Ever heard of the 7-38-55 communication rule?

The rule says that communication is composed of 7 percent spoken word, 38 percent tone of voice, and 55 percent body language. While this rule is sometimes misconstrued, it’s true that we rely heavily on these subtle clues when communicating. 

But on the phone, we’re limited to only 45% of our communication means: spoken word and tone of voice. 

This can make it nerve-wracking to get on the phone with a stranger. It’s a style of communication we’re not naturally made for. 

And phone calls in a foreign language like Indonesian can be even scarier! 

Learning a few Indonesian phone call phrases can help take a lot of this pressure off your shoulders. Once you have the most common words and expressions down, you’ll be a much more effective communicator over the phone and will be able to take most calls with ease.

Below are 30 telephone phrases in Indonesian with two example dialogues.

Table of Contents

1. Picking up the Phone
2. Saying Who You Are
3. Stating the Reason for Your Call
4. Asking to Speak to Someone
5. Asking Someone to Wait
6. Leaving a Message
7. Asking for Clarification
8. Ending the Phone Call
9. Sample Phone Conversations
10. Conclusion

1. Picking up the Phone

To start with, you’ll want to learn how to pick up the phone in Indonesian and say hi. Considering that Indonesians are rather spontaneous people, you shouldn’t worry too much about your phone greeting.

If you’re talking to a friend or speaking in another informal context, try:

Hello?
Halo?

When it comes to formal contexts, such as calling a restaurant, company, or doctor, it’s preferable to use the following phone call phrase:

Good day.
Selamat siang.

2. Saying Who You Are

When you answer a call in Indonesian from a new number or customer, it’s well worth introducing yourself to the caller after you pick up the phone.

Since lengthy introductions are unnecessary in casual dialogues, you can use the following expression:

This is [name].
Ini [nama].

Are you receiving a call from a customer for your business? Or are you calling a company yourself? Try these phrases:

This is [name] from [company].
Ini [nama], dari [perusahaan].

This is [name], and we’re calling you from [company].
Ini [nama], dan kami memanggil Anda dari [perusahaan].

3. Stating the Reason for Your Call

This will probably be the most difficult part of your conversation, so you’ll want to rehearse this as much as possible before making the call. That way, you can make sure you get your point across and save both you and your caller time.

If you’re calling for a certain request, use the following expression:

I’m calling to ask… / confirm… / make a reservation.
Saya menelepon untuk menanyakan … / mengkonfirmasi … / membuat reservasi.

If you’re looking to talk to a certain person (or want to be forwarded to an English speaker), use this phrase:

I’d like to speak to someone about… 
Saya ingin berbicara dengan seseorang tentang…

And last but not least, here’s the expression you’ll want to use when returning a call:

Good morning / day / evening. Did you call earlier? 
Selamat pagi / siang / malam. Tadi [Bapak / Ibu] menelepon?

4. Asking to Speak to Someone

Want to be forwarded to someone in particular? Or are you calling your friend’s home phone number and want to talk to him? These phrases will help you do just that…

May I speak to…?  
Bolehkah saya berbicara dengan…? (formal)
Bisa bicara dengan…? (informal)

This will be your go-to expression for calling home telephones, as there’s a good chance someone else will be picking up the phone:

Is [name] there? 
Apakah [nama] ada?

5. Asking Someone to Wait

Asking someone to wait may sound a bit harsh if you don’t use the right words. That’s why you should memorize a few expressions to get your message across in such situations.

When you don’t want your caller frustrated by long waiting times, let them know that you’re still with them by using the following expressions:

Can you please wait a few minutes?
Bisakah Anda menunggu beberapa menit?

Just a moment, let me check. 
Tunggu sebentar, biar aku cek.

Could you hold a moment?  
Bisa tunggu sebentar?

Let me transfer you to his office. Stay on the line, please. 
Mohon jangan ditutup. Saya akan mentransfer Anda ke kantornya.

6. Leaving a Message

With the growing popularity of SMS and social media, voicemail is slowly becoming outdated. Few people still use this feature on their personal phones. That said, leaving a message for the intended recipient is still relevant in the business world. Below are four expressions to help you do just that.

Please let him know… 
Tolong beri tahu dia…

Can I leave a message? 
Bisa aku meninggalkan pesan?

Can you tell him to call me back at [phone number]? 
Bisakah Anda meminta dia untuk menelepon saya kembali di [nomor telepon]?

How can I leave a note for Mr. / Mrs.?
Bagaimana saya bisa meninggalkan catatan untuk Tuan / Ibu?

7. Asking for Clarification

When talking on the phone in Indonesian, there’s always going to be a moment when you’ll want to ask for clarification, whether it’s due to the traffic noise in the background or due to your lack of language skills.

The connection is weak. Can you please repeat again?
Koneksinya lemah. Bisa tolong ulangi lagi?

Sorry, could you say that again? 
Maaf, bisa ucapkan lagi?

I’m sorry, but I’m having a hard time hearing you. I think there’s a bad connection. 
Maaf, kurang jelas. Kelihatannya koneksinya jelek.

Sorry, I can’t hear you. Your voice is breaking up.
Maaf, aku tidak bisa dengar. Suaranya putus-putus.

Could you spell your name for me, please? 
Bisakah Anda mengeja nama Anda untuk saya?

Just to double-check… 
Saya ulang ya… (Literally: “Let me repeat…“)

If your Indonesian is still basic and you want to try switching to English, use the following expression:

Do you speak English?
Apakah Anda berbicara bahasa Inggris?

8. Ending the Phone Call

Depending on the context, there are a few ways you can end a conversation over the phone in Indonesian.

Thank you very much for your call. Let’s catch up soon!
Terima kasih banyak atas panggilan Anda. Ayo segera menyusul!

Anything else I can help with? 
Ada lagi yang bisa saya bantu?

You’ve been very helpful. Thank you. 
Anda sudah sangat membantu. Terima kasih.

See you at eight p.m. on Wednesday. 
Sampai jumpa jam 8 malam pada hari Rabu.

It was nice talking to you. 
Senang berbicara denganmu.

9. Sample Phone Conversations

Now that you have several useful phrases to start practicing, it’s time to see how a real-life phone call in Indonesian might sound. Below, we’ve included two sample dialogues for you: one informal and one formal. 

Informal phone conversation

Two friends are setting up a time to meet for lunch on a weekend at a local restaurant in Jakarta. Here’s a short conversation they’ve had on the phone.

Eko: Halo.
Annisa: Halo.

Eko: Hello.
Annisa: Hello.

Eko: Apa kabar?
Annisa: Baik. Saya sedang belajar untuk ujian. (Bagaimana dengan) kamu?

Eko: How are you doing?
Annisa: Good. I’m studying for an exam. How about you?

Eko: Saya baik-baik saja, terima kasih. Saya sedang membaca buku. 
Annisa: Ohh, begitu.

Eko: I’m good, thanks. I’m reading a book.
Annisa: Oh, I see.

Eko: Kamu berada di kota akhir pekan ini? 
Annisa: Iya. Kenapa, kamu punya rencana?

Eko: You’re in town on the weekend?
Annisa: Yes. Why? Do you have any plans?

Eko: Mau makan siang akhir pekan ini?
Annisa: Boleh, kenapa tidak! Kapan?

Eko: Want to go for lunch this weekend?
Annisa: Yeah, why not! When?

Eko: Sore-sorelah…
Annisa: Bisa keluar jam 2 siang?

Eko: In the afternoon…
Annisa: Can you go out at two in the afternoon?

Eko: Saya lebih suka jam 3.
Annisa: Boleh juga.

Eko: I prefer three.
Annisa: Sounds good.

Eko: Kalau begitu, sampai nanti!
Annisa: Sampai nanti!

Eko: See you then!
Annisa: See you then!

Formal phone conversation

After they’ve set the time and place, one of the friends calls the restaurant to reserve a table. Here’s an example of a short phone conversation for this situation. 

Eko: Selamat siang!
Resepsionis: Restoran Jakarta – Selamat siang!

Eko: Good day!
Receptionist: Jakarta Restaurant – Good day!

Eko: Saya ingin memesan meja untuk dua orang…
Resepsionis: Baik… Hari ini sudah penuh, tetapi Anda bisa melakukan reservasi untuk besok.

Eko: I would like to reserve a table for two…
Receptionist: Very well… We’re out of tables today, but you can make a reservation for tomorrow.

Eko: Sebenarnya, saya ingin memesan untuk hari Sabtu.
Resepsionis: Tentu. Jam berapa tepatnya?

Eko: Actually, I’d like a table for Saturday.
Receptionist: Sure. What time exactly?

Eko: Tolong jam 3 sore.
Resepsionis: Baik. Atas nama siapa?

Eko: Three in the afternoon, please.
Receptionist: Very well. On whose behalf should I book?

Eko: Eko.
Resepsionis: Baik, Pak Eko. Sampai jumpa akhir pekan!

Eko: Eko.
Receptionist: Perfect, Mr. Eko. See you on the weekend!

10. Conclusion

And that’s it! You now have a good idea of what a short phone conversation in Indonesian looks like.

Memorize enough phone call phrases and you’ll be ready to rock and roll.

It won’t be as embarrassing next time you have to take a call from your Indonesian delivery guy, or when you have to call your doctor in Jakarta for an appointment.

Feel like learning even more phrases and vocabulary?

Then check out IndonesianPod101.

Here, you can find a full range of online lessons designed by native Indonesian language experts. 

That includes audio, video, and text content, all incorporated with the latest language learning tools like slowed-down audio, pronunciation comparison tools, online flashcards, word lists, and more.

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“To banish imperfection is to destroy expression, to check exertion, to paralyze vitality.”
― John Ruskin, The Stones of Venice

Great quote, isn’t it? 

We humans are prone to imperfections. We may not like them, but it’s very boss-like to accept them and move forward. After all, these small flaws can be found just about everywhere: in our appearance, voice, ideas, or even language skills. 

We don’t always come up with the best words, expressions, or transitions while speaking. Our ideas often feel like a jumbled mess—doubly so when trying to speak in a foreign language! 

That’s where Indonesian filler words come in.

But what are they, exactly?

Table of Contents

1. What are filler words and why do we use them?
2. Indonesian Filler Words: Impress Native Speakers with the Best Fillers
3. Pros and Cons of Filler Words
4. Conclusion

1. What are filler words and why do we use them?

A- What are filler words?

Filler words, or conversation fillers, are the expressions we use to fill gaps within our conversations. They could be sounds (“uh” / “uhm” / “err”), words (“like” / “so” / “basically”), or even expressions (“I think” / “in my opinion” / “I believe”).

Filler words are originally normal words we use to convey certain meanings, but when used as fillers, they’re usually meaningless and just there to serve as sentence connectors.

Whether you like or dislike the idea of filler words, most of us use them subconsciously. That’s not only in our real-life conversations, but also online when sending emails or texting friends and family. Filler word preferences and usage differ from one language to another, and from one dialect to another. 

B- Why do we use them?

Now, you might be wondering, “What’s the psychology or science behind filler words?” I’m so glad you asked…

Politeness

Indonesians hold very conservative values. Their culture places much importance on respect and politeness. 

Using filler words is a great communication hack for being respectful, especially in embarrassing situations where you want to avoid leaving a negative impression.

For example, if you called an Indonesian friend and asked them for a favor, it would be rude for them to just hit you with a straightforward ‘no’: Tidak, aku tidak bisa. (“No, I can’t.”) Rather, you’d more likely receive a friendlier and longer response with loads of Indonesian filler words mixed in.

Bear in mind that this applies to other cultures and countries as well, though to varying degrees.

Clear Communication

Ever get annoyed by people who talk without taking a breath? We all do.

It’s hard for most people’s brains to absorb large amounts of new information quickly. Most people prefer to take their time in order to avoid overwhelming others in their conversations. 

This is where we make the most use of filler words. They help us communicate our ideas to others slowly, without needing to repeat ourselves or make any awkward pauses. It gives others the opportunity to think and observe.

Take speakers with interpreters for example. If you’ve ever followed closely, you’ll have noticed that politicians speak slower than usual at international conventions where interpreters are working behind the scenes. This makes the job easier for interpreters, and it always comes at the cost of using filler words in speech.

Lying

If you’ve ever heard someone overuse filler words or frequently use them out of context, chances are you’ve already listened to a lie or two. 

Not everyone who uses filler words is a liar, but if you notice they’re being used a bit too much or out of context, you can assume they’re meant to distract you from the truth or to buy the speaker more time.

The good old “uhhh” children say after they get caught doing something they shouldn’t be is a great example.

2. Indonesian Filler Words: Impress Native Speakers with the Best Fillers

Nah 
Well

This filler word (or interjection) is used for several purposes. It’s different from the “nah” in English, and could mean a variety of things beyond “well.”

Example #1
Nah, itu bagus.
Well, that’s good.

Example #2
Nah, kesimpulannya adalah besok.
So, the conclusion is tomorrow.

Jadi 
So

Example #1
Jadi, apa yang Anda pikirkan?
So, what do you think?

Example #2
Jadi berapa umurmu?
So, how old are you?

Ee 
Um

Ee isn’t exactly a word, as it’s almost never written down. It’s pronounced more or less like “erm.”

Example #1
Ee, baik.
Um, okay.

Example #2
Ee, itu bagus.
Ee, that’s good.

Kan 
Am I wrong? / Am I right?

Example #1
Bagus, kan?
It’s good, right?

Example #2
Sangat cepat, bukan?
Very fast, right?

Atau 
Or

Example #1
Atau apa?
Or what?

Example #2
Apakah kamu gila atau?
Are you crazy, or?

Begini… (Informal: Gini…) 
So, it’s like this… / Well… / Look…

Example #1
Begini… Tim ini dibagi dua saja.
Well… Let’s split the team in two.

Example #2
Begini ya, saya tidak tahu apa-apa.
Look, I know nothing of it.

Terus 
Then / And then

Example #1
Polisi datang. Terus, aku nggak tahu lagi.
The police came. And then, I don’t know (what happened afterward).

Example #2
Terus?
And then?

Kalau 
If / About

Example #1
Kalau presiden Amerika yang baru, kamu sudah dengar?
About the new President of the U.S.A., have you heard?

Example #2
Kalau merah, suka tidak?
If (it is) red, will/do you like it?

Apa tu… / Apa tu namanya…
What is it… / What’s its name…

Example #1
Saya perlu satu lusin… ee, apa tu? Ah ya, palu!
I need a dozen of… erm, what is it? Ah yes, hammers!

Example #2
Naik apa tu… angkutan umum yang berisik dan oranye itu? Ah, bajaj!
Riding what’s its name…the public transportation that is noisy and orange? Ah, bajaj!

Note: Tu is short for itu.

Tu kan…
See…

Example #1
Tu kan… Kertas itu tidak cocok untuk printer ini.
See… That paper does not suit the printer.

Example #2
Tu kan, mereka sudah kenal.
See, they know each other.

3. Pros and Cons of Filler Words

You might think filler words are insignificant, but their usage leaves an impression of us on other people. They shape how people view us, how they perceive our words, and how they talk and react to us. People’s perception of your personality, level of self-respect, agreeableness, and more might just hang in the balance. 

In the following sections, you’ll find a detailed breakdown of some of the pros and cons of using filler words.

A- Pros

You sound more natural.

Especially as a language learner, you want to sound as natural and approachable as possible. Using the occasional filler in Indonesian will lend you a more familiar feel and make it easier to befriend locals (or at least have great conversations that people don’t find annoying).

This down-to-earth approach to using filler words is key to blending in and integrating into a new environment. 

You sound friendlier.

In many situations, especially when you look different from people around you in a foreign country, you might notice that people are a bit more cautious around you.

Using filler words in your conversations makes you sound friendlier and your speech easier on the ears. This makes learning filler words a no-brainer.

B- Cons 

Now that we’ve discussed the pros of using conversation fillers, let’s talk about the other side of the equation.

You’re deemed as hesitant and meek.

The last thing you want people to think when you’re presenting a project, discussing an idea, having a casual conversation, or even dating, is that you’re the hesitant type.

You cannot sell your ideas to others when you don’t show confidence in them yourself. 

Abnormal or excessive usage of filler words might give people this impression of you. In important interactions, be sure to use less conversation fillers.

You’re perceived as having low self-confidence.

Like hesitance, low self-confidence isn’t an impression you want people to have of you, especially when you have to ace a job interview or even just pass airport security.

Using filler words frequently might make people deem you as someone with low confidence. Remember to reduce your use of fillers in situations like those described in the last paragraph. 

C- How to Substitute Filler Words

Here’s a great quote from writer Charles Caleb Colton: “When you have nothing to say, say nothing.”

This quote is especially relevant to filler word overusers. If you feel like you’re having a hard time coming up with your next sentence, just have a moment of silence until you know what to say next.

This will not only help you sound more confident, but it will also help you think more easily as you practice doing it.

4. Conclusion

Did you learn something new and useful in today’s article? If so, let us know in the comments!

Not sure how to practice eliminating filler words? 

Try tapping your leg or belly every time you notice yourself using them. With continuous practice, you’ll eventually begin forcing yourself to remain silent. 

If you feel like filler words won’t cut it for you, you may want to try learning a few other essential components of the language. For example, a well-placed quote, proverb, or idiom can go a long way! Also focus on immersing yourself in Indonesian to really take your language skills up a notch. 

IndonesianPod101 is the best for this purpose.

Here, you can sign up for free and get thousands of audio, video, and text lessons that make use of the most effective learning technologies. 

You can sign up here and see everything for yourself.

Did you know that 40 to 50 percent of couples in the U.S.A. end up divorcing?

Staggering, right?

Now compare that to Indonesia’s continuously declining 10% divorce rate.

With stats like that, you’ll probably find yourself feeling very good about the idea of having an Indonesian partner.

Being a conservative country, Indonesia is the perfect place for securing a stable, loving relationship if that’s your cup of tea.

And considering that it’s one of the easiest languages to pick up, learning some Indonesian-language love phrases to help you express your feelings is definitely not a bad time investment.

This is especially true if you count the benefits you might reap from impressing your partner with your Indonesian skills.

I mean, if you’re willing to go the extra mile and learn your date’s native language, they’ll probably think it’s a good idea to stick around.

Not sure where to start? Here’s a complete list of 30 Indonesian love phrases to get you going.

Table of Contents

1. Confess Your Affection: Pick-up Lines and More
2. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More
3. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
4. Endearment Terms
5. Must-know Love Quotes
6. Conclusion

1. Confess Your Affection: Pick-up Lines and More

Pick-up lines may sometimes sound cringy or a bit out-of-context, but using the right words at the right time can really seal the deal and land you a first date. After a nice chat (or even a long friendship), it might be worth throwing in a pick-up line or taking some initiative regarding your potential date. Here are some great lines you can use:

Kamu sangat cantik / tampan.
You are so beautiful / handsome.

To let your partner know that you think of them as more than a friend, it’s a good idea to start out with this line and express how you feel about them. 

Aku tidak bisa berhenti memikirkanmu.
I can’t stop thinking about you.

Depending on your partner, trying to take things further may come off as a bit too strong, especially in conservative societies like that of Indonesia. This expression strikes the perfect balance.

Boleh saya menjemputmu? 
May I pick you up?

Need to take initiative without coming across as too direct? Use this expression and watch your future date’s eyes light up.

Maukah kamu pergi denganku Sabtu malam? 
Do you want to go out with me Saturday night?

A perfect date only comes with perfect timing. After you’ve decided on a place and a plan for your first date, you can use this question to clearly express your intentions and see when your potential date will be available.

Boleh saya menciummu? 
Can I give you a kiss?

It’s easy to get carried away with conversation on a good date and forget about the romantic aspect of things. Using your Indonesian skills to spice up the special moment of your kiss might go a long way.

Terima kasih atas malam yang indah. 
Thank you for the wonderful night.

Appreciation and respect go a long way in Indonesia’s warm culture, whether we’re talking about normal day-to-day interactions or dates. This brief sentence is an apt way to express gratitude to your Indonesian date.

2. Fall in Deeper: “I Love You,” and More

Like in many other Asian countries, the culture in Indonesia is very conformist. This means that people are hesitant to stand out from the crowd and be direct. 

Therefore, it’s your job as the foreigner to continuously take the initiative with your date and be the first to express your feelings—which will hopefully be mutual! 

After coming off of some great dates and starting to develop serious feelings for your partner, you can smoothly escalate things to an official relationship using the following Indonesian love sentences.

Saya bermimpi tentangmu.
I dream of you. 

Wondering how to hint at those romantic dreams you’ve been having lately? Here you go. 

Saya terus memikirkan kamu.
I think of you all the time. 

Not all of us can remember our dreams, but we all think about those we love the most. This phrase is a great way to hint at where you’d like your relationship to go. 

