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.

Everybody knows about the beautiful beaches and temples of Bali. Millions of people flock there every year, and the island is developing at an incredible speed.

Did you know, though, that there’s a whole lot more to Indonesia—frequently referred to as the country of 1,000 islands—than just Bali?

And the beautiful thing for the tourist who wants to see it all is that the effort to promote the national Indonesian language has been enormously successful. The vast majority of Indonesians are perfectly bilingual in at least one local language as well as standard Indonesian.

So the visitor with Indonesian phrases for travelers under their belt gets to avoid the hassle of learning multiple local languages, and instead gets to experience the benefit of using the national language wherever they go.

And the benefits of knowing basic Indonesian travel phrases are many.

Table of Contents

1. What it’s Like Speaking Indonesian in Indonesia
2. Top Useful Travel Phrases to Get You All Around Indonesia
3. Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Learn More Indonesian

1. What it’s Like Speaking Indonesian in Indonesia

Before you learn travel phrases in Indonesian, there are a few things you should know.

Many language learners tend to complain that the locals switch to English instead of speaking their native language. Nobody wants that—it’s embarrassing and makes you feel like you don’t know anything at all.

It’s true, though, that if you’re in Jakarta or Denpasar and you approach someone in a Starbucks and speak broken Indonesian to them, they’re probably going to use English with you just to save time and effort on your part. Can’t blame them.

English ability is considered very trendy in Indonesia. Not only are a lot of people actively studying English at school, but popular culture in English is commonplace.

You may be wondering, then, why you should learn travel phrases in Indonesian at all! But hope isn’t lost for the learner of Indonesian. Venture outside of a built-up area and you’re likely to meet plenty of people who are far more comfortable speaking Indonesian than English.

Even in Bali, a quick motorbike ride outside the cities will bring you to small towns where you’ll have to speak Indonesian to ask for directions or get a bite to eat.

And if you speak Indonesian confidently and competently, even fluent speakers of English are likely to continue in Indonesian with you from small topics to big ones.

In particular, if you can speak some Indonesian in touristy cities, you’ll set yourself apart from the crowds of English-only visitors and bring a smile to some faces.

Now that you know a little background and context on the topic, let’s get to our list of essential travel phrases in Indonesian!

2. Top Useful Travel Phrases to Get You All Around Indonesia

1- Greetings

Naturally, when you’re going around Indonesia, you won’t want to just barge into a conversation without starting it off politely.

The most common greetings in Indonesia are based on the time of day, or more accurately, the times between different calls to prayer (known as azan, which change very slightly month to month). However, they line up pretty nicely with English equivalents, and are some of the most useful Indonesian travel phrases (everyone’s happier after a nice greeting!).

• “Good morning!”
  Selamat pagi!
• “Good afternoon!”
  Selamat siang!
• “Good evening!”
  Selamat sore!
• “Good night!”
  Selamat malam!

Once you’ve met someone multiple times, the selamat gets dropped, and just saying the time of day is adequate. You’ll notice that the vowel sound usually gets stretched out for this.

• “Good eveniiiiing!”
  Soreeeee!

When you’re just trying to get someone’s attention, the greeting isn’t necessary—just say “excuse me” and add the correct pronoun.

• “Excuse me, sir…”
  Permisi, Pak…
• “Excuse me, ma’am…”
  Permisi, Bu…

Pak and Bu are short forms of bapak and ibu, meaning “father” and “mother” respectively. The short forms are used as polite pronouns for people older than you.

If you and the other person are both young (or you’re much older), then you should use mas for men and mbak for women.

• “May I ask…”
  Bolehkah saya tanya…
• “Goodbye!”
  Sampai jumpa!

2- Shopping

Indonesia is developing fast, and in any city you go to, you’ll have a choice between shopping at smaller markets and shopping at enormous malls. Generally speaking, people working in malls have better English, but definitely don’t count on it.

In any case, it’s incredible how far you can get with just a few simple words.

• “This one, please.”
  Yang ini.
• “Thank you! Thanks!”
  Terima kasih! Makasih!
• “Thank you very much!”
  Terima kasih banyak!

