Bahasa Indonesia Basics

Indonesian, called Bahasa Indonesia, is the national language and the easiest way to connect with people across Bali. It uses the Latin alphabet and is pronounced much as it is written, with 'c' sounding like the 'ch' in church. Start with selamat pagi (good morning), selamat siang (good day, around midday), selamat sore (good afternoon) and selamat malam (good evening). Apa kabar? means how are you, answered with baik (fine).

A handful of courtesies will carry you far. Terima kasih means thank you, and the reply is sama-sama, you are welcome. Permisi is excuse me, useful when passing someone or getting attention, and maaf means sorry. Tolong is please when asking for help, while silakan is please when offering something. Ya is yes, tidak is no, and tidak apa-apa means no problem. Saya tidak mengerti means I don't understand.

For shopping and eating, berapa harganya? asks how much, and terlalu mahal means too expensive, said with a smile when bargaining. Ada? asks is there or do you have. In a warung, ask for air putih (plain water), and say tidak pedas for not spicy or pedas sedikit for a little spicy. Enak means delicious, and minta bon asks for the bill. Di mana toilet? asks where the toilet is, and kiri and kanan are left and right.

Balinese is a separate language with its own script and levels of formality, spoken at home and in ceremonies. A few words show real respect. Om Swastyastu is the traditional Hindu Balinese greeting, often answered with the same phrase, and suksma means thank you in Balinese. Most Balinese switch easily between Balinese, Indonesian and English, but they rarely expect visitors to try either local language, so even a single word is usually met with a delighted smile.