Have you ever heard that Indonesian people are among the world’s friendliest? It’s almost as if it’s in their blood to make visitors and expatriates in Indonesia feel welcomed. Indonesians in Bali, Jakarta, Java and across the country won’t hesitate to say hello to a foreigner, and they tend to be very excited when they get a response in the Indonesian language (Bahasa Indonesia). By learning and using some basic Indonesian greetings, you’ll quickly be able to connect with Indonesian people.

1. Everyday Greetings in Bahasa Indonesia

The following are the most basic greetings used in the Indonesian language.

• Selamat pagi – Good morning
• Selamat siang – Good afternoon*
• Selamat sore – Good afternoon*
• Selamat malam – Good evening
• Selamat tinggal – Goodbye
• Sampai jumpa lagi – See you later

* There are two ways to say good afternoon, depending on the time of day. When greeting someone in Indonesia between the hours of 11am and 3pm you should say “Selamat Siang” and for greetings between 3pm and 6pm you can use the phrase “Selamat Sore”.

2. Special Greetings in the Indonesian language

3. Basic Conversations and Indonesian vocabulary

Keep practicing your Bahasa Indonesia and start really impressing the people you meet in Indonesia with these simple expressions! In no time at all you’ll become conversational in the Indonesian language and will begin connecting well with locals.