🇮🇩 Basic Indonesian Phrases

Don't worry—you don't need to speak Indonesian to travel around Bali. Most people working in tourism speak English.

But once you start exploring beyond the popular tourist spots, English becomes much less common. Learning a few basic Indonesian phrases will make your trip easier, help you communicate with locals, and often bring a smile to their faces.

Here are the phrases I think you'll use almost every day.

👋 Basic Everyday Words

These are the words you'll probably use every single day.

• Halo — Hello

• Terima kasih — Thank you

• Makasih — Thanks

• Sama-sama — You're welcome

• Tolong — Please / Help

• Permisi — Excuse me

• Sampai Jumpa — See You

• Maaf — Sorry

• Ya — Yes

• Tidak — No

💛 Local Tip:

People in Bali are very friendly. A simple "Terima kasih" almost always gets a smile.

🍛 Ordering Food

Eating local food? These are the most useful phrases to know.

• Berapa ini? — How much is this?

• Tidak pedas, ya. — Not spicy, please.

• Sedikit pedas. — A little spicy.

• Enak! — Delicious!

• Saya suka ini! — I love this!

• Air putih. — Drinking water.

• Tanpa es. — Without ice

• Tanpa gula — Without sugar

Ya = People add "ya" to many sentences. It makes them sound friendlier.

☕ At Your Hotel or Villa

• Can you help me? — Bisa bantu saya?

• I need a taxi — Saya butuh taksi

• Pay by Cash — Bayar pakai tunai

• Pay by Card — Bayar pakai kartu

❤️ Words You'll Hear All the Time

These are words locals use every day.

• Murah — Cheap.

• Mahal — Expensive.

• Macet — Traffic.

• Pelan-pelan — Slowly.

• Hati-hati — Take care / Be careful.

• Sebentar — One moment.

• Sudah — Already / Finished.

• Belum — Not yet.

• Bule — A foreigner (usually Western). But don't worry it's not rude. You'll often hear people say "Ada bule."

Even if your pronunciation isn't perfect, locals will appreciate that you made the effort—and it often leads to friendlier conversations and a few extra smiles along the way.