Katakan bahwa kamu mencintaiku!
Say that you love me! 

Are you sure that your partner is in love with you, but is too shy to say it out loud? You can use this phrase to encourage them to express their feelings, and enjoy an amazing moment.

Saya cinta padamu. [Formal]
Aku cinta kamu. [Informal]
I love you. 

This is the perfect phrase for expressing your love in Indonesian if you want to leave a slightly firm, gentlemanly (or womanly!) impression on your partner.

Saya mencintaimu. [Poetic]
I love you. 

You and your partner happen to be the romantic, poetic type? Then try saying saya mencintaimu on your next date night over some wine and cheese. 

Saya akan selalu mencintaimu.
I will always love you.

Many people have trust issues, and your date might be among them. Affirming your feelings with this sentence could go a long way.

3. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More

Marriage is a very important component of Indonesian culture. If you want to fit in with the traditions, your relationship with your Indonesian partner will probably be expected to lead to marriage. 

But before we get into the best love phrases in Indonesian for proposing, it’s worth noting a few things about how this all works in Indonesian culture.

Just like in most Western cultures, it starts out by asking your partner to be your wife—this normally won’t require a ring or a fancy dinner. If she says yes, she will be expected to let her parents know. If the future bride’s parents agree, you let your parents know.

If everything goes well up to this point, you ask her parents for a blessing in your marriage, and arrange a proper meeting between your parents and theirs.

After going through that, you can start arranging a wedding and making plans for your honeymoon! 

The process will be much more fun if you add a little Indonesian to the mix. Here are some great phrases for your proposal day:

Saya ingin kamu menjadi istriku.
I want you to be my wife. 

In Western cultures, this sentence (your proposal!) traditionally comes with a fancy dinner date and a ring. Given Indonesia’s modest culture, that’s not necessarily the case. 

Kamulah takdirku.
You are my destiny. 

Saya sangat mencintaimu dan ingin kamu menjadi istri saya.
I love you very much and ask you to be my wife. 

Jadilah istriku!
Be my wife! 

Menikahlah denganku!
Marry me! 

Kita diciptakan untuk bersama. Katakan ‘ya.’
We are created for each other. Say “yes!” 

If things get emotional after you propose, it’s worth using this expression to affirm your proposal and get your future wife to say “yes”! 

4. Endearment Terms

To keep a long-lasting bond with your partner, using endearment terms in your day-to-day interactions is crucial. Nothing serves better as a love reminder than these endearment terms. It’s worth noting that the -ku additions to the endearment expressions below translate to “my” in English.

Beb
Babe

The Indonesian language has absorbed many loanwords, and beb is one of them. One reason this expression is great to use is that it’s in both your and your partner’s mother tongues. 

Matahariku / mentariku
My sun 

Sayangku
My dear 

Kelinciku
My bunny 

Cintaku
My love 

Manisku
My sweetie

Manis can mean both “cute” and “sweet.”

5. Must-know Love Quotes

Indonesians have a very warm culture. A bit of romance will go a long way with your partner, and quotes are perfect for this purpose. Below are six Indonesian love quotes for you. 

Saya mungkin bukan kencan, ciuman atau, cinta yang pertama, tapi saya ingin menjadi yang terakhir.
I may not be your first date, kiss, or love, but I want to be your last.

Perasaan terbaik adalah ketika kamu melihat dia dan dia sudah lebih dulu menatap.
The best feeling is when you look at him and he is already staring.

Bersama-sama denganmu adalah tempat kesukaanku untuk berada.
Together with you is my favorite place to be.

Jika saya menjalani hidup saya lagi, saya akan mencarimu lebih cepat.
If I were to live my life again, I’d find you sooner.

Jika aku tahu apa itu cinta, itu karena kamu.
If I know what love is, it is because of you.

Ketika aku melihat kamu, aku melihat seluruh sisa hidupku sekarang.
When I look at you, I see the rest of my life in front of my eyes.

Which of these love quotes in Indonesian is your favorite? 

6. Conclusion

And there you go, you’re now officially ready to express and impress in Indonesian! Which of these love phrases did you like the most? Are you ready to try it out on your Indonesian lover?

Having these phrases at the ready is a great idea, but wouldn’t you want to throw a couple more words into your conversations? 

Maybe an Aku suka rambutmu (I love your hair) or Bersulang! (Cheers!)? 

Enter IndonesianPod101.

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If you’ve decided to learn a foreign language, whether for work or just for fun, it’s essential to stay positive and motivated. This will make all the difference as you progress toward your language learning goals. 

As you aim for positivity and a smooth language learning journey, I’m sure you would love to always be able to say yes!

However, as you may imagine, you’ll also need to learn how to form negative sentences in Indonesian before you master the language. Don’t worry though. We only mean “negative” from a grammatical point of view…so keep the positive vibe!

In this article, you’ll learn all about negation in Indonesian: how to answer a closed-ended question correctly and politely, how to transform positive sentences into negative ones, and how to use other common negative expressions. 

We perfectly understand that saying no is never easy, especially for us people-pleasers. But we assure you it will become a less daunting task (at least from a language-learning perspective) by the time you finish this complete guide to Indonesian negatives.

So, let’s start looking at how to say no and form negative sentences in Bahasa Indonesia.

Table of Contents

1. Negative Sentences
2. How to Give a Negative Answer to a Question
3. Other Negating Words
4. Want to Dig Even Deeper?

1. Negative Sentences

First of all, how do we define and recognize a negative sentence?

In English, negative sentences usually have the word “not” or “no.” To negate a verb, for example, we place “not” after an auxiliary verb (do, have, be, etc.).

• Maria is not happy. 
• We did not go to the supermarket today. 

In short, a negative sentence is usually one that states that something is false.

Negations play a very important role in any language. If you didn’t know how to transform a positive sentence into a negative one, how to use negative expressions, or how to say “no” in general, everyday life would probably get pretty interesting (and not in a good way!).

As such, forming negatives correctly in Bahasa Indonesia is an essential part of your language learning journey. It’s just as important as expanding your vocabulary and practicing your listening, speaking, and writing skills.

The good news? Learning how to do it is actually quite easy! Indonesian grammar and syntax are very simple, and there are just a few things you’ll have to remember in order to form negatives correctly. 

Perfect Indonesian negation is waiting for you!

Indonesian Negation

There are two main words in Indonesian for negative phrases and sentences: tidak and bukan. These two words of negation are often confusing for learners and non-native speakers and, sometimes, even for Indonesians themselves. 

Some people say that one word is formal and the other informal, but this is not exactly true. Let’s see the difference between tidak and bukan, so that you’ll never have doubts about this again!

Tidak

The most commonly used word for forming negative sentences in Indonesian is tidak. This word can be seen as an equivalent of the English word “not,” but it’s also the same word used for “no.”

Tidak is used to negate verbs and adjectives, which means it’s employed in sentences that describe actions and/or qualities. Have a look at the examples below to get a better understanding:

• Saya tidak minum kopi. (I don’t drink coffee.)
• Kopi itu tidak panas. (The coffee is not hot.)

In the first sentence, we are negating the verb minum (to drink), which describes an action. In the second sentence, we are negating the adjective panas (hot), which describes a quality of the coffee. 

To use tidak, simply place it after the subject; nothing else in the sentence needs to change at all. Pretty easy, right? Here are some more examples:

• Saya tidak suka apel. (I do not like apples.)
• Dia tidak malas. (He is not lazy.)

Again, in the first sentence we negate the verb suka (to like), while in the second we negate an adjective that describes a quality: malas (lazy).

He is not lazy.

Bukan 

Another word that we use to form negative sentences in Indonesian is bukan, which can also be translated as “not.”

Bukan is used the same way as tidak: We simply place it after the subject of the sentence to make the sentence negative. 

The difference between these two words lies in the fact that, while we use tidak for negating verbs and adjectives (actions and qualities), we use bukan to negate nouns (things, objects, and people) and personal pronouns (I, you, he/she/it, we, you, they …or… me, him, them, etc.). 

• Ini bukan pensil, ini buku. (It’s not a pencil, it is a book.)
• Saya bukan Superman. (I am not Superman.)

In the first sentence, we negate an object (the noun pensil or “pencil”), while in the second, we negate the noun “Superman.”

Here are some more examples:

• Ini bukan buku. (This is not a book.)
• Saya bukan dia. (I am not him/her.)

Again, here we negate the noun buku (book) and the personal pronoun dia (he/him/she/her). 

Another interesting thing about the word bukan is that it can be used in questions as an equivalent to the English phrase “isn’t it?” and its variations. 

To do this, you simply have to attach bukan to the end of the sentence to turn it into a question. 

• Kamu  mahasiswa, bukan? (You are a student, aren’t you?)
• Pesawat berangkat jam lima, bukan? (The plane leaves at five, doesn’t it?)

This construction can be used when you’re unsure or doubtful about the truth of the statement and are seeking confirmation from the person you’re talking to. It’s a good expression to learn how to use and recognize! 

Once you know the difference between these two words, it will be much easier for you to choose the right one during a conversation, and native speakers will surely be impressed by your knowledge!

2. How to Give a Negative Answer to a Question

In general, all questions can be divided into two groups: open-ended and closed-ended questions. A closed-ended question is usually one that can be answered with “yes” or “no,” without needing to give any further explanation.

No, I don’t have any change, sorry.

In English, for example, we say: “Yes, I do.” / “No, I don’t.” As we know, after saying that, we are free to give an explanation if we want to.

Logically, to respond to a yes-or-no question in Bahasa Indonesia, we’ll also start with a yes (ya) or a no (tidak). 

It’s actually not considered impolite to leave it there! If you want, you can repeat the sentence you were asked, but this might sound unnatural. For an extra touch of politeness, just add terima kasih (thank you).

3. Other Negating Words

Sure, knowing how to use tidak and bukan in all types of sentences is a great start, but there’s a lot more to learn about negatives. If you want to sound like a native, it’s essential to know how to use other common negative expressions. 

Let’s see a few more words you’ll need for negation in Indonesian:

• nothing = tidak ada / bukan apa-apa
• never = tidak pernah
• nowhere = tidak ke mana-mana
• neither = tidak dua-duanya
• not / un- = tak 

4. Want to Dig Even Deeper?

If you’ve decided you want to learn more Indonesian grammar rules and vocab, check out all the great content available on IndonesianPod101.com. On our website and through our app, you’ll have access to all the content you need to make your language-learning experience as interesting and pleasant as possible.

