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Basic Indonesian Greetings and Everyday Phrases

Indonesian greetings are split into fairly precise time-of-day windows — once you know the four, you can greet almost anyone naturally.

Halo / Hai — Hi

Pronounced hah-loh / hy. A casual, all-purpose greeting used among friends or in relaxed settings, similar to English 'hello' or 'hi'.

Selamat pagi — Good morning

Pronounced seh-lah-maht pah-gee. Used from early morning until around 11 a.m.

Selamat siang — Good day

Pronounced seh-lah-maht see-ahng. Covers roughly 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Selamat sore — Good afternoon

Pronounced seh-lah-maht soh-reh. Used from around 3 p.m. until sunset.

Selamat malam — Good evening

Pronounced seh-lah-maht mah-lahm. Used after dark.

Nama saya ~ — My name is ~

Pronounced nah-mah sah-yah. The standard self-introduction phrase.

Senang bertemu dengan Anda — Nice to meet you

Pronounced suh-nahng ber-teh-moo dung-an ahn-dah. A polite phrase for meeting someone new.

Apa kabar? — How are you?

Pronounced ah-pah kah-bar. Literally 'what news?' — the most common way to ask how someone's doing.

Baik, terima kasih — I'm well, thank you

Pronounced bike, teh-ree-mah kah-see. The standard reply to Apa kabar? — the shorter Baik-baik saja ('just fine') is also common.

Terima kasih / Sama-sama — Thank you / You're welcome

Terima kasih (teh-ree-mah kah-see) is thank you; Sama-sama (sah-mah sah-mah) is the reply.

Maaf / Permisi — Sorry / Excuse me

Maaf (mah-ahf) is for apologizing; Permisi (per-mee-see) is used to politely get someone's attention or pass by.

Selamat tinggal / Sampai jumpa — Goodbye / See you again

Selamat tinggal (seh-lah-maht ting-gahl) is said to whoever is staying behind; Sampai jumpa (sahm-pie joom-pah), meaning 'see you again,' is used when you expect to meet again.

Indonesian greetings run on a tight daily schedule

Indonesian divides the day into four fairly specific windows for greetings — pagi (early morning to late morning), siang (late morning to mid-afternoon), sore (mid-afternoon to sunset), and malam (after dark). The exact boundaries shift a little by region and speaker, but keeping these four rough windows in mind will get you a natural-sounding greeting almost every time.

Indonesian is relatively approachable to read and pronounce

Indonesian uses the standard Latin alphabet and its spelling closely matches its pronunciation, which makes it more approachable for beginners than a tonal language or one with its own script. In everyday conversation, though, you'll also hear regional dialects and slang layered on top of the standard, Jakarta-based form used in the phrases above.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I answer Apa kabar??

The most common reply is 'Baik, terima kasih' (I'm well, thank you). A more casual option is 'Baik-baik saja,' meaning 'just fine' or 'nothing much.'

Do these greetings work the same across Indonesia?

Yes, these are standard Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia) phrases understood nationwide, though everyday speech often mixes in regional dialects and casual shortenings depending on the area.