Many Indonesian learners who study Indonesian on their own forget—or rather, never learn—a certain conjunction despite its importance. Conjunctions in Indonesian (or any language, really) aren’t usually a topic of interest to many learners.

Usually, they become accustomed to using alternate phrasings without having to take advantage of a conjunction. In fact, I’ve personally noticed that I tend to use one particular structure in all the foreign languages I study.

But when writing a formal letter or trying to contact a local university in Indonesia, you’ll always have to go as fluff-free in your writing as possible—which is something you can’t fully accomplish without the use of conjunctions.

It just goes to show that if you skip out on learning Indonesian conjunctions, you’re setting yourself up for a surprise moment of panic in the future!

Table of Contents

1. What is a Conjunction?
2. Similar Thoughts (And; Or)
3. Cause and Effect (Because)
4. Contrasts (But)
5. Conditions (If)
6. Consequence (So; Therefore)
7. Purpose (In order to; That)
8. Correlation (Not only, but also)
9. One More Correlation (Both)
10. How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian Grammar

1. What is a Conjunction?

A conjunction, as you may already know, connects two things in discourse. That’s kind of abstract, but we use them constantly in any language. They’re some of the most common words.

If we take two ideas like “he jumped” and “he fell,” we can use the conjunction “and” in English to say “He jumped and fell.” Or we can contrast two states with “but,” such as in “I want it, but I don’t have it.”

Interestingly enough, you can’t say that one particular concept is a conjunction in every single language. Different words are used for different parts of speech across languages.

And there are a number of Indonesian conjunction words that are only used in formal speech. But once you start breaking down some of them, the rest follow similar and logical patterns. In this article, you’ll learn all the basics you need to know about the conjunction in Indonesian and how it works. So let’s get started!

2. Similar Thoughts (And; Or)

Let’s begin with the most basic of all, the concept of “and.” This word is dan in Indonesian. It works for verbs:

• Setiap hari saya menyapu dan mengepel lantai.
  “Every day, I sweep and mop the floor.”

And it works for nouns.

• Ia punya sebuah gitar dan sebuah ukulele.
  “He has a guitar and a ukulele.”

The word atau, meaning “or,” works very similarly as it does in English as well.

• Saya mau minum es jeruk atau es lemon teh.
  “I want to drink orange juice or iced lemon tea.”

Unlike in English, it’s not considered acceptable in formal Indonesian writing to begin a sentence with Dan.

3. Cause and Effect (Because)

Another useful construction to have in your arsenal is to be able to say why something is a certain way. That explanation requires the word karena, meaning “because.”

The best part is, it works precisely like its English equivalent. If you can make a sentence with “because,” you can do it in Indonesian too with karena.

• Aku tidak suka bubur karena hambar.
  “I don’t like congee because it’s bland.”
• Karena dia orang istimewa, dia punya satpam pribadi.
  “Because she’s an important person, she has private security.”

In that first example, we did see a slight difference with Indonesian: that you don’t need any linking word between “because” and an adjective. A slacker’s favorite excuse: karena malas or “because [I was] lazy!”

4. Contrasts (But)

The word for “but” has three forms, but they all work almost exactly the same way. Check this out:

• Dia mau tidur, tapi tidak bisa.
  “She wants to sleep, but (she) can’t.”

We can lengthen tapi into tetapi, and in fact, we should if we’re going to use the language in a formal way. We can even turn it into two words:

• Saya mau pergi, akan tetapi motor saya rusak.
  “I want to go, but my motorcycle is broken.”

This akan tetapi usage simply adds the meaning of “unfortunately” to your sentence. So it wouldn’t work to use it in a phrase like “I thought I won twenty dollars, but I actually won a hundred dollars!” Use the other two choices for that, and congratulations!

5. Conditions (If)

Now let’s give you the advantage I didn’t have.

Indonesian has two ways to express “if,” and those are jika and kalau.

• Jika dia tidak sampai, kita tidak bisa mulai.
  “If she doesn’t arrive, we can’t begin.”

We could swap out kalau here and it would have the same meaning. So what’s the difference? Well, you can also use kalau as a way to say “As for X…” You can’t do this with jika and keep the same meaning.

• Kalau Adi, kami tidak mau berbicara dengannya.
  “As for Adi, we don’t want to talk with him.”

Again, there’s a slight difference in formality here, where jika is the more formal/more often written of the two.

Jika can also be paired with the word maka to make an if/then statement. Kalau can’t.

• Jika ada kesempatan maka saya akan bicara dengannya.
  “If there’s an opportunity, I’ll talk with them.”

6. Consequence (So; Therefore)

Let’s mention if and then a little bit more here. As we’ve seen, we can have “if” (kalau) without any “then” (maka). What about the other way around?

For that, we’ll need the word jadi which means “so.”

• Saya sampai lebih awal, jadi saya tidak stres.
  “I arrived early, so I wasn’t stressed.”

We can use another word, sehingga, with this same meaning and a little bit of formality. But here’s where things start to get a little bit further away from English.

The word sehingga can also mean “as a result” or “to the extent that…”

• Mohon untuk menyapu lantai sehingga bersih.
  “Please sweep the floor until it’s clean (so that it becomes clean).”
• Dia makan ayam goreng setiap hari sehingga gemuk.
  “He eats fried chicken every day until he’s fat (to the extent that he becomes fat).”

7. Purpose (In order to; That)

And that meaning sort of overlaps with our next category of “in order to.” The most common word here in Indonesian is untuk, which we’ve actually seen already in this article in the set phrase mohon untuk, or “please.”

• Saya sedang belajar bahasa Spanyol untuk mencari kerja di Meksiko.
  “I’m studying Spanish in order to look for work in Mexico.”

However, the word untuk can also simply mean “for” in the sense of designating a recipient of an action, such as when giving a gift.

• Bunga-bunga ini untuk Anda.
  “These flowers are for you.”

Have a look at a new couple of words here, kepada and bahwa.

Kepada can change freely with untuk in its second sense, designating the recipient of some action.

• Aku sudah minta maaf kepada bos.
  “I already apologized to the boss.”

Bahwa is slightly more removed from English. It’s similar to the word “that” when you’re adding extra information to something. If you learn it in this particular context, it’s easy to keep in your mind:

• Dia memberitahu saya bahwa dia tidak akan lulus.
  “He told me that he wouldn’t be able to graduate.”

Non-native speakers of English should find this a welcome relief. In English, you have to change the verbs to past tense to report what someone said, but this one little conjunction is all you need in Indonesian!

8. Correlation (Not only, but also)

Fortunately, the “not only, but also” conjunction set works great when we translate it directly into Indonesian. Have a look:

• Bukan hanya Denny tapi juga Rere tiba terlambat.
  “Not only Denny, but also Rere, arrived late.”

The word juga means “also” in a broad sense, and can be used with nouns and verbs.

• Saya juga mau bicara dengan manajernya.
  “I also want to talk to the manager.”

Where English limits you from using “also” at the end of a sentence, there’s no problem with doing so in Indonesian.

• Saya mau makan dan tidur juga.
  “I want to eat and sleep as well.”

9. One More Correlation (Both)

For our last section, let’s look at the rather intricate ways that Indonesian can express the concept of “both.”

First, the way closest to English uses the word kedua-duanya, literally “the two of them.”

• Mereka kedua-duanya suka coklat.
  “They both (the two of them) like chocolate.”

But that’s not really a conjunction because we’re not connecting two sentences or clauses. For that, we’ll up the ante and use the two-parter baik…maupun.

It works the same as the English phrase “both…and”:

• Baik Ina maupun Palak suka menonton film horor.
  “Both Ina and Palak like to watch horror movies.”

This construction is stricter than in English, in that you’re limited to naming the subjects of different clauses. So that means you can’t take a sentence like “He likes both basketball and football,” and translate it with baik…maupun. You’ll need to use tidak hanya… tapi juga in that case.

• Dia tidak hanya suka bola basket, tapi juga suka sepak bola.
  “He doesn’t just like basketball; he likes football too.”

10. How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian Grammar

Effectively using conjunctions in Indonesian can feel like a superpower, albeit a small one. Indonesian is said to be an easy language, but all that means is that you can rapidly learn how to build sentences.

With each of the conjunctions you’ve learned today, you can build dozens of sentences with each one.

Competency in a language isn’t always expressed by how precise your vocabulary is—it’s more about how you’re able to express your ideas with the words you have. If, for some reason, you’ve forgotten how to say “if,” that expression isn’t easy!

The more you listen to and read Indonesian in your daily life, the more naturally these conjunctions and their sentence patterns will come to you. It’s all about getting used to a language. And when you do, there will be no limit to what you’re capable of.

Let us know which of these conjunctions you feel ready to start using, and which ones you’re still struggling with. We’d love to hear from you!

Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.

One of the most important holidays in Indonesia for those of Chinese ethnicity, the Lunar New Year in Indonesia consists of many unique, traditional celebrations. In this article, you’ll learn about Chinese New Year festivities in Indonesia, read about common beliefs and symbolism, and gain a new set of handy Indonesian vocabulary for this holiday.

At IndonesianPod101.com, it’s our aim to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative—starting with this article! Let’s get started.

1. What is the Chinese New Year in Indonesia?

Every year around the beginning of February, ethnic Chinese in Indonesia celebrate Chinese New Year. Chinese New Year celebrations are full of traditions, especially that of praying for abundant good fortune in the coming year. The Chinese New Year celebration in Indonesia is fifteen days long and ends on day fifteen with Cap Go Meh.

2. Dates for the Indonesian Lunar New Year

The Chinese New Year is based on the lunar calendar, meaning that its date on the Gregorian calendar changes from year to year. For your convenience, here’s a list of this holiday’s date for the next ten years.

• 2020: January 25
• 2021: February 12
• 2022: February 1
• 2023: January 22
• 2024: February 10
• 2025: January 29
• 2026: February 17
• 2027: February 6
• 2028: January 26
• 2029: February 13

Did you know that Indonesians also celebrate the Gregorian New Year and Islamic New Year?

3. Chinese New Year Celebrations & Traditions

There are many colorful and unique traditions for the Chinese New Year, most of which have to do with warding off bad luck and inviting good luck for the coming year. First and foremost, this involves perfectly cleaning one’s home; this is thought to “wash away” any bad luck from the previous year. Another common Chinese New Year tradition in Indonesia is to repaint one’s windows and doors before attaching a piece of paper with the Chinese character Fu on them, which symbolically “attaches” good luck to their home.

People will cut their hair and buy baju baru, or “new clothes,” to wear on this day. To further bring good luck for the Lunar New Year, Indonesians often wash any statues of gods or goddesses using water and seven kinds of flowers which counteract bad things.

The night before, people open their doors and windows so that good luck can enter, and the lights are kept on to symbolize a bright new year.

On the Chinese New Year, Indonesian keluarga, or “families,” will go to temples decorated with lanterns to pray for good luck. In the temple, there are also red pieces of paper containing prayers that are hung from the ceiling. In Semarang, Central Java, Sam Poo Kong Temple is very crowded during Chinese New Year celebrations. Tourists often join ethnic Chinese to witness the ceremonies. All types of food vendors come, offering Semarang specialty snacks, such as wedang ronde, tahu gimbal, and spring rolls.

Chinese New Year celebrations are full of symbolism and meaning. Barongsai, or “lion dance,” performances are synonymous with happiness and luck. The amount of food served during Chinese New Year is also symbolic of the twelve zodiacs, consisting of twelve main dishes and twelve types of cake. Some common foods are:

• Siu Noodles, which symbolize long life and prosperity
• Lapis legit, which symbolizes layers of fortune
• Fish, which symbolizes great fortune
• Jeruk mandarin, or “mandarin orange”
• Bakmi goreng, or” fried noodle”
• Buah naga, or “dragon fruit”

Eating porridge is prohibited because it symbolizes poverty.

Singkawang in West Kalimantan celebrates the fifteenth day of Chinese New Year by holding a Tatung parade—that is, one of spirit mediums. In this celebration, the Tatung, who is in a state of trance, will stab himself with a sharp object. Singkawang is the only place in the world that still practices this old Chinese tradition.

4. Good and Bad Colors

The color red is synonymous with Chinese New Year. However, in Indonesia, Lunar New Year tradition also prohibits two colors. Do you know what they are?

In addition to bringing feelings of joy and optimism, the color red is also believed to ward off evil spirits. However, black and white are avoided because black is the bearer of bad luck, while white is the color of death.

5. Vocabulary for the Chinese New Year Festival in Indonesia

Ready to review some of the Indonesian vocabulary words from this article? Here are the essential words you should know for the Chinese New Year in Indonesia!

• Merah — “Red”
• Keluarga — “Family”
• Vihara — “Vihara“
• Lampion merah — “Red lantern”
• Angpau — “Red envelope”
• Baju baru — “New clothes”
• Jeruk mandarin — “Mandarin orange”
• Barongsai — “Lion dance”
• Bakmi goreng — “Fried noodle”
• Kembang api — “Firework”
• Buah naga — “Dragon fruit”
• Kue keranjang — “Chinese New Year’s cake”
• Pecinan — “Chinatown”
• Perayaan — “Celebration”
• Tahun Baru Imlek — “Lunar New Year”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, and to read them alongside relevant images, be sure to check out our Indonesian Lunar New Year vocabulary list!

