Indonesian Phrases for Travel: Thank You (Terima Kasih), Asking for the Bill, Numbers and 30 Useful Words

5 November 20266 November 2026

You do not need to speak Indonesian to enjoy a trip to Bali or Lombok, but about 30 words and phrases will change how your days go. “Terima kasih” (thank you), a greeting that fits the time of day, the numbers for paying, and a way to ask for the bill are enough to get a smile at a market stall, a warung (a small local eatery) or your guesthouse. You do not need grammar for this; you need a few phrases you can say without thinking.

This guide gives ten greetings, the numbers and phrases for shopping, what to say at a warung, phrases for when you are stuck, and a few pronunciation tips, each with a rough English sound guide and the situation where you would use it. Pick two or three you are likely to need, say them out loud a few times before you go, and use them on your first day.

Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) is written in the Latin alphabet and is mostly read as it is spelled, so you can usually pronounce a word you see on a menu or sign. Verbs do not change for tense or person, and many everyday phrases are just a few words strung together. In tourist areas English is widely used, but in markets, warungs and villages a word of Indonesian goes a long way.

Information as of November 2026

What this article covers

✓Ten greetings, and which one to use at what time of day
✓Numbers 1 to 10, how prices are said, and phrases for markets
✓Ordering, saying it is delicious and asking for the bill at a warung
✓Phrases for when you do not understand or need help
✓Five pronunciation tips, and a word of Sasak for Lombok

In short

Learn “terima kasih” (thank you) first. Greetings change with the time of day: selamat pagi in the morning, selamat siang around midday, selamat sore in the afternoon and selamat malam after sunset. For prices, ask “berapa harganya?” (how much is it?), and at a warung ask for the bill with “minta bon” or “tolong bonnya”.

Contents

Ten greetings

Start with these ten. The sound guides are approximate; say each syllable clearly and evenly, without the strong stresses of English. Indonesian greetings change with the time of day, and using the right one is noticed. Babbel’s travel cheat sheet gives the usual ranges: selamat pagi until 11 a.m., selamat siang from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., selamat sore from 3 p.m. until sunset and selamat malam after sunset.

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Phrase	Sounds like	Meaning	When to use it
Selamat pagi	suh-LAH-mat PAH-gee	Good morning	Until about 11 a.m.
Selamat siang	suh-LAH-mat SEE-ahng	Good day	About 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Selamat sore	suh-LAH-mat SOH-ray	Good afternoon	About 3 p.m. to sunset
Selamat malam	suh-LAH-mat MAH-lahm	Good evening	After sunset
Terima kasih	tuh-REE-mah KAH-see	Thank you	Any time someone helps you
Sama-sama	SAH-mah SAH-mah	You are welcome	When someone thanks you
Permisi	pur-MEE-see	Excuse me	To get attention or pass someone
Maaf	mah-AHF	Sorry	To apologise, or for a small bump
Apa kabar?	AH-pah KAH-bar	How are you?	A friendly opener
Sampai jumpa	SAHM-pie JOOM-pah	See you	When leaving

“Terima kasih” is the phrase you will use most: after shopping, when someone gives directions, when someone takes your photo. If you are not sure which time-of-day greeting fits, “selamat siang” is a safe choice during the day. “Permisi” is the all-purpose way to get past someone in a narrow lane or to call a member of staff. When someone asks “apa kabar?”, the usual answer is “baik” (fine), which gives you a two-line conversation straight away.

With older people, or staff older than you, add “Bapak” (sir) or “Ibu” (madam), often shortened to “Pak” and “Bu”. “Terima kasih, Bu” is a thank-you with a touch of respect, and it is noticed. “Permisi” and “maaf” can both be translated “excuse me”, but “permisi” is for getting attention or passing by, while “maaf” is for apologising.

On Lombok, many people speak Sasak, the island’s own language, at home. Good News From Indonesia (December 2024) gives the polite Sasak for thank you as “matur tampiasih”, with “tampiasih” as the casual form, and “selamat kelemak” for good morning. Indonesian is understood everywhere on the island, so “terima kasih” works fine; a word of Sasak is a way to start a conversation in a village.

Numbers and shopping

At markets and small shops many items have no price tag, so numbers 1 to 10 and a way to ask the price are worth learning. Being able to catch a number makes paying much easier.

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Number	Indonesian	Sounds like
1	Satu	SAH-too
2	Dua	DOO-ah
3	Tiga	TEE-gah
4	Empat	um-PAHT
5	Lima	LEE-mah
6	Enam	uh-NAHM
7	Tujuh	TOO-joo
8	Delapan	duh-LAH-pahn
9	Sembilan	sum-BEE-lahn
10	Sepuluh	suh-POO-loo

Prices are usually said in thousands: “ribu” means thousand, so “lima puluh ribu” is 50 thousand, Rp50,000 (“puluh” makes tens: dua puluh is 20, lima puluh is 50). Backpack Moments lists “seribu” for 1,000 and “dua ribu” for 2,000. You will not always catch the whole number, and that is fine: a calculator app or the price typed on a phone screen fills the gap. The same numbers help when agreeing a fare with a driver or checking an amount at a money changer.

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Phrase	Sounds like	Meaning	When to use it
Berapa harganya?	buh-RAH-pah har-GAH-nyah	How much is it?	Asking a price
Boleh kurang?	BOH-leh KOO-rahng	Can you go lower?	Opening a bargain
Mahal	MAH-hahl	Expensive	When the price seems high
Saya mau ini	SAH-yah MAH-oo EE-nee	I would like this	Pointing at an item

“Boleh kurang?” is the standard way to ask for a lower price. At markets, bargaining is part of the exchange, and asking with a smile often turns into a short conversation. If the first price seems high, a light “mahal” may bring a better offer. Do not bargain in supermarkets, convenience stores or restaurants with fixed prices; the rules for markets and for shops are different.

