A1 Collocation غیر رسمی

Cari kerja

Look for work

Phrase in 30 Seconds

Cari kerja is the essential Indonesian phrase for 'looking for a job' in everyday conversation.

  • Means: Searching for employment or looking for a job.
  • Used in: Casual chats with friends, family discussions, and social media.
  • Don't confuse: With 'mencari pekerjaan', which is the formal version for resumes.
🔍 (Search) + 💼 (Work) = 🏃‍♂️ (Job Hunting)

Explanation at your level:

At this level, 'cari kerja' is a simple tool. You use it to tell people your basic status. It's just two words: 'cari' (search) and 'kerja' (work). You don't need to worry about complex grammar or prefixes. If you are in Indonesia and someone asks what you are doing, you can just say 'Saya cari kerja'. It is very easy to remember and use immediately.
You can now start adding time markers and locations to the phrase. For example, 'Saya cari kerja di Bali' or 'Saya cari kerja bulan depan'. You understand that 'cari' is a shorter version of 'mencari'. You can use this phrase to ask others for help or information about job vacancies in a simple, polite way during casual conversations.
At the intermediate level, you begin to distinguish between 'cari kerja' (informal) and 'mencari pekerjaan' (formal). You can describe your job-seeking process in more detail, using related terms like 'lowongan' (vacancy) and 'wawancara' (interview). You can discuss the difficulties of the job market and use the phrase in more complex sentence structures involving conjunctions like 'karena' (because) or 'walaupun' (although).
You use 'cari kerja' fluently in social contexts while seamlessly switching to 'mencari pekerjaan' in professional settings. You understand the nuance of using 'ngelamar' versus 'cari'. You can participate in discussions about unemployment rates or the 'gig economy' in Indonesia, using 'cari kerja' to refer to the general struggle of the youth or specific demographic groups in the current economic climate.
Your mastery allows you to analyze the sociolinguistic implications of the phrase. You recognize how 'cari kerja' reflects the informalization of the Indonesian language in urban centers. You can use the phrase in satirical or idiomatic ways and understand its use in literature or high-level journalism to evoke a certain 'everyman' feel. You are aware of regional variations and how 'cari kerja' might be replaced by local dialects.
You possess a near-native grasp of the phrase's cognitive associations. You can discuss the etymological evolution from the root 'cari' and 'kerja' and how the phrase interacts with Indonesian labor laws and cultural concepts like 'gengsi' (prestige). You can manipulate the phrase for rhetorical effect in public speaking, perhaps contrasting the simplicity of 'cari kerja' with the bureaucratic complexity of 'mencari pekerjaan' to make a political or social point.

معنی

Searching for employment

🌍

زمینه فرهنگی

Job hunting is often seen as a family responsibility. Relatives will actively look for 'info loker' for you. The term 'nyari gawe' is very popular among the youth and creative industry workers. Twitter (X) and Instagram are huge for 'cari kerja'. People use the term 'info loker' to ask for leads. Despite the informal 'cari kerja', having a 'LinkedIn' profile is now mandatory for white-collar job seekers in big cities.

💡

Use 'Lagi'

Always add 'lagi' (currently) to sound more natural: 'Lagi cari kerja'.

⚠️

Avoid 'Melihat'

Never say 'melihat kerja' for 'looking for a job'. It sounds like you are literally watching someone work.

معنی

Searching for employment

💡

Use 'Lagi'

Always add 'lagi' (currently) to sound more natural: 'Lagi cari kerja'.

⚠️

Avoid 'Melihat'

Never say 'melihat kerja' for 'looking for a job'. It sounds like you are literally watching someone work.

💬

The 'Orang Dalam' Factor

When someone says they are 'cari kerja', it's a social cue to offer any leads you might have.

خودت رو بسنج

Fill in the blank with the correct word to complete the phrase 'looking for a job'.

Saya sedang ____ kerja di Jakarta.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: cari

'Cari' is the correct verb for searching/looking for something.

Which sentence is the most natural way to say 'I am looking for a job' to a friend?

Choose the best option:

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Saya lagi cari kerja.

'Lagi' adds the 'currently' meaning, and 'cari kerja' is the natural collocation.

Match the Indonesian phrase with its English meaning.

Match the following:

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: Cari kerja : Looking for work

These are the four stages of employment in Indonesian.

Complete the dialogue.

A: Kamu sudah kerja? B: Belum, saya masih ____.

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: cari kerja

The speaker is saying they are still looking for work.

Match the phrase to the correct context.

Where would you most likely see the word 'Loker'?

✓ درسته! ✗ نه دقیقاً. پاسخ صحیح: On a job vacancy poster

'Loker' stands for 'Lowongan Kerja' (Job Vacancy).

🎉 امتیاز: /5

ابزارهای بصری یادگیری

Formal vs Informal

Informal (Daily)
Cari kerja Looking for work
Formal (Resume)
Mencari pekerjaan Searching for employment

سوالات متداول

14 سوال

Yes, it is neutral and polite for most daily situations. Just use 'mencari pekerjaan' for formal documents.

'Cari kerja' is the whole process of searching. 'Ngelamar kerja' is specifically the act of applying.

No, use 'Mencari tantangan baru' or 'Mencari pekerjaan' instead.