You can also listen to our podcasts and audio lessons to improve your listening skills, gradually build your Indonesian vocabulary with word lists and our free dictionary, and get to discover great strategies from our top language experts on how to best approach the study of Bahasa Indonesia.

If you’re learning Indonesian because you’re planning a trip to Southeast Asia, we highly recommend our travel Survival Course. 

Being able to understand and communicate with the locals in their native language will not only help you remain safe during your stay, but it will also provide amazing and unique opportunities to connect with Indonesian people and make sure your adventures are truly unforgettable. 

Sure, we hope that you’ll be able to be positive and answer yes to all the invitations and opportunities that come up. But at least now you know how to build negative sentences correctly in Indonesian, just in case. Or, like with curse words, you might not want to use Indonesian negation yourself—but at least you’ll know when someone else does.

And, if you’re learning Bahasa Indonesia to enhance your professional life, make the commitment and start practicing and studying with all of the incredible resources on IndonesianPod101.com. 

With a little commitment, you’ll start seeing improvement before you know it. 

Our content will help you stay motivated to learn so that you can reach your Indonesian language goals as fast as possible!

Before you go, try writing out a few negative sentences in Indonesian in the comments. We’ll get back to you with feedback and corrections. Good luck!

Those who have tried know: Learning a foreign language may not be easy, but it’s an amazing and fulfilling process. By learning to understand, speak, and think in a foreign language, we add a new skill to our repertoire—but that’s not all! We can also change the very way we see the world.

But in today’s civilization, time is money and many of us feel too trapped by responsibilities to try mastering a language ourselves. So if you’re planning to study Indonesian, an important question to ask yourself is: How long does it take to learn Indonesian? And perhaps more importantly: Is it worth the investment? 

Did you know that Indonesian has a lot of words that can’t be translated into English? One of my favorites is faedah, which describes something that has a value and a benefit that goes beyond the commercial (and even the material) aspect. It’s a real, intrinsic value… Just like that of learning a new language! 

Everyone wants to reap the benefits of hard work as soon as possible, and this is why we all instinctively look for a fast and easy way to learn foreign languages. We want to start practicing right away and use our new skills to find a better job, to travel, or to better communicate with a loved one.

We would certainly like to know exactly how long it takes to learn a new language, so that we can make plans… But, unfortunately (or not), language learning does not work like that. There’s no one best or fastest way to learn Indonesian, and above all, there is definitely no set timetable for it! 

Everyone learns differently, and lots of different factors will influence how quickly you learn.

Let’s have a look at what these are, and maybe try to find the best way to take advantage of them to learn Indonesian fast!

Table of Contents

1. Experience
2. Learning Style
3. Approach
4. How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced Level?
5. How Our Website Can Help

Experience

One of the essential factors to take into account when trying to determine how quickly you can learn a language is your actual experience with languages. 

The Language(s) You Speak

What is your first language? And what other foreign languages do you speak? 

Yes, this may actually make a difference in how quickly you’ll be able to learn Indonesian. If you know a language very closely related to Indonesian, such as Malay, it will be way easier for you to pick it up. 

If you’re a native speaker of English, the FSI (Foreign Service Institute) classifies Indonesian as a Category II language. This is halfway between the easiest and the hardest languages to learn for English speakers!

Your Previous Language Learning Experience

Have you learned a language before?

If you’re already fluent in two or more languages (for example, if you were raised bilingual), it will be easier for you to learn Indonesian. Several studies show that bilinguals find it easier to learn a third language, because they’re more accustomed to being exposed to a new language.

Even if you’re not bilingual or fluent in a foreign language, just having studied and learned one at some point in your life will be useful. When your mind has had to get used to memorizing words and rules, and looking at different letters and symbols, it will not forget it—even after many years.

Basically, the skills you developed studying one language will actually help you learn another, even if the two languages are unrelated!  

Your Previous Grammar Knowledge

One of the first things you’ll do when learning a foreign language is to study how it’s built and how it works. This is usually done by studying its structure and grammar.

If you already have some experience studying syntax and grammar, even if just for your own language, it will make it much simpler for you to learn the grammar and syntax of a foreign language.

So, if your plan is to start learning Indonesian (or any other language), it’s definitely a good idea to get some grammar foundations to build on! 

Learning Style

The way you learn is another incredibly important aspect of how long it will take you to become fluent in Indonesian. 

Your Methods

If you limit your learning to a classroom setting, even on an intensive course, it will take you longer to learn and feel confident with your language skills outside the classroom. Try exposing yourself to Indonesian in your everyday life and I assure you that you’ll cut down the time you need to learn it! 

Make a habit of reading in Indonesian, watching Indonesian films and series, and listening to Indonesian podcasts while you drive or cook. This will help, but if you want to practice your conversation and speaking skills as well, the best thing you can do is find a language partner.

Your Time

Of course, even if we haven’t mentioned it yet, the time you dedicate to learning a language is paramount! 

If you want to learn quickly, try to dedicate as much time as you can to studying, practicing, and exposing yourself to the language. 

Practicing daily is a must: Research has actually shown that students who dedicate an hour a day to language learning—whether revising grammar, memorizing vocabulary, watching a film, or reading a book—learn significantly faster than those who just stick to weekly multi-hour classes.

And of course, if you have the opportunity, full immersion is best. If you can travel to Indonesia and live there for a while, that will make a huge difference!

Approach

Your approach and attitude while learning a foreign language are extremely important, and might make all the difference!

Your Motivation

It’s no secret: Staying motivated and interested is essential for learning a foreign language. Why are you learning Indonesian?

Have this clear in your mind and use the reasons you find to set weekly (or even daily) goals for maximum efficiency. This strategy will not only help you stay motivated and interested in learning, but it will also make you want to put more effort into it.

Your Attitude

Keeping your motivation up will help you learn more easily and quickly, and it will go hand in hand with maintaining a positive attitude. This is a winning strategy you should adopt during your language learning journey! 

Try to see learning as a fun and interesting activity; something that you’re choosing to do, rather than being forced to do.

Remember: Learning a foreign language will open your horizons and mind, both on a personal and a professional level, to say the least.

When you think of it like this, you’ll always feel like learning something new every day, which will make the process more fun and much faster! 

How Long Does it Take to Achieve Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced Level?

So, even if these are all just estimates, we’ve tried to put together a timeframe encompassing how long it will take you to reach a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level of Indonesian. 

Beginner

As a beginner speaker of the language, you’ll be able to introduce yourself, understand slow and clear spoken language, and ask basic questions (probably making some small mistakes). 

If your objective is to be able to greet people, have very basic conversations, and order a meal at the restaurant, this level is probably enough. 

According to the FSI, you’ll need to dedicate a minimum of 250 hours to reach this level. If you study 15 hours a week, you’ll be having basic conversations in just 4 months! That’s pretty fast, isn’t it? 

Intermediate

Do you want to learn the Indonesian language to a more advanced level?

At the intermediate level, you’ll be able to understand clearly spoken everyday conversation, maybe asking some questions to keep up. This level will also allow you to understand the main points while watching videos and reading the news. If you’re traveling, you’ll be able to ask for information, follow directions, and have basic interactions with locals about familiar subjects.

To achieve an intermediate level, you’ll need double the time as you did for the beginner level. This means about 500 hours, which, with the same intensity of study as mentioned above, will take you around 8 months. 

Advanced

If you want to be fluent in Indonesian, you’ll need to achieve advanced language skills. At this level, you’ll have no problem navigating all kinds of situations in your daily life abroad or while traveling, and you’ll be able to have full conversations with native speakers. You’ll also be able to watch Indonesian movies and read books… Basically, you will be fluent. (Even if there will always be something more to learn about this beautiful language.)

As we mentioned above, according to the FSI, Indonesian is a Level II language and thus requires 900-950 hours of study time if you want to reach total proficiency. This means that if you dedicate 15 hours a week to studying, you’ll be fluent in just over a year! Not bad if you consider that some other, more complex, languages require twice or even three times as long!

How Our Website Can Help

What are you waiting for? Now is the perfect time to start learning a new language! 

And, as we just saw, the sooner you start learning, the faster you’ll achieve your language objectives and start practicing real-life Indonesian. 

Looking for a great online Indonesian resource to get you started? On IndonesianPod101.com, we offer all kinds of language learning content designed to help you stay motivated and interested. Here you’ll find blog posts, Indonesian lessons for all levels, a dictionary, and vocabulary lists. 

How long it takes you to learn Indonesian just depends on you. How much time are you willing to invest in it? Our courses and resources are specifically created to give you all the right tools to learn Indonesian as quickly and easily as possible, so that you can make the most of your precious time!

Whether you’re a complete beginner who wants a full-immersion experience or an intermediate speaker who just needs to widen your vocabulary, you’ll find what you’re looking for here.

Before you go, let us know in the comments if this article helped you make a decision about Indonesian—or if you still have questions for us! We’d be glad to help.

Proverbs are popular sayings that provide a little dose of wisdom, a truth that is sometimes so obvious we overlook it. 

Can you think of a proverb in your native language that touched you at an important moment of your life?

Indonesians are actually famous for using a lot of slang words and proverbs in their daily lives. If you want to sound like a local, you’d better learn some Indonesian proverbs yourself! Doing so is a great way to let your language skills shine and familiarize yourself with Indonesian culture.

As they say, “There is no time like the present.” Learn the thirty most popular Indonesian proverbs and you’ll be sure to leave a good impression!

Table of Contents

1. The Top 30 Indonesian Proverbs
2. Conclusion

1. The Top 30 Indonesian Proverbs

1. Nasi sudah menjadi bubur.

Literal translation: The rice has become porridge.

Meaning: This is basically like Lady Macbeth’s, “What’s done, is done.” And no, it cannot be undone!

2. Ada udang di balik batu.

Literal translation: There is a prawn hiding behind the rock.

Meaning: This saying is often used to express the idea that there’s a hidden agenda or intention (usually negative) behind someone’s actions. 

3. Rumput tetangga selalu lebih hijau.

Literal translation: The neighbor’s grass is always greener than ours.

English equivalent: The grass is always greener on the other side.

Meaning: This proverb is a classic, and it exists in many different languages and cultures. Apparently, it’s an intrinsically human behavior to think that others are always in a better position than oneself.

4. Sambil menyelam minum air.

Literal translation: Drinking water while diving.

Meaning: So, in Indonesia, it’s not just about drinking (water, of course!) while diving. This expression refers to multitasking in general, managing to accomplish more than one thing at a time.

