Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Master these essential phrases to navigate daily life in Indonesia with confidence and politeness.
- Use 'Terima kasih' for thank you, and 'Sama-sama' for you're welcome.
- Use 'Maaf' to apologize or get someone's attention politely.
- Use 'Bisa bahasa Inggris?' to ask if someone speaks English.
Meanings
These are fixed expressions used for essential social functions like greeting, thanking, apologizing, and asking for help.
Gratitude
Expressing thanks or responding to thanks.
“Terima kasih banyak.”
“Terima kasih kembali.”
Politeness/Attention
Getting attention or apologizing.
“Maaf, saya tidak tahu.”
“Permisi, boleh tanya?”
Inquiry
Asking for basic assistance.
“Bisa bahasa Inggris?”
“Berapa harganya?”
Survival Phrase Structure
| Function | Phrase | Literal Meaning | Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greeting | Selamat pagi | Safe morning | Morning |
| Gratitude | Terima kasih | Receive love | Thanks |
| Apology | Maaf | Forgive | Sorry |
| Request | Tolong | Help | Please |
| Inquiry | Di mana | At where | Where |
| Permission | Permisi | Excuse me | Passing |
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Phrase + ya | Terima kasih ya |
| Negative | Tidak + Verb | Tidak tahu |
| Question | Phrase + kah? | Berapakah? |
| Request | Tolong + Verb | Tolong bantu |
| Polite | Boleh + Verb | Boleh tanya |
| Apology | Maaf + Subject | Maaf saya |
| Greeting | Selamat + Time | Selamat siang |
격식 수준 스펙트럼
Terima kasih banyak (Gratitude)
Terima kasih (Gratitude)
Makasih (Gratitude)
Makasih ya (Gratitude)
Survival Phrase Map
Social
- Halo Hello
Politeness
- Maaf Sorry
Formal vs Informal
When to say Maaf
Did you bump someone?
Phrase Categories
Travel
- • Di mana
- • Berapa
- • Tolong
수준별 예문
Terima kasih.
Thank you.
Maaf.
Sorry.
Permisi.
Excuse me.
Halo.
Hello.
Berapa harganya?
How much is it?
Di mana toilet?
Where is the toilet?
Bisa bahasa Inggris?
Can you speak English?
Saya mau ini.
I want this.
Boleh minta tolong?
May I ask for help?
Maaf, saya tidak mengerti.
Sorry, I don't understand.
Apakah ini arah ke stasiun?
Is this the direction to the station?
Terima kasih banyak atas bantuannya.
Thank you very much for your help.
Permisi, apakah Anda punya waktu sebentar?
Excuse me, do you have a moment?
Mohon maaf atas keterlambatan saya.
I apologize for my delay.
Bisa tolong jelaskan lagi?
Could you please explain again?
Terima kasih atas kerja samanya.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Maaf mengganggu, tapi boleh saya bertanya?
Sorry to disturb, but may I ask?
Terima kasih atas perhatiannya.
Thank you for your attention.
Mohon dimaklumi.
Please understand.
Boleh saya minta saran?
May I ask for advice?
Saya sangat menghargai bantuan Anda.
I truly appreciate your help.
Mohon maaf jika ada kesalahan.
I apologize if there were any mistakes.
Terima kasih telah meluangkan waktu.
Thank you for sparing your time.
Boleh saya minta izin?
May I ask for permission?
혼동하기 쉬운
Both are used for politeness.
Mixing up thanks and you're welcome.
Both mean 'can'.
자주 하는 실수
Terima
Terima kasih
Maaf saya
Maaf
Halo kamu
Halo
Tolong terima
Terima kasih
Berapa ini?
Berapa harganya?
Di mana toiletnya?
Di mana toilet?
Bisa bicara Inggris?
Bisa bahasa Inggris?
Permisi saya lewat
Permisi
Terima kasih banyak sekali
Terima kasih banyak
Maaf untuk itu
Maaf
Mohon maaf atas ketidaknyamanan ini
Mohon maaf
Terima kasih atas bantuannya yang besar
Terima kasih banyak
Permisi, boleh saya lewat?
Permisi
문장 패턴
___, di mana ___?
Berapa ___?
Boleh ___?
Terima kasih ___.
Real World Usage
Berapa harganya?
Permisi, ke hotel.
Terima kasih.
Permisi.
Maaf, boleh tanya?
Makasih!
Smile
Don't be too direct
Use 'ya'
Respect
Smart Tips
Always start with 'Permisi'.
Use 'Berapa harganya?'.
Use 'Maaf' instead of 'Sorry'.
Use 'Boleh'.
발음
Vowels
Indonesian vowels are pure and short.
Question
Bisa bahasa Inggris? ↑
Rising pitch at the end.
암기하기
기억법
Think of 'Terima kasih' as 'Receive (Terima) Love (Kasih)'.
시각적 연상
Imagine handing a gift to a friend while saying 'Terima kasih'.
Rhyme
For help you say tolong, for thanks you say terima kasih.
Story
Budi arrives in Jakarta. He says 'Selamat pagi' to the taxi driver. He asks 'Di mana hotel?' and thanks him with 'Terima kasih'.
Word Web
챌린지
Use three survival phrases in a single conversation today.
문화 노트
Politeness is extremely important here.
Derived from Malay roots.
대화 시작하기
Halo, apa kabar?
Bisa bahasa Inggris?
Permisi, di mana stasiun?
Boleh saya duduk di sini?
일기 주제
Test Yourself
Terima ___.
What do you say to pass someone?
Find and fix the mistake:
Berapa ini?
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Sorry
Answer starts with: Maa...
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: Berapa harganya? B: ___
Boleh / saya / tanya
Score: /8
연습 문제
8 exercisesTerima ___.
What do you say to pass someone?
Find and fix the mistake:
Berapa ini?
kasih / terima / banyak
Sorry
Tolong
A: Berapa harganya? B: ___
Boleh / saya / tanya
Score: /8
자주 묻는 질문 (8)
No, it has no verb conjugation.
When passing or starting a talk.
Only with close friends.
Terima kasih.
A polite filler.
In tourist areas, yes.
It makes requests polite.
It depends on the context.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Gracias
Indonesian is more indirect.
Merci
French has more formal variations.
Danke
German has more complex grammar.
Sumimasen
Japanese is more hierarchical.
Shukran
Arabic has gendered forms.
Xiexie
Chinese is tonal.