165 Essential Indonesian Words! A Vocabulary List with Audio for Learning Pronunciation

Jan. 26, 2026

165 Essential Indonesian Words! A Vocabulary List with Audio for Learning Pronunciation


I've started studying Indonesian, but the way to remember words is so difficult~
cat
dog
Even if I look up how to read it in Katakana, I don't know how to actually pronounce it...

Are you having such worries while learning Indonesian?

Even though you've memorized the spelling and meaning of Indonesian words, sometimes they aren't understood in actual daily conversations, right?

In times like that, practicing the correct pronunciation of words is recommended!

In this article, we will introduce 165 basic Indonesian words with audio.

We have summarized frequently used words in a list, from Indonesian greetings to daily conversation.

What's more, you can listen to native pronunciation audio generated by the AI reading service "Ondoku".

The word collection also includes readings in Katakana, so please use it as a reference for how to remember pronunciation!

When learning Indonesian words, it is very important to not just look with your eyes, but to listen with your ears and confirm the pronunciation.

Why don't you also use this wordbook to learn Indonesian words with audio?

[Free] Recommended AI Services for Learning Indonesian Words and Pronunciation

Ondoku

"Ondoku" is recommended for learning Indonesian words and practicing pronunