Languages

LANGUAGES

How many languages spoken in Indonesia?

There are 718 languages spoken in Indonesia. This excludes the official language Bahasa Indonesia, and these 718 regional languages are well spoken across the country. 

What is the main language in Indonesia?

Indonesian language or Bahasa Indonesia is the official language of the Republic of Indonesia. It is the language of official communication, taught in schools and used for broadcast in electronic and digital media. Most Indonesians also have their own ethnic language and dialect, with the most widely spoken being Javanese and Sundanese. Some ethnic Chinese communities continue to speak various Chinese dialects, most notably Hokkien in Medan and Teochew in Pontianak.

The root of Bahasa Indonesian is Malay which belongs to the Austronesian language. Malay has been widely used for centuries as a lingua franca in the archipelago. Besides in Indonesia, Malay varieties are also used in Malaysia, Singapore, and Brunei Darussalam as one of their official languages.

In addition to Malay, Indonesian vocabulary heavily influenced by other local languages such as Javanese, Minangkabau, and Sundanese. Indonesian language also borrows words from foreign languages such as English, Arabic, Dutch, Sanskrit, and Portuguese.

Bahasa Indonesia is primarily used in education, administration, and media, so in this modern time, every Indonesian speaks the language. 

Do people speak or understand English?

English is not widely spoken, however, an acceptable level of English can be understood in a number of major cities, especially in most tourists’ destinations such as Bali, Toba, Batam, Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta and more. Most hotel and airline staff also communicate in English from basic to moderate level.

What other foreign languages are spoken in Indonesia?

In addition to English, other popular foreign languages in Indonesia are Arabic, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, and Dutch. Arabic is learned for religious reason as almost 90% of Indonesian population are Muslims. Learning Arabic also allows Indonesians to find job opportunities in the Middle East.

Japanese is also on the rise, mainly, for job opportunities. Some universities and language schools offer Japanese majors and courses. As for Korean, the main reason for its popularity is Korean drama and music, while Dutch is spoken among elderly people especially in Jawa Island. 

Indonesians also learn Mandarin to prepare as China is doomed to be a superpower nation. Many Chinese descendants want to learn their heritage language as well.

If you want to communicate with Indonesians during your travel, Bahasa Indonesia is the first language you need to learn. Apart from its popularity, it is a simple language compared to other local languages in the country. Indonesian pronunciation is relatively easy to master. Each letter always represents the same sound and most letters are pronounced the same as their English counterparts. The following are examples of some of the common phrases in Bahasa Indonesia that can be useful in light conversation:

Good Morning = Selamat Pagi

Good Day = Selamat Siang

Good Afternoon = Selamat Sore

Good Evening/Good Night = Selamat Malam

Goodbye = Selamat Tinggal

How are you? = Apa Kabar

I’m Fine/Good/Great = Baik-baik (as an answer to Apa Kabar)

Excuse me = Permisi

Sorry = Maaf

Please = Silahkan

Help! = Tolong!

Thank You = Terima Kasih

You’re Welcome = Terima kasih Kembali

Yes = Ya

Tidak = No

Mr/Sir = Bapak/Tuan

Ms/Mrs/Madam = Ibu/Nyonya

Miss = Nona

How much/many = Berapa

How much is it (price)? = Berapa Harganya?

Where is… = Dimana….

How to get There = bagaimana caranya kesana?

I want… = Saya Mau…

I don’t want… = Saya Tidak Mau…..