Language/Indonesian/Grammar/Questions-and-Answers
As an Indonesian language teacher with 20 years of experience, I am excited to teach you how to form questions and answers in Indonesian. This is an essential aspect of the language that will allow you to communicate with locals and immerse yourself in the culture. Let's get started!
Basic Question Words
In Indonesian, there are several basic question words that you need to know:
- Apa - What
- Siapa - Who
- Bagaimana - How
- Di mana - Where
For example, if you want to ask "What is your name?" in Indonesian, you would say "Apa nama anda?".
Forming Questions
To form a yes/no question in Indonesian, you simply invert the order of the subject and verb, and add "kah" to the end of the sentence. For example, "Kamu makan?" means "Do you eat?"
To form a question using one of the basic question words listed above, simply place that word at the beginning of the sentence. For example, "Siapa nama anda?" means "What is your name?"
Here are some examples of questions you might need to use while in Indonesia:
Indonesian | Pronunciation | English |
---|---|---|
Apa nama Anda? | Ah-pah nah-mah ahn-dah? | What is your name? |
Siapa nama dia? | See-ah-pah nah-mah dee-ah? | What is his/her name? |
Bagaimana kabarmu? | Bah-gah-ee-mah-nah kah-bar-moo? | How are you? |
Di mana toilet? | Dee mah-nah toh-let? | Where is the bathroom? |
Forming Answers
Answering questions in Indonesian is not difficult. For yes/no questions, you simply say either "ya" for yes, or "tidak" for no.
If you are answering a question that uses one of the basic question words, you simply provide the information requested. For example:
- Q: Siapa nama anda? (What is your name?)
- A: Nama saya John. (My name is John.)
- Q: Di mana toko buku? (Where is the bookstore?)
- A: Toko buku ada di Jalan Sudirman. (The bookstore is on Jalan Sudirman.)
Cultural Information
Asking and answering questions is an important part of Indonesian culture. Indonesians are warm and hospitable people who will often ask personal questions such as "Are you married?" or "Do you have children?" as a way of getting to know you better. It is considered polite to answer these questions with honesty and humility.
In more formal situations, such as business meetings or interviews, Indonesians may ask direct questions about your qualifications and experience.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You now know how to form questions and answers in Indonesian using basic question words such as apa, siapa, bagaimana, and di mana. Keep practicing, and soon you will be able to engage in basic conversations with native speakers.
Sources
Videos
9 b - Asking Questions in Indonesian Language - YouTube
Related Lessons
- Comparative
- Future Tense
- Direct Speech
- Word Order
- Comaratives and Superlatives
- Indefinite Articles in Indonesian
- Give your Opinion
- 0 to A1 Course
- Weather in Indonesian