Final Thoughts

We hope you enjoyed learning about the Chinese New Year in Indonesia with us! How do you celebrate the New Year in your country? Let us know in the comments!

If you’re interested in learning even more about Indonesian culture and celebrations, you may find the following pages useful:

• All About Indonesian Culture and Society
• Tourist Attractions in Indonesia
• What’s Your Favorite Indonesian Food?
• Untranslatable Words in Indonesia: Think Like an Indonesian
• Celebrating Indonesian Independence Day

Learning Indonesian doesn’t have to be boring or overwhelming—with IndonesianPod101.com, it can even be fun! Whatever your reasons for wanting to learn the language or immerse yourself in the Indonesian culture, we have your back!

If you’re serious about mastering the Indonesian language, create your free lifetime account today and learn Indonesian like never before!

As many guidebooks will tell you, Indonesia is a happy country. The locals look on visitors with warmth and welcoming.

But what happens when you get on their wrong side?

To be honest, not much. It takes something really severe to bring Indonesians to confrontation. The worst thing that happens is that you get passed up for opportunities and friendships because people think you’re not that pleasant to be around. But that’s still awful!

So to avoid a scenario like that, it’s important that you become familiar with etiquette in Indonesia. To help you out, we’ve put this article together for you, outlining everything you need to know about table manners in Indonesia and more. You may be surprised to know how far knowing just a little etiquette in Indonesian culture can get you!

Table of Contents

1. How to Make Polite Suggestions
2. Saying “Let’s Not”
3. Proper Table Etiquette in Indonesia: Etiquette While Dining
4. Etiquette While Sightseeing
5. Etiquette for Greetings
6. Etiquette for Visiting Others
7. Getting Around with Transportation
8. Business Etiquette in Indonesia
9. Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian

1. How to Make Polite Suggestions

Let’s start with one of the biggest cultural hurdles to overcome in Indonesia: Making suggestions to other people, or telling them that they’re wrong.

Put simply, the western approach will not treat you well. Telling someone directly that their idea is bad, or even that you’re offended by their behavior, will go over very poorly and may cause a very painful, awkward silence.

If you want to do this more in line with the etiquette and customs in Indonesia, we can add the particle ya at the end of a sentence to soften the blow of asking someone to do something.

• Ingat menulis pekerjaan rumahmu, ya.
  “Remember to do your homework, won’t you?”

And when the listener is to be included in whatever you’re suggesting, you can try using mari:

• Mari kita pergi sekarang.
  “Let’s leave now.”

This is more polite than the same structure with Ayo:

• Ayo, kita pergi sekarang.
  “C’mon, let’s go now.”

How about not doing things?

2. Saying “Let’s Not”

As you walk around Indonesia, you’ll see one word pretty heavily represented on signs around town. That word is jangan, and since it’s often seen with a big red X over a stick figure, it’s not hard to figure out that it means “don’t.”

And though it may sound a bit strange that it’s the same word, the polite way to make a negative suggestion is to simply say the equivalent of “Let’s don’t do this.”

• Jangan kita pergi sendirian.
  “Let’s not go alone.”

3. Proper Table Etiquette in Indonesia: Etiquette While Dining

Table manners and eating etiquette in Indonesia are an essential aspect of general good etiquette of Indonesia. For the most part, in Indonesia you’ll be provided with a fork and a spoon for your meal. Some nicer restaurants will give you a knife as well, but even in Chinese-style places, you’ll generally have to ask for chopsticks.

• Permisi, bisa minta sumpit?
  “Excuse me, can I have some chopsticks please?”

As for dining etiquette in Indonesia, know that Indonesians generally eat quietly without any chomping or munching sounds. Do your best to finish all your food, as it’s bad manners to waste it.

Once you finish eating, you’ve got a choice to make. Here’s where there’s a bit of a confluence between table etiquette in Indonesia and in Western cultures.

In smaller places, you simply get up from the table and go over to the register to pay when it’s time to leave. Larger places will have waiters ready to hand you the bill if you desire to pay from your seat.

It’s polite to address waiters as mas and waitresses as mbak, particularly on the island of Java (these are Javanese words, after all).

• Permisi Mas, minta bill.
  “Excuse me, waiter, I’d like the bill.”
• It sounds rude in English to address a waiter as “waiter,” so you can think of it more like “sir.”

• Permisi Mbak, mau bayar.
  “Excuse me, miss, I’d like to pay.”

But they’ll also be totally ready and willing to receive you at the register. Once they hand you the receipt, they’ll invariably ask you to look it over first.

• Mohon dicek dulu…
  “Please check it over first.”

All these instances of mohon or “requests” being thrown around is a signal that this is all very polite language. Feel free to use these sentence structures in other situations, too!

Though you may see a modest tip jar at the register, most people don’t tip for meals. Gratuities and city taxes are often automatically added anyway for big parties.

4. Etiquette While Sightseeing

Whether you hop on a tour bus or take your motorbike to a remote mountain, you should have a general idea of what kind of behavior is expected from tourists around Indonesia. Or, in other words, basic social etiquette in Indonesia.

Although Indonesia receives countless tourists from all over the world, it still maintains a reputation for being very warm and welcoming to each and every one. That doesn’t mean you should test it, though. Every local of a well-touristed city has anecdotes of some group of boorish visitors that drank too much and left the beach a mess.

So even though you might not get publicly reprimanded (for Indonesians are loath to call someone out in public), any reckless behavior you do indulge in has an effect. Better avoid it.

The number-one polite phrase for travelers is this one:

• Boleh saya ambil foto?
  “Can I take photos?”

You also can’t go wrong with the flattering phrase:

• Semuanya di sini cantik sekali!
  “Everything is so beautiful here!”

5. Etiquette for Greetings

Now, let’s go over the basic customs in Indonesia for greeting and introducing yourself.

The most polite way to introduce yourself is to literally say “introduction” or perkenalkan before you tell people your name. It might sound a bit odd if you’re not used to it, but after a little practice, it rolls right off the tongue.

• Perkenalkan, nama saya Veni…
  “Let me introduce myself, my name is Veni…”

There are two particular body gestures that immediately reveal that someone is Indonesian. The first is touching your hand to your heart after shaking hands.

A visitor should be aware that many conservative Muslims prefer not to have physical contact with members of the opposite sex. Although this belief isn’t held as strongly for many young Indonesians, be aware of this possibility and don’t be offended if someone simply places their hand to their heart directly instead of accepting a handshake.

• Senang bertemu dengan Anda.
  “Nice to meet you.”

With these phrases, you can’t go wrong, and you’ll be able to follow the cultural etiquette in Indonesia for greetings like it’s nothing.

6. Etiquette for Visiting Others

If you get the chance to be received as a guest in an Indonesian home, you’d better get ready to eat. First, your host will bring out food, usually sweet tea and small finger foods such as fried tofu.

It’s considered rude to refuse this offering, and you really don’t have to eat much to be polite. However, if you have a medical condition or allergy, you could say:

• Maaf, saya tidak bisa makan (jamur).
  “Sorry, I can’t eat (mushrooms).”

Once you do eat something, though, you’d better follow up with thanks or a compliment.

• Enak sekali!
  “Very tasty!”

7. Getting Around with Transportation

By far, the most common way for locals to get around is with one of the two ubiquitous ride-sharing apps, Grab and Go-Jek. These apps are almost entirely interchangeable, but everybody has both of them so they can compare prices and availability.

The typical transaction goes like this: You open the app and select the destination you want, then when the driver arrives, they send you a text or give you a call. Here are some useful polite phrases for that call:

• Maaf, tunggu sebentar.
  “Sorry, please wait a moment.”
• Saya sudah sampai.
  “I’m already here.”
• Mohon tunggu dua menit lagi.
  “Please wait another two minutes.”

Then you get in the car or on the motorbike and zip off. When you arrive, it’s considered polite to give a small tip. This is easy when paying in cash, as you simply say:

• Tidak usah kembalian.
  “I don’t need the change.”

Or more explicitly:

• Ini tips untuk Anda
  “This is a tip for you.”

Yes, the word for “tip” in Indonesian is just tips!

By the way, the best Indonesian conversations you can have are those with taxi drivers. You’re paying for their time, and they’re happy to chat with a visitor!

8. Business Etiquette in Indonesia

Here’s an interesting thing about formal address in Indonesian. It’s important to use the proper pronouns when necessary, but you’ll also find that people tend to address others by a title plus their first name.

• Mr. Andy sudah makan?
  “Have you eaten yet, Mr. Andy?”

This business meeting etiquette in Indonesia makes plenty of sense in a society where a significant proportion of people only have one name to begin with.

Furthermore, one of the more subtle differences between Indonesian and Western culture is that, in Indonesia, you don’t always tell someone when you don’t understand. This can lead to some problems in the boardroom, as you can probably imagine.

• Apakah Anda punya pertanyaan apapun?
  “Do you have any questions?”

This is a good way to avoid the potential embarrassment of having someone admit they don’t understand.

You can also be a little bit more direct. Review what you’ve gone over and say:

• Apakah Anda mengerti apa yang saya sedang bilang?
  “Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

Lastly, you should always keep in mind the concept of jam karet, literally “rubber time.” Things simply may not happen when you want them to, or even when you agreed on them being done.

There’s nothing in Indonesian culture to drive them to stick to deadlines when there’s life to live. One of the most dreaded signs for an expat to see at a government office is ISTIRAHAT, otherwise known as “break time!”

9. Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian

By now, you should be equipped to use the Indonesian language not only correctly, but politely as well.

If, for some reason, you make mistakes, don’t sweat it. Many Indonesians shrug off some pretty rude behavior from foreigners, simply reasoning that they’re ignorant (and not malicious).

Now you have the chance to be neither!

Using etiquette correctly is something that has very subtle benefits. It’s like raising your charisma score in a video game. People treat you better and things go easier for you—and it’s all because you had the presence of mind to consider the culture of wherever you went.

Are any of the etiquette and customs in Indonesia we went over similar to those in your own country? Or very different? Let us know in the comments!

Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.

It’s 9 AM.

You drive your motor scooter up to your favorite noodle soup place for breakfast, but with a cry of despair you find that it’s tutup—”closed.”

Scrawled on the sign is a phrase that you manage to make out as being “closed for national holiday.” A national holiday? How were you supposed to know?

This kind of situation is pretty common in Indonesia for foreigners. And one major cause can be traced to simple ignorance—not knowing how to talk about dates in Indonesian.

It’s an easy skill to overlook when you’re juggling a bunch of Indonesian resources to get a handle on the different vocabulary words that seem to fill the air wherever you go. But it’s no less important for day-to-day life, and as it turns out, just a little bit of studying can get you everything you need.

So without further ado, let’s look at a crash course for mastering dates in Indonesian. By the end of this article, you’ll be a step closer to giving the date in Indonesian like it’s nothing.

Table of Contents

1. Dates on Paper
2. Reading Years
3. The 13 Most Important Months in Indonesian
4. Days of the Week in Indonesian
5. Saying Dates in Their Entirety
6. Special Days
7. How to Use Dates in Conversation
8. Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian

1. Dates on Paper

Before we concern ourselves with actually reading the dates aloud, let’s make sure that we know how to recognize dates when we see them, and how to write dates in Indonesian.

Indonesia is host to an enormous variety of local languages, many of them with elaborate traditional scripts like Javanese, Balinese, and Sundanese. You’ll see these scripts around town, but you can rest easy knowing that most Indonesians are significantly more comfortable with the Latin-based Indonesian alphabet, and by extension, its Arabic numerals.

So unless you’re a specialist, you don’t have to worry about learning dates in several alphabets. (Though you should, because they’re beautiful!)

Instead, dates are written day-month-year in Indonesian, like so:

• 10-10-1910
  October 10, 1910
• 3-12-2014
  December 3, 2014

Just knowing these basic formats will significantly help you with dates in Bahasa, Indonesia and elsewhere!

2. Reading Years

Any year is read out as if it’s a large number. This may be one of the most challenging things about reading dates out loud—they’re long words!

The way you end up differentiating between numbers and dates is pretty simple. It’s mandatory to say the word tahun, or “year,” to let your listener know you’re talking about dates.

So the dates below end up being pronounced as follows:

• 1970
  tahun seribu sembilan ratus tujuh puluh
• 2015
  tahun dua ribu lima belas

Also, you may notice that tahun, or “year,” is a noun and not a preposition. Indonesians rarely add prepositions before mentioning years, like English speakers would. But when they do, they would use pada which roughly translated to “on”:

• Saya lahir tahun 1992.
  “I was born in 1992.”
• Saya lahir pada tahun 1992.
  “I was born in 1992.”
• Tahun itu Olimpiade diadakan di Barcelona.
  “In that year, the Olympic games were held in Barcelona.”
• Pada tahun itu, Olimpiade diadakan di Barcelona.
  “In that year, the Olympic games were held in Barcelona.”

To talk about certain decades, Indonesians simply add -an (a suffix that turns words into nouns) to the year.

• Saya anak 90-an (sembilan puluhan).
  “I’m a child of the 1990s.”

And what about talking about ancient history? Well, you’ll find that a lot of Indonesian texts use the acronyms CE/AD and BCE/BC. Those are read out just like normal letters—see our page on the Indonesian alphabet for that.

However, there are also common phrases for these eras, called Masehi for “AD/CE” and Sebelum Masehi for “BC/BCE.” The word Masehi is related to the word “messiah” in English, so it’s just another way of expressing the same concept.

