LEARN INDONESIAN GREETINGS AND CIVILITIES
Greetings
To learn Indonesian greetings and civilities is very useful, as you will constantly be meeting with people, so it is polite to use the correct terms. In English we say 'Good morning’ or 'Good evening’ or ‘Good night’, depending on the time of the day. It’s the same in Indonesian
| Good afternoon (3 – 7 pm) | | | | Good evening (after dark) | | |
Civilities
In the Indonesian culture it can be a sign of politeness not to accept an offer when it is first made. So don’t be offended by a refusal, just repeat and it will most likely be accepted.
Common civilities that you will use are:
| Good bye (you’re leaving) |
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| Good bye (others leave, you’re staying) |
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Selamat comes from the Arabic word, salam, and means, ‘may your action be blessed’. When this word is used with ‘morning’ or ‘evening’ then it translates into something like ‘Have a nice morning / evening’. Selamat is a word used quite often with other words.
In Indonesian there are two words for ‘please’. Tolong is used when you are making a request or asking someone to do something for you. If you are offering something to someone then you use silakan
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| Tolong tutup jendelanya itu |
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There are several words that can be used to say ‘Thank you’ or offer an apology
| You’re welcome (colloquial) |
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| Excuse me (passing in front of a person) |
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| Pardon? (what did you say?) |
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Forms of Address
There are several forms of address used in Indonesia. Most common is Bapak ‘Father’ and Ibu ‘Mother’. They are also used for situations that require a degree of respect or for formal situations, such as in government departments, for example. Saudara literally means ‘brother’ or ‘sister’ and can also be used to mean ‘you’. Kamu or adik can also be used.
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