What Language is Spoken in Bali?

Traveling to a new country for the first time can be very exciting and scary at the same time.  Language barriers, though, can make traveling difficult.  However, it shouldn’t prevent you from exploring! Indonesian is the primary language spoken in Bali, Indonesia. Don’t worry that you don’t speak the Indonesian language because English is widely spoken as well. However, we’ll show you the 101 most common Indonesian words to know in Bali, plus numbers, and how to pronounce them.

Will I have problems communicating in Bali? 

You shouldn’t have any problems getting around and communicating with anyone in Bali!  Many Indonesians throughout Bali speak English, in addition to Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian language).  There is also a large expat community from Australia and the United States who live in Bali.  Many have been living in Bali for years and never have learned to speak Indonesian.

However, if you learn a little bit of their language it will help you make connections, bargain for local products, and easily be able to order local food.  The Indonesians in Bali are very friendly, and like it when foreigners visiting Bali use some Indonesian words

Indonesian is Pretty Easy to Learn

• Indonesian has no past or future tense, which means that verbs only exist in present tense. 
• Bahasa Indonesia makes no distinction for masculine and feminine nouns. 
• To make the language even less complicating, the words have no plural form. Simply say the word twice to make it plural (gift: oleh vs. gifts: oleh oleh)

Bahasa Indonesia is the national language spoken throughout the country. The Indonesian language is very similar to Bahasa Melayu (Malaysia’s national language).  If you learn to speak Indonesian you can technically say you speak two different languages since you will also be able to speak many of the same words in Malay.

Here are some basic Indonesian words to help you prepare your next holiday to Bali!

Greetings in Bahasa Indonesia – Speak Indonesian in Bali

Hello = Halo (hah-loe)

Good morning = Selamat pagi (sah-lah-mawt pag-jee)

Good day = Selamat siang (sah-lah-mawt see-ung)

Good afternoon = Selamat sore (sah-lah-mawt sore-eh)

Good night = Selamat malam (sah-lah-mawt mah-lahm)

Good bye (to a person leaving) =  Selamat Jalan (sah-lah-maht jah-lahn)

Good bye (if you are the person leaving)  = Selamat tinggal (sah-lah-maht ting-gahl) 

How are you? = Apa Kabar (ap-ah kah-barr)

I’m great = baik baik (bike-bike)

Indonesian Pronouns

I = Saya (sigh-ah)

You = Anda (ahn-da) – formal or respectful

You = Kamu (kah-moo) – if you are familiar with person

You (sir, to adult man) = Pak (pahk)

You (madam, to adult women) = Ibu (ee-boo)

He/she = Dia (dee-ah)

We/Us = kita (kee-tah) – includes person spoken to

We/Us = Kami (kah-mee) – not including person spoken to

Them/they = Mereka (ma-reck-ah)

Questions

Who? = Siapa? (see-up-ah)

What? = Apa? (up-ah)

When? = Kapan? (Kah-pahn)

Where? = Kemana? (k’mah-nah)

Why? = Kenapa? (k’nahp-ah) 

How? = Bagaimana? (bahg-eye-mah-nah)

How many? = Berapa? (burr-ah-pah)

How much is this? = Berapa ini? (burr-ah-pah in-ee)

How much is that? = Barapa itu? (burr-ah-pah-ee-too)

How long? (time) = Berapa lama? (burr-ah-pah lah-mah)

How far? = Berapa jauh? (burr-ah-pah jow-ooh)

Hold old? = Berapa umur? (burr-ah-pah oo-more)

Manners

Please (can I have?): Minta (min-tah)

Please (help me): Tolong (toe-long)

Thank you: Terima Kasih (teh-ree-mah kah-see)

You’re Welcome: Sama Sama (saw-ma saw-ma)

I’m Sorry: Saya minta ma’af (sigh-ah min-tah mah-uff)

Direction

Left: Kiri (keer-ree)

Right: Kanan (Kan-nan)

Straight: Lurus (loo-roos)

Continue: Turus (too-roos)

Behind: Belakang (bay-lah-kahng)

Useful Indonesian Words

Good: Bagus (bah-goos)

Very good: Bagus sekali (bah-goos s’kahlee)

Not good: Tidak bagus (tee-duck bah-goos)

Fine: Baik (bike)

Yes: Ya (yah)

No: Tidak (tee-dock)

Like: Suka (soo-kah)

Don’t Like: Tidak Suka (tee-dock soo-kah_)

I want: Mau (mao)

Don’t want: Tidak mau (tee-dock mao)

Can: Bisa (bee-sah)

Cannot: Tidak Bisa (tee-dock bee-sah)

Food

To eat: Makan (mah-kan)

Spicy: Pedas (pay-das) – If you can’t handle spicy, remember to say Tidak pedas!

