The Language of Learning
Learn the Indonesian words and phrases you need to learn a language.
I find that when I learn a language, the words I say more than any other is “I don’t understand”. Learning phrases to communicate your inability to speak a language is essential – these are the words you need the most for the first few months.
Then there are the words that can you help learn - "How do you say that?" "What does that mean?" and so on. These are the first words that I memorise when I learn a language, and also the first words which I teach to a beginners class.
| Word | Kata |
| Dictionary | Kamus |
| Write | Tulis |
| Meaning | Artinya |
| Explain | Menjelaskan |
| For | Untuk/buat |
| I don’t understand | Saya tidak mengerti |
| Do you understand? | Apa kamu mengerti? |
| Yes | Ya |
| No | Tidak/nggak |
| I don’t know | Saya tidak tahu |
| I don’t know that word | Saya tidak tahu kata itu |
| I can’t speak Indonesian. | Saya tidak bisa bahasa Indonesia |
| I can just speak a little | Saya cuma bisa bicara sedikit |
| How do you say that? | Bagaimana bilang/bicara itu? |
| Can you write it for me? (formal) | Bisakah anda tuliskan untuk saya? |
| Can you write (it) for me? (informal) | Bisa kamu tulis untuk ku? |
| What does this mean? | Apa maksudnya? |
| Repeat/again | Ulang |
| Can you repeat that | Bisa ulang lagi |
| Can you speak Indonesian/English? | Apa kamu bisa bicara bahasa Indonesia/Inggris? |
| Answer: I can | (Aku/saya) bisa |
| I can't | (Aku/saya) tidak bisa |
| language | Bahasa |
| a little | Sedikit |
| (but) I’m not fluent | (tetapi) saya tidak lancar |
| What does that word mean? (Lit. What is the meaning of that word?) | Apa artinya kata itu? |
| Can you explain to me? | Apa kamu bisa jelaskan sama saya? |
| or just | Bisa jelaskan sama saya? |