Saya mau ke...
I want to go to...
Grammar Note
"ke" (to/towards), "di" (at/in), "dari" (from). These 3 prepositions cover most location expressions in Indonesian
Tolong antar ke...
Please take me to...
Usage
Used when getting into a taxi or ojek (motorbike taxi)
Grammar Note
"Tolong" placed before a verb makes a polite request: "Tolong + verb" = please do [verb]. "antar" = accompany/deliver; active form is "mengantar" but the base form is common in speech
Berapa ongkosnya?
How much is the fare?
Grammar Note
"Berapa" asks quantity/price: "Berapa harganya?" (how much?), "Berapa jauh?" (how far?). "Harga" = price
Pakai argo?
Do you use the meter?
Usage
Ask in cities like Jakarta to confirm meter use; negotiate the fare in advance if no meter
Grammar Note
"Pakai" = use/wear. Subject is dropped in this casual question. Rising intonation alone makes a yes/no question in Indonesian — no word-order change needed. "argo" is the colloquial word for taxi meter
Berhenti di sini
Stop here
Grammar Note
"Berhenti" = prefix "ber-" + "henti" (stop). "ber-" often forms intransitive verbs. Location words: "di sini" (here), "di sana" (over there), "di situ" (there)
Kiri / Kanan
Left / Right
Grammar Note
Basic direction words for taxis and ojeks. Combine with "belok" (turn): "belok kiri" (turn left), "belok kanan" (turn right). "Kiri" also means "left-wing" politically
Lurus
Straight ahead
Grammar Note
"Lurus" means straight as adjective and adverb. "Jalan terus" (keep going/continue) is an alternative. "Terus" (continue/keep) is frequently used in directions
Masih jauh?
Is it still far?
Grammar Note
"Masih" (still) and "Sudah" (already) are key aspect markers in Indonesian. "Masih jauh" vs "Sudah dekat" (already near). Since Indonesian has no tense, these adverbs carry temporal meaning
Naik apa ke...?
How do I get to...? / What transport goes to...?
Grammar Note
"naik" = to ride/board, used for all transport modes: "naik bus", "naik ojek" (motorbike taxi), "naik pesawat" (fly). "apa" (what) placed after the verb creates a question
Di mana halte bus?
Where is the bus stop?
Grammar Note
"Di mana" = where. "halte" is from Dutch (Indonesia was a Dutch colony) meaning bus stop. "Di mana + place?" is a universal "where is [place]?" pattern
More Indonesian phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
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- Numbers
- Hotel
- Emergency
- Sightseeing
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- Airport & Customs
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- Slang
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