Emergency

1. Tolong!

   Help!

   Grammar Note

   "Tolong" = help AND please. "Tolong panggil polisi" (call police). Emergency numbers: police 110, ambulance 118, fire 113

2. Panggil polisi!

   Call the police!

   Grammar Note

   Indonesian verbs do not conjugate. "Panggil" is the same for commands and statements. Add "Tolong" before for a polite request. Police emergency number: 110.

3. Panggil ambulans!

   Call an ambulance!

   Grammar Note

   "Ambulans" is borrowed from English "ambulance." Indonesian has many loanwords from English, Dutch, and Arabic. Ambulance number: 118.

4. Saya sakit

   I am sick

   Grammar Note

   Indonesian has no "be" verb. "Saya sakit" (I + sick) simply juxtaposes subject and adjective. "Sakit" means both "sick" and "in pain."

5. Di mana rumah sakit?

   Where is the hospital?

   Grammar Note

   "Rumah sakit" (hospital) literally means "sick house." In Indonesian, modifiers follow the noun — "house + sick." Similarly "rumah makan" (restaurant) = "eating house."

6. Saya butuh dokter

   I need a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "Butuh" and "perlu" both mean "need." "Butuh" is more colloquial and urgent; "perlu" is neutral. "Membutuhkan" is the formal me- prefixed form.

7. Saya kehilangan dompet

   I lost my wallet

   Grammar Note

   "Kehilangan" uses the ke-…-an circumfix around the root "hilang" (to disappear/be lost), expressing a state of having lost something. Indonesian affixes can significantly alter meaning.

8. Saya dirampok

   I was robbed

   Grammar Note

   Indonesian passive voice uses the di- prefix. "Rampok" (to rob) → "dirampok" (was robbed). The di- passive is very common in everyday speech.

9. Saya alergi terhadap...

   I am allergic to...

   Usage

   Use to inform a doctor or pharmacist about food or medication allergies

   Grammar Note

   "Terhadap" is a preposition meaning "towards / against". "Alergi terhadap kacang" (allergic to peanuts), "alergi terhadap obat" (allergic to medication). "Alergi" is an English loanword.

10. Tolong hubungi kedutaan

    Please contact the embassy

    Usage

    Use in serious emergencies such as lost passport or detention

    Grammar Note

    "Kedutaan" derives from "duta" (ambassador) + ke- prefix + -an suffix, meaning "place of the ambassador" (= embassy). Add the country name for specificity: "Tolong hubungi kedutaan Jepang" (please contact the Japanese embassy).

11. Hentikan!

    Stop it!

    Usage

    Show this to firmly stop harassment or persistent touting without having to speak

12. Jangan sentuh saya!

    Do not touch me!

    Usage

    A clear refusal when someone is touching you or your belongings

13. Barang saya dicuri

    My belongings were stolen

    Usage

    Reports a theft or pickpocketing; a violent robbery is "dirampok"

14. Kebakaran

    Fire (conflagration)

    Usage

    Names a large, destructive fire itself; use it to report or describe a blaze

15. Pencuri

    Thief

    Usage

    The word for a thief; colloquially also "maling". Having something stolen is "dicuri"

16. Penjambretan

    Snatching

    Usage

    The noun for "menjambret" — yanking away something a person is wearing or carrying

17. Pencopet

    Pickpocket

    Usage

    The word for a pickpocket; use it when reporting that you were pickpocketed

18. Penculikan

    Kidnapping

    Usage

    The noun for abduction or kidnapping; use to report one or warn of one

19. Pembunuhan

    Murder

    Usage

    The noun covering killing, murder and homicide; use when reporting the crime

20. Kerusuhan

    Riot

    Usage

    A tumultuous disturbance of the public peace by a large group, often with violence or damage

21. Bom

    Bomb

    Usage

    An explosive device used as a weapon; borrowed from Dutch "bom"

22. Kebakaran! Lari!

    Fire! Run!

    Grammar Note

    The Indonesian imperative is the bare verb root. "Kebakaran" means "fire". "lari" also has the sense "to go away in order to save oneself"

23. Pencuri! Tangkap dia!

    Thief! Catch him!

    Grammar Note

    "Pencuri" means "thief". "tangkap" means "to seize a moving target". The imperative is the bare root

24. Panggil mobil pemadam kebakaran!

    Please call a fire engine

    Grammar Note

    The "panggil + target!" frame of "panggil polisi!" and "panggil ambulans!", filled with "mobil pemadam kebakaran" (fire engine)

25. Di mana kantor polisi?

    Where is the police station?

    Usage

    "Kantor polisi" names the police station as a building/office; "polisi" alone is the police as an institution

    Grammar Note

    The "di mana kantor + kind?" frame of the "di mana kantor pos terdekat?" (where is the nearest post office?), with the kind swapped. "Polisi" comes from the "panggil polisi!"