• 250 BC
  tahun dua ratus lima puluh sebelum Masehi

3. The 13 Most Important Months in Indonesian

Thirteen? Yes, actually. It’s not on the calendar, but there’s one month here that’s very important in Indonesian culture. I bet you’ll be able to recognize it right away.

Here are the months in Indonesian.

English	Indonesian
January	Januari
February	Februari
March	Maret
April	April
May	Mei
June	Juni
July	Juli
August	Agustus
September	September
October	Oktober
November	November
December	Desember
Ramadan	Ramadan

The holy month of Ramadan occurs at slightly different times each year because it’s based on the Islamic lunar calendar. But no matter your religion, in Indonesia you’ll know when it’s Ramadan, thanks to the prominent advertisements, banners, and TV specials. Not to mention the fact that so many places close down!

By the way, don’t let the similarity of these months lure you into thinking you don’t need to learn them. If you say “August” instead of Agustus, no matter how loudly and slowly, it’s probably going to take the other person a little while to understand you, since the sounds and rhythms of the two words are different. Don’t ignore accent here!

In English and many European languages, we have to specify an ordinal number when we’re saying a day of the month. Not so in Indonesian—simply say the day and then the month, and you’re good to go. However, just like with the year, you’ll want to say tanggal, which means “date,” to specify you’re not just talking about a number.

• Saya pergi pada tanggal enam Agustus.
  “I’m leaving on the sixth of August.”

4. Days of the Week in Indonesian

Days of the week are next in our guide to dates in Indonesian. The Indonesian names for the days of the week are based on the Arabic names, so if you’ve ever studied Arabic in the past, these will be a breeze.

Naturally, the names of the days have short forms for ease of writing—better have a look at those too.

English	Indonesian	Calendar Abbreviation
Sunday	Minggu	Min
Monday	Senin	Sen
Tuesday	Selasa	Sel
Wednesday	Rabu	Rab
Thursday	Kamis	Kam
Friday	Jumat (also spelled Jum’at)	Jum
Saturday	Sabtu	Sab

The word minggu also means “week” itself. The days are always capitalized, so you know that it’s just the ordinary noun if it appears in lowercase.

There are two commonly used words for “the weekend.” First we’ve got akhir minggu, which makes a lot of sense because it’s literally “the end of the week.” But people also use akhir pekan, for a reason you might not find in your Indonesian dictionary.

Pekan is interchangeable with minggu nowadays, but it originally came into use because in traditional Javanese and Balinese culture, a minggu wasn’t always fixed at seven days. With pekan, you always knew how many days you were dealing with.

5. Saying Dates in Their Entirety

Let’s briefly review by putting what we’ve learned all together in one phrase.

We’ll start with the day, and we’ll add the word hari meaning “day” for the sake of clarity. The word pada is the equivalent of the English word “on” when referring to dates.

• Pada hari Sabtu…
  “On Saturday…”

Then the date, the month, and then finally the whole year.

• Pada hari Sabtu, lima belas Februari, tahun dua ribu enam belas.
  “On Saturday, the fifteenth of February, in the year 2016.”

All that gets written out numerically as 15-2-2016.

6. Special Days

As we’ve seen, the word for “day” is hari. Whenever there’s a special date on the Indonesian calendar, it’s likely to be called hari something-or-other. Here are a handful of examples:

• Hari libur
  “Vacation day/day off”
• Hari raya
  “Day of celebration/holiday”
• Hari kemerdekaan
  “Independence Day”
• Hari Kartini
  “Kartini’s Day” (a famous fighter for women’s rights in Indonesia)

Whether you’re in school, on vacation, or at work in Indonesia, these days will affect you in some way. Businesses are often closed, for example, and it’s tough to know exactly when that’ll happen unless you’ve got an idea of when the libur days are on the calendar.

You can use these phrases to figure things out more precisely:

• Apa ada hari libur bulan ini?
  “Are there days off this month?”
• Apa toko ini buka pada hari kemerdekaan?
  “Is this shop open on Independence Day?”

During Ramadan, many shops have reduced hours, so you’d better find out:

• Jam berapa tutup di bulan Ramadan?
  “What time do you close during Ramadan?”

7. How to Use Dates in Conversation

So how do people end up talking about dates in real life? What are the situations and phrases you’ll need?

• Hari ini hari apa?
  “What day is it today?”

Note with the above example that you might want to use the word mana meaning “which,” but instead, it’s correct to say apa meaning “what?”

• Hari kelahiran saya tanggal satu April.
  “My birthday is April 1.”
• Idul Fitri hari apa tahun ini?
  “What day is Eid al-Fitr this year?”

Lastly, let’s briefly discuss talking about “this,” “next,” and “previous” days and weeks. It’s a total piece of cake.

Essentially, the words besok meaning “tomorrow,” and kemarin meaning “yesterday,” also function as markers for days in the future and past, respectively. So by saying “Thursday tomorrow,” depending on the context, you could also mean “next Thursday.”

• Boleh kita bertemu pada hari Jum’at besok?
  “Can we meet next Friday?”

For months and weeks in general, we’ll use the words depan meaning “future” and lalu meaning “already past.”

• Saya lihat dia di sekolah minggu lalu.
  “I saw her at school last week.”

The word besok has a particular meaning in Indonesian culture. Much like if a child wants something and the parent says “we’ll see,” saying that an activity can happen besok is kind of shorthand for “who knows when it’ll happen.”

• A: Boleh kita pergi ke Bali?
  B: Mungkin besok.

  A: “Can we go to Bali?”
  B: “We’ll see.”

8. Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian

There’s simply no better way to learn something tough than to practice it. Frequently making yourself actually sound out the dates that you see written on paper is the number one thing that will rocket your learning to the next level.

One little tip for when you can work date-study into your everyday life: when you’re handling money. Glance at the date on the bill or the coin and think “What year is this in Indonesian?” You’ll be an expert in no time.

What’s the most valuable thing you learned in this lesson? Let us know, and how you plan to use it! And to practice, write today’s date in Indonesian. 😉

And as always, check out our Indonesian Blog for more resources coming out regularly! Also keep in mind that by upgrading to Premium Plus, you can take advantage of our MyTeacher program and learn Indonesian with your own personal teacher!

Any language student is going to recognize this assignment:

Write a paragraph about your family. Say how old each person is and give their names.

Perhaps it’s a ho-hum writing prompt, but it serves a really important purpose. As it turns out, people talk about their families all the time—and they definitely ask others about theirs.

In Asian cultures, the family usually plays a much more important role than it does in Western cultures. This makes it practical to know how to talk about the family tree in Indonesian, fluently. Are you aware of all the vocabulary and usage that you’ll need in order to truly understand how Indonesians talk about their Indonesian family tree? Below you’ll find all the information you need about Indonesian family terms and the family culture in Indonesia!

Table of Contents

1. The Family in Indonesian Culture
2. Describing Your Immediate Family
3. Your Extended Family
4. New Family Members: Indonesian Love and Marriage
5. Using Family Words with Ordinary People
6. How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Learn Indonesian Well

1. The Family in Indonesian Culture

When it comes to family values in Indonesian culture, Indonesian families tend to be closer to eahc other than those in Western countries. It’s very likely that people living in a larger house might have three generations under one roof.

Also, families tend to be bigger. The average household size for the USA was 2.6 people in 2018, while in Indonesia it was 3.9 in 2013. However, more and more parents are choosing to have just two children, particularly in urban areas.

The notion of a family representing a close bond is so strong in Indonesian, that a few hundred years ago, the polite way to address someone on the street was saudara ini—literally “this sibling!”

Children are expected to be respectful toward their elders, and that respect holds true even if some family members work overseas, which many do. The sense of connection that an overseas Indonesian has to his or her own family “back home” is quite strong, and many people will make the choice to forego extra savings in exchange for being able to physically travel back to Indonesia when they can.

2. Describing Your Immediate Family

Even if we limit ourselves to just what most Westerners consider a family, don’t be surprised to find that there are quite a few more words here than you’d expect.

Let’s start with parents. A mother is called ibu and a father, bapak. I’m going to put most of the new words in this article into simple sentences so you get an idea of how these words actually work in context.

• Nama ibu Fitri, dan nama bapak Hary.
  “The mother’s name is Fitri, and the father’s name is Hary.”
• Bapak berusia 40 tahun, dan ibu berusia 39 tahun.
  “The father is 40 years old, and the mother is 39 years old.”

Now for “children,” or anak.

• Saya punya dua anak kecil.
  “I have two small children.”
• Anak saya suka susu.
  “My child likes milk.”

As is quite common in languages around the world, Indonesian doesn’t have separate words for male and female children. Thus a son is a “male child” (anak laki-laki), and a daughter is a “female child” (anak perempuan).

Indonesian words for family also describe older and younger siblings with different words. Note the words for “male” and “female” making an appearance again.

	Older	Younger
Brother	Kakak laki-laki	Adik laki-laki
Sister	Kakak perempuan	Adik perempuan

That’s about it for the nuclear family in Indonesian. But English doesn’t stop there, and neither does Indonesian.

3. Your Extended Family

The first thing most people think of as “extended” family is the grandparents. The word for “grandmother” is nenek and “grandfather” is kakek. Be sure not to confuse kakek with kakak!

Local languages all over Indonesia have their own words for grandparents, which we won’t get into. But in urban Jakarta, the words are actually opa and oma, instead of kakek and nenek. They’re holdovers from the Dutch colonial times, when certain words filtered down into the Indonesian language. Indonesian is a flexible language! Check out some of the slang words for family members when you’ve got a moment.

• Nenek di mana?
  Di belakang rumah.

  “Where’s Grandmother?”
  “In the back of the house.”

Then we naturally have “grandchildren,” or cucu. Naturally, you can add laki-laki and ­perempuan here to be more specific as well.

• Saya punya tiga cucu—dua laki-laki dan satu perempuan.
  “I have three grandchildren—two boys and one girl.”

The word for “cousin” is sepupu, and it doesn’t change based on age or gender. Any child of your parents’ siblings is a sepupu.

Lastly, in Indonesian you would call your “aunt” your bibi and your “uncle” your paman. Here there are again shades of Dutch influence, because some people continue to call their “aunts” tante and their “uncles” oom instead.

• Tante Rere bekerja di mana?
  “Where does Aunt Rere work?”

Now let’s take a quick look outside the family…

4. New Family Members: Indonesian Love and Marriage

What do you call your sweetheart in Indonesian?

Many things, probably, though one of the most common pet names is Sayang. Strangely enough, it also means “unfortunately”! Trust me, the two meanings never overlap.

When you’re in a relationship, you call your significant other your pacar, and occasionally you’ll also see the word pasangan meaning “romantic partner.” Neither of these terms is gendered, keeping with the rest of the Indonesian language.

After the wedding (the pernikahan), the two parties are suddenly called suami meaning “husband” and istri meaning “wife.” This is often considered the moment when a person becomes an adult in Indonesian culture.

In fact, there’s a common question that people ask in Indonesia that would be rather rude in Western cultures.

• Sudah menikah?
  “Are you married yet?”

Culturally, the only two acceptable answers to this are belum meaning “not yet” or sudah meaning “yes, already.” It’s either happening sometime or it already has—it would really throw people off to answer directly in the negative. Indonesians who are used to attending family reunions understand that this question comes left, right, and center.

In English, there are, of course, new names for parents after marriage—namely, the “in-laws.” Indonesian actually has words that map pretty directly onto the English equivalents, so you don’t have to do any memory games or mental gymnastics to figure these out.

One’s “parents-in-law” are known as mertua, regardless of whether they’re on the bride’s or groom’s side. And then “siblings-in-law” are known as ipar, with the same sort of freedom.

To be specific about their gender, you do the same thing we did above to describe siblings and children: add laki-laki for men, and perempuan for women. For parents-in-law, use bapak and ibu respectively instead, but you have to put them before the word mertua. Let’s clear this up with a couple of examples.

• Ibu mertua saya tidak suka kue.
  “My mother-in-law doesn’t like cake.”
• Saya punya dua ipar laki-laki.
  “I have two brothers-in-law.”

You’ll note that the structure of these words is different for each category: ibu mertua is literally talking about “a type of mother” while ipar laki-laki, since the word order is switched, means “a male sibling-in-law.”

Better get used to these family words for talking about your family in Indonesian, because they’re not going away…

5. Using Family Words with Ordinary People

Okay, here’s an extremely important part of speaking Indonesian that we’ve kind of glossed over up until now.

It’s a very normal part of polite Indonesian to use the words bapak and ibu when addressing or speaking to others.

• Permisi, Bapak?
  “Excuse me, sir?”

But building off of that, you actually use these words instead of the pronoun Anda or “you.” Generally, you’ll use a very truncated form, where bapak becomes pak and ibu becomes bu.

• Apakah Ibu mau lihat?
  “Do you (polite, female) want to see?”

And although this article is about Indonesian, we can’t bring up this point without introducing a tiny bit of Javanese. The largest of Indonesia’s cities are all on the island of Java, so people living there usually grow up bilingual in Indonesian and the local variety of Javanese (a related but different language).

Two words from Javanese appear quite constantly in Indonesian: mbak and mas. These mean “sister” and “brother” respectively, and they’re used with young people the same way ibu and bapak are used with older people.

• Halo Mas, dari mana?
  “Hey man, where are you from?”

