Learn Indonesian in a Week (9): The Essential Dictionary
Your ultimate reference guide! We’ve compiled the top 150 Indonesian words and phrases you learned this week, categorized for quick access during your travels.
Learn Indonesian in a Week: Your Practical Guide
Day 9: The Comprehensive Reference Dictionary (150 Words)
You have reached the final educational stop in our journey. In this article, we have categorized the most important words and phrases you need for daily life in Indonesia. This dictionary is designed to be your “trump card” on your phone—return to it whenever your memory fails you.
1. Pronouns & Basics
| Word | Meaning | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saya | I / Me | Anda / Kamu | You” (Anda: formal; Kamu: informal/friendly) |
| Dia | He / She | Mereka | They |
| Kami / Kita | “We” (Kita: inclusive of listener; Kami: exclusive) | Ini / Itu | This / That |
| Ya / Tidak | Yes / No | Ada / Tidak ada | There is / Is not |
2. Daily Verbs
| Verb | Meaning | Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Makan / Minum | Eat / Drink | Pergi / Datang | Go / Come |
| Tidur / Mandi | Sleep / Shower | Beli / Jual | Buy / Sell |
| Lihat / Dengar | See / Hear | Bicara / Baca | Speak / Read |
| Bekerja / Belajar | Work / Learn | Tahu / Mengerti | Know / Understand |
3. Shopping & Dining
| Word | Meaning | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harga / Mahal | Price / Expensive | Murah / Diskon | Cheap / Discount |
| Uang / Tunai | Money / Cash | Kembalian | Change (Coins) |
| Enak / Pedas | Delicious / Spicy | Manis / Pahit | Sweet / Bitter |
| Air mineral | Mineral Water | Nasi / Ayam | Rice / Chicken |
Pro Tip: Remember the S-P-O-K rule from yesterday. You can build hundreds of sentences from these tables by simply placing (Pronoun + Verb + Object).
4. Time & Directions
| Word | Meaning | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sekarang / Nanti | Now / Later | Hari ini / Besok | Today / Tomorrow |
| Jam / Waktu | Hour / Time | Minggu / Bulan | Week / Month |
| Di sini / Di sana | Here / There | Masjid / Hotel | Mosque / Hotel |
| Kanan / Kiri | Right / Left | Dekat / Jauh | Near / Far |
5. Quick Emergency Phrases
- Tolong! (Help!)
- Saya sakit. (I am sick)
- Di mana rumah sakit? (Where is the hospital?)
- Saya kehilangan paspor. (I lost my passport)
This concludes the “educational material” of our series. In the final article, we will provide a Learning Roadmap on how to continue developing your language skills beyond this week, including the best free apps and resources.
Note:
The best online English/Indonesian dictionary is Kamusku, which also has an app available on Google Play for Android and the App Store for iPad and iPhone that allows offline translation.
— Learn Indonesian in a Week Series —
Previous Article: 8 – Advanced Phrases & Grammar
Next Article: 10 – Roadmap Beyond Week One
Free Language Series
Learn Indonesian in a Week — 10 Articles
Series Learn Indonesian in a Week | Zyyazan
