Bayar harga
Pay the price
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use 'bayar harga' to talk about paying for items or facing the consequences of your actions.
- Means: To pay the literal cost or the figurative consequence.
- Used in: Shopping, discussing mistakes, or describing hard work for success.
- Don't confuse: With 'bayar perhatian' (wrong translation for 'pay attention').
Explanation at your level:
Signification
To pay the cost of something
Contexte culturel
In traditional markets (pasar), 'bayar harga' is preceded by 'tawar-menawar' (bargaining). Paying the price without bargaining is often seen as a sign of being a 'turis' (tourist) or wealthy. The concept of 'Ngundhuh wohing pakarti' (reaping what you sow) is the Javanese equivalent of 'bayar harga'. It emphasizes that every action has a cost that must be settled in this life or the next. In big cities like Jakarta, 'bayar harga' is often used in the context of 'gengsi' (prestige). People are willing to 'bayar harga mahal' for brands to maintain social status. In news reports, 'bayar harga' is frequently used when a criminal is sentenced, framing the prison time as a 'payment' to society.
Use 'Membayar' for Writing
When writing an email or an essay, always use the prefix 'mem-' to sound more professional.
Avoid Literal English Idioms
Don't say 'bayar kunjungan' for 'pay a visit'. Use 'berkunjung' instead.
Signification
To pay the cost of something
Use 'Membayar' for Writing
When writing an email or an essay, always use the prefix 'mem-' to sound more professional.
Avoid Literal English Idioms
Don't say 'bayar kunjungan' for 'pay a visit'. Use 'berkunjung' instead.
The 'Atas' Rule
When talking about consequences, always follow 'bayar harga' with 'atas' (e.g., bayar harga atas kesalahan).
Bargaining Context
If a seller says 'Harga pas', it means 'fixed price' and you cannot negotiate further before you 'bayar'.
Teste-toi
Fill in the blank with the correct form of 'bayar harga'.
Kalau kamu tidak jujur, suatu hari nanti kamu akan ______.
In this context of consequences, 'bayar harga' is the correct idiomatic expression.
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly in a literal sense?
Pilih kalimat yang benar:
Sentence A is a wrong translation of 'pay attention'. Sentence C is socially incorrect. Sentence B is a standard literal transaction.
Complete the dialogue.
Andi: 'Aku gagal ujian lagi.' Budi: 'Ya, itu ______ karena kamu main game terus.'
Budi is pointing out the consequence of Andi's actions using the common idiom.
Match the phrase variation to the situation.
1. Membayar harga mahal (A. Business failure), 2. Bayar harga grosir (B. Buying in bulk), 3. Menebus kesalahan (C. Apologizing/Atone)
Each variation fits a specific context: high cost for failure, bulk pricing for shopping, and atonement for mistakes.
🎉 Score : /4
Aides visuelles
Questions fréquentes
12 questionsYes, it is neutral and polite. However, in very formal settings, 'membayar harga' is preferred.
Usually, for bills, we say 'bayar tagihan'. 'Bayar harga' sounds more like you are paying for a specific item's value.
'Harga' is the price tag on an item. 'Biaya' is the 'cost' or 'expense' of an activity (like 'biaya sekolah').
Yes, many pop songs use it to describe the pain of love or the cost of betrayal.
It's better to say 'Minta bon' (Check please) or 'Saya mau bayar'. 'Bayar harga' is a bit too descriptive for the moment of payment.
Often, yes, when used figuratively. It implies a loss or a sacrifice.
You say 'Tidak sebanding dengan harganya' or 'Harganya tidak masuk akal'.
No, for taxes we use 'bayar pajak'.
Yes, 'kena batunya' is the most common slang for paying the price of a mistake.
No! Use 'memberi pujian'.
It means a price is non-negotiable, or a principle is absolute.
Yes, to describe market costs or the consequences of business decisions.
Expressions liées
Harga mati
similarFixed price / Non-negotiable
Harga diri
builds onSelf-esteem / Honor
Membayar hutang
similarTo pay a debt
Kena batunya
synonymTo get what's coming to you
Cuma-cuma
contrastFree of charge
Où l'utiliser
At a traditional market
Penjual: Ini mangganya, totalnya lima puluh ribu.
Pembeli: Oke, saya bayar harganya sekarang ya.
Talking about a hangover
Andi: Aduh, kepalaku sakit sekali pagi ini.
Budi: Ya, itu harga yang harus kamu bayar karena minum terlalu banyak semalam.
Job Interview
Pewawancara: Posisi ini butuh kerja lembur setiap minggu.
Kandidat: Saya siap membayar harganya demi kemajuan karir saya.
Discussing a news story
Siti: Koruptor itu akhirnya dipenjara sepuluh tahun.
Agus: Dia memang harus bayar harga atas apa yang dia lakukan.
At the gym
Trainer: Ayo, satu set lagi! Jangan menyerah!
Client: Capek banget, tapi saya tahu saya harus bayar harga untuk badan sehat.
Online Shopping
Customer Service: Silakan bayar harga pesanan Anda sebelum jam 12 malam.
User: Baik, saya akan bayar lewat transfer bank.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Bayar' as 'Buy' and 'Harga' as 'Hard-cash'. You pay hard cash for what you get.
Visual Association
Imagine a person standing at a checkout counter, but instead of a shirt, they are handing over a clock (representing time) or a heart (representing effort).
Rhyme
Bayar harga, jangan lupa. Ada dosa, ada pahala.
Story
Budi wanted to be a famous singer. He didn't hang out with friends; he practiced every night. People asked why he was so tired. Budi said, 'I must bayar harga for my dream.' Years later, he stood on stage and knew the price was worth it.
Word Web
Défi
Next time you buy something, say 'Saya mau bayar harganya' to yourself. Then, think of one goal you have and identify the 'harga' you need to pay for it.
In Other Languages
Pagar el precio
Spanish uses the definite article 'el' more strictly than Indonesian.
Payer le prix
French often adds 'fort' (strong/high) to emphasize the consequence.
Den Preis bezahlen
German grammar requires case marking on 'den Preis' (accusative).
代償を払う (Daishō o harau)
Japanese distinguishes between the 'price' of an object and the 'price' of a consequence using different nouns.
دفع الثمن (Dafa'a al-thaman)
The word 'thaman' specifically refers to the value agreed upon.
付出代价 (Fùchū dàijià)
For literal shopping, Chinese uses 'fù qián' (pay money), not 'pay price'.
대가를 치르다 (Daegareul chireuda)
The verb 'chireuda' is specifically used for paying costs or undergoing ceremonies.
Pagar o preço
None, the mapping is almost 1:1.
Easily Confused
Learners think it means 'pay attention' because of English.
In Indonesian, you 'give' (kasih/beri) or 'do' (memperhatikan) attention, you don't 'pay' it like money.
Learners mix up 'buy' and 'pay'.
You 'buy' (beli) the item, but you 'pay' (bayar) the price.
FAQ (12)
Yes, it is neutral and polite. However, in very formal settings, 'membayar harga' is preferred.
Usually, for bills, we say 'bayar tagihan'. 'Bayar harga' sounds more like you are paying for a specific item's value.
'Harga' is the price tag on an item. 'Biaya' is the 'cost' or 'expense' of an activity (like 'biaya sekolah').
Yes, many pop songs use it to describe the pain of love or the cost of betrayal.
It's better to say 'Minta bon' (Check please) or 'Saya mau bayar'. 'Bayar harga' is a bit too descriptive for the moment of payment.
Often, yes, when used figuratively. It implies a loss or a sacrifice.
You say 'Tidak sebanding dengan harganya' or 'Harganya tidak masuk akal'.
No, for taxes we use 'bayar pajak'.
Yes, 'kena batunya' is the most common slang for paying the price of a mistake.
No! Use 'memberi pujian'.
It means a price is non-negotiable, or a principle is absolute.
Yes, to describe market costs or the consequences of business decisions.
