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Whether you’ve already touched down in the adventure-rich islands of Indonesia or you’re still in the obsessive-itinerary-building stage of your travels, there is so much beauty waiting for you in this equatorial country in Southeast Asia. While many Indonesians can communicate in English, it’s respectful to greet them in their native tongue, Bahasa Indonesia. Learning even a few simple phrases and following proper etiquette for interacting with Indonesians can go a long way when connecting with locals and their communities—and it may just make your trip everything you’ve ever dreamed of!
Things You Should Know
- Greet someone in Indonesia by saying selamat pagi (good morning), selamat siang (good afternoon), or selamat malam (good evening).
- In more casual settings, you can say halo, which is the literal translation of “hello.”
- Ask someone how they are doing by asking apa kabar (how are you). Respond to this question with baik (good) or kurang baik (not good).
Steps
Community Q&A
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QuestionHow do I address a young girl?Community AnswerIn formal Indonesian: "Nona" (it means "Miss"), but most people use the area's respective traditional language - usually the word that means "older sister." For example, in Central Java & East Java, we say "Mbak" and sometimes "Ning," in West Java, we say "Teh" or "Teteh," in Jakarta we say "Neng."
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QuestionHow do I address a woman (business contact) informally to say, "How are you?"Lord ElrondCommunity AnswerYou can say it as, "Apa kabar anda?" for a formal meeting. For an informal greeting, just say, "Hai! Oke oke aja kan?"
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QuestionHow can I say "My greetings and wishes to your family"?Community AnswerYou could say "Salam saya ke keluarga Anda" which literally means "My greetings to your family." Wishes isn't included in the sentence because "salam" is already considered "greetings and wishes" in Indonesian.
Video
Tips
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To hear how words are pronounced in Indonesian, type them into Google Translate, then press the speaker icon. Practice repeating the phrases until you can say them correctly on your own.Thanks
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Bahasa Indonesia is usually read and pronounced phonetically. Say it the way you see it. Rarely will anyone laugh if you accidentally slip.Thanks
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Indonesia has many islands and regions with distinct languages and greetings. For example, greet someone in Bali by saying om swastiastu.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
- Indonesia has many traditional languages and dialects. Do research on the specific area or island you're visiting to learn their customs and culture.
- Bring along an Indonesian-English dictionary to use during conversations or to improve your Indonesian over time.
References
- ↑ https://www.omniglot.com/language/phrases/indonesian.php
- ↑ https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Indonesian/Lessons/Greetings
- ↑ https://languagedrops.com/blog/terms-of-endearment
- ↑ https://theculturetrip.com/asia/indonesia/articles/8-indonesian-phrases-you-need-to-know
- ↑ https://www.indonesiancourses.com/useful-expressions-in-indonesian-greetings/
- ↑ https://aiya.org.au/2015/01/19/culture-customs-and-traditions-greetings-in-indonesia/
- ↑ https://factsanddetails.com/indonesia/People_and_Life/sub6_2a/entry-3988.html
- ↑ https://aiya.org.au/2015/01/19/culture-customs-and-traditions-greetings-in-indonesia/
- ↑ https://internationalliving.com/countries/indonesia/culture-and-traditions-in-bali/
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"I was researching polite ways to address someone in Indonesian. Number 5 on this page was particularly helpful in that regard. The other points were useful, too. I plan to save this article and study it so that I will be more prepared when I go to Indonesia."..." more