5. Bertepuk sebelah tangan.

Literal translation: To clap with only one hand.

Meaning: This means that there is no reciprocity in a given situation. Imagine if one hand wanted to clap, but the other was not interested! It’s most often used when referring to romantic situations where the love is one-sided, or in business when only one party is interested in striking a deal.

6. Seperti/bagai telur di ujung tanduk.

Literal translation: Like an egg on the tip of a horn

Meaning: I mean, imagine an egg on the tip of a horn…doesn’t sound ideal, does it? And this is exactly what this saying describes: a dangerous, tense, critical situation.

7. Otak di dengkul.

Literal translation: Brain on the knees

English equivalent: Not the sharpest tool in the shed

Meaning: Though this one means the same thing as the English equivalent, Indonesians prefer to be a bit more straightforward. If you’re not the smartest, they’ll say you have your brain on your knees. Not much use for it there…

8. Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya.

Literal translation: The empty can sounds the loudest.

Meaning: This refers to people who don’t have much knowledge (or wit!). Their head is like an empty can. And it’s usually these people who speak the loudest (both literally and metaphorically!). 

9. Anjing menggonggong, kafilah berlalu.

Literal translation: The dog barks but the caravan goes on.

Meaning: Life goes on even if some people try to stop progress.

10. Sepandai-pandai tupai melompat, akhirnya jatuh juga.

Literal translation: No matter how high a squirrel jumps, it will eventually fall.

Meaning: The poor squirrels actually have nothing to worry about here. This proverb is most often used to describe criminals (or at least very sneaky people) who, eventually, will always be caught!

11. Sudah jatuh tertimpa tangga.

Literal translation: To fall and be struck by a ladder

English equivalent: When it rains, it pours. 

Meaning: Not only did you fall down the ladder, but then the ladder fell on you—and who knows what else might happen next! This idiom describes those situations where various misfortunes all arrive at the same time, or directly follow each other. 

12. Besar pasak daripada tiang.

Literal translation: The peg is bigger than the pole.

Meaning: This saying is often used to describe a person who is spending more than he/she earns. If the peg is bigger than the pole, you won’t be able to build a very good shelter, will you? This saying reflects the culture, as many Indonesians would rather live humbly than borrow money.

13. Ada asap ada api.

Literal translation: If there is smoke, there must be fire.

English equivalent: Every why has its wherefore.

Meaning: Well, this can mean two things. Pretty obviously, there cannot be an effect without some cause. The second meaning is: If there is a rumor, it must have some foundation in truth!

14. Tak ada gading yang tak retak.

Literal translation: Every ivory has its cracks.

Meaning: Nothing’s perfect, as even the finest ivory has cracks!

15. Dikasih/diberi hati, minta jantung.

Literal translation: You give them the liver, but they still ask for the heart.

English equivalent: You give him an inch and he will take a yard.

Meaning: This refers to a situation in which someone is taking advantage of someone else’s generosity. 

16. Air tenang menghanyutkan.

Literal translation: Don’t think there are no crocodiles because the water runs calm. 

English equivalent: Still waters run deep.

Meaning: Like its English equivalent, this proverb means that a calm exterior probably hides a passionate nature, and that silent people can actually possess a lot of knowledge and be very intelligent.

17. Seperti kacang lupa kulitnya.

Literal translation: Just like the peanut forgets its shell

English equivalent: To bite the hand that feeds you

Meaning: The Indonesian version is not quite as aggressive as the English one, but both refer to someone who is being ungrateful. It can be used when someone who’s become successful forgets about his origins, his family, and his friends.

18. Berakit-rakit ke hulu, berenang-renang ke tepian.
Bersakit-sakit dahulu, bersenang-senang kemudian.

Literal translation: Rafting to the headwaters, swimming to the riversides. It is painful at first, but victorious in the end. 

English equivalent: No pain, no gain.

Meaning: We all know what this means… In order to achieve something, suffering is necessary!

19. Buah jatuh tidak jauh dari pohonnya.

Literal translation: The fruit falls near the tree.

English equivalent: Like father, like son. 

Meaning: This saying is used when a son’s or daughter’s behavior or nature resembles that of their parents.

20. Pikir dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tiada berguna.

Literal translation: Think first your idea, for later regrets are useless.

English equivalent: Look before you leap.

Meaning: Don’t act until after you’ve thought about the possible consequences and dangers of your actions. 

21. Lebih baik satu burung di tangan daripada sepuluh burung di pohon.

Literal translation: Better one bird on hand than ten birds on a tree.

English equivalent: One bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Meaning: It’s better to hold on to something you’ve already secured, rather than taking the risk to get something better that is not guaranteed.

22. Sekali merengkuh dayung, dua tiga pulau terlampaui.

Literal translation: One stroke at the paddle, two and three islands have passed.

English equivalent: Killing two birds with one stone

Meaning: This saying is used when you’re able to accomplish two different things at the same time, or solve two problems with a single effort.

23. Tak ada rotan akar pun jadi.

Literal translation: If there is no cane, use the root instead.

English equivalent: Better than a stick in the eye

Meaning: You don’t have exactly what you need? Well, just use what you’ve got. It’ll be better than nothing.

24. Harimau mati karena belangnya.

Literal translation: Tigers die because of their stripes.

Meaning: Those who tend to show off their wealth or superiority will attract not only attention, but also adversity—just as tigers attract attention and are killed because of their stripes. 

25. Mulutmu harimaumu.

Literal translation: Your mouth is your tiger.

Meaning: Speak carefully, because words are a reflection of yourself.

26. Di mana ada kemauan, di situ ada jalan.

Literal translation: Where there is a will, there is a path.

English equivalent: Where there is a will, there is a way. 

Meaning: Determination will overcome obstacles. If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way!

27. Bagai air di daun talas.

Literal translation: As the water is on the taro leaf

Meaning: Water on a taro leaf slips away in a moment. This saying describes a volatile, flaky person who can’t be trusted.

28. Bagai pinang dibelah dua.

Literal translation: Like a betel nut split in half

English equivalent: Like two peas in a pod

Meaning: Identical; very similar.

29. Bagai pungguk merindukan bulan.

Literal translation: Like an owl yearning for the moon.

Meaning: To wish for something impossible or unreachable. 

30. Karena nila setitik, rusak susu sebelanga.

Literal translation: With only a drop of indigo, the whole pot of milk is ruined.

Meaning: Be careful, because even a small mistake can ruin an otherwise perfect work.

2. Conclusion

“All good things must come to an end…”

But it’s not really the end, is it? There’s so much more to learn about the Indonesian language! 

As they say, “Practice makes perfect!” So continue practicing your Indonesian skills on IndonesianPod101.com. With all the features we offer (audio podcasts, videos with transcriptions, word lists, a dictionary, and more), you’ll pick up this beautiful and interesting language in no time. 

And remember: Your mouth is your tiger, so learning to speak like a local is going to pay off big time!

Which of the Indonesian-language proverbs from this list is your favorite, and why? Let us know in the comments! 

You may have heard that Jakarta has a little bit of a traffic problem (there are actually more cars than people in the city!). But I can assure you it offers so much more, if you’re willing to dedicate some time to discover it!

Many tourists treat the city as merely an entry and exit point to Indonesia. They pass through without a second look, excited to get to their final destination. This is why, if you have some spare time on your hands, we recommend you travel in Jakarta a little before heading out to discover the rest of Indonesia. 

And believe us: There are plenty of reasons to visit Jakarta!

Home to over ten million people from all corners of Indonesia and the world, Jakarta is often referred to as “the Big Durian,” the popular Asian fruit, and is a true melting pot. This city is home to people of various cultures, language backgrounds, and religions. Spend enough time here, and you’ll find influences from Java, Malay, China, the Middle East, India, and Europe. 

There are plenty of attractions in Jakarta for you to enjoy, from interesting museums to a variety of national monuments. It’s also a great place to learn more about Indonesia’s complicated history. 

Apart from museums and monuments, here you’ll find a wide range of culturally significant locations. These include the old town and the port, both of which can give you an idea of how the city looked in the past. 

In this Jakarta travel guide, we’ll look at the city’s top ten places to visit, and how they’ll make your Indonesian adventure even more compelling. 

The capital of Indonesia may be crowded, loud, and busy, but it certainly isn’t boring.

Table of Contents

1. Before You Go
2. Must-See Places for a 1-3 Day Trip
3. Highly Recommended Places for a 4-7 Day Trip (or Longer)
4. Indonesian Survival Phrases for Travelers
5. Conclusion

Before You Go

Here are a few tips to make your time in Jakarta much smoother and more rewarding. 

When

The best time to visit Jakarta is definitely during the dry season, between June and September. During these months, you’ll experience perfect tropical temperatures and eleven to twelve hours of light each day. 

Be careful if you decide to go between October and January. The city has a typical elevation of eight meters (about twenty-six feet) above sea level and features dense urban development, making it prone to flooding. 

Visa

You should also find out if you’ll need a visa before you travel to Indonesia. People of most nationalities will either not need a visa, or will have to apply for one on arrival. If you need to apply for this type of visa, keep in mind that the maximum stay is thirty days. 

For more info, check this website. 

Getting around in Jakarta

Getting around is easier than you probably think. You can choose between traditional taxis, moto taxis (locally called ojek), app-based moto taxis (go-jek), and even a new bus service operated by TransJakarta (which locals refer to as simply ‘busway’).

In 2019, a rapid transit system called the Jakarta MRT was officially opened, which will hopefully help reduce traffic in the city.

Must-See Places for a 1-3 Day Trip

Chances are, your stay will be short. After all, there are so many other places to explore in Indonesia! 

We’ve put together a list of the best places to visit in Jakarta when you only have a few days available. The locations on our list will fit all travelers, from backpackers to resort tourists. 

1 – Museum Nasional

The National Museum is one of the best museums in Jakarta and certainly the best of its kind in Indonesia. This is an essential location to visit if you’re in the capital. 

The ethnology section is fantastic, and there are four spacious floors with sections dedicated to the origin of humankind in Indonesia. The Indonesian Heritage Society organizes free English tours of the museum; if you’re interested, check their website for more info.

2 – Monas Tower

Monas, a contraction of the Indonesian Monumen Nasional (National Monument), is a memorial to the Indonesian independence movement built by the first president of Indonesia, Sukarno. 

The entrance fee is IDR 15,000 (less than two dollars). This will give you access to all areas, where you can learn about the history of the country and its struggle for independence, which was obtained on August 17, 1945.

