John Barker - Practical Indonesian Phrasebook

Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

www.periplus.com

Copyright 1987 APA Publications (HK) Ltd

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

HAK PENGARANG DILINDUNGI

UNDANG-UNDANG

ISBN 978-1-4629-0272-9

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14 13 12 11 22 21 20 19 18

Printed in Singapore

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Many thanks to A. Hutagalung and P. Balachandran, who assisted greatly with the Indonesian and Malaysian translations respectively.

FOREWORD

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About the language and this book

As any seasoned traveler knows, the ability to communicate in the language of the country you are visiting makes a very big difference in the experiences you have. Even a basic grasp of a few essentials will help you to relate to the people, get where you want to go, pay the right prices, and get much more out of your visit.

Thats the reason for this book, which is designed especially for travelers to Indonesia and Malaysia. The emphasis is on effective communication, not grammar rules or tourist phrases. It is organized to be as simple, concise, and useful as possible. With this book and a few hours of practice you can start communicating in Indonesian/Malay.

The main focus of this book is Indonesia and Indonesian, simply because here is where the greatest need exists. (In Malaysia English is spoken fairly widely.) At the same time, Indonesian and Malay are in fact regional variations of the same language, so why not kill the proverbial two birds? And making use of your Malay in Malaysia will make your visit there infinitely more rewarding.

So, the book itself is written with Indonesia and Bahasa Indonesia in mind. I have marked the text and included an appendix to make conversion to Malay (where necessary) a painless, easy step. If you pass from Indonesia into Malaysia, or vice versa, just refer to this appendix and to the glossary.

Using this book: Begin by going over the pronunciation and grammar guides briefly, returning to them as needed. Then on to the basics: greetings, time and numbers. The rest of the book offers sections dealing with situations and activities youll be part of. The three special sections are designed for easy reference to especially useful information. A glossary and the Malay appendix complete the guide.

Good luck and good traveling. Selamat jalan !

CONTENTS

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About the language and this book

Comparison with English, verb tenses, pronouns & possessives, forms of address

PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

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Proper pronounciation is important. Often a word that is slightly mispronounced is just not understood. If possible we suggest you go over this section (and other words in the book) with a native speaker. Try to imitate his or her pronounciation as closely as you can.

Sentence stress

As in English, the most important word in a sentence is stressed. Unlike English, the most important word is often placed first. The rhythm tends to be staccato.

Syllable stress

As a rule the second to last syllable is stressed: BU -ku (book), sau- DA -ra (you). Exception: If the second to last syllable contains an e , stress is on the last syllable: per- GI (go), be- LUM (not yet).

Vowel sounds

Consonant sounds

In general, the pronounciation of consonants is the same as in English. Here are the exceptions:

Note on spelling

In 1972 certain changes were made to standardize Indonesian and Malay spellings:

You still see a variety of different spellings, however, on signs and forms.

GRAMMAR GUIDE

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For purposes of basic communication Indonesian grammar is much easier than that of English. Unlike English, Indonesian has NO :

1. Articles. The words: the , a , an have no equivalents and are often omitted. I dont have a room = Saya tidak ada kamar = I dont have room; They enter the room = Mereka masuk kamar = They enter room.