Terima kasih
Thank you
Say it in chunks: te-ri-ma ka-sih
The safest default. “Makasih” is a casual shortened form you will also hear.
The language to learn
Bahasa Indonesia
Indonesian is Indonesia's national and official language. It is used across the country in schools, government, media and communication between people from different regions. In Bali, it is the safest practical language for a visitor to learn because it works with Balinese locals and with Indonesians who have moved to Bali from elsewhere.
On this page, when we say Indonesian, we mean Bahasa Indonesia.
The local language
Balinese — Basa Bali
Balinese is a separate local language, not a Bali dialect of Indonesian. It remains important in family life, local identity, ceremonies, arts and traditional settings. It also has speech levels that change with context and social relationship, making it a more complex first language for a short-term visitor.
SuksmaBalinese: thank you
Om SwastiastuBalinese/Hindu greeting often heard in formal and cultural settings
So which should you learn? Indonesian. A few Balinese words are lovely to recognise, but for taxis, cafés, shops, hotels, markets and everyday conversations, basic Indonesian gives you the biggest return for the least effort.
Start here
25 phrases you can actually use
Filter by situation, tap 🔊 to hear your device's Indonesian voice, and tick phrases as you learn them.
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Terima kasih banyak
Thank you very much
Say it in chunks: te-ri-ma ka-sih ba-nyak
Use this when someone has genuinely gone out of their way to help.
Sama-sama
You're welcome
Say it in chunks: sa-ma sa-ma
A very common, friendly reply to “terima kasih”.
Tolong
Please / help
Say it in chunks: to-long
Use before a request: “Tolong…” It also means “Help!” when used by itself.
Silakan
Please / go ahead
Say it in chunks: si-la-kan
Use when inviting or offering: “Please, go ahead”, “Please sit”, “After you”.
Permisi
Excuse me
Say it in chunks: per-mi-si
Perfect when passing someone, entering a space or politely getting attention.
Maaf
Sorry
Say it in chunks: ma-af
For apologies. It can also soften a question: “Maaf…” then ask.
Ya / Tidak
Yes / No
Say it in chunks: ya / ti-dak
Simple and useful. In casual speech you may also hear “nggak” for no.
Apa kabar?
How are you?
Say it in chunks: a-pa ka-bar
A friendly greeting. A simple reply is “Baik, terima kasih.”
Baik, terima kasih
Good, thank you
Say it in chunks: ba-ik, te-ri-ma ka-sih
An easy response to “Apa kabar?”
Sampai jumpa
See you / goodbye
Say it in chunks: sam-pai jum-pa
A simple, natural goodbye for travellers.
Berapa harganya?
How much is it?
Say it in chunks: be-ra-pa har-ga-nya
Useful in shops and markets. “Berapa?” alone means “How much/how many?”
Saya mau ini
I'd like this
Say it in chunks: sa-ya ma-u i-ni
Simple and clear when ordering or pointing to something.
Tidak pedas, ya
Not spicy, please
Say it in chunks: ti-dak pe-das, ya
Useful if you genuinely want mild food. “Pedas” means spicy.
Air putih, tolong
Water, please
Say it in chunks: a-ir pu-tih, to-long
“Air putih” generally means plain drinking water.
Bisa bayar dengan kartu?
Can I pay by card?
Say it in chunks: bi-sa ba-yar de-ngan kar-tu
Useful before ordering or at smaller businesses.
Di mana toilet?
Where is the toilet?
Say it in chunks: di ma-na toi-let
One of the most useful travel sentences anywhere.
Di mana …?
Where is …?
Say it in chunks: di ma-na
Put a place after it: “Di mana pantai?” — Where is the beach?
Ke Ubud, tolong
To Ubud, please
Say it in chunks: ke u-bud, to-long
Swap Ubud for your destination when speaking to a driver.
Berhenti di sini, tolong
Stop here, please
Say it in chunks: ber-hen-ti di si-ni, to-long
Handy in a taxi or ride-hailing car.
Berapa lama?
How long?
Say it in chunks: be-ra-pa la-ma
Useful for travel time, waits and activities.
Tolong bantu saya
Please help me
Say it in chunks: to-long ban-tu sa-ya
A clear request for help.
Saya tidak mengerti
I don't understand
Say it in chunks: sa-ya ti-dak meng-er-ti
Useful when a conversation moves too quickly.
Bisa bicara lebih pelan?
Can you speak more slowly?
Say it in chunks: bi-sa bi-ca-ra le-bih pe-lan
“Lebih pelan” means more slowly / more softly.
Bisa bahasa Inggris?
Can you speak English?
Say it in chunks: bi-sa ba-ha-sa ing-gris
Short, natural and widely understood in a travel context.
One English word, three Indonesian ideas
“Please” is not one word
English speakers often try to find a single translation for please. Indonesian is more useful if you choose the word for the situation.
If you remember only one: use tolong when asking someone to do something for you.
Tolong“Please” when making a request — or “Help!” by itself.Tolong foto kami. — Please take our photo.
Silakan“Please / go ahead” when inviting, offering or giving someone permission.Silakan duduk. — Please sit / Have a seat.
MohonA more formal or respectful “please / kindly”. You will see it in signs, announcements and polite formal requests.Mohon tunggu. — Please wait.
Practice mode
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Indonesian is kinder than it looks
Indonesian spelling is relatively consistent, which is good news for beginners. Do not obsess over sounding perfect — speak clearly, keep the vowels clean, and locals will usually meet you halfway.
aroughly “ah”
iroughly “ee”
uroughly “oo”
clike “ch”
galways hard, as in “go”
jlike English “j”
nglike the end of “sing”
nysimilar to “ny” in “canyon”
rlightly rolled/tapped if you can
evaries — listen and copy
The syllable guides on this page are deliberately simple memory aids, not formal phonetic transcription.
Use Indonesian confidently — and recognise Balinese respectfully
You will hear both languages in Bali. Indonesian is the shared national language and the best practical choice for a visitor. Balinese (Basa Bali) is a distinct local language with its own cultural weight and speech levels. Many Balinese people switch between the two depending on who they are talking to and the setting.
If someone says “Suksma”, they are thanking you in Balinese. “Om Swastiastu” is a Balinese Hindu greeting often used in formal, ceremonial and cultural settings. You do not need to force either into every interaction; recognising them is already a useful sign that you understand Bali has its own language as well as Indonesian.
Language sources checked: Indonesia Travel's official Bahasa Indonesia guide and its Balinese language explainer. Phrase choices were kept intentionally beginner-friendly and travel-focused.
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