3 – Kota Tua

Jakarta’s Old Town is the original central area of the city. Also known as Old Batavia, the first settlement of the Dutch in Jakarta, it’s home to several important historical sites and buildings. These include the History Museum, the Batavia Café, and the old City Hall.

4 – Sunda Kelapa Port

This is one of the oldest parts of Jakarta, and even today, you can get an idea of how the harbor used to look in times past and get a real feel of the city. The smells here are not the best, but it’s all part of the experience! Once you get over that small detail, you’ll be able to enjoy the sight of stunning wooden schooners and sailing vessels coming from all over Indonesia.

The easiest way to get here is by taxi.

Highly Recommended Places for a 4-7 Day Trip (or Longer)

Once you feel the charm of the Big Durian, you might decide to stay a little longer. Here are some more places you can visit in and around Jakarta. 

5 – Istiqlal Mosque

Located near the Monas, the Masjid Istiqlal is the fourth-biggest mosque on the planet. Its five floors can welcome up to 250,000 worshipers. On most days, the mosque is nearly empty, but it reaches full capacity at the end of the month of Ramadan. 

When visiting this Islamic symbol, remember to wear modest clothing and to maintain appropriate behavior at all times. 

6 – Jalan Surabaya Market

If you love antiques, this is the perfect place to spend a few hours. The Jalan Surabaya antique market is located in the Menteng district, and it can be a peaceful respite from the clogged-up city streets.

Here, you’ll find all sorts of antiques, from vinyls to Dutch porcelain, wayang golek (Javanese puppets), cameras, and accessories salvaged from old ships.

7 – Day-Trip to Thousand Islands

If you want to get out of the bustle of Jakarta for a day, there’s a cheap, accessible island escape right within the Jakarta district: Pulau Seribu, or Thousand Islands! This is a great option for a day trip: it’s not very touristy, but still cheap and easy to get to.

First of all, you’ll need to get to the harbor, where you’ll find lots of boats going to different islands. Choose the one you want and hop on! 

Once there, relax on the beach, hike into nature, or check out the local village.

8 – Galeri Nasional Indonesia

The National Gallery of Indonesia is one of the best art exhibits in the city, and it’s free! Here, you’ll find over 1700 pieces of art, from both Indonesian and international artists, on display.

There are a lot of installations and bizarre contemporary art pieces…so don’t forget your camera!

9 – Jin De Yuan

This is Jakarta’s oldest Chinese temple, also known as Vihara Dharma Bhakti, and it’s located at the heart of the city’s Chinatown. It was first built in 1650 in honor of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy, Kwan-Im.

10 – Museum Wayang

If you’re interested in wayang (a traditional Indonesian form of puppet play), or in theatre in general, you must visit this museum. It’s located in Kota Tua and exhibits a collection of various forms of wayang. In addition, the museum periodically organizes a wayang theater and a wayang-making workshop.

Indonesian Survival Phrases for Travelers

While you’ll probably find English spoken in touristy areas, you’ll have a much better trip if you learn some Indonesian. 

Here, we’ve put together a list of some easy-to-learn words and sentences that will help you make the best of your time in Jakarta.

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes while there; Indonesian people are super-friendly and they love it when a bule (foreign tourist) makes an effort to speak with them in their native language!

Permisi.
Excuse me. (Also used when you want to get someone’s attention)

Mari.
Bye.

Tolong.
Please. (request)

Silakan.
Please. (formal)

Terima kasih.
Thank you.

Makasih. / Trims. (Contraction of Terima kasih)
Thanks.

Sama-sama. / Kembali.
You’re welcome.

Ya.
Yes.

Tidak.
No.

Mungkin.
Maybe.

Maaf.
Sorry. / Pardon.

Tidak apa-apa.
No problem.

Bisa bicara bahasa Inggris?
Can you speak English?

Saya bisa bicara bahasa Indonesia sedikit-sedikit.
I can speak a little Indonesian.

Saya tidak mengerti.
I don’t understand.

Bisa bicara pelan-pelan?
Can you speak more slowly?

Ini apa?
What’s this?

Berapa harganya?
How much is it? (a single item)

Berapa semuanya?
How much is it? (total/in a restaurant)

Berapa ongkosnya?
How much is it? (service, i.e. a taxi)

Saya tersesat.
I’m lost.

Bisa tolong saya?
Can you help me, please?

Di mana kamar mandi?
Where is the bathroom?

Conclusion

See? Jakarta is so much more than just a gateway city. And if you’re willing to explore its many attractions, what could be better than being able to communicate with the locals? Start learning Indonesian now on IndonesianPod101.com. 

Here, with the help of our highly qualified teachers, audio podcasts, word lists, and more, you’ll be able to start adding another language to your repertoire. And not just any language, but one that will make your experience in Indonesia even more unforgettable. 

Learning a language changes the way you think. It opens your mind, and it’s certainly the best starting point to understanding a culture and its people.

Start now, and you’ll realize that picking up Indonesian is easier than you think!

Which location on this list do you most want to visit, and why? Let us know in the comments!

It’s easy to recognize English loanwords in Indonesian, and they pop up at all levels of language use. If you were to open up Wikipedia, a Jakarta newspaper, or even a YouTube comment section in Indonesian right now, chances are a couple of words would jump out at you. 

In this article, we’ll introduce you to some key characteristics of English words in Indonesian, and before long, you’ll be using them perfectly yourself!

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Indonesian English
2. Examples of English Used in Indonesian
3. Loanwords vs. Indonesian English
4. What an Indonesian Accent Sounds Like in English
5. English Words Derived from Indonesian
6. Conclusion

Introduction to Indonesian English

The thing about Indonesian is that it’s a newer language. If you speak Indonesian totally natively (because your parents spoke it at home), you’re actually in the minority. You’re probably young if so, and your grandparents definitely didn’t speak this language.

Indonesian was created as a standardized version of the Malay language, and since the cultural and economic centers of Indonesia are on the island of Java, there’s a great deal of Javanese vocabulary in Indonesian.

Lots of words in Malay actually come from Arabic, and Indonesian has absorbed these words and others. Plus, thanks to a large Chinese population in Southeast Asia and certain Indonesian cities, Chinese words have also influenced the Indonesian language.

All that to say that Indonesian is definitely not shy about adopting words from other languages—and English is no exception.

Besides the influence from Indonesia’s close proximity to Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore (countries with English as an official language), Indonesians also see English as a worldly language valuable for travel in and out of Southeast Asia.

Plus, internet access in Indonesia is and has been fast and cheap. People spend their time watching Indonesian vloggers on YouTube, and when they’re all out of those, they switch to English-speaking ones instead.

This applies to pop music, too. Music of all genres exists in Indonesian as well, but walk into any mall or upscale store, and the likelihood that you’ll hear Indonesian beats instead of American pop is virtually nothing.

Therefore, English is just considered “cool” in Indonesia. It’s seen as the ticket to economic success as well as a marker of one’s own status and intelligence.

Examples of English Used in Indonesian

Sometimes a language will borrow words just because of how trendy it is to do so, and then the words end up taking on lives of their own. This is relatively rare in Indonesian, but there are still a couple of decent examples.

The word senior in Indonesian (sometimes respelled sinyor according to Indonesian custom) doesn’t refer to an old person or a student in their last year of high school. Instead, it has a very specific meaning that’s closer to a “superior” in school or work environments.

• Dia dulu seniorku waktu di S1. / “She was my senior in the undergraduate program.”

Quite recently, another fashionable word has entered the scene: guys. This one never gets respelled. Although this word is shifting to gender-neutral in some English dialects, it usually still means “a group of men or boys.” But turn on any vlogging channel on YouTube and what’s the first thing you hear? “Hey guys!”

That’s why in today’s Indonesian, the word guys (or the phrase hey guys) is used without exception even in Indonesian-language vlogs. In the same vein, this word is also used to address groups of people regardless of gender.

By the way, as you study Indonesian, you might get used to the idea that you can guess at a loanword’s meaning. But that’s not always the case, because in some instances, the word might not be a loan at all!

If you need a card for your phone to get data and call service, you would purchase a “SIM card,” right? In Indonesian, however, a SIM is a surat izin mengajarkan, or license to drive a motor vehicle. Be careful what you ask for at the phone store, because what you really need is a kartu ponsel or “mobile phone card.”

The “word” uh-uh always means “no” in English, but in Indonesian it’s actually an affirmative (spelled as he-he). You might think this is something you can easily commit to memory, but when you ask an immigration officer about your visa paperwork and he replies “uh-uh,” you might have a bit of a panic attack before he slides it over to you and you remember what it actually means.

Loanwords vs. Indonesian English

In contrast to those words mentioned above, which have been borrowed into Indonesian with a bit of semantic change, there are dozens—or perhaps even hundreds—of words which have preserved their English meanings entirely.

These appear very frequently in the realms of abstract concepts, computers, and business. For this reason, you might remain unaware of just how rich this vocabulary is if you spend your time watching Indonesian talk shows and movies or reading comic books.

A few English loanwords in Indonesian include: 

• regulasi / “regulation” 
• prediksi / “prediction” 
• protokol / “protocol” 
• manajemen / “management” 
• kapitalisme / “capitalism” 

And even that is not an entirely accurate representation of the way English words are commonly used in Indonesian, because many people use them to talk about everyday matters as well.

There are native Indonesian equivalents for apartemen (“apartment”), stiker (“sticker”), cek (“check”), furnitur (“furniture”), and hundreds of similar words. But out of convenience and habit, even newspapers use these as regular parts of the Indonesian language. In fact, every example in this section was taken from a news article.

You’ll notice that these words are often respelled according to the Indonesian spelling rules and to reflect an Indonesian pronunciation of the English syllables.

Perhaps you’ve already picked up one of the main rules: spell anything ending in -sion or -tion with a si and you’re a good portion of the way through to coming up with a new Indonesian word!

There are even a couple of loan verbs that have been totally assimilated into the Indonesian conjugation and inflection system.

One such example is the verb “sort,” which has entered Indonesian and been totally absorbed as menyortir, disortir, and so on.

Tolong menyortir kertas sesuai ukuran. / “Please sort the paper according to size.”

What an Indonesian Accent Sounds Like in English

Although many Indonesians speak excellent English, there are still some Indonesian-isms that creep through.

Naturally, the sound system of English is quite different from that of Indonesian, and this causes the majority of the problems. Indonesians often have trouble saying th sounds, preferring to just say t or sometimes s.

Indonesian doesn’t have any voiced sounds (like V, B, D, G) at the end of its words, so English loanwords in Indonesian that end in a V sound (like “love”) tend to sound as if they ended in F when spoken by an Indonesian.