These words are also the accepted way to call servers over at a restaurant.

• Permisi Mbak, minta bill.
  “Excuse me, ma’am, I’d like the bill.”

6. How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Learn Indonesian Well

Now you might be thinking: If you don’t personally have a handful of bibi and a couple of cucu laki-laki running around, what good is it to know all this vocabulary?

Well, for one thing, you certainly don’t need it to simply get by. Besides somebody asking if you’re an only child (anak tunggal) or not, you could live a fruitful life in Indonesia without ever talking about a sister-in-law.

But here’s the thing—Indonesians use these words like second nature. Any TV dramas, folktales, or epic poems that you’re interested in? They’ll be using these words all the time. “So and so’s brother betrayed so and so’s father, and I had to band together with my cousin to stop them!”

As I mentioned before, Indonesian family winds through Indonesian society. Being in good graces with somebody’s family is a fantastic social lubricant—they like you, you like them, everything just seems to go right when you’re together.

That can happen without knowing the language, of course. But when you go the extra mile to really understand the culture, it opens doors you could only dream of.

To learn more about the culture in Indonesia, and of course the language, visit us at IndonesianPod101.com. Read our insightful blogs posts, listen to our podcasts, and even upgrade to Premium Plus and take advantage of our MyTeacher program to learn Indonesian with your own personal teacher.

Your hard work will pay off, and you’ll be speaking Indonesian like a native before you know it! Let us know how this article helped you, or contact us with any questions.

You’re learning to speak Indonesian, and it’s going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Indonesian.

At Learn Indonesian, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. So, post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Indonesian in the process.

1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Indonesian

Eating out is often fun, and an experience you want to share. Post a suitable pic of yourself in the restaurant, and start a conversation on social media in Indonesian. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills…also perhaps your taste in restaurants!

Indra eats out with his friends, posts an image of the restaurant, and leaves a comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Restoran ini suasananya enak sekali.
“This restaurant’s atmosphere is very good.”

1- Restoran ini

First is an expression meaning “This restaurant.”
This expression indicates the topic of the rest of the sentence.

2- Suasananya enak sekali

Then comes the phrase – “The atmosphere is very good.”
This expression explains the topic. The particle ‘-nya’ expresses possession. Therefore, ‘suasananya’ means ‘the atmosphere of…’

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Makanannya enak tidak?

His college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “Is the food good or not?”
Use this expression to show your interest in the topic.

2- Restoran ini ada di mana?

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Where is this restaurant?”
Use this expression to show you are feeling curious.

3- Kayaknya mahal, Om.

His girlfriend’s nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “It seems expensive, Uncle.”
Use this expression to indicate awe.

4- Halo Indra. Kapan-kapan mari kita makan bersama di sana.

His neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Hello, Indra. Let’s eat together there sometime.”
Use this expression to show feelings of warmhearted friendship.

VOCABULARY

Below, the key vocabulary for this lesson:

suasana: “atmosphere, mood, ambiance”

enak: “good (as in “taste good”, “feels good” )”

di mana: “where”

kayaknya: “to seem, to look like”

kapan-kapan: “sometime”

mari: “let’s”

bersama: “together”

restoran: “restaurant”

So, let’s practice a bit. If a friend posted something about having dinner with friends, which phrase would you use?

Now go visit a Indonesian restaurant, and wow the staff with your language skills!

2. Post about Your Mall Visit in Indonesian

Another super topic for social media is shopping—everybody does it, most everybody loves it. Also, your friends on social media are probably curious about your shopping sprees! Share these Indonesian phrases in posts when you visit a mall.

Susi shops with her sister at the mall, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Baru beli baju buat liburan, pas diskon!
“Just bought clothes for a holiday, right on time for a discount!”

1- baru beli baju buat liburan

First is an expression meaning “just bought clothes for holiday.”
When the word ‘baru’ is put in front of a verb, it gives the meaning of “just did…”

2- pas diskon

Then comes the phrase – “right in time of discount.”
When the word ‘pas’ is put in front of an expression of condition (adjective, noun), it gives the meaning of ‘right at the time of (the condition)’.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Wah, bajunya bagus ya Bu Susi.

Her neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Wow, the clothes are good, Mrs. Susi.”
Use this expression to show you are feeling warmhearted and appreciative.

2- Beli di mana, Sus?

Her high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Where did you buy, Sis?”
Use this expression to be engaging.

3- Hai Susi apa kabar? Salam buat Indra ya!

Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Hi Susi, how are you? Say hi to Indra, ok!”
Use this expression to show you are feeling friendly.

4- Bu Susi sering sekali belanja ya hehe..

Her supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Mrs. Susi, you really go shopping often, haha”
Use this expression to be humorous.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

baru: “just did”

wah: “wow”

salam: “regards”

buat: “for”

hehe: “hehe (expression for teasing)”

belanja: “to do shopping”

sering: “often”

diskon: “discount”

So, if a friend posted something about going shopping, which phrase would you use?

3. Talking about a Sport Day in Indonesian

Sport events, whether you’re a spectator or a participant, offer fantastic opportunities for great social media posts. Learn some handy phrases and vocabulary to start a sport-on-the-beach conversation in Indonesian.

Indra plays with his friends at the beach, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Hore tim saya menang lagi!
“Yeah, my team won again!”

1- Hore

First is an expression meaning “Yeah, hurray.”
This is an exclamation that expresses joy.

2- Tim saya menang lagi

Then, the phrase – “My team won again.”
The word ‘lagi’ means ‘again.’

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat ya! Tim saya kurang beruntung hari ini.

His college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations! My team was out of luck today.”
Use this expression to show you are feeling frivolous.

2- Kok saya tidak diajak, Om

His girlfriend’s nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “How come I wasn’t invited, Uncle.”
Use this expression to show you are feeling disappointed.

3- Selamat! Berikutnya tim saya pasti bisa menang.

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations! Next time my team will definitely (be able to) win!”
Use this expression to show you are feeling optimistic.

4- Warna bolanya lucu ya!

His girlfriend’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “The color of the ball is cute, right!”
Use this expression to be funny.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

tim: “team”

selamat: “congratulations”

kok: “why, how come”

pasti: “certainly, definitely”

lucu: “cute”

ya: “right? (asking a confirmation)”

diajak: “to be invited”

beruntung: “lucky”

Which phrase would you use if a friend posted something about sports?

But sport is not the only thing you can play! Play some music, and share your thoughts about it on social media.

4. Share a Song on Social Media in Indonesian

Music is the language of the soul, they say. So, don’t hold back—share what touches your soul with your friends!

Susi shares a song she just heard at a party, posts a link with the song, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Sudah lama sekali nggak dengar lagu ini, jadi ingat masa SMA.
“I haven’t heard this song in a long time. It reminds me of high school.”

1- Sudah lama sekali nggak dengar lagu ini

First is an expression meaning “It has been a long time not listening to this song..”
“sudah lama sekali gak….” is often used to express a situation that hasn’t been encountered for quite a long time.

2- Jadi ingat masa SMA.

Then comes the phrase – “It reminds me of my high school time..”
“jadi” (become) is often used to express a result or the effect of a situation.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Iya, makanya tadi abis pesta langsung beli albumnya.

Her boyfriend, Indra, uses an expression meaning – “Yes, that’s why after the party I immediately bought the album.”
Use this expression in response to an appropriate comment.

2- Aku suka dengan penyanyinya, liriknya bagus

Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “I like the singer. The lyrics are good.”
Use this expression to show you are feeling appreciative.

3- Haha, jadi kangen jaman dulu

Her high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Haha, it made me miss my past.”
Use this expression to be funny.

4- Saya juga suka lagu itu, Bu.

Her supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “I also like that song, Ma’am. ”
This is also an expression of appreciation.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

jadi: “to become”

makanya: “that’s why”

suka: “to like”

kangen: “to miss”

juga: “too, also”

nggak: “not”

langsung: “directly, immediately”

sudah lama sekali nggak: “It’s been a while since…”

Which song would you share? And what would you say to a friend who posted something about music or music videos?

Now you know how to start a conversation about a song or a video on social media!

5. Indonesian Social Media Comments about a Concert

Still on the theme of music—visiting live concerts and shows just have to be shared with your friends!
Here are some handy phrases and vocab to wow your followers with in Indonesian!

Indra goes to a concert, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Live dari Java Jazz Festival 2017! Ada yang lagi di sini juga?
“Live from Java Jazz Festival 2017! Is anybody (else) here too?”

1- Live dari Java Jazz Festival 2017!

First is an expression meaning “Live from Java Jazz Festival 2017!.”
Java Jazz Festival is an annual jazz concert in Jakarta.

2- Ada yang lagi di sini juga?

Then comes the phrase – “Is anybody here too?” It’s use should be clear.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Yang penting besok jangan terlambat masuk kantor, ya.

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “The important thing is don’t be late for work tomorrow, ok.”
This phrase can be teasing and humorous, depending on how well you know your supervisor!

2- Tidak bosan setiap tahun nonton, Om?

His girlfriend’s nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “You don’t get bored watching this every year, Uncle?”
Use this expression to make conversation and tease someone.

3- Saya juga senang musik jazz tetapi tidak suka pergi ke konser.

His neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “I also like jazz music, but I don’t like to go to concerts.”
Use this expression to share your preferences and thoughts on the topic.

4- Mantap!

His girlfriend, Susi, uses an expression meaning – “Great!”
Use this expression when you are feeling encouraging and enthusiastic.

VOCABULARY

Below, the key vocabulary for this lesson:

yang penting: “the important thing is”

terlambat: “late”

bosan: “bored”

Om: “uncle, Sir”

mantap: “great, good job”

nonton: “to watch”

konser: “concert”

jangan: “do not”

If a friend posted something about a concert , which phrase would you use?

6. Talking about an Unfortunate Accident in Indonesian

Oh dear. You broke something by accident. Use these Indonesian phrases to start a thread on social media. Or maybe just to let your friends know why you are not contacting them!

Susi accidentally breaks her mobile phone, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Aduh, handphoneku jatuh. Kacanya pecah. Huhu…
“Ouch, my cellphone fell. The glass is broken; (I’m) sad.”

1- Aduh, handphoneku jatuh (Aduh, handphoneku jatuh)

First is an expression meaning “Ouch, my cellphone fell..”
The word ‘aduh’ is often used when something unfortunate happened.

2- Kacanya pecah, huhu. (Kacanya pecah, huhu.)

Then comes the phrase – “The glass is broken; sad..”
The suffix -nya refers to the phone mentioned in the previous sentence. It becomes ‘the glass of the phone.’

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Astaga, kok bisa Sus?

Her boyfriend, Indra, uses an expression meaning – “Gosh, how come, Sus?”
Use this phrase to express sympathetic interest in the topic.

2- Tinggal beli lagi, Tante.

Her nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Just buy again, Aunty.”
Here, the phrase is used to advise someone.

3- Yah…

Her college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “Oh…”
This is a useful filler depicting understanding when you don’t have much to say.

4- Masih asuransi tidak?

Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Is it still insured?”
You’re making conversation by asking quesitions.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

aduh: “ouch”

astaga: “gosh”

kok bisa: “how come”

tinggal: “just need to”

masih: “still”

asuransi: “insurance”

yah: “oh (for disappointment)”

huhu: “(onomatopoeia for crying)”

If a friend posted something about having broken something by accident, which phrase would you use?

So, now you know how to talk about an accident in Indonesian. Well done!

7. Chat about Your Boredom on Social Media in Indonesian

Sometimes, we’re just bored with our lives. And to alleviate the boredom, we discuss it on social media. Add some excitement to your posts by addressing your friends and followers in Indonesian!

Indra gets bored at home, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Aduh bosan sekali di rumah.
“Ouch, it’s so boring at home.”

1- Aduh!

First is an expression meaning “Ouch!”
Expresses an unfortunate or unsatisfactory situation.

2- Bosan sekali di rumah.

Then comes the phrase – “It is very boring at home…”
For such expression, the subject (such as ‘it is’ ) is not necessary.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Sudah cuci pakaian belum?

His girlfriend, Susi, uses an expression meaning – “Have you washed the clothes?”
Ask this when you’re feeling bossy! Or to ask this question, obviously.

2- Main ke tempatku aja

His college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “Just come to my place.”
This is obviously a friendly invitation and suggestion.

3- Emangnya tante Susi ke mana, Om?

His girlfriend’s nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Actually, where is aunt Susi, Uncle?”
This can be a question when you’re feeling humorous.

4- Apa kabar, Indra? Lama gak ketemu.

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “How are you, Indra? Long time no see.”
Use this expression to show you are feeling nostalgic and friendly.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

rumah: “home”

sudah: “already”

cuci: “to wash”

main: “to come, to play, to hang out”

emangnya: “actually, indeed”

lama: “long”

ketemu: “to meet (casual)”

belum: “not yet”

If a friend posted something about being bored, which phrase would you use?

Still bored? Share another feeling and see if you can start a conversation!

8. Exhausted? Share It on Social Media in Indonesian

When sitting in public transport after work, do you feel like chatting online? Well, share your thoughts in Indonesian, and let your friends join in!

Susi feels exhausted after a long day at work, posts an image of herself looking tired, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Pekerjaan gak habis-habis. Cape….
“Work is endless. I’m tired….”

1- Pekerjaan gak habis-habis.

First is an expression meaning “Jobs are endless..”
The phrase “gak” or “tidak,” followed by a repeated word that indicates a state, indicates that the state has not been not reached even though time has passed, and much effort has been exerted. Other examples are “tidak selesai-selesai”, “tidak maju-maju”, and “gak menang-menang”.

2- Cape….

Then comes the phrase – “(I am) tired….”
It is common to omit the subject when the context is clear.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Jangan mengeluh, Susi.

Her supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t complain, Susi.”
If you have a good, friendly relationship with someone, this can be a playful admonition.

2- Sebentar lagi aku jemput.

Her boyfriend, Indra, uses an expression meaning – “I’ll pick you up soon.”
In this context, this comment expresses encouragement, trying to lift Susi’s spirit.

3- Tetap semangat, Susi!

Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Keep up your spirits, Susi!”
Another friendly, encouraging comment.

4- Pulang Sus, pulang…

Her college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “Go home Sus, go home…”
In this context, the friend is being humorous.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

cape: “tired (casual)”

mengeluh: “to complain”

sebentar lagi: “soon”

jemput: “to pick up”

semangat: “spirit, motivation”

tetap: “stay, permanent”

pulang: “to go home”

pekerjaan: “job”

If a friend posted something about being exhausted, which phrase would you use?

Now you know how to use even more phrases in Indonesian! Well done.

9. Talking about an Injury in Indonesian

So life happens, and you managed to hurt yourself during a soccer game. Very Tweet-worthy! Here’s how to do it in Indonesian.

Indra suffers a painful injury, posts an image of himself, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Aduh kaki keseleo!
“Ouch, my foot is sprained!”

1- Aduh!

First is an expression meaning “Ouch!.”
This expression indicates an unfortunate feeling, situation or event.

2- Kaki keseleo.

Then comes the phrase – “My foot is sprained..”
This expression uses very simple grammar: a subject and a verb.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Aduh kok bisa Pak Indra? Semoga segera sembuh.

His neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Ouch, how come, Mr. Indra? Please get well soon.”
This is an expression of commiseration and a friendly wish.

2- Di dekat rumah saya ada klinik ortopedi, Pak.

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Near my home, there’s an orthopedic clinic, Sir.”
The supervisor gives advice.

3- Cepat sembuh ya, Ndra!

His girlfriend’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Get well soon, Indra!”
A friendly, sympathetic expression, wishing someone well.

4- Kok bisa, Indra?

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “How come, Indra?”
Use this expression to show you are feeling curious.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

keseleo: “to be sprained”

semoga: “hopefully, I hope”

sembuh: “to recover, to get well”

kok bisa: “how come”

klinik: “clinic”

dekat: “near, close”

segera: “soon”

Pak: “sir, Mr.”

If a friend posted something about being injured, which phrase would you use?

We love to share our fortunes and misfortunes; somehow that makes us feel connected to others.

10. Starting a Conversation Feeling Disappointed in Indonesian

Sometimes things don’t go the way we planned. Share your disappointment about this with your friends!

Susi feels disappointed about today’s weather, posts an appropriate image, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Kenapa hujannya tidak berhenti…
“Why doesn’t the rain stop…”
This is a rhetorical question, expressing a sense of disappointment.

1- kenapa hujannya

First is an expression meaning “why does the rain.”
The suffix -nya indicates the definite particle ‘the.’

2- tidak berhenti…

Then comes the phrase – “not stop.”
When we use rhetorical questions, we’re wondering out loud! Susi is not asking somebody else about the rain; she is wondering to herself. That’s why she used an ellipsis at the end of the sentence instead of a question mark.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Halo Bu Susi, cuacanya sedang kurang bagus, jaga kesehatan, ya.

Her neighbor, Sri, says – “Hello, Mrs. Susi. The weather isn’t good. Please take care of your health.”
These words show friendly concern and sympathy with Susi’s sentiments.

2- Cuacanya enak buat tidur hehehe.

Her college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “The weather is good for sleeping, hehe.”
This is a humorous comment.

3- Tidak apa-apa, supaya segar.

Her boyfriend’s high school friend, Tiwi, says – “It’s ok. It’ll make things fresh.”
This is an optimistic comment and opinion.

4- Jadi malas ngapa-ngapain.

Her high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “It makes me lazy to do anything.”
Here, a bit of personal information is shared.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

kenapa: “why”

sedang: “doing something in an ongoing state”

kesehatan: “health”

tidak apa-apa: “it is ok, it is fine”

malas: “lazy”

ngapa-ngapain: “to do anything”

jadi: “so, become”

kurang: “not so, less”

How would you comment in Indonesian when a friend is disappointed?

Not all posts need to be about the negatives, though!

11. Talking about Your Relationship Status in Indonesian

Don’t just change your relationship status in Settings – talk about it!

Indra changes his status to “In a relationship”, posts an image of him and Susi, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Setelah 2 tahun, akhirnya…
“After two years, finally…”

1- Setelah 2 tahun,

First is an expression meaning “After 2 years,.”
This expression indicates the length of time Indra has been waiting for Susi.

2- akhirnya…

Then comes the phrase – “finally….”
Even though the sentence itself does not explain what the ‘finally’ about, the context is clear from the picture.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Terima kasih ya…

Susi expresses gratitude for his post with: “Thank you.”

2- Selamat ya, Om!

His girlfriend’s nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations, Uncle!”
The phrase is self-explanatory.

3- Ciyeeee… 😉

His girlfriend’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Look at you guys! (teasing)”
The emoji gives away her frivolous mood; it is also an appreciative, positive statement.

4- Sudah tidak galau lagi donk, Ndra!

His college friend, Doni, says – “So you’re no longer worried, are you, Indra!”
This is obviously a humorous, friendly comment.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

setelah: “after”

akhirnya: “finally”

terima kasih: “thank you”

ciyeee: “(teasing word for something romantic)”

galau: “confused, worried”

donk: “expression of certainty”

sudah: “already”

tidak lagi: “no more”

What would you say in Indonesian when a friend changes their relationship status?

Being in a good relationship with someone special is good news – don’t be shy to spread the news!

12. Post about Getting Married in Indonesian

Wow, so things got serious, and you’re getting married. Congratulations! Or, your friend is getting married, so talk about this in Indonesian.

Susi is getting married today, so she leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Terima kasih sudah datang di hari bahagiaku!
“Thank you for coming to my happy day.”

1- terima kasih sudah datang

First is an expression meaning “thank you for coming.”
This comment expresses gratitude for the guests for joining her and Indra at the wedding.

2- di hari bahagiaku

Then comes the phrase – “to my happy day.”
The expression “hari bahagia” in Indonesian is mostly associated with a wedding day.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat ya, Bu Susi.

Her supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations, Mrs. Susi.”

2- Semoga berbahagia, Susi dan Indra.

Her neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “I hope you two will be happy.”
This is a warm-hearted, friendly wish, appropriate to the event.

3- Akhirnya, Susi. Selamat menempuh hidup baru!

Her high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Finally, Susi. Wishing you all the best in your new life!”
This is both a humorous comment and friendly wish.

4- Selamat!

Her nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations!”
Use this expression to congratulate someone on any occasion.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

hari: “day”

semoga: “I hope, hopefully”

menempuh: “to go through (a journey)”

hidup: “life”

baru: “new”

bahagia: “happy”

datang: “to come”

selamat: “congratulations, happy”

How would you respond in Indonesian to a friend’s post about getting married?

For the next topic, fast forward about a year into the future after the wedding…

13. Announcing Big News in Indonesian

Wow, huge stuff is happening in your life! Announce it in Indonesian.

Indra finds out he and his wife are going to have a baby, posts an appropriate image, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Kabar gembira! Saya akan jadi seorang ayah!
“Good news! I will be a father!”

1- Kabar gembira!

First is an expression meaning “Good news!.”
This expression is used in the same way the expression “Good news” is used in English.

2- Saya akan jadi seorang ayah!

Then comes the phrase – “I will be a father!.”
The phrase “akan jadi” is the casual form of “akan menjadi”, which means “will be”.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat ya, Indra! Semoga Susi selalu sehat.

His neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations, Indra! I hope Susi is always healthy.”

2- Wah, saya akan punya sepupu.

His nephew, Johan, says: “Wow, I will have a cousin.”
An appreciative comment.

3- Waaaaaaaa…. Congrats Susi!!

His wife’s high school friend, Lita, comments: “Waaaaaa…. Congrats Susi!”
It’s clear that Lita is excited and happy for her friend.

4- Selamat, Indra. Salam untuk Susi, semoga selalu sehat.

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Congratulations, Indra. Please say hi to Susi; I hope she is always healthy.”

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

kabar: “news”

ayah: “father”

seorang: “a (person)”

selalu: “always”

sepupu: “cousin”

sehat: “healthy”

gembira: “happy”

akan: “will”

Which phrase would you choose when a friend announces their pregnancy on social media?

So, talking about a pregnancy will give your posts a lot of traction on social media. But that’s nothing—wait till you see the responses to babies!

14. Posting Indonesian Comments about Your Baby

Your bundle of joy is here, and you cannot keep quiet about it. Share your thoughts in Indonesian.

Susi plays with her baby, posts an image of the smiling cutie, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Senyum lebar setelah mandi dan sarapan pagi hehehe
“A big smile after a bath and breakfast, haha.”

1- senyum lebar

First is an expression meaning “a big smile.”
No subject is necessary here because it is clear from the context.

2- setelah mandi dan sarapan pagi hehehe

Then comes the explanation – “after a bath and breakfast, haha.”
This phrase provides additional info as to why the baby is smiling. The ‘haha” is an onomatopoeia for a giggle or small laugh.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Tampaknya ceria sekali. Semoga selalu sehat ya, Bu.

Her neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “He looks so cheerful. I hope he will always be healthy.”
This is a warmhearted expression of admiration, as well as a well-wish.

2- Kyaaaa anakmu lucu banget!

Her high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Awww, your son is so cute!”
Another common expression of admiration.

3- Susi, wajahnya mirip sekali sama kamu.

Her husband’s high school friend, Tiwi, says: “Susi, his face resembles you, for real.”
Use this expression to express appreciation and start a conversation about babies.

4- Putranya lucu sekali, Bu Susi.

Her supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Your son is so cute, Mrs. Susi.”
This is an expression of admiration, again. These should be very common when you post about a baby!

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

senyum: “smile, to smile”

sarapan: “breakfast”

banget: “very”

lucu: “funny”

mirip: “similar”

putra: “son”

semoga: “may, wish”

mandi: “bath, shower”

If any of your friends is a new parent, which phrase would you use on social media?

Congratulations, you know the basics of chatting about a baby in Indonesian! But we’re not done with families yet…

15. Indonesian Comments about a Family Reunion

Family reunions – some you love, some you hate. Share about it on your feed.

Indra goes to a family gathering, posts an image of the event, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Bertemu keluarga besar setahun sekali, syukurlah semua sehat.
“Our large family meets once a year; thank God that everybody is healthy.”

1- bertemu keluarga besar setahun sekali

First is an expression meaning “Our large family meets once a year..”
“Keluarga besar” can refer to not just size but also scope, i.e. not just father, mother, and children, but also grandfather, grandmother, and all of their kids and grandkids.

2- syukurlah semua sehat

Then comes the phrase – “Thank God that everybody is healthy..”
The word ‘syukurlah’ can be used not just as an interjection (like in ‘thank God!’ ), but also describes the state of being grateful.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Makasih fotonya, Om!

His nephew, Johan, says: “Thanks for the photos, Uncle!”
This expression shows he’s feeling grateful.

2- Kamu punya berapa saudara kandung?

His wife’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “How many siblings do you have?”
Use this expression when you’re inquisitive and want to start a conversation.

3- Aku sudah lama tidak reuni keluarga

His college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “I haven’t had a family reunion in a long time.”
This phrase shows Doni is chatty and shares information.

4- Jangan lupa kirim fotonya ke Ayah, ya.

Susi, Indra’s wife, reminds him: “Don’t forget to send the photo to my father.”

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

bertemu: “to meet”

syukurlah: “thank god, thank goodness, I am grateful”

saudara kandung: “siblings”

reuni: “reunion”

lupa: “to forget”

ayah: “father”

setahun sekali: “once a year”

makasih: “thanks”

Which phrase would be suitable for use on a friend’s photo about a family reunion on your feed?

16. Post about Your Travel Plans in Indonesian

So, the family is going on holiday. Do you know how to say something about being at the airport, waiting for a flight etc in Inddonesian? No worries if you don’t!

Susi waits at the airport for her flight, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Terminal Soekarno Hatta yang baru keren!
“The new Soekarno Hatta Terminal is cool!”

1- Terminal Soekarno Hatta yang baru

First is an expression saying: “The new Soekarno Hatta Terminal.”
The role of the word ‘yang’ here is as a definite article (‘the” ). It says ‘yang baru’, which implies that there are also other terminals, in this case, ‘the old terminal’ (‘yang lama’ ).

2- keren!

Then comes the phrase – “is cool!.”
This is a very common expression for showing amazement.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends and family leave some comments.

1- Kabari kalau sudah sampai ya.

Her husband, Indra, says: “Let me know when you arrive.”
He shows care to his wife.

2- Jangan lupa oleh-olehnya ya Tante, hehe

Her nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Don’t forget the souvenir, Aunt.”
Johan is making conversation, showing interest in the topic.