Seriously, the phrases and Indonesian words for travellers above are the bare bones of any commercial interaction. What if you want to expand a little bit on what you’re trying to say?

• “I really like this!”
  Saya sangat suka yang ini.
• “This is so beautiful!”
  Ini cantik sekali!
• “Do you have a bigger size? / Do you have a smaller size?”
  Apakah Anda punya yang lebih besar? / Yang lebih kecil?
• “I’m looking for jeans size 32/34.”
  Saya mau jeans dengan ukuran tiga puluh dua/tiga puluh empat.
• “Can you make it any cheaper?”
  Boleh sedikit lebih murah?
• “Okay, I’ll take it!”
  Oke, saya ambil yang ini.

3- Dining Out

The same general advice about English ability applies to restaurants as well as other shops. The smaller and more out-of-the-way the place—and the older the person behind the counter—the less likely it is that they’ll be able to speak English to you.

You may be glad to hear that lots of menus actually have English on them, even outside of tourist areas; this fits with English being a trendy language.

The simplest way to order is to simply point at the menu. Indonesians like to put pictures on their menus, so even locals are used to pointing. When you do so, say something like this:

• “One of these, and two of these.”
  Ini satu, dan ini dua.
• “Do you want it spicy? / Do you want peppers? / How many (peppers)?”
  Mau pedas? / Pakai cabe? / Berapa?

I enjoy spicy food, but I strongly recommend that you try one or even “half” (setengah) before confidently saying that you want several peppers. The Indonesian peppers are something else!

The word pakai here is occasionally pronounced as paké, especially in Javanese-speaking areas. It literally means “to wear” and it’s used when you’re asking or answering a question about what you’d like included with your food. You’ll often hear it with the yes-no tag question, like so:

• “Add rice, right?”
  Pakai nasi, nggak?

One of the biggest tests of your listening skills is the following question, usually delivered at breakneck speed on account of its frequency:

• “For here or to go?”
  Makan di sini atau dibungkus?

After you order, the most common thing is for the cashier to simply say the price, instead of saying, for example, “the price is…” beforehand.

• “Twenty-three thousand.”
  Dua puluh tiga ribu.

Here’s an all-purpose compliment you can use after your meal, practically guaranteed to win a smile:

• “The food was excellent!”
  Makanannya enak sekali!

Suppose it wasn’t so good, though? Lots of Indonesian food isn’t far from what’s normal in Western countries, but sometimes you may be offered a particular concoction of hot peppers and marinated eggs that you’d prefer to pass on. The polite way to decline is as follows:

• “Maybe next time.”
  Mungkin lain kali.

Some people might also say Mungkin besok, where besok literally means “tomorrow.” But it’s important to know that Indonesians more often than not use it to mean “any time in the future.” This is also true of its counterpart kemarin meaning “yesterday.”

• “The restaurant that we went to yesterday (or before) was better!”
  Resto yang kita pergi kemarin lebih bagus!

4- Transportation

Taxis are becoming less and less common in Indonesia as more and more people use ride-sharing apps.

Instead of Uber, the two main ride apps are called Grab (a Singaporean company) and Go-Jek (a homegrown Indonesian venture). Both offer car rides as well as much cheaper and faster motorbike rides.

Foreigners can easily download these apps and simply pay with cash instead of using an e-wallet.

However, you may not be comfortable ordering a ride by yourself with a new app and having to communicate with the driver. In that case, simply ask someone nearby to order one for you on their phone. Better do this politely!

• “Can you help me order a Grab/Go-Jek?”
  Bolehkah Anda membantu saya memesan Grab/Go-Jek?
• The word Grab is written the same as its English counterpart, but pronounced gréb.
• “I want to go to the Hotel Omah.”
  Saya mau ke Hotel Omah.

If you’re going back to a place you know well, but your driver does not, then you’ll have to direct them a little bit.

• “Turn left here, then make a U-Turn.”
  Di sini belok kiri, terus putar balik.

