Praktisch · Kapitel 12
Bahasa Indonesia Phrasebook
Bahasa Indonesia is one of the easiest languages in the world for Europeans: no conjugation, no declension, no tones, Latin script. With 50 words, you can get surprisingly far — and the joy of Indonesians when you say even just "Terima kasih" is priceless.
Basics & Pronunciation
Bahasa Indonesia is a brilliant invention: When the founding fathers needed a common language in 1928, they did not choose Javanese (which most spoke), but Malay — a trade language considered neutral and grammatically extremely simple. Today, over 270 million people speak Bahasa Indonesia.
Why Bahasa is so easy
- No Conjugation: "Saya makan" = I eat, I ate, I will eat (time indication gives the context)
- No Declension: No gender, no case, no plural endings
- Latin Script: Everything is pronounced almost exactly as written
- Many Loanwords: From Dutch (gratis = gratis, handuk = towel), Portuguese (meja = mesa = table), Arabic and Sanskrit
Pronunciation
- c = ch (as in "chess"): candi = chandi
- j = dj (as in "jungle"): Jakarta = Djarkarta
- ng = as in "singing": nangka = nangka
- ngg = as in "finger": Mangga = Mangga
- r = rolled (as in Spanish)
- h = always audible, even at the end of a word: rumah = ruma-h
The Most Important Words & Phrases
Greetings & Politeness
| German | Bahasa Indonesia | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Halo | Hallo |
| Good morning | Selamat pagi | Selamat pagi |
| Good day | Selamat siang | Selamat siang |
| Good evening | Selamat malam | Selamat malam |
| Goodbye | Sampai jumpa | Sampai dschumpa |
| Thank you | Terima kasih | Terima kassi |
| You're welcome | Sama-sama | Sama-sama |
| Sorry | Maaf | Ma-af |
| Yes / No | Ya / Tidak | Ja / Tidak |
| How are you? | Apa kabar? | Apa kabar? |
| Good! | Baik! | Ba-ik! |
On the Move
| German | Bahasa Indonesia |
|---|---|
| How much does it cost? | Berapa harganya? |
| Too expensive! | Terlalu mahal! |
| Cheaper please | Bisa kurang? |
| Where is...? | Di mana...? |
| I would like... | Saya mau... |
| Bill please | Minta bon |
| Delicious! | Enak! |
| Spicy! | Pedas! |
| Not spicy please | Tidak pedas |
| Water | Air |
| Food | Makan |
| Toilet | Toilet / Kamar mandi |
| Left / Right | Kiri / Kanan |
| Straight ahead | Lurus |
| Stop | Berhenti |
| Beautiful! | Bagus! |
Emergency
| German | Bahasa Indonesia |
|---|---|
| Help! | Tolong! |
| I need a doctor | Saya perlu dokter |
| Hospital | Rumah sakit |
| Police | Polisi |
| I am lost | Saya tersesat |
Numbers
| Number | Bahasa | Number | Bahasa |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Satu | 6 | Enam |
| 2 | Dua | 7 | Tujuh |
| 3 | Tiga | 8 | Delapan |
| 4 | Empat | 9 | Sembilan |
| 5 | Lima | 10 | Sepuluh |
| 100 | Seratus | 1,000 | Seribu |
| 10,000 | Sepuluh ribu | 100,000 | Seratus ribu |
Tipp
The magic word is "Bisa" (can/possible). "Bisa kurang?" (Can it be cheaper?) when bargaining. "Bisa foto?" (Can I take a photo?). "Bisa antar?" (Can you take me?). With "Bisa" and a smile, you can get surprisingly far in Indonesia. And: Indonesians love it when foreigners speak "Bahasa" — even a clumsy "Terima kasih" is rewarded with a broad grin.
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