3- Mau pergi ke mana?

Her college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning – “Where are you going (to go)?”
Doni is also showing interest in the topic and wants to know more.

4- Hati-hati di jalan!

Her husband’s high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Be careful!”
This is a common expression to show care for a person’s wellbeing and safety.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

terminal: “terminal”

kabari: “let someone know”

oleh-oleh: “souvenirs”

mau: “to want, going to”

hati-hati: “take care, be careful”

jalan: “way, street”

kalau: “if”

sampai: “to arrive”

Choose and memorize your best airport phrase in Indonesian.

Hopefully Susi’s whole trip is fantastic…!

17. Posting about an Interesting Find in Indonesian

So maybe you’re strolling around at your local market, and find something interesting. Here are some handy Indonesian phrases to report on your outing!

Indra finds an unusual item at a local market, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Jalan-jalan ke pasar barang bekas, banyak barang unik-unik.
“Strolling around the second-hand market; so many unique things.”

1- Jalan-jalan ke pasar barang bekas

First is an expression meaning: “Stroll around the second-hand market..”
This sentence describes where and when the picture was taken.

2- banyak barang unik-unik.

Then comes the phrase – “so many unique things..”
In casual speech, to indicate plural, you can repeat the adjective instead of the noun itself. In formal speech, “unique things” is “barang-barang unik”, but in casual speech, “barang unik-unik” can be used too.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Jangan beli barang aneh-aneh.

His wife, Susi, says: – “Don’t buy weird things.”
Susi is either teasing her husband with this comment, or she’s serious about this instruction. The former would be better!

2- Itu di mana, Indra?

His neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Where is that, Indra?”
Use this expression to show your interest in the topic.

3- Oh, aku punya juga barang ini, haha.

His wife’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Oh, I have that stuff too, haha.”
Lita is making conversation and sharing experiences – what social media was designed for!

4- Pak Indra, itu benda apa?

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Mr. Indra, what stuff is that?”
Adam is curious and showing an interest in Indra’s life.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

barang bekas: “secondhand goods”

pasar: “market”

unik: “unique”

aneh: “strange, weird”

punya: “to have, to possess”

benda: “thing, object”

barang: “goods, stuff”

juga: “too, also”

Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s interesting find?

Perhaps you will even learn the identity of your find! Or perhaps you’re on holiday, and visiting interesting places…

18. Post about a Sightseeing Trip in Indonesian

Let your friends know what you’re up to in Indonesian, especially when visiting a remarkable place! Don’t forget the photo.

Susi visits a famous landmark, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Mumpung bisa ambil cuti, mari kita jalan-jalan dulu 🙂
“During a day off, let’s have a trip :)”

1- Mumpung bisa ambil cuti

First is an expression meaning “during a day off.”
‘Mumpung’ is a casual term for ‘while’. Sometimes this can have a negative nuance (opportunistic). The more formal version is ‘selagi’ or ‘selama.’

2- mari kita jalan-jalan dulu

Then comes the phrase – “let’s have a trip.”
‘Jalan-jalan’ usually means “strolling”, but it can also be used to describe a leisurely outing somewhere.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Tante jalan-jalan terus…

Her nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Aunty, you take trips often…”
Johan is making an observation and indicates his willingness to partake in the conversation.

2- Baterai cadangan kamu ketinggalan di rumah.

Her husband, Indra, comments: “You forgot your spare battery at home.”
Oops! Hopefully Susi won’t need the spare battery. Indra is making conversation here in a way that implies his concern.

3- Selagi masih muda, harus banyak melihat dunia.

Her neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “You have to see a lot of the world while you’re still young.”
Sri is sharing an opinion.

4- Ada yang menarik di sana?

Her college friend, Doni, uses an expression that literally translates as: “Anything interesting in there?”
Rephrased, it would mean: “Anything interesting there?” Doni is asking a question to show interest in the topic and keep the conversation going.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

mumpung: “while”

cuti: “day off”

jalan-jalan: “to stroll, to trip”

selagi: “while”

muda: “young”

menarik: “interesting”

dunia: “world”

ketinggalan: “forgotten, left behind”

Which phrase would you use when a friend posts about a famous landmark?

Share your special places with the world. Or simply post about your relaxing experiences.

19. Post about Relaxing Somewhere in Indonesian

So you’re doing much, yet you enjoy that too? Tell your social media friends about it in Indonesian!

Indra relaxes at a beautiful place, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

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Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Lupakan pekerjaan, mari kita santai di pantai.
“Forget about work; let’s relax on the beach.”

1- lupakan pekerjaan

First is an expression meaning “forget about work.”
This expresses a direction or instruction, but in this context, he is talking about or to himself.

2- mari kita santai di pantai

Then the phrase – “let’s relax on the beach.”
This is a commonly-used expression to indicate relaxation in general: “santai kayak di pantai” (relax as if on the beach). It is popular because of because of the rhyming words. In this instance, however, Indra is actually on the real beach!

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Beneran santai di pantai ya Ndra, hehe.

His wife’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Relax on the beach for real, Indra. Haha.”
Lita is making conversation and stating what everyone understands from his post – Indra is not only relaxing as if he’s by the seaside – he is really hanging on the beach!

2- Aku juga ingin sekali ke sana!

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “I really want to go there too!”
Tiwi is sharing a sentiment, and keeps the conversation alive this way.

3- Aku kapan diajak?

His nephew, Johan, comments: “When will I be invited?”
Johan is being playful and indicating that he wishes to join Indra – perhaps not for real but maybe another day.

4- Selamat liburan ya, Pak Indra!

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Enjoy your holiday, Mr. Indra!”
A friendly well-wish.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

lupa: “to forget”

pekerjaan: “work, job”

beneran: “really”

santai: “relaxed”

pantai: “beach, coast”

diajak: “to be invited”

kapan: “when”

liburan: “to take a holiday”

Which phrase would you use to comment on a friend’s feed?

The break was great, but now it’s time to return home.

20. What to Say in Indonesian When You’re Home Again

And you’re back! What will you share with friends and followers?

Susi returns home after a vacation, posts an image of htr return, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Kembali ke kenyataan, hahaha
“Back to reality, hahaha.”

1- Kembali ke kenyataan

First, the expression: “back to reality.”
This expression is often used after a vacation or day off to indicate return to normal life.

2- hahaha

Then comes the phrase – “hahaha.”
This expresses laughter.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Kita harus segera membereskan rumah.

Her husband, Indra, says: “We have to clean up the house immediately.”
Hopefully Indra is joking and didn’t leave a dirty house for Susi to return to!

2- Bagaimana liburannya?

Her neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “How was your holiday?”
This comment indicates interest in Susi’s experience and keeps the conversation going.

3- Sampai ketemu di kantor besok.

Her supervisor, Adam, uses an expression that translates as: “See you at work tomorrow.”
Back to the grinding block! An apt comment from someone from work.

4- Oleh-olehnya mana, Tante?

Her nephew, Johan, comments: “Where is the souvenir, Aunty?”
Johan is clearly excited to see the souvenirs Susi brought back.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

kembali: “back”

kenyataan: “reality”

segera: “soon”

kantor: “office”

besok: “tomorrow”

mana: “where”

membereskan: “to tidy up, to clean”

rumah: “house, home”

How would you welcome a friend back from a trip?

Now, let’s look at what you would say on social media during a public commemoration day such as Eid ul-Fitr. Do you know what Eid ul-Fitr commemorates?

21. It’s Time to Celebrate in Indonesian

It is Eid ul-Fitr, a religious holiday where Muslims around the world, including in Indonesia, celebrate the end of 30 day fast called Ramadan. Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world, making Eid ul-Fitr a big and important celebration.

Indra is celebrating this holiday, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Selamat Hari Lebaran, mohon maaf lahir dan batin.
“Happy Lebaran! Please forgive me for anything I may have done wrong in the past.”

1- Selamat Hari Lebaran

First is an expression meaning “Happy Lebaran.”
The terms ‘Lebaran’ and ‘Idul Fitri’ are used interchangeably to refer to Eid ul-Fitr. While Idul Fitri is the Indonesian romanization for the Arabic عيد الفطر‎ ʻĪd al-Fiṭr, Lebaran presumably originates from the local languages in Indonesia that means “finish” or “complete”.

2- mohon maaf lahir dan batin

Then comes the phrase – “please forgive me for anything I may have done wrong in the past.”
This expression is the most standard greeting during Eid al-Fitr. “Lahir dan batin” means “body and soul”, and implies the apology for any wrongdoing in act, thought, feeling, etc. Recently, other Arabic expressions were added.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat Idul Fitri, maaf lahir batin.

His wife, Susi, says: “Happy Lebaran, please forgive things that I did wrong.”
She’s using the standard Lebaran salutation.

2- Semoga mudiknya lancar ya, Bu Susi dan Pak Indra. Maaf lahir batin.

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “I hope your homecoming will go smoothly, Mrs. Susi and Mr. Indra. Forgive my wrongdoing.”
He also uses the standard phrase to ask for forgiveness at the end.

3- Mohon maaf lahir batin. Salam untuk seluruh keluarga.

His neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Forgive my wrongdoing. Send my regards to the whole family.”
Using the Eid phrase common to this day, Sri also takes this opportunity to send a greeting to Indra’s family.

4- Aku mau ketupat dan opor ayamnya!

His nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “I want Ketupat and chicken curry!”
Johan is sharing his desires here, keeping the conversation alive. Ketupat is a type of rice dumpling that are commonly enjoyed during this holiday in Indonesia.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

Lebaran: “Eid-ul Fitr”

mudik: “homecoming”

lancar: “smooth”

ketupat: “ketupat, diamond-shaped packed rice covered in palm leaves”

opor: “opor, Indonesian curry”

mohon maaf: “I am sorry, I apologize”

lahir batin: “body and soul”

seluruh: “all, the whole”

If a friend posted something about a commemoration day, which phrase would you use?

Lebaran and other public commemoration days are not the only special ones to remember!

22. Posting about a Birthday on Social Media in Indonesian

You or someone else are celebrating your birthday in an unexpected way. Be sure to share this on social media!

Susi goes to her birthday party, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Susi’s post.

Haha terima kasih kejutannya! Sudah makin tua nih hehe..
“Haha, thanks for the surprise! I am getting older, haha..”

1- Haha terima kasih kejutannya!

First is an expression meaning “Haha, thanks for the surprise!”
The suffix ‘-nya’ here acts as the conjunction ‘for.’

2- Sudah makin tua nih.

Then comes the phrase – “I am getting older.”
The topic or subject of conversation is omitted here because it is clear from the context.

COMMENTS

In response, Susi’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat ulang tahun, sayang!

Her husband, Indra, uses an expression meaning – “Happy birthday, dear!”
This is a commonly-used expression and means the same in all languages – wishing someone a happy day on the commemoration of their birth.

2- Kapan traktir? hehe

Her college friend, Doni, uses an expression meaning: “When will you treat me? Haha.”
Doni is having fun and teasing Susi.

3- met ultah!

Her nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “Happy B-Day!”
Johan uses an abbreviation to congratulate Susi.

4- Selamat ulang tahun Bu Susi, semoga panjang umur dan sehat selalu.

Her neighbor, Sri, uses an expression meaning – “Happy birthday, Mrs. Susi. Wish you have a long life and will always be healthy.”
A longer, warmhearted wish for Susi on her birthday.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

kejutan: “surprise”

sayang: “dear, baby, honey”

traktir: “to treat”

met: “congrats, short for ‘Selamat’”

ultah: “birthday, short for ‘ulang tahun’”

panjang umur: “long life”

makin: “increasingly”

tua: “old”

Which phrase would you use on your friend’s feed on their birthday?

23. Talking about New Year on Social Media in Indonesian

Impress your friends with your Indonesian New Year’s wishes this year. Learn the phrases easily!

Indra celebrates New Year, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Selamat tahun baru semuanya! Semoga tahun ini lebih baik dari tahun sebelumnya.
“Happy New Year, everyone! May this year be better than the previous year.”

1- Selamat tahun baru semuanya

First is an expression meaning “Happy New Year, everyone!.”
“Selamat ahun baru” is the standard greeting for the new year.

2- Semoga tahun ini lebih baik dari tahun sebelumnya.

Then comes the phrase – “May this year be better than the previous year..”
The word “semoga” is used in many greetings. It expresses a hope or a wish.

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat tahun baru Pak, semoga semakin banyak rejeki.

His supervisor, Adam, comments: “Happy New Year; wish you have more and more fortune.”
This is a more old-fashioned well-wish from a senior at work, but it is still a great well-wish.

2- Saya di rumah saja, tidur.

His nephew, Johan, uses an expression meaning – “I am just staying at home; sleeping.”
Johan is sharing an opinion; maybe he’s feeling a bit low?

3- met taun baru, Ndra!

Indra’s wife’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “Happy New Year, Indra!”
Use this expression to be friendly.

4- Semoga semua lancar di tahun yang baru.

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “I wish everything goes well in the new year.”
This is an optimistic wish for the new year ahead.

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

tahun baru: “New Year”

baik: “good”

rejeki: “fortune”

tidur: “to sleep”

saja: “just, only”

semua: “all, the whole”

lebih: “more”

sebelum: “previous, before”

Which is your favorite phrase to post on social media during New Year?

So, the festive season is over! Yet, there will always be other days, besides a birthday, to wish someone well.

