Signification
A short exclamation of approval
Contexte culturel
Indonesians value 'Face' (Muka). Giving a compliment like 'Bagus' is a way to show respect and maintain a positive atmosphere. In Javanese culture, 'Bagus' (or 'Saé' in High Javanese) is used with a very soft tone to show humility and politeness. On Indonesian Instagram or TikTok, 'Bagus' is often replaced by 'Mantap' or 'Mantul' to show high energy. In meetings, 'Bagus' is used to acknowledge a point before moving to the next one, acting as a verbal 'I hear you and I agree.'
The Thumbs Up Rule
If you can give it a physical thumbs up, you can probably say 'Bagus!'
Avoid 'Bagus Pagi'
Never use Bagus for greetings. Stick to 'Selamat'.
Signification
A short exclamation of approval
The Thumbs Up Rule
If you can give it a physical thumbs up, you can probably say 'Bagus!'
Avoid 'Bagus Pagi'
Never use Bagus for greetings. Stick to 'Selamat'.
Be Generous
Indonesians use 'Bagus' often to be polite. Don't be afraid to over-use it!
Intensify with 'Sekali'
Adding 'sekali' after 'bagus' makes you sound much more natural and enthusiastic.
Teste-toi
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence: 'Wah, lukisan kamu ____!'
Wah, lukisan kamu ____!
You are praising a painting (an object/result), so 'Bagus' is the correct choice.
Fill in the blank with 'Bagus' or 'Baik'.
A: Apa kabar? B: Saya ____.
When answering 'How are you?', you must use 'Baik' for health/well-being.
Complete the dialogue with the most natural response.
Teman: 'Aku baru saja menang lomba lari!' Kamu: '____! Selamat ya!'
'Bagus!' is the natural way to react to good news from a friend.
Match the phrase to the situation.
Situation: You see a beautiful sunset at the beach.
'Bagus' is used for aesthetic beauty and scenery.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Bagus vs Baik
Banque d exercices
4 exercicesWah, lukisan kamu ____!
You are praising a painting (an object/result), so 'Bagus' is the correct choice.
A: Apa kabar? B: Saya ____.
When answering 'How are you?', you must use 'Baik' for health/well-being.
Teman: 'Aku baru saja menang lomba lari!' Kamu: '____! Selamat ya!'
'Bagus!' is the natural way to react to good news from a friend.
Situation: You see a beautiful sunset at the beach.
'Bagus' is used for aesthetic beauty and scenery.
🎉 Score : /4
Questions fréquentes
14 questionsYes, for the quality or presentation. But for taste, 'Enak' is more common.
It is neutral. You can use it in a business meeting or with friends.
'Bagus' is 'good/quality', 'Keren' is 'cool/stylish'.
Only if you are praising their performance or appearance, not their kindness.
You can say 'Bagus sekali' or 'Sangat bagus'.
Yes, but 'Baik' or 'Elok' is sometimes preferred in certain contexts there.
Yes, with a flat or falling intonation, it can mean 'Oh, great (not)'.
The opposite is 'Buruk' (bad) or 'Jelek' (ugly/bad quality).
Yes, 'Filmnya bagus' is the standard way to say a movie was good.
'Mantap' is more slang and shows more intense approval.
No, Indonesian adjectives do not change for plural.
Yes, 'Cuacanya bagus' means the weather is good/clear.
It is spelled 'Bagus', but the 'u' sounds like the 'oo' in 'foot'.
Absolutely! It's the perfect way to say 'Good job!'.
Expressions liées
Bagus sekali
builds onVery good
Hebat
similarGreat / Amazing
Mantap
synonymSolid / Great
Keren
similarCool
Lumayan
contrastNot bad / Fair
