Basic Indonesian vocabulary based on the situation

Basic Indonesian vocabulary

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Welcome to Indonesian! We’ll start with basic vocabulary and phrases, and then we’ll move on to more complicated things.

Learning a new language can be intimidating, but with the right tools and resources, it doesn’t have to be. If you are interested in learning Indonesian, this article is for you! Here we will cover some basic Indonesian vocabulary that will help you get started on your journey of mastering the language. Then, we’ll go over words related to greetings, numbers, colors, and more so that you can start having conversations in no time! With a bit of practice and dedication, soon enough, you’ll be able to communicate fluently in Indonesian.

Restaurant

  • Permisi = excuse me
  • Bisa pesan = can I order
  • Saya mau makan 1 Nasi Goreng = I want to eat 1 Fried rice
  • Tidak pedas = not spicy
  • Tidak gula = no sugar
  • Bisa bungkus = can I take away
  • Bisa bayar? = can I have the bill?
  • Berapa harga? = how much?

Greeting / Introduction

  • Apa kabar? = How are you?
  • Saya baik, makasih = I am fine, thank you
  • Nama siapa? = What’s your name?
  • Saya Susan = I am Susan
  • Dari mana? = Where are you from?
  • Dari Inggris = From England
  • Tinggal dimana? = Where do you live?
  • Salam kenal = nice to meet you
  • Mau kemana? = Where do you want to go?
  • Saya mau pergi ke pantai = I want to go to the beach

Market (Pasar)

  • Bisa beli mangga 1 kilo = can I buy 1 kg of mango?
  • Ada tempe dan tahu = do you have tempeh and tofu?
  • Bisa diskon? = can I have a discount?
  • Bisa dibungkus? = can you wrap it?
  • Berapa harga total? = how much is the total cost

Asking direction

  • Permisi bisa tanya = excuse me, can I ask
  • Dimana pantai = Where is the beach
  • Belok kanan = turn right
  • Belok kiri = turn left
  • Perempatan = intersection
  • Pertigaan = t-junction
  • Lampu merah = traffic light
  • Jam berapa cafe buka = What time is the cafe open
  • Tutup jam berapa = close at what time

Question words

  • Apa = what -> kamu makan apa = what do you eat?
  • Siapa = who -> siapa itu = who is that?
  • Kapan = when -> kapan kamu pergi = when are you going?
  • Kenapa = why -> kenapa dia tidak makan = why is she not eating?
  • Dimana = where -> dimana kamu tinggal = where do you live?
  • Bagaimana = how -> bagaimana tidurmu = how is your sleep?
  • Berapa harga = how much -> berapa harga = how much?
  • Berapa banyak = how many -> berapa banyak apel = how many apple?

And that’s it! Now you have a basic Indonesian vocabulary based on the situation. This has been helpful for you in your journey to learn this language. Selamat belajar! (Good luck learning!) Happy travels!

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