I like spicy: Saya suka pedas (sigh-ah soo-kah pay-das) 

Oil: Minyak (meen-yahk)

Sugar: Gula (goo-lah)

Drink: Minum (mee-noom)

Water: Air (iee-er):

Cold Water: Air dingin (iee-er ding-in)

Hot Water: Air Penas (iee-er peh-nas)

Rice: Nasi (nah-see)

Chicken: Ayam (I-am)

Beef: Sapi (sah-pee)

Fish: Ikan (ee-kan)

Grilled: Bakar (bah-kar)

White Rice (plain): Nasi putih (nah-see poo-tee)

Fried rice: Nasi Goreng (nah-see gor-aang)

Noodle: Mie (mee-ah) 

Friend Noodle: Mie Goreng (mee-ah gor-aang)

Mixed rice: Nasi Campur (nah-see chahm-poor) –  usually includes vegetables and/or meat

Vegetables only: Sayur saja (sah-yur sah-jah) – if you are vegetarian you might want to ask for “Sayur saja” – 

Delicious!: Enak (ay-nahk) 

Numbers and Counting in Indonesian

0 = Nio (noy)

1 = Satu (sah-too)

2 = Dua (doo-ah)

3 = Tiga (tee-gah)

4 = Empat (um-patt)

5 = Lima (lee-mah)

6 = Enam (e-nahm)

7 = Tujuh (too-joo)

8 = Delapan (d’lup-ahn)

9 = Sembilan (sem-bee-lun)

10 = Se puluh (seh-poo-loo)

11 = Se belas (s’bah-lahs)

12 = Dua belas (doo-ah b’lahs)

13 = Tiga belas (tee-gah b’lahs)

14 = Empat belas(um-patt b’lahs)

15 = Lima belas (lee-mah b’lahs)

16 = Enam belas (e-nahm b’lahs)

17 = Tuju belas (too-joo b’lahs)

18 = Delepan belas (d’lah-pan b’lahs)

19 = Sembilan belas (sem-bee-lun b’lahs)

20 = Dua puluh (doo-ah poo-looh)

21 = Dua puluh satu (doo-ah poo-looh sah-too)

22 = Dua puluh dua (doo-ah poo-looh doo-ah)

23…

24…

30 = Tiga puluh

40 = Empat puluh

50…

60…

100 = Seratus (s’rahtoos)

1,000 = Seribu (s’ree-boo)

1,000,000 = juta (joo-tah)

Money

Price: Harga (har-gah)

How much does it cost?: Berapa harga? (bur-apah harg-ah)  

Expensive: Mahal (mah-hahl)

Cheaper possible?: Lebih murah bisa? (lay-bee moo-rah bee-sah)

I don’t have enough: Saya tidak ada cukup (sigh-ah tee-dock ah-da choo-koop)

Very expensive!: Mahal sakali (mah-hahl sah-kah-lee)

Other Indonesian Words You Will Use

Be careful: Hati-hati (hah-tee hah-tee)

No worries: Tidak Apa Apa! (tee-dock ah-pah ah-pah)

Can: Bisa (bee-sah)

Cannot: Tidak bisa (tee-dock bee-sah)

Open: Buka (boo-kah)

Close: Tutup (too-toop)

Hill: Bukkit (book-kit)

Great or nice: Bagus! (bah-goos) 

There is: Ada (ah-dah)

There is not: Tidak ada (tee-dock ah-dah)

Have a safe journey: Selamat jalan (sah-lah-maht jah-lahn)

What is this?: Ini apa? (ee-nee ah-pah)

See you again: Sampai jumpa lagi (sahm-pie joom-pah lah-gee) 

Help: Tolong! (toe-lohng)

I am sorry: Maaf (mah-aff) 

What time is it?: Jam berapa? (jahm behr-apah) 

Words for Surfers

Good waves!: Ombak bagus (ohm-bahk bah-goos)

Lot of wind: Banyak angina (bahn-yahk ahn-gee-nya)

Cold water: Air dingin (ie-er ding-in)

Lots of current: Banyak arus (bahn-yahk ahr-roos)

Dangerous: Bahaya (bah-hai-yah)

Shark: Ikan Hiu (ee-kahn hee-yoo) – but normally there are no sharks in Bali

Google Translate is Your Friend

If for any reason you are having difficulties communicating in Bali you can use “Google Translate”.  Make sure you download the app on your phone before arriving in Bali.  You also have the option to download the language catalog to your phone so you can use it offline.  This is helpful in case you are in an area with no Wi-Fi or a bad cell connection.

Don’t worry about not being able to communicate in Bali.  Many people speak English in Bali, and If you follow these tips you will have a very enjoyable vacation in Bali and will make lots of new friends.

Conclusion

What language is spoken in Bali? We learned that Bahasa Indonesia, or the Indonesian language is spoken in Bali. It is an easy language to learn. However, many people, including the locals and expats living in Bali, speak English. You will have no problem communicating when you visit Bali. Go ahead, plan your next trip to Bali. You will be glad you did!

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