24. Post about Your Anniversary in Indonesian

Some things deserve to be celebrated, like wedding anniversaries. Learn which Indonesian phrases are meaningful and best suited for congratulations on these days!

Indra celebrates his wedding anniversary with his wife, posts an image of it, and leaves this comment:

POST

Let’s break down Indra’s post.

Selamat ulang tahun pernikahan yang pertama untuk istriku tercinta. 🙂
“Happy first wedding anniversary to my beloved wife. :)”

1- selamat ulang tahun pernikahan yang pertama

First is an expression meaning “happy first wedding anniversary.”
Unlike English, the word “pernikahan” (wedding) is not optional in this expression.

2- untuk istriku tercinta

Then comes the phrase – “to my beloved wife.”
The word ‘tercinta’ is composed of ‘cinta’ (love) and the prefix ‘ter-‘. However, just like the word ‘beloved’ in English, it is easier to remember the word as a single adjective: “tercinta.”

COMMENTS

In response, Indra’s friends leave some comments.

1- Selamat ulang tahun pernikahan, Bu Susi dan Pak Indra.

His neighbor, Sri, comments: “Happy wedding anniversary, Mrs. Susi and Mr. Indra.”
The meaning is clear – a warm-hearted wish to the couple.

2- Selamat hari jadi yang pertama, semoga selalu bahagia.

His supervisor, Adam, uses an expression meaning – “Happy first anniversary. Wish you will always be happy.”
A more old-fashioned, serious way of wishing the couple well in their marriage.

3- Ciyeeee… selamat ya. 🙂

His wife’s high school friend, Lita, uses an expression meaning – “I envy you a lot…congratulations. :)”
Lita is being playful here.

4- Wah, selamat ya Susi dan Indra semoga selalu bahagia.

His high school friend, Tiwi, uses an expression meaning – “Wow, congratulations, Susi and Indra. Wish you will always be happy.”
The wish is optimistic and positive!

VOCABULARY

Find below the key vocabulary for this lesson:

ulang tahun pernikahan: “wedding anniversary”

hari jadi: “anniversary”

bahagia: “happy”

selamat: “congratulations”

wah: “wow”

semoga: “hopefully”

selalu: “always”

pertama: “first”

If a friend posted something about a wedding anniversary, which phrase would you use?

Conclusion

Learning to speak a new language will always be easier once you know key phrases that everybody uses. These would include commonly used expressions for congratulations and best wishes, etc.

Master these in fun ways with Learn Indonesian! We offer a variety of tools to individualize your learning experience, including using cell phone apps, audiobooks, iBooks and many more. Never wonder again what to say on social media!

On National Heroes’ Day, Indonesians commemorate and honor all those who lost their lives in their 1945 battle against the British. Many people on both sides lost their lives, but in the end, Indonesia was able to remain free from Dutch colonial rule. This day is sometimes referred to as Warriors Day or National Hero Day.

In this article, you’ll learn about the history of Heroes’ Day in Indonesia, how Indonesians observe it today, and some practical holiday vocabulary!

At IndonesianPod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your language-learning journey both fun and informative!

1. What is Heroes’ Day in Indonesia?

On Indonesian Heroes’ Day, Indonesians commemorate the deaths of 16,000 Indonesian and 2,000 British soldiers in a three-week-long bloody battle. This battle resulted from Indonesia’s resistance to British efforts of returning Indonesia to the Dutch.

The battle of November 10, 1945 was triggered by the death of Brigadier Mallaby, an accident that could have been avoided. However, the British government reacted by sending 24,000 soldiers to occupy Indonesia. The Battle of Surabaya was acknowledged by the British as the hardest war after World War II, and it was marked by two generals, three British war aircraft, and thousands of British soldiers.

2. When is Indonesian Heroes’ Day?

Each year, Indonesians celebrate Heroes’ Day on November 10.

3. Celebrations & Traditions for Heroes’ Day in Indonesia

Every November 10, each house in Indonesia displays the red and white flag half-mast. All members of society pray for the spirits of the national heroes and meditate for sixty seconds all at once at 8:15 local time. The President of Indonesia leads a national visit to the complex of Taman Makam Pahlawan Kalibata, Jakarta, which is followed by a flower sowing procession. On that day, the President also announces the granting of the National Hero title at the Istana Negara.

In Makassar, South Sulawesi, the commemoration is held on the deck of KRI Kerapu, a warship of the Indonesian National Army Navy. Seven miles off the LANTAMAL VI floating dock, after the ceremony, participants drift a flower bouquet consisting of the three forces of the Indonesian National Army and the Indonesian National Police.

In Solo, Central Java, Heroes’ Day is commemorated in a lively way. The historic steam train Sepur Kluthuk Jala Dara, filled with old and young residents alike wearing freedom fighters’ costumes, travels around Solo city. It’s not just that; Jalan Slamet Riyadi becomes the center of the celebration by the expansion of a giant red and white flag that measures 4 x 6 meters. The commemoration, which falls on the same day as car-free day, enables the meditation and the flag ceremony to be held in the middle of the main street of Solo city.

4. The British Soldiers

Why were the British soldiers in Indonesia at that time?

After losing the war, the Japanese had to get out of the occupied countries, including Indonesia. The British soldiers then came to Indonesia to disarm the Japanese soldiers, to free the Japanese prisoners of war, to discharge the Japanese soldiers, and finally to return power over Indonesia to the Dutch.

5. Essential Heroes’ Day Indonesian Vocabulary

Here’s the essential vocabulary you need to know for Heroes’ Day in Indonesia!

• Hari Pahlawan
  “Heroes’ Day”
• Pertempuran
  “Battle”
• Jasa
  “Merit”
• Upacara peringatan
  “Memorial ceremony”
• Penjajah
  “Colonizer”
• Insiden
  “Incident”
• Konflik
  “Conflict”
• Perjuangan
  “Struggle”
• Bambu runcing
  “Sharpened bamboo”
• Taman Makam Pahlawan Kalibata
  “Kalibata Heroes Cemetery”
• Lomba orasi
  “Speech contest”

To hear each of these words pronounced, and to see them alongside relevant images, be sure to check out our Indonesian Heroes’ Day vocabulary list!

Conclusion

We hope you enjoyed learning about National Heroes’ Day in Indonesia with us, and that you were able to take away something valuable.

Learning about a country’s culture and history may be the most exciting and enriching aspects of trying to master a language. If you enjoyed this article and want to keep delving into Indonesian culture, you may find the following pages interesting:

• Tourist Attractions in Indonesia
• Indonesian Body Language from Head to Toe
• Celebrating Indonesian Independence Day
• How to Celebrate Batik Day in Indonesia
• Untranslatable Words in Indonesian: Think Like an Indonesian
• Best Indonesian Movies to Learn Indonesian

Does your country have a similar day for remembering and honoring those fallen in battle? Let us know in the comments!

Learning a new language is a difficult task, but at IndonesianPod101, we believe that you really can master Indonesian. And we’ll be here with help and encouragement on each step of your language-learning journey!

Happy Heroes’ Day, Indonesia!

When I was little, I always hated getting in trouble at a friend’s house.

Something about being in a slightly unfamiliar environment made the feeling of shame and embarrassment ten times worse.

It’s kind of the same when you have to apologize for something in a foreign language, right?

You’re completely out of your comfort zone, to begin with, and now you’ve gone and messed something up to the point where you’ve got to rely on your language skills to get you out of trouble, and say sorry in the Indonesian language.

Lucky for you, if you land into trouble in Indonesia, you’ve already got an advantage.

Indonesians are extremely accommodating and are more often than not perfectly willing to let an altercation go without so much as a raised voice.

But you don’t want to just rely on the goodness of others, do you? You want to do the right thing and own up to your mistakes. As you learn to say sorry in Indonesian, lessons like this one will greatly benefit you!

To that end, here are the words, phrases, and grammar you’ll need to pull off a flawless apology in Indonesian. Start with a bonus, and download your FREE cheat sheet – How to Improve Your Indonesian Skills! (Logged-In Member Only)

1. Saying Sorry for Small Things: The Magic Word Maaf
2. Saying Sorry for Big Things
3. Everything’s Okay: How to Accept an Apology
4. When to Apologize in Indonesian Culture? Hint: All The Time.
5. Conclusion

1. Saying Sorry for Small Things: The Magic Word Maaf

As you learn how to say sorry in Indonesian, vocabulary is the first step. The simplest word for apologizing is maaf. As you may recall, the doubled letter means that you pronounce it with a little hitch in your voice, like in the English word “uh-oh.”

The word originally comes from the Arabic word mu’aaf, which means “exempt.” Over time, the word entered Malay, and eventually Indonesian.

It’s pretty versatile for four little letters! Let’s take a look at some of the ways it can be used.

1- As an Exclamation

When you learn how to say sorry in Indonesian language, simple apologies are a good place to start. If you bump into someone, you can say something like this:

• Oh! Maaf!
  “Oh! Excuse me!”

And just like the English phrase “excuse me,” which has a few meanings, you can also use maaf to get someone’s attention. Not always, though. The cultural norms here run pretty deep, so let’s break down what it means.

You use maaf to ask for attention when the person is your superior. In a class, for instance, students will usually prefix their questions with maaf, and they’ll certainly do so if they’re about to go use the bathroom or take a phone call.

There’s another word, permisi, which also means “sorry,” “excuse me,” and “please let me by.” You use permisi to get attention from a serviceperson, or in other words, in a situation when you’re expected to need the attention or service of others.

Here, you can see how to use it in a restaurant:

• Permisi! Minta bill ya.
  “Excuse me! I’d like the bill please.”

And now compare how you’d use maaf:

• Maaf, tapi saya tidak pesan ini.

  “Sorry, but I didn’t order this.”

2- With Particles

We already mentioned oh, maaf, but you can also use the particle ya, placed after the word, to indicate that the thing you’re apologizing for was a little bit serious (but there’s really no harm done).

• Kok, lupa membawa surat. Maaf ya.
  “Whoops, I forgot to bring the letter. Sorry!”

This same ya is occasionally replaced by loh, particularly in informal written dialogue.

It sounds perfectly natural once or twice, but make sure you don’t add in the particle when something serious has gone wrong. The implication is that you’ll either fix the mistake, or that it wasn’t a big deal to begin with.

The particle ya can also be directly attached to the English word “sorry,” usually spelled sori in Indonesian to reflect its pronunciation. It’s even less serious than maaf ya!

3- As a Verb or Noun

By itself, maaf simply means “excuse” or something like “freedom from punishment.”

Just like most words in Indonesian, maaf can be made into a verb or noun with the careful use of prefixes. There’s a number of obscure words that can be made with the wide variety of Indonesian prefixes out there, but you only really need to know one.

When learning how to say sorry in Indonesian, grammar is essential. So here’s a tip: By adding the me- prefix and the -kan suffix, we get memaafkan, “to excuse.”

• Saya tidak akan memaafkan kamu.
  “I’m not going to forgive you.”

Note that this doesn’t mean “to apologize.” For that, we use the phrase minta maaf, or literally “ask for forgiveness.” It’s most often paired with the two prepositions kepada and atas, which both have many meanings, but mean “to someone” and “for something” in this context. Let’s see how to say sorry in Indonesian phrases with some examples:

• Saya harus minta maaf kepada istriku.
  “I have to apologize to my wife.”
• Dia minta maaf atas apa yang dia melakukan.
  “He apologized for what he did.”

The polite and humble way to say “I apologize” (as opposed to “I’m sorry,” which is less serious) is simply Saya minta maaf. Adding mau, meaning “want,” helps it even further, in the way that you can say “I would like to apologize,” in English.

• Saya mau minta maaf kepada kamu.
  “I want to apologize to you.”

Let’s get a little more serious for a moment.

2. Saying Sorry for Big Things

It turns out that maaf works well all the way up the politeness scale, beyond “I’m sorry” in Indonesian.

To make it more serious, we’ll add a few more words to the sentence.

• Saya benar-benar minta maaf.
  “I’m truly sorry.”

Benar means “truly” or “seriously.” Doubling it, or “reduplicating” in linguistic terms, intensifies the word. The effect is far more genuine than saying “I’m really, really sorry” in English. By the way, some people spell the word bener, but that’s looked down on as incorrect.

We can also swap out the word minta for the word mohon, meaning “to beg.” They mean almost exactly the same thing, but mohon is a more formal word associated with speechmaking and writing.

• Saya mohon maaf atas kesalahan saya.
  “I beg forgiveness for my mistakes.”

Indonesian is relatively special among world languages in that it doesn’t have a wide set of vocabulary to express different levels of the word “apologize.” Instead, there are additional phrases around a single root word.

For instance, there’s a particular formal phrase used in religious ceremonies related to apologies, and it still includes that same word maaf.

• Mohon maaf lahir dan batin.
  “I apologize for my life and soul.”

You wouldn’t use this outside of religious contexts, which means it’s not actually an apology that you can use in daily life. It does appear on greeting cards for Ramadan, though!

So when things get more serious in terms of what you did wrong, it’s important to own up to your own faults and specifically say what your mistakes were.

Spell them out explicitly and use the same words we’ve been looking at, and you’ll see that you come across as a lot more serious and humble.

• Saya mohon maaf atas kesalahpahaman hari ini.
  “I apologize for the misunderstanding today.”