And although Indonesian grammar is similar to English grammar in many aspects of sentence structure, there are a couple of things that elude even advanced learners.

One of those things is the use of the word “ever” instead of “before” in the sense of “I’ve never…” You see, in English and in Indonesian, these sentences are made very similarly, but in English we make the distinction between these two words.

• Aku belum pernah ke Jepang. / “I’ve never been to Japan.”

Here, we’re using belum pernah to mean “never before,” but look at what happens when we change it around:

• Aku sudah pernah ke Jepang. / “I have been to Japan before.”

When speaking English, many Indonesians will mistakenly say “I have ever been to Japan,” because of the interference from their own language. If you see this kind of subtle error in a piece of writing, there’s a decent chance an Indonesian wrote it!

English Words Derived from Indonesian

Although Malay and Indonesian are widely spoken languages in their own corner of the world, they haven’t historically been popular enough to leave major traces on other languages. Nevertheless, it is possible to find Indonesian words in English if you look hard enough.

The most famous is probably durian, the spiny and pungent fruit found for sale all over Southeast Asia. The word comes from the root duri (“spine”) plus the suffix –an, but what’s interesting is that this was borrowed by English a couple of hundred years ago. The same word has shifted to duren in modern-day Indonesian, obscuring the root.

Next up is the word orangutan, a species of primate found in the Malay and Indonesian archipelago. It’s unknown whether the original Englishmen who learned this word realized that it’s a simple compound of orang (“person”) and hutan (“forest”). Most young kids who learn this word have no idea it’s not English in the first place!

The last couple of basic Indonesian words in English are used to describe specific things that you can’t find elsewhere: sate/satay (a small barbecue skewer) and rattan (a type of material used to make furniture and baskets).

Conclusion

As you can see, it’s pretty easy to pick up English words used in Indonesian, but it can be a little bit tricky knowing how to use some of them correctly. Smartphone, for instance, is a valid loanword but never underwent any respelling to “smartfon.” 

That’s why you need a solid knowledge base as you study the Indonesian language, something that can be brought to you quickly and easily by IndonesianPod101. As you progress through the lessons from beginner to advanced, you’ll slowly pick up the correct usage and definitions of loanwords in Indonesian, from English to Arabic, Dutch, Chinese, and beyond. Start today and see what heights your Indonesian can reach!

Before you go, how many of these English words in Indonesian surprised you? Did we forget to include any that you know? We look forward to hearing from you.

When you start learning Indonesian, being able to read popular books or watch famous speeches might seem a lifetime away. 

All those words you have to learn! All that new grammar to wrap your head around! 

Fortunately, there’s a shortcut. 

By studying interesting Indonesian quotes with English translations and equivalents, you’ll start to see the connections between the two languages. (Not to mention that you’ll also start to sound very well-read!)

Table of Contents

1. Quotes About Success
2. Quotes About Life
3. Quotes About Time
4. Quotes About Love
5. Quotes About Family
6. Quotes About Friendship
7. Quotes About Food
8. Quotes About Health
9. Quotes About Language Learning
10. Conclusion

1. Quotes About Success

Let’s begin with some Indonesian language quotes that touch on success and hint at how to achieve one’s goals.

• Keberhasilan bukanlah milik orang yang pintar. Keberhasilan adalah kepunyaan mereka yang senantiasa berusaha. / “Success is not possessed by educated people. It belongs to those who try everlastingly.”

The third President of Indonesia, B.J. Habibie, was in office for less than two years. But in this short time, he had such a powerful effect and came to be so well-loved by his people that a number of well-known quotes in Indonesian come from him. Interestingly, Habibie was very well-educated, speaking fluent German and English as well as Indonesian.

• Berhenti berharap, mulailah bertindak. / “Stop wishing, start doing.”

This quote provides a great example of the suffix -lah, used to encourage people to do something. You don’t see it on berhenti (“stop”), but you do see it attached to mulai (“start”). You can read more about Indonesian suffixes on this dedicated page from Northern Illinois University. 

• Kelemahan terbesarmu adalah ketika kamu menyerah dan kehebatan terbesarmu adalah ketika kamu mencoba sekali lagi. / “Your biggest weakness is when you give up and your greatest power is when you try one more time.”

The use here of the two opposites lemah (“weak”) and hebat (“awesome” / “powerful”) is a beautiful example of the way Indonesian can create new words using prefixes and suffixes. By adding the noun affixes ke-an, these words become “weakness” and “power” respectively.

→ See our vocabulary list of the Top 11 Quotes About Success for even more inspiration. 

2. Quotes About Life

Are you feeling stuck or unsatisfied in life? Read these two Indonesian quotes about life and see if they don’t make you feel a little better!

• Masa lalu saya adalah milik saya. Masa lalu kamu adalah milik kamu. Tapi, masa depan adalah milik kita. / “My past belongs to me. Your past belongs to you. But the future belongs to us.”

Here’s Habibie again with another excellent quote about life and love. The word milik (“to belong to”) tends to give learners trouble from time to time, because English speakers expect a preposition like in the English phrase “belongs to.” No preposition needed, folks—just follow milik with whoever owns the thing!

• Cintai hidup yang Anda jalani. Jalani hidup yang Anda cintai. / “Love the life you live. Live the life you love.”

For a country not particularly inclined toward Rastafarianism, this Bob Marley quote appears on a surprising number of café decorations and T-shirts in Indonesia. Unfortunately, this is an example of alliteration in English that doesn’t carry over particularly well (if at all) into Indonesian. 

3. Quotes About Time

Time is always fleeting, isn’t it? Here are some Indonesian life quotes concerning time to inspire and motivate you!

• Jas Merah – shortened from: Jangan sekali-kali melupakan sejarah. / “Never forget history.”

This quote features some wordplay that’s almost impossible to attain in any language but Indonesian. On the surface, jas merah simply means “red jacket.” However, look at the first letters of each word in the full quote, and the last letters of the final word: JAngan Sekali-kali MElupakan sejaRAH. It’s extremely clever, and that kind of singkatan (“shortening”) appears a lot in popular Indonesian culture.

• Persiapkan hari ini sebaik-baiknya untuk menghadapi hari ésok yang baru. / “Get ready for today to be the best it can in order to expect a new tomorrow.”

Here we can see a great example of reduplication, where the word baik (“good”) is doubled to increase its strength. The additional affixes se-nya add another level of emphasis, so the full meaning expressed in English is “the best possible.” 

4. Quotes About Love

Are you madly in love with someone? Or maybe you’re a hopeless romantic? Either way, we think these Indonesian love quotes will warm your heart!

• Aku ingin mencintaimu dengan sederhana. / “I want to love you simply.”

This quote by Sapardi Djoko Damono is from his work Aku ingin (“I Want”). It’s a famous poem that every Indonesian knows of, even if they can’t recite any more of it than this line. Indonesian doesn’t have a unique grammatical form for adverbs, so here, “simply” is translated more poetically as dengan sederhana (“with simplicity”).

• Walaupun raga terpisah oleh karena kematian, namun cinta sejati tetap di relung hati. / “Even though our bodies are separated by death, our love is eternal in our deepest heart.”

Habibie one more time—that man could speak! The grammatical structure here is walaupun…namun (“even though…”). In Indonesian, like in Chinese and other Asian languages, the “even though” structure requires a “but” to set up the next clause. This isn’t required in English, but lots of English learners make this mistake by adding “but” in English anyway.  

→ Are you craving more bittersweet words on love? See our vocabulary lists of Indonesian Quotes About Love and Break-Ups.

5. Quotes About Family

Family is a major cornerstone of any society. The following quotes in the Indonesian language touch on the significance of family in everyday life.

• Jangan pernah melupakan orang-orang yang sudah membantu saat kita sedang mengalami masalah yang besar. Mereka itu ialah keluarga. / “Never forget the people who have helped when we were solving big problems. Those are our family.”

By adding pernah (“ever”) to jangan (“don’t”), we get the set phrase jangan pernah (“never”). From this, we can deduce the correct English tenses even though the only markers of tense in Indonesian are: 1) the particle sudah, showing completion, and 2) the adverb saat (“when” / “while”). As you can see, time is quite flexible when speaking Indonesian!

• Berterimakasihlah pada segala yang memberi kehidupan. / “Be grateful to those who gave (you) life.”

Indonesian isn’t really known for its long words, but berterimakasihlah has got to be up there as one of the longer words in regular usage. As you’ve probably noticed, the root is terima kasih (“thank you”), which is literally “bring thanks,” but smashed together as one semantic unit. The ber- prefix implies possession, and as we’ve discussed, the –lah suffix is a suggestion. Thus: Have thanks!

→ Read our Top 10 Quotes About Family for more! 

6. Quotes About Friendship

Friends are one of life’s greatest joys and necessities. Read these Indonesian friendship quotes and see if you can relate!

• Persahabatan adalah hadiah terbesar dalam hidup, dan saya telah mendapatkannya. / “The greatest gift of life is friendship, and I have received it.”

Indonesian doesn’t make the distinction between “big” and “great” as English does—they’re both besar. Adding the prefix ter- makes it the most extreme, the “biggest,” gift. One more thing to learn from this sentence is telah, a word roughly equivalent to sudah in that it also marks a completed action.

• Teman baikku adalah seseorang yang menghasilkan yang terbaik dalam diri saya. / “My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me.”

Here we have a different way of showing possession in Indonesian. Teman baikku (“my best friend”) has the –ku ending, meaning “belonging to me.” However, we could also say teman baik saya, which has exactly the same meaning. The subtle difference in feeling between the two is something practically impossible to explain—but the more Indonesian you study, the better you’ll be able to tell the difference!

→ You guessed it…see our list of the Top 10 Friendship Quotes to learn even more heart-warming Indonesian phrases.

7. Quotes About Food 

Who doesn’t enjoy sitting down for a nice meal now and then? Read these Indonesian food quotes to gain perspective on the role food plays in Indonesian culture. 

• Tertawa itu paling riang di tempat makanan tersedia. / “Laughter is brightest in the place where the food is.”

• Makanan untuk tubuh tidak cukup. Harus ada makanan untuk jiwa. / “Food for the body is not enough. There must be food for the soul.”

If you take out the articles in the English example sentence, you pretty much have a word-for-word translation of the original Indonesian. This shows how easy the sentence structure can be, even if you have to learn a ton of new words.

