Bahasa Indonesia Vocabulary List: 150 Essential Words by Category

Memorizing isolated words from a dictionary rarely helps in daily conversation. When you learn vocabulary grouped by practical context, your brain connects related concepts, making recall fast and natural when you are ordering food, negotiating market prices, or speaking with a doctor.

This categorized Bahasa Indonesia vocabulary list gathers 150 of the most frequently used words in modern spoken Indonesian, complete with phonetic hints and English translations.

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1. Greetings and Social Etiquette

Politeness forms the bedrock of Indonesian communication. Using these respectful greetings sets a warm, welcoming tone in any interaction:

Indonesian Word	Pronunciation	English Meaning
Selamat pagi	suh-LAH-mat PAH-gee	Good morning
Selamat siang	suh-LAH-mat SEE-ahng	Good midday (11am - 3pm)
Selamat sore	suh-LAH-mat SOH-ray	Good afternoon (3pm - 6:30pm)
Selamat malam	suh-LAH-mat MAH-lahm	Good evening
Terima kasih	tuh-REE-mah KAH-see	Thank you
Sama-sama	SAH-mah SAH-mah	You are welcome
Permisi	puhr-MEE-see	Excuse me / Pardon me
Maaf	mah-AHF	Sorry / Apologies
Tolong	TOH-lohng	Please (requesting help)
Silakan	see-LAH-kahn	Please go ahead / Welcome to do so

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2. Numbers and Currency Building Blocks

Because the Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) trades in thousands and millions, getting comfortable with number markers is critical for buying groceries, paying rent, and checking bills:

Number Word	English Meaning	Compound Example	Numerical Value
Satu / Dua / Tiga	One / Two / Three	tiga	3
Empat / Lima / Enam	Four / Five / Six	lima	5
Tujuh / Delapan / Sembilan	Seven / Eight / Nine	tujuh	7
Sepuluh	Ten	sepuluh	10
Belas	Teen (11-19)	lima belas	15
Puluh	Tens (20, 30, ...)	dua puluh	20
Ratus	Hundred	seratus / dua ratus	100 / 200
Ribu	Thousand	lima puluh ribu	50,000 IDR
Juta	Million	dua juta	2,000,000 IDR

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3. Food, Drinks, and Dining Out

Eating at local food stalls (warung) is one of the greatest pleasures of living in Indonesia. These terms let you customize orders accurately:

• Nasi = Cooked rice (nasi goreng = fried rice, nasi putih = plain white rice)
• Mie = Noodles (mie goreng = fried noodles, mie kuah = noodle soup)
• Ayam = Chicken (ayam bakar = grilled chicken, ayam goreng = fried chicken)
• Ikan = Fish | Sapi = Beef | Udang = Shrimp | Tahu = Tofu | Tempe = Tempeh
• Sayur = Vegetables | Telur = Egg (telur dadar = omelette, telur mata sapi = sunny side up)
• Pedas = Spicy | Tidak pedas = Not spicy | Sedikit pedas = A little spicy
• Manis = Sweet | Pahit = Bitter | Asin = Salty | Gurih = Savory
• Air putih = Plain drinking water (dingin = cold, hangat = warm)
• Es teh tawar = Iced tea without sugar | Es teh manis = Sweet iced tea
• Kopi = Coffee (kopi hitam = black coffee, kopi susu = coffee with condensed milk)
• Bungkus = Takeaway / to go | Makan di sini = Eat here

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4. Transport and Navigating Traffic

Whether you book rides on Gojek or Grab, take a taxi, or ride a scooter, these words keep your trips stress-free:

• Ojek = Motorcycle taxi
• Mobil = Car | Motor = Scooter / motorcycle
• Jalan = Street / road / to walk
• Belok kiri = Turn left | Belok kanan = Turn right
• Lurus terus = Go straight on
• Berhenti = Stop ("Berhenti di sini saja, Mas" = Stop right here, please)
• Putar balik = Make a U-turn
• Pertigaan = T-junction | Perempatan = Four-way intersection
• Lampu merah = Traffic light (literally "red light")
• Macet = Traffic jam
• Bensin = Gasoline / fuel
• Parkir = Parking

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5. Housing, Utilities, and Maintenance

For expats, digital nomads, and long-term travelers renting a villa, house, or boarding room (kos), domestic vocabulary saves countless hours:

• Rumah = House | Kamar = Room | Kamar mandi = Bathroom | Dapur = Kitchen
• Sewa = Rent (sewa bulanan = monthly rent, sewa tahunan = annual lease)
• Listrik = Electricity | Token listrik = Prepaid electricity meter code
• Air = Water | Air galon = 19-liter drinking water dispenser jug
• Gas elpiji = Cooking gas cylinder
• Kunci = Key | Pintu = Door | Jendela = Window
• Bocor = Leaking (pipes, roof, AC)
• Rusak = Broken / out of order
• Mati = Off / dead ("Listrik mati" = the power went out)
• Kotor = Dirty | Bersih = Clean
• Tukang = Handyman / technician (tukang AC = AC service technician)

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6. Shopping, Prices, and Bargaining

Traditional markets (pasar) and street kiosks require practical commercial terms:

• Berapa = How much ("Berapa harganya?" = How much is the price?)
• Mahal = Expensive | Murah = Cheap / affordable
• Bisa kurang? = Can you lower the price? (polite bargaining phrase)
• Harga pas = Fixed price (no bargaining)
• Beli = To buy | Jual = To sell
• Bayar = To pay ("Mau bayar tunai" = I want to pay cash)
• Kembalian = Change (money returned)
• Diskon = Discount | Gratis = Free of charge
• Pasar = Traditional market | Toko = Shop / store | Supermarket = Grocery store

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7. Health, Body, and Emergencies

When you feel unwell, having basic medical words ensures you receive the correct treatment:

• Sakit = Sick / painful / hurting ("Saya sakit" = I am sick)
• Sakit kepala / Pusing = Headache / dizzy
• Sakit perut = Stomach ache
• Demam = Fever | Batuk = Cough | Flu = Cold / flu
• Alergi = Allergy ("Saya alergi kacang" = I am allergic to peanuts)
• Dokter = Doctor | Apotek = Pharmacy / chemist
• Obat = Medicine | Resep = Prescription
• Rumah sakit = Hospital
• Tolong! = Help! (emergency distress call)
• Hati-hati = Be careful / watch out

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Build Active Recall With Everyday Practice

Learning a vocabulary list is only the first step. The real breakthrough happens when you combine these words into active spoken sentences during daily routines. Try using five words from this list today when ordering lunch, catching a ride, or chatting with your neighbors. To expand your vocabulary with audio pronunciation from native speakers and context-based lessons, sign up at Learn Indonesian Easy Way.