26. Tolong buatkan laporan pencurian

    Please make a theft report

    Usage

    Travel insurance claims need the police report; for a theft the document is a "laporan pencurian" (a "laporan kehilangan" is the report for a lost item)

    Grammar Note

    The "tolong + verb" request frame of "tolong hubungi kedutaan" and "tolong panggil dokter". "Pencurian" is the peng-an derivation of "curi" (to steal); it means "proses, cara, perbuatan mencuri" (the act of stealing)

27. Apakah ada yang bisa bahasa Jepang?

    Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?

    Grammar Note

    The "apakah Anda bisa bahasa Inggris?" (do you speak English?) with the language swapped and the subject made indefinite ("ada yang" = there is someone who). "Jepang" comes from the "saya orang Jepang"

28. Orang ini pingsan

    This person is unconscious

    Usage

    Said when calling for help beside someone who has collapsed; the subject "orang ini" (this person) makes clear the speaker is not talking about themselves

    Grammar Note

    Indonesian demonstratives also follow the noun. "pingsan" means "not conscious; not aware"

29. Ada orang tenggelam

    Someone is drowning

    Grammar Note

    "Ada + noun" states existence, the same frame as "ada kecelakaan" (there has been an accident). "tenggelam" means "to sink down into the water"

30. Saya dipukul

    I was beaten

    Grammar Note

    The same "saya di- + root" passive as "saya dirampok" (I was robbed). The active "memukul" means "to hit, to strike, to beat", and its passive is "dipukul"

31. Saya ditusuk

    I was stabbed

    Grammar Note

    The "saya di- + root" passive. "tusuk" means "to drive a pointed object (needle, knife, etc.) into something else"

32. Kamar saya dimasuki pencuri

    My room was broken into

    Grammar Note

    The same "noun + saya + di-" passive as "barang saya dicuri" (my things were stolen). "masuk" means "to go into (a room, a chamber, ...)", with the example "ia masuk ke kamarnya" (he entered his room)

33. Orang itu pelakunya

    That person is the culprit

    Grammar Note

    Indonesian juxtaposes "A" and "B" with no copula. "Itu" is the same distal demonstrative as in the "air terjun itu ..." (that waterfall ...). "pelaku" means "the person who carried out an act"

34. Saya ditipu

    I was deceived

    Grammar Note

    The "saya di- + root" passive. The root "tipu" is the same word as in the "jangan tipu saya" (do not cheat me)

35. Dompet saya dicuri

    My wallet was stolen

    Grammar Note

    The "barang saya dicuri" (my things were stolen) with the object swapped for "dompet" (wallet), taken from the "saya kehilangan dompet"

36. Barang saya ketinggalan

    I left it behind

    Grammar Note

    The "barang saya dicuri" with the predicate swapped. "Ketinggalan" uses the ke-...-an circumfix for an unintended event; the root "tinggal" is the same as in the "jangan tinggalkan sampah" (do not leave litter behind)

37. Ada kecelakaan lalu lintas

    There has been a traffic accident

    Grammar Note

    The "ada kecelakaan" (there has been an accident) with "lalu lintas" (traffic) added, taken from the "polisi lalu lintas" (traffic police)

38. Saya ditabrak mobil

    I was hit by a car

    Grammar Note

    The "saya di- + root + agent" passive. "tabrak" means "a hard contact between two objects coming from opposite directions; collision"

39. Tolong keluar lewat pintu darurat

    Please escape through the emergency exit

    Grammar Note

    The "tolong + verb" request with "pintu darurat" (emergency exit). "Keluar" comes from "pintu keluar" (exit) and "lewat" from "kirim lewat pos udara" (send by air mail)

40. Awas!

    Watch out!

    Usage

    The single word Indonesians shout to warn of an immediate danger; for example "awas ada ular" (watch out, there is a snake) and "awas copet" (beware of pickpockets). Signs use the noun "Bahaya" (danger) on its own instead

41. Tolong cepat

    Please hurry

    Grammar Note

    The "tolong + word" request frame of the "tolong panggil dokter" and "tolong antar ke ...". "Cepat" is the same word as in the "koneksi yang lebih cepat" (a faster connection)

42. Tolong datang sekarang

    Please come right away

    Grammar Note

    The "tolong + verb" request. "Datang" comes from the "bisakah saya datang tanpa reservasi?" and "sekarang" from the "jam berapa sekarang?"

43. Ini keadaan darurat

    It's an emergency

    Grammar Note

    Juxtaposing "ini" with a noun phrase, with no copula, gives "this is a ___". "Darurat" is the same word as in "pintu darurat" and "sinyal darurat". "keadaan" means "the prevailing situation"

44. Tolong antar ke rumah sakit

    Please take me to a hospital

    Grammar Note

    The "tolong antar ke ..." (please take me to ...) with the destination filled by "rumah sakit" (hospital)

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