8. Quotes About Health

One should always prioritize their health, because only in good health can one achieve other important goals. Here are some Indonesian quotes that touch on this topic.

• Peliharalah kesehatan Anda, karena ia yang akan mewadahi umur panjang Anda. / “Take care of your health, because it will accompany you through your whole life.”

The relative pronoun yang (“which”) here is actually a little superfluous. More literally, this translation could mean: “It is the one which will accompany.” 

• Waktu dan kesehatan adalah dua aset berharga yang tidak dikenali dan hargai sampai keduanya hilang. / “Time and health are two valuable assets that are ignored until they’re both gone.”

The word hilang (“disappear”) is one of those words you don’t realize your native language is missing until you learn it in another one. Although it can be translated to English and be understood, it has the more specific sense of vanishing completely and leaving people confused in its absence.

• Karena nila setitik, rusak susu sebelanga. / “With a drop of indigo dye, a pot of milk is ruined.”

Nobody wants to drink milk with a hint of blue! Nila is the Indonesian word for “natural indigo dye,” which was commonly used to dye fabric blue. Therefore, “indigo” is a more evocative metaphor than the English equivalent, “One rotten apple will spoil the whole barrel.”

9. Quotes About Language Learning

To close, let’s look at a couple of Indonesian quotes that talk about learning. What better way to motivate you in your language studies? 

• Lakukan yang terbaik di semua kesempatan yang kamu miliki. / “Do your best at every opportunity that you have.”

Here we see milik used again, not as a possessive marker but as a verb. You can tell this by the –i suffix, which can turn certain roots into active verbs. 

• Orang bijak belajar ketika mereka bisa. Orang bodoh belajar ketika mereka terpaksa. / “Clever people study when they can. Stupid people study when they’re made to.”

Before, we saw the prefix ter– used as a superlative (“the most” / “the best”), but here it’s actually showing the passive. Indonesian distinguishes between two types of passive voice: one where the object expected or wanted the action to happen, and one where it didn’t. This example shows the second type. 

→ Finally, check out these Top 10 Quotes About Language Learning, and be inspired!

10. Conclusion

At this point, you’ve been exposed to a great deal of Indonesian culture, packed into twenty quotes. Would you like to delve even deeper?

The best step for you is to sign up with IndonesianPod101.com, where you can access a wealth of resources in audio, video, and podcast formats. Each lesson is produced by experts and designed to help you learn Indonesian as fast and as easily as possible. Take the first step and sign up with IndonesianPod101 to see how easy it can really be!

In the meantime, let us know in the comments which of these Indonesian quotes is your favorite, and why!

Many aspiring learners wonder whether the Indonesian language is easy to learn, and if so, why more people don’t speak it.

You see, Indonesian is not a very commonly learned language for most of the world. 

Sure, there are people in Southeast Asia that pick some of it up, it’s a growing subject in Chinese and Japanese universities, and it’s long been one of the most popular foreign languages for Australians—but you hardly see it on lists of languages people want to learn. 

That’s a shame, really, because learning the language opens you up to so many wonderful things. Visiting the country when you can speak the language is much, much more freeing than being limited to an interpreter or dealing with whoever can speak some English.

You might be interested in opening those doors, but maybe you’ve been put off by long words and a spooky reputation for being a difficult Asian language. Could there be truth in that?

Table of Contents

1. Is Indonesian Hard or Not?
2. Difficulties in Learning Indonesian
3. Indonesian is Pretty Easy
4. Your First Indonesian Steps
5. Advice to a New Learner
6. The Advantages of IndonesianPod101
7. Conclusion

1. Is Indonesian Hard or Not?

Indonesian, by and large, is not that hard of a language. From the perspective of someone who’s already learned it, that might not be too reassuring, but it’s the truth.

There are quite a few differences between European languages and East Asian languages. But the thing is, none of these differences are the type of thing that requires you to memorize long charts or pore over difficult grammar explanations.

For example, Indonesian has a number of suffixes and prefixes that can change a root word’s part of speech. That’s one place where learners might get confused, because sometimes, those can be pretty subtle. It takes a lot of immersion to develop the knack for knowing which one to use.

But on the other hand, there are so many shortcuts that you can take. Indonesian is the second language of millions of people across the country, spoken with great fluency but without extremely rigid rules for conversation.

Locals are also extremely welcoming to foreigners who can converse in Indonesian—even if they’re comfortable in English, they’ll happily speak Indonesian instead to let people practice! 

2. Difficulties in Learning Indonesian

There are a couple of factors that can make Indonesian hard to learn for some people. 

Indonesian is a bit of an artificial standard, as mentioned above, so people add a lot of slang and regionalisms to it when speaking among themselves. That’s why you might find YouTube videos super-easy to understand, but the more informal speech of day-to-day conversation nearly opaque to your ear.

That kind of diglossia can be disheartening, because you’ll feel that you still have so far to go even if you can understand books and the news.

The best way to deal with this is to read more informal Indonesian, such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter comments. Internet comments have a bad rap for being mindless drivel, but unfortunately, it’s exactly that kind of language register that you have to learn to understand—because it’s the way people really speak! 

On the other side of things, the prefix and suffix system definitely has its sticky points. One of the hardest concepts for people to grasp is the me-kan prefix/suffix, which is often used to signify that something was done “for somebody.”

• Saya membaca koran Kompas.
  “I read the Kompas newspaper.”

• Saya membacakan ayah berita hari ini.
  “I read today’s news to my dad.”

The root is baca (“read”) in both sentences. But while membaca is an act of reading for oneself, using the circumfix me-kan causes the word to mean that the act of reading is done for someone else.

Not too bad, right? Unfortunately, that’s just one example for a circumfix with a ton of different meanings! You’re probably going to have to learn a ton of examples individually.

The last thing that trips up learners is the idea that it’s okay to be vague. A lot of people never get past the idea that they want to express exactly as much information in Indonesian as they’re used to expressing in their native language. 

3. Indonesian is Pretty Easy

You might have picked up on this already, but that last section isn’t that big of a deal. Overall, Indonesian is easy to learn as a foreigner. 

For one thing, you can just learn these complicated prefix or suffix words as individual concepts that usually map to their own separate words in English. In the example above, there’s nothing wrong with learning membaca as “to read” and membacakan as “to read for.”

Another advantage that Indonesian-learners have is that the pronunciation is quite easy in general. While you do have to know how to roll your R and use pure vowels (for more help, check our pronunciation guide), spoken Indonesian words correspond exactly to their written counterparts.

Even when people speak informally using the more casual variants of Indonesian, they reflect that in their casual writing. In English, we all write “have to” even though we say “hafta,” but in Indonesian texting and online comments, there’s no worrying about proper writing conventions.

Lastly, learners of Indonesian have a huge advantage when it comes to the verbs. Each “tense” corresponds to a single particle that’s inserted before the verb—no conjugation required. 

For past events, use sudah; for present progressive, use sedang; and for future, use akan.

• Saya sudah membeli buku.
  “I bought a book.”

• Saya sedang membeli buku.
  “I am buying a book.”

• Saya akan membeli buku.
  “I will buy a book.”

4. Your First Indonesian Steps

The very first thing you should do when learning Indonesian, or any new language, is to focus on the sounds.

Make sure that you can accurately make and understand each individual sound of the language now, because later on when you’re trying to understand flowing native speech, you’ll wish you had prepared beforehand.

It would be perfect if you could find a video series with clearly spoken Indonesian and Indonesian subtitles for you to understand how the letters you see on the screen reflect the sounds you’re hearing. Even though the Indonesian alphabet is simple, this is a skill that takes time to develop.

After that, your biggest hurdle is going to be the vocabulary. Although Indonesian has some loanwords from European languages (particularly when it comes to the sciences or pop culture), the vast majority of the words come from Arabic, Sanskrit, and local Austronesian languages.

Therefore, you’ll need to come up with a good flashcard or wordlist system in order to build a strong vocabulary base from the start. 

→ Check out our vocabulary list on Simple Strategies for Learning Comfortably at Home! 

5. Advice to a New Learner

One of the biggest mistakes a new Indonesian learner can make is trying to speak too quickly. By that, we don’t mean the speed that the words are coming out of your mouth; we mean how soon you start speaking after you’ve started learning the language.

Just like pronunciation, you should build a good base in understanding Indonesian before you try to hold a conversation. That way, you won’t be distressed by not understanding what you hear.

Also, don’t worry if it takes you much longer to understand TV or movies than it does to read your textbook or listen to a course made for learners.

As mentioned before, rapid-fire spoken Indonesian uses a lot of local slang terms. Even the words for “you” and “I” are different in informal language! Generally, the words are Anda and saya respectively, but in informal Indonesian, they’re kamu and aku—and in Jakartan slang, they become lu and gue!

Essentially, even though you’ll find Indonesian easier to pick up than some other languages, don’t expect to be able to use and understand it instantly. Keep your expectations reasonable, and you won’t be discouraged. 

→ Study our vocab list of the Top 10 Inspirational Quotes if you need a language-learning pick-me-up!

6. The Advantages of IndonesianPod101

Remember a bit ago when we recommended videos with Indonesian subtitles?

It turns out that you can get exactly that for free on our IndonesianPod101 YouTube channel.

Once you’ve watched a couple of those, why not check out our main website at IndonesianPod101.com?

Although there are good textbooks and online resources available if you know where to look, Indonesian isn’t commonly learned enough to have a ton of different language courses.

What IndonesianPod101 can bring you is a structured course starting from the very basics, guiding you all the way through an upper-intermediate or advanced level. At that point, you’ll be able to smoothly transition into reading and watching real Indonesian content made for native speakers! 

7. Conclusion

When it comes down to it, the only big obstacle to learning Indonesian, or any other language, is time.

Indonesian requires a little more time for you to remember the wide array of vocabulary, but practically no time at all to learn the grammar.

In fact, the United States government rates Indonesian a 3/5 in terms of difficulty for English-speakers. That means it’ll take a little more time than learning French or German, but significantly less time than learning Arabic or Korean.

As long as you have a good and consistent study schedule, you’ll be able to hold your own in simple Indonesian conversations in less than six months. After you learn the basic sentence patterns, all you need is a good dictionary to build your vocabulary and gain the ability to understand more and more real Indonesian.

The best time to start is today. Grab a textbook—or better yet, sign up with IndonesianPod101—and you’ll be amazed at the kind of progress you can make with Indonesian.

If you’ve already started learning Indonesian, which aspects of the language are most difficult for you? And which are the easiest? Let us, and aspiring Indonesian-learners, know in the comments!