Kesalahpahaman, meaning “misunderstanding,” is one of my favorite words in Indonesian because it looks so different from its English counterpart yet ends up meaning exactly the same thing.

Salah means “wrong” and paham means “to understand.” The circumfix (a prefix plus a suffix) ke-an creates a noun from a root word, very much like “to understand” can become “an understanding” with the addition of a suffix in English.

Put all that together and you have a “misunderstanding!” This word is commonly used in speeches and newspaper reports, as it’s nice and long and impressive.

• Saya bertanggung jawab atas semuanya.
  “I am responsible for everything.”

The ber- prefix here is a little bit hard to translate, and you’d be better off consulting a more complete grammar guide if it’s completely new to you.

Essentially, you’re saying that you have or possess whatever’s attached to that prefix. And in this case, that’s tanggung jawab, a set phrase meaning “responsibility.”

One word or two, that phrase is often paired with untuk or atas, meaning “for,” to explain, well, what you’re responsible for.

With this example, you’re responsible for semuanya or “everything!” That’s a lot of responsibility! It doesn’t take any changes to the phrase, though, to lessen that burden.

• Saya bertanggung jawab untuk keterlambatan paket.
  “I am responsible for the package’s delay.”

Let’s have a look at what you can do to convince others that you’ve turned over a new leaf. You can’t just say you’re sorry and then keep on doing the same old things.

• Saya tidak akan melakukan hal ini lagi.
  “I won’t do this thing again.”

We can, of course, bring in benar-benar at any time to really make our feelings clear.

Lagi means “again” and can be used for things happening again in the past or the future.

• Saya lupa mematikan lampu dan AC lagi!
  “I forgot to turn off the light and the air-con again!”

This should keep you in the clear through whatever mistakes you might have made.

3. Everything’s Okay: How to Accept an Apology

Now, though, let’s look at a few cases where you’re on the opposite end of the apology. What can you say?

The catch-all phrase, interestingly enough, is very close to its English equivalent.

• Tidak apa-apa.
  “It’s nothing.”

Tidak is one of a handful of commonly used words meaning “not.” This word, and this particular phrase, are so common that they often get shortened in rapid speech.

• Gapapa.
  “No prob’.”

Very formally, you can respond to a request for forgiveness in the affirmative. Remember that we can turn maaf into a verb meaning “to forgive” like so:

• Saya maafkan Anda.
  “I forgive you.”

No big deal!

4. When to Apologize in Indonesian Culture? Hint: All The Time.

It’s kind of a joke among foreigners living in Indonesia: in order to do anything politely, you have to first apologize for existing. Saying sorry in Indonesian culture is just a part of life.

Virtually every email or letter that makes a formal request will include the word maaf to show deference on the part of the person making the request.

And at the end of speeches or presentations, it’s customary to apologize for any misinformation or mistakes you may have inadvertently included.

• …terima kasih. Saya minta maaf atas kesalahan apapun.
  “…thank you. I’d like to apologize for any mistakes.”

If you happen to be employed as a teacher, you may even feel frustrated as your students apologize for asking questions! Then again, teachers leading classes of foreigners have to get used to students simply asking without any formality.

• Maaf Pak, tapi saya mau tanya…
  “Excuse me, sir, but I’d like to ask…”

Lastly, when you take your leave from a group, you’ll have to apologize as well. In some cultures, it’s normal to say something when you’re heading off, and in others no special phrase is necessary. But in Indonesia, it’s expected that you’ll say:

• Maaf, saya akan pergi.
  “Sorry, I’m gonna go.”

What if you don’t follow this? What are the consequences?

The thing is, Indonesians are almost never going to correct you for missing this cultural cue. However, you run the risk of slowly being perceived as ruder and ruder over time. People probably won’t be able to articulate why they think you’re not fitting in, but there’s always going to be something that separates you from others.

That’s why it’s so important to be aware of the kinds of cultural differences that can exist, because how are you supposed to follow cultural cues that you’re not even expecting?

5. Conclusion

People often give the advice that if you want to pick up certain cultural nuances in a foreign culture, you should watch a lot of TV.

That advice is particularly useful here when talking about norms of politeness. TV shows let you watch people from different levels of society interact constantly, and you can really learn a lot about the right times to say each of the phrases in this article.

Even more modern web series will shed a lot of light on this. Some of them don’t show the more traditional levels of politeness, but they’re still valuable because you’ll get to see how young and trendy Indonesians navigate apologies.

The more exposure you have to actual Indonesians living out their lives through TV, movies, or online videos, the more you’ll internalize how this all works together.

And then, if worst comes to worst and you find yourself in hot water in Indonesia, you’ll know exactly how to keep cool and make apologies in Indonesian.

Do you feel more prepared now to say sorry in Indonesian? Or are you still a little fuzzy on how to apologize in Indonesian? Let us know in the comments!

Author: Yassir Sahnoun is a HubSpot certified content strategist, copywriter and polyglot who works with language learning companies. He helps companies attract sales using content strategy, copywriting, blogging, email marketing & more.

Indonesia celebrates national Batik Day each year in appreciation and admiration of the art of coloring clothing and other textiles via the Indonesian batik method, which has been recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage culture. In this article, you’ll learn more about what the unique Indonesian batik is, how Indonesians celebrate it, and why. In learning about this holiday, you’re gaining much insight into the rich culture and history of Indonesia—and we’re sure you’ll find the more familiar you are with Indonesian culture, the more fascinating the language will become!

At IndonesianPod101.com, we hope to make every aspect of your learning journey both fun and informative! We think you’ll soon agree that National Batik Day fits the bill.

1. What is Batik Day?

The commemoration of Batik Day in Indonesia is still new; it was stipulated by the President in 2009. This stipulation was enacted once UNESCO officially admitted Indonesian Batik as a world heritage culture. UNESCO includes batik in the List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The stipulation of National Batik Day is a government effort to increase the Indonesian nation’s dignity and its positive image in international forums, and to grow the pride and love of the society for Indonesian culture.

Batik is a textile coloring technique using wax material. Most of the wax is obtained from the excretion of plants, in the form of damar (coniferous timber) or resin. Animal sources of wax include wasp and bee hives. The only batik coming from Sumatra Island is Minangkabau Batik, in which the coloring technique uses clay. The fabric is first soaked in clay for a week, then it is washed and other natural colors from plants are applied.

Batik Pekalongan has now been recorded by the Guiness Book as the biggest batik. It is made on a fabric 1,000 meters long and worked by 1,000 batik artisans on the main highway of Pekalongan City.

2. When is Batik Day in Indonesia?

Each year, Indonesians celebrate Batik Day on October 2.

3. Batik Day Celebrations & Traditions

On National Batik Day, Indonesia holds various annual batik festivals in several provinces. One of the most famous programs is Festival Batik Solo (Solo Batik Festival) that is in the form of a batik parade on the main street of the city.

This Batik Day Indonesia activity, which began in 2008, had approximately 250 instant models participating, parading a distance of 4.2 kilometers (about two and a half miles) wearing various batik creations. Batik patterns are not only painted on fabrics, but also on everything from tarps, nets, papers, CDs, plastic glasses, balloons, and chicken feathers. Batik Day celebrated in Indonesia is certainly a colorful and intriguing spectacle!

4. What Does Batik Mean?

Do you know the meaning of the word batik?

The word batik comes from the Javanese word amba, which means “writing,” and titik, which means “dot.” In other words, membatik is writing a series of dots to form a beautiful pattern.

5. Essential Vocabulary for Batik Day in Indonesia

Here’s the vocabulary you’re going to need for Batik Day in Indonesia!

• Hari Batik — “Batik Day”
• Kebudayaan — “Culture”
• Malam — “Wax”
• Karnaval Batik Solo — “Solo Batik Carnival”
• Pameran batik — “Batik exhibition”
• Peragaan busana batik — “Batik fashion show”
• Lomba membatik — “Batik-making contest”
• Desain — “Design”
• Kerajinan — “Handicraft”
• Canting — “Canting”
• Batik cap — “Batik cap“

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, visit our Batik Day vocabulary list. Here, you can find each vocabulary word accompanied by an audio file of its pronunciation, and with a relevant image.

How IndonesianPod101 Can Teach You About Indonesian Culture

Isn’t Batik Day a differently fun holiday? Does your country have a holiday celebrating a unique aspect of its culture and heritage? Let us know about it in the comments below; we always look forward to hearing from you!

To continue learning about Indonesian culture and the language, explore IndonesianPod101.com! We provide an array of fun and effective learning tools for every learner, at every level:

• Insightful blog posts on an array of cultural and language-related topics
• Free vocabulary lists covering a range of topics and themes
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• Mobile apps to learn Indonesian anywhere, on your own time
• Much, much more!

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We know that learning Indonesian isn’t always easy, but we believe that your hard work and determination really will pay off in the long run. And IndonesianPod101 will be here with you on your language-learning journey with fantastic lessons and constant support.

Indonesian Independence Day is the most important holiday in the country, celebrated countrywide and even by Indonesians currently overseas. On Independence Day, Indonesians commemorate the signing and reading of its Declaration of Independence in 1945, freeing it from a long and terrible Dutch colonial period.

Learn about the history of Indonesian Independence day with IndonesianPod101.com, and make your language-learning that much more meaningful.

1. History of Indonesian Independence Day

Indonesia Independence Day is the celebration of when the country’s Declaration of Independence was signed and read in 1945. This text contains a declaration that the islands in the Archipelago unite into one sovereign country, thus rejecting the Dutch colonization.

This Dutch colonization was known at the time as The Dutch East Indies, and it was founded in the early 1800s (though the Dutch actually had influence on what is now Indonesia since about the year 1600).

While this colonization did have a few positive effects on the Indonesian people, such as allowing them to gain market insight, giving them the opportunity to learn a foreign language, and introducing them to new technologies, the overall experience was negative. Indonesians were forced into labor, given poor wages, and many even starved to death. This led to the development of the Indonesian Declaration of Independence, which finally separated Indonesia from its Dutch colonialism.

2. When is Independence Day in Indonesia?

The Independence Day of the Republic of Indonesia falls on August 17, the day when Soekarno and Hatta signed and read the Declaration of Independence in 1945.

3. Indonesian Independence Day Celebrations

Independence Day is usually filled with traditional game competitions in villages and cities across the whole archipelago. These activities are meant to establish unity and foster kinship.

The most popular game is panjat pinang (climbing the slippery pole). People jostle to climb the pole, which has been smeared with lubricant, to reach the presents at the top. This game invites laughter, because the participants usually slip and fall onto the participants below.

Similar to panjat pinang, people in Pekalongan, Central Java, have a tradition of not climbing the pole, but walking on it. This tradition is called meniti pucang (walking on pucang or pinang). The pole is positioned horizontally on the river, and the participant who walks on it the longest wins. In this case, the losing participants fall into the river.

Banjar has yet another different tradition. For generations, the residents have upheld the ngubyag balong tradition of catching fish in a pond. Equipped with nets, baskets, and sacks, hundreds of residents get ready to go into the pool. Before the fishing begins, residents and local public figures hold a prayer for the goodness of the Indonesian nation. After that, they go into the pool and scramble to catch the quintal (100 kilograms or about 220 pounds) of free fish in it.

As expects, Indonesians show their pride and love for their country by hoisting the Indonesian flag. And celebrations aren’t limited to those living in Indonesia—Indonesians who are currently overseas can celebrate their country by visiting their embassies around the world.

4. What Else is Indonesia Independence Day Called?

Indonesians have two other popular names for their Independence Day: 17 Agustusan (referring to the holiday’s August 17 date) and Tujuhbelasan, which refers to all activities held in the spirit of celebrating Independence Day.

5. Useful Vocabulary for Indonesian Independence Day

Here’s some vocabulary you should know for Indonesian Independence Day!

• Televisi — “Television”
• Hari Proklamasi Kemerdekaan R.I. — “Independence Day”
• Kembang api — “Firework”
• Nasi Tumpeng — “Tumpeng”
• Tarik tambang — “Tug of war”
• Bendera merah putih — “The red-and-white flag”
• Lomba panjat pinang — “The pole climbing contest”
• Lomba balap karung — “Sack race”
• Lomba makan kerupuk — “Krupuk race-eating contest”
• Upacara bendera — “Flag-raising ceremony”
• Hormat! — “Salute!”

To hear each of these vocabulary words pronounced, check out our Indonesian Independence Day vocabulary list!

Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Master Indonesian

We hope you enjoyed learning about Indonesian Independence Day with us, and that you took away something valuable from this lesson. When did Indonesia gain independence, and who did Indonesia gain independence from? Let us know in the comments, and while you’re at it, tell us a little about your own country’s Independence or National day!

To continue learning about Indonesian culture and the language, explore IndonesianPod101.com and take advantage of our multiple learning tools. There’s something for every type of learner:

• Insightful blog posts on a range of cultural and language topics
• Free vocabulary lists covering a variety of topics and themes
• Podcasts to improve your listening and pronunciation skills
• Mobile apps so you can learn Indonesian anywhere, anytime
• Much, much more!

If you prefer a one-on-one learning approach, or want to give it a try, be sure to upgrade to Premium Plus. In so doing, you’ll gain access to your own personal Indonesian teacher as well as a personalized learning plan based on your needs and goals.

Whatever your reason for learning Indonesian, know that your hard work will pay off! And IndonesianPod101 will be here with you on each step of your journey to Indonesian mastery.