Shopping in Indonesia
Learn the Indonesian words and phrases you need to shop to your heart's content.
Also see Bargaining, Things to Buy and Shops
When I first went to Indonesia I would practise my Indonesian in shops - everyone was so friendly! I found large shops and malls were best for this, as tourist markets could put a lot of pressure on you to buy. (The only antidote I have found to this was to go with my baby daughter - the market sellers were so interested in her they forgot their sales pitch!)
Later on I tried some more exotic shopping - in Banjarmasin I hired a boat with my wife's uncle, and we went to the floating market to buy our breakfast from the small boats selling their wares.
| Shopping | Berbelanja |
| Do you have...? | Ada ...?/ Apa kamu ada...? |
| What do you have? | Apa ada….? |
| yes – lit. (be) | Ada. |
| We don't have have it. (lit. not be) | Tidak ada |
| Not available | Lagi Kosong |
| I want to buy...(book, medicine, sarong) | Saya mau beli …(buku, obat,sarong) |
| I want (a newspaper) | Saya mau (Koran)! |
| How much is it? | Berapa harganya? |
| Expensive | Mahal |
| Cheap | Murah |
| Where is ...? (E.g. di mana shampoo?) | Di mana...? |