There’s a great line dance song, actually, which is perfect for memorizing kiri (left) and kanan (right). It’ll stay in your head for a loooong time!

Public transit is, unfortunately, not as developed as the rideshare economy. Many bus stops are poorly marked, and it can be quite uncomfortable to wait in a bus while an endless stream of motorbikes cuts your driver off.

But they sure are cheap! Long-distance bus rides can take advantage of the new highways that are frequently being opened across Java, cutting transit time to big cities to a fraction of what it used to be.

• “Does this bus go to…?”
  Apakah bis ini pergi ke …?
• “Where can I buy a ticket?”
  Di mana bisa beli tiket?
• “I want two tickets to … please.”
  Saya mau dua tiket ke …

Remember to include a “thanks” (makasih) after even little transactions like this one!

5- Emergencies

Indonesian cities usually have a “police station” (kantor polisi) in every district, as well as police boxes on major intersections. Officers don’t tend to patrol, though speed traps are pretty common. “Private security” (satpam) is pretty common, and they may be able to help you contact authorities in times of need.

• “Where is the police station?”
  Di mana kantor polisi?
• “I have to call the police.”
  Saya harus menelepon polisi.

Each medium-sized city will have a number of “hospitals” (rumah sakit) and “clinics” (klinik), and usually at least one “International” hospital, which generally has some English-speaking staff or translators. Don’t count on this in smaller cities, though.

• “I’ve got to get to the hospital!”
  Saya harus ke rumah sakit!

At “pharmacies” (apotek) you can describe your symptoms and get “over-the-counter medicine” (obat), no problem. The most important word is sakit which means “pain,” or “painful.”

• “My head hurts.”
  Saya sakit kepala.
• “Do you have medicine for a sore throat?”
  Ada obat untuk sakit tenggorokan?

In the case of asking for things in a shop, you wouldn’t use the construction apakah Anda punya or “do you have,” but instead the construction ada…? which means “is there…?”

6- Compliments

Why are you in Indonesia, why are you learning Indonesian, and how come you speak it so well?

You’re definitely going to get questions like these. Fortunately, you can use the same stock answers every time and nobody will ever know—plus, you’ll get so good at delivering them that people will be more and more impressed!

• “I really like Indonesian food.”
  Saya sangat suka makanan Indonesia.
• “I’m interested in the culture of Indonesia/Southeast Asia.”
  Saya tertarik dengan budaya Indonesia/Asia Tenggara.

Remember that, in Indonesian, you’re interested “with” something instead of interested “in,” as in English. What would interest you so much that you’d want to learn the language?

• “I like learning languages.”
  Saya suka belajar bahasa-bahasa.
• “Indonesian is very beautiful!”
  Bahasa Indonesia indah sekali!

To be honest, compared to other Asian languages, Indonesian isn’t particularly difficult to pick up the basics in.

For that reason, locals don’t tend to lavish praise on foreigners who can speak it. Instead, the foreigner with some linguistic ability will often hear this phrase:

• “Have you been in Indonesia long?”
  Sudah lama di Indonesia?

To which you can answer:

• “No, only a few weeks.”
  Tidak, hanya beberapa minggu.

3. Conclusion: How IndonesianPod101 Can Help You Learn More Indonesian

And for those few weeks, it’s amazing what you can end up learning to say in Indonesian!

Do you feel more prepared to travel in Indonesia with these Indonesian travel phrases? Or are there still some you’re struggling with? Let us know in the comments!

Why stop here with these simple phrases? You’ll absolutely be welcomed if you stop at a little warung or “small restaurant” and ask about the food—particularly if you tell them it’s delicious.

There are plenty of foreigners who have lived in Indonesia for a long time, and just slowly picked up the language without the need for much study.

Of course, if you’re into puzzles, learning the nuances of the prefixes and suffixes hinted at in this article is a challenge for anyone.

All that goes to show that travel phrases are really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to language knowledge.

There’s no time like the present to dive deeper, especially if you commit to a reliable and engaging language-learning program such as IndonesianPod101.

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.

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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

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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:

POST

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:

POST

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!

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.