and is also used with verbs such as lihat (“to see”) in the sense of “Please may I see…” when asking to look at something in a shop window or a display case, for example:
Coba lihat itu. Please let me have a look at that.
(lit: Try-see-that.)
Silakan means “Please go ahead!” or “Be my guest!” and is used by a host to invite his or her guests to do something, or as a response to a request for permission to do something. It is, for example, polite to wait for an Indonesian host or hostess to say Silakan! before trying any drinks or snacks that have been placed before you. (Please note that silakan is never used when requesting something.)
| Silakan masuk! | Please come in! |
| Silakan duduk! | Please sit down! |
| Silakan minum! | Please drink! |
| Silakan makan! | Please eat! |
| Boléh saya masuk? | May I come in? |
| Silakan! | Please do! |
Terima kasih is used to say “thank you.” It also is used to mean “no, thank you” when refusing something being offered. Indonesians tend to use it much less often than it is used in English.
Sama-sama! (“same-same”) or Kembali! (“return”) are the normal responses to terima kasih, both meaning “You’re welcome.”
Numbers
1.09
Ordinal Numbers
se- prefix indicating one
puluh ten, multiples of ten
belas teen
ratus hundred
ribu thousand
juta million
milyar billion
nol, kosong zero
satu one
dua two
tiga three
empat four
lima five
enam six
tujuh seven
delapan eight
sembilan nine
sepuluh ten
sebelas eleven
dua belas twelve
tiga belas thirteen
empat belas fourteen
lima belas fifteen
enam belas sixteen
tujuh belas seventeen
delapan belas eighteen
sembilan belas nineteen
dua puluh twenty
dua puluh satu twenty-one
dua puluh dua twenty-two
dua puluh tiga twenty-three
dua puluh empat twenty-four
dua puluh lima twenty-five
dua puluh enam twenty-six
dua puluh tujuh twenty-seven
tiga puluh thirty
empat puluh forty
lima puluh fifty
enam puluh sixty
tujuh puluh seventy
delapan puluh eighty
sembilan puluh ninety etc.
seratus one hundred
dua ratus two hundred
tiga ratus three hundred etc.
seratus lima belas one hundred fifteen
dua ratus sembilan puluh two hundred ninety
tujuh ratus tiga puluh enam seven hundred thirty-six
seribu one thousand
dua ribu two thousand
tiga ribu three thousand etc.
seribu lima ratus one thousand five hundred
sembilan ribu sebelas nine thousand eleven
delapan ratus ribu eight hundred thousand
Cardinal numbers
Cardinal numbers are formed by attaching the prefix ke to any ordinal number (with the exception of pertama, “first”). The word yang meaning “which” may also be added when no noun is mentioned, to convey the sense of “the first one” (literally: “the one which is first”), “the second one” and so forth.
(yang) pertama (the) first
(yang) kedua (the) second
(yang) ketiga (the) third
(yang) keempat (the) fourth
(yang) kelima (the) fifth etc.
(yang) terakhir (the) last
Fractions
setengah, separuh one half
sepertiga one third
seperempat one quarter
tiga per empat three fourths
dua per lima two fifths
dua setengah two and a half
1.10
Money
Note: The Indonesian unit of currency is the Rupiah, abbreviated as Rp.
Harga ini berapa, bu? What is the price of this, Bu?
Enam ratus lima puluh rupiah. Rp650.
Tiga ribu tujuh ratus lima puluh rupiah. Rp3.750.
Delapan puluh lima ribu lima ratus rupiah. Rp85.500.
Seratus lima puluh lima ribu rupiah. Rp155.000.