 50,000 rupiah. Vendors will show the calculator anyway — but understanding "dua ratus ribu" (200k) before the calculator appears changes the negotiation.

Food

| Indonesian | Meaning | |---|---| | Makan / minum | Eat / drink | | Enak! | Delicious! (the best word in the language) | | Pedas / tidak pedas | Spicy / not spicy | | Tanpa gula | Without sugar | | Saya vegetarian | I'm vegetarian | | Air putih | Drinking water | | Bungkus | Takeaway ("wrap it") |

Transport & directions

| Indonesian | Meaning | |---|---| | Ke … | To … (Ke bandara = to the airport) | | Kiri / kanan / terus | Left / right / straight on | | Di sini / di sana | Here / there | | Berhenti di sini | Stop here | | Jauh / dekat | Far / near | | Jam berapa? | What time? |

Emergencies

| Indonesian | Meaning | |---|---| | Tolong! | Help! | | Saya sakit | I'm sick | | Panggil dokter / ambulans | Call a doctor / ambulance | | Saya tidak mengerti | I don't understand | | Bisa bahasa Inggris? | Do you speak English? | | Hati-hati | Careful (you'll hear this constantly) |

Five habits that multiply the effect

  1. Add Pak/Bu to almost anything — "Terima kasih, Bu" outperforms the plain version everywhere
  2. Repeat prices back in Indonesian while bargaining; the price drops when you clearly know the numbers
  3. "Boleh" (may I / can I) is the universal softener: "Boleh foto?" (May I take a photo?)
  4. Answer "dari mana?" (where are you from?) cheerfully — it's the national icebreaker, not an interrogation
  5. Graduate to the top 50 phrases and pronunciation guide once these stick

Common mistakes

  • Pronouncing c as "k" — Canggu is "CHANG-goo"
  • Confusing ribu (thousand) and juta (million) at the worst possible moments
  • Skipping greetings and jumping to the question — openers matter here
  • Over-relying on translation apps for what a smile and six words do faster

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