You say 'Saya sudah dapat kerja'.

Yes, it is identical and perfectly understood in Malaysia.

It is an abbreviation for 'Lowongan Kerja' (Job Vacancy).

In casual Indonesian, prefixes are often dropped to make speech faster and more relaxed.

Yes, that is a middle ground between informal and formal.

Say: 'Ada info cari kerja tidak?'

Yes, but you can be more specific: 'cari kerja sampingan'.

It is a slang version of 'cari kerja' popular in Jakarta.

No, Indonesian verbs do not change based on the person (I, you, they).

It can be competitive, which is why 'cari kerja' is a very common topic of conversation.

There isn't a direct opposite, but 'buka lowongan' (opening a vacancy) is what employers do.

عبارات مرتبط

🔗

Lowongan kerja

similar

Job vacancy

🔗

Wawancara kerja

builds on

Job interview

🔗

Pengangguran

contrast

Unemployment/Unemployed person

🔗

Kerja serabutan

specialized form

Odd jobs

🔗

Mencari nafkah

similar

Seeking a livelihood

🔗

Ngelamar kerja

similar

Applying for a job

کجا استفاده کنیم

☕

At a coffee shop with a friend

Andi: Lagi sibuk apa sekarang?

Budi: Lagi cari kerja nih, sudah dua bulan menganggur.

informal
🍲

Family dinner

Ibu: Gimana, sudah ada panggilan?

Anak: Belum Bu, masih cari kerja yang cocok.

neutral
📱

Asking for a referral

Siska: Eh, di kantormu ada lowongan tidak?

Rian: Kenapa? Kamu mau cari kerja baru?

informal
🎓

Graduation day

Dosen: Selamat ya! Apa rencana setelah ini?

Lulusan: Terima kasih Pak. Saya mau langsung cari kerja.

neutral
🚕

Talking to a taxi driver

Supir: Mau ke mana Dek?

Penumpang: Ke Sudirman Pak, mau cari kerja, ada interview.

informal
🤳

Browsing social media

User A: Info loker dong Kak.

User B: Coba cek hashtag #CariKerja di Twitter.

informal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Cari' as 'Carry' and 'Kerja' as 'Career'. You 'Carry' your CV to start your 'Career'.

Visual Association

Imagine a person holding a large magnifying glass (Cari) over a briefcase (Kerja) while walking through a busy city street.

Rhyme

Cari kerja, jangan manja! (Look for work, don't be spoiled!)

Story

Budi lost his wallet. He needed money. He decided to 'Cari' (search) for 'Kerja' (work). He went to every shop in the mall until he found a job at a bakery.

Word Web

MencariPekerjaanLowonganLamarWawancaraGajiKantorBos

چالش

Try to find 3 'Loker' (job vacancy) signs on the street or on Indonesian social media today and say 'Saya mau cari kerja' out loud.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

Buscar trabajo

Spanish requires the verb to be conjugated (busco), while Indonesian 'cari' remains the same.

French moderate

Chercher du travail

The inclusion of 'du' in French vs no article in Indonesian.

German high

Arbeit suchen

Word order and German's case system for more complex sentences.

Japanese moderate

仕事を探す (Shigoto o sagasu)

The use of the particle 'o' and the verb-final word order.

Arabic partial

البحث عن عمل (al-bahth 'an 'amal)

The mandatory use of a preposition in Arabic.

Chinese high

找工作 (Zhǎo gōngzuò)

Tonal pronunciation in Chinese vs non-tonal in Indonesian.

Korean moderate

일자리를 찾다 (Iljarireul chatda)

Agglutinative grammar and specific object markers.

Portuguese high

Procurar emprego

The choice between 'trabalho' (work) and 'emprego' (job/employment) is similar to the 'kerja/pekerjaan' distinction.

Easily Confused

Cari kerja در مقابل Mengerjakan

Learners confuse 'mencari kerja' with 'mengerjakan' because they both share the root 'kerja'.

'Mengerjakan' means 'to do/finish a task', while 'cari kerja' is to find a job.

Cari kerja در مقابل Bekerja

Learners use 'bekerja' (to work) when they mean 'cari kerja' (to look for work).

'Bekerja' is the act of doing the job you already have.

سوالات متداول (14)

Yes, it is neutral and polite for most daily situations. Just use 'mencari pekerjaan' for formal documents.

'Cari kerja' is the whole process of searching. 'Ngelamar kerja' is specifically the act of applying.

No, use 'Mencari tantangan baru' or 'Mencari pekerjaan' instead.

You say 'Saya sudah dapat kerja'.

Yes, it is identical and perfectly understood in Malaysia.

It is an abbreviation for 'Lowongan Kerja' (Job Vacancy).

In casual Indonesian, prefixes are often dropped to make speech faster and more relaxed.

Yes, that is a middle ground between informal and formal.

Say: 'Ada info cari kerja tidak?'

Yes, but you can be more specific: 'cari kerja sampingan'.

It is a slang version of 'cari kerja' popular in Jakarta.

No, Indonesian verbs do not change based on the person (I, you, they).

It can be competitive, which is why 'cari kerja' is a very common topic of conversation.

There isn't a direct opposite, but 'buka lowongan' (opening a vacancy) is what employers do.

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