Language/Indonesian/Vocabulary/Greetings-and-Introductions

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Indonesian → Vocabulary → 0 to A1 Course → Pronouns and Greetings → Greetings and Introductions

Introduction

Welcome to the lesson on greetings and introductions in Indonesian! In this lesson, you will learn how to greet people and introduce yourself in Indonesian. Greetings are an important part of Indonesian culture and can vary depending on the time of day. Introductions, on the other hand, are essential for making connections and starting conversations. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to greet people appropriately and introduce yourself confidently in Indonesian.

Greetings

In Indonesian, greetings are an essential part of daily interactions. They are used to show respect and politeness, and can vary depending on the time of day. Let's learn some common greetings in Indonesian:

Selamat Pagi

Selamat pagi means "good morning" in Indonesian. It is used to greet someone in the morning, typically before 10 a.m. This greeting is a polite and respectful way to start the day. Indonesians often use selamat pagi when they meet someone for the first time in the morning or when they enter a place like a shop or office. It is considered impolite to skip the greeting and start a conversation without it.

Selamat Siang

Selamat siang means "good afternoon" in Indonesian. It is used to greet someone during the daytime, typically between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Indonesians often use selamat siang when they meet someone for the first time in the afternoon or when they enter a place like a restaurant or school. This greeting is a way to acknowledge the time of day and show respect.

Selamat Sore

Selamat sore means "good evening" in Indonesian. It is used to greet someone in the late afternoon or early evening, typically between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Indonesians often use selamat sore when they meet someone for the first time in the evening or when they enter a place like a friend's house or a park. This greeting is a way to acknowledge the time of day and show politeness.

Selamat Malam

Selamat malam means "good evening" or "good night" in Indonesian. It is used to greet someone in the evening or at night, typically after 6 p.m. Indonesians often use selamat malam when they meet someone for the first time in the evening or when they are saying goodbye to someone before they go to sleep. This greeting is a way to wish someone a good evening or night and show respect.

Let's practice some greetings in Indonesian:

Vocabulary:

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Selamat pagi	seh-lah-maht pah-ghee	Good morning
Selamat siang	seh-lah-maht see-ahng	Good afternoon
Selamat sore	seh-lah-maht soh-ray	Good evening
Selamat malam	seh-lah-maht mah-lahm	Good night

Examples:

• Selamat pagi! Apa kabar? (Good morning! How are you?)
• Selamat siang! Nama saya Rina. (Good afternoon! My name is Rina.)
• Selamat sore! Ini teman saya, Budi. (Good evening! This is my friend, Budi.)
• Selamat malam! Sampai jumpa besok. (Good night! See you tomorrow.)

Remember to use the appropriate greeting based on the time of day and context. Indonesians appreciate when foreigners make an effort to use the correct greetings.

Introductions

Introducing yourself is an essential part of building relationships and starting conversations. In Indonesian, introductions are typically done by stating your name and providing some basic information about yourself. Let's learn how to introduce yourself in Indonesian:

Vocabulary:

Indonesian	Pronunciation	English
Nama saya	nah-ma sah-yah	My name is
Saya dari	sah-yah dah-ree	I am from
Senang bertemu denganmu	seh-nahng behr-teh-moo dehng-ahn-moo	Nice to meet you
Apa kabar?	ah-pah kah-bahr	How are you?
Baik-baik saja	bah-eek bah-eek sah-jah	I'm fine

Examples:

• Nama saya Rina. Saya dari Jakarta. (My name is Rina. I am from Jakarta.)
• Senang bertemu denganmu. Apa kabar? (Nice to meet you. How are you?)
• Saya baik-baik saja. Terima kasih. (I'm fine. Thank you.)

When introducing yourself, it is common to shake hands and maintain eye contact. Indonesians appreciate when you show interest in their culture and ask polite questions about their background or interests.

Conclusion

Congratulations! You have learned how to greet people and introduce yourself in Indonesian. Greetings and introductions are essential for daily interactions and can help you build relationships with native speakers. Remember to use the appropriate greeting based on the time of day and context, and to introduce yourself politely by stating your name and providing some basic information about yourself. Practice these greetings and introductions with native speakers to improve your fluency and cultural understanding. Terima kasih (thank you) for learning with us!

Table of Contents - Indonesian Course - 0 to A1

• Course Presentation

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Pronouns and Greetings

• Personal Pronouns
• Greetings and Introductions

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Basic Grammar

• Word Order
• Indonesian Nouns
• Verbs in Indonesian

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Daily Life

• Basic Phrases
• Numbers and Time
• Days, Months, and Seasons

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Sentence Structure

• Adjectives and Adverbs
• Questions and Answers
• Negation and Affirmation

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Indonesian Culture

• Indonesian Festivals
• Indonesian Food

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Travel and Transportation

• Transportation
• Directions

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Verb Tenses

• Present Tense
• Past Tense
• Future Tense

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Shopping and Bargaining

• Basic Shopping Phrases
• Bargaining Strategies

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Indonesian Arts

• Indonesian Music
• Indonesian Dance

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Modal Verbs

• Can and Must
• May and Should

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Colors and Shapes

• Colors
• Shapes

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Comparative and Superlative

• Comparative
• Superlative

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Indonesian Traditions

• Indonesian Weddings
• Indonesian Batik

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Emergencies

• Medical Emergencies
• Natural Disasters

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Indirect and Direct Speech

• Direct Speech
• Indirect Speech

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Jobs and Professions

• Job Titles
• Workplaces

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Indonesian Holidays

• Indonesian Independence Day
• Idul Fitri

Sources

• Indonesian Introduction/Greetings | Indonesian Language Blog
• Self Introductions - Basic Greetings in Indonesian - IndonesianPod101
• Indonesian Greetings: How to Say Hello in Indonesia

Other Lessons

• Food
• Camping
• Parts of the Body
• Economics
• Dinner Table
• Environment
• Idiomatic Expressions
• Animals
• Family
• Birthday

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