Figure: Bargaining at a market, in four phrases

When buying several items, point and say “saya mau ini” (I would like this), then add a number such as “dua” (two). To practise ordering at a market stall, try our market ordering game, where you pick the replies in Indonesian.

At a warung

A warung is a small local eatery or shop, found on almost every street and in every village. Prices are lower than in tourist restaurants and the food is home cooking. It is also one of the easiest places to talk to people: a word of Indonesian about the food often brings a smile from the kitchen.

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Phrase	Sounds like	Meaning	When to use it
Enak	EH-nahk	Delicious	After eating
Pedas	puh-DAHS	Spicy	Talking about chilli
Tidak pedas	TEE-dahk puh-DAHS	Not spicy	When ordering
Air putih	AH-eer POO-tee	Plain water	Ordering a drink
Minta bon / Tolong bonnya	MIN-tah bon / TOH-long BON-nyah	The bill, please	When you want to pay
Berapa semuanya?	buh-RAH-pah suh-MOO-ah-nyah	How much altogether?	Where there is no bill

“Enak” is the easiest compliment: a thumbs-up and “enak” towards the kitchen says it all. If you do not eat chilli, say “tidak pedas” when you order; Backpack Moments also gives “kurang pedas” for less spicy and “lebih pedas” for more spicy. Dish names such as nasi goreng (fried rice), mie goreng (fried noodles) and sate (skewers) are read as written, so you can order by pointing at the menu and saying the name.

Many warungs have no printed bill, so “berapa semuanya?” gets you the total. Indonesia is a Muslim-majority country and most eateries follow halal practice, so dishes without pork are the norm; if you need to check, ask “ada babi?” (is there pork in it?). Tap water is not safe to drink in many areas, so when you order “air putih”, check that it comes in a sealed bottle. For more on food, see our Lombok food guide.

When you are stuck

A few phrases for when communication breaks down:

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Phrase	Sounds like	Meaning	When to use it
Tolong	TOH-long	Please / Help	Asking for help or a favour
Saya tidak mengerti	SAH-yah TEE-dahk mung-ER-tee	I do not understand	When you cannot follow
Bisa bahasa Inggris?	BEE-sah bah-HAH-sah ING-gris	Do you speak English?	When you need English
Di mana toilet?	dee MAH-nah TOY-let	Where is the toilet?	Asking where something is

“Tolong” works both as “help” and as the “please” at the start of a request: “tolong bantu saya” means “please help me”. “Di mana …?” (where is …?) works with any noun, so swap “toilet” for “ATM” or a place name. If the conversation still stalls, there is no need to struggle on in Indonesian; a translation app on your phone, ideally one that works offline, covers the rest.

Pronunciation tips

A few rules make Indonesian much easier to be understood in:

Five pronunciation tips

✓Vowels stay the same: a as in “father”, i as in “machine”, u as in “rule”, o as in “for”. The letter e is often a short “uh” (as in “selamat”) and sometimes “eh” (as in “enak”)
✓c is always “ch”: “cari” (to look for) sounds like “chah-ree”, never “kah-ree”
✓Final consonants are light: the k at the end of “enak” is barely released. Do not force it
✓Keep an even rhythm: there is no strong stress as in English. Speak each syllable clearly and evenly
✓ng is one sound: as in English “singer”, not “finger”, even at the start of a syllable

Figure: Five pronunciation tips

Do not worry about getting it perfect. Even with an imperfect accent, people usually work out what you mean from the situation, your expression and your gestures, and the effort itself is appreciated. A good way to practise is to listen to a phrase in a translation app and repeat it straight after; going through the ten greetings a few times on the way to the airport makes your first “selamat pagi” much easier.

Frequently asked questions

Q. Can I travel in Indonesia without speaking Indonesian?

Yes. English is used at hotels and in tourist areas, but in markets, warungs and villages it may not be. A few greetings and the numbers make those places much easier, and the 30 or so phrases here cover most travel situations.

Q. Are Indonesian and Malay the same?

They are closely related and share much basic vocabulary and grammar, but they are not identical: some words and expressions differ. The phrases here are standard Indonesian and are understood across Indonesia. Bali and Lombok also have their own languages, Balinese and Sasak, but visitors can get by in Indonesian.

Q. Is it rude to mispronounce something?

No. Effort to use the local language is usually welcomed, and a mistake is rarely taken badly. If you are not understood, smile and say it again more slowly.

Q. How do you say thank you on Lombok?

In Indonesian, “terima kasih”, understood everywhere. In Sasak, Lombok’s own language, the polite form is “matur tampiasih” (Good News From Indonesia, 2024).

Summary

You do not need fluent Indonesian. “Terima kasih”, a greeting that fits the time of day, the numbers and around 30 phrases for markets and warungs are enough to start conversations wherever you go. Because Indonesian is written in the Latin alphabet and read largely as it is spelled, most visitors can say these phrases from the first day. Save a few favourites in your phone’s notes so you can look them up on the spot.

Try your phrases on the first people you meet, at the airport or your accommodation. Once a first “terima kasih” or “selamat pagi” lands, it becomes natural to use more. For local customs around tipping and the right hand, see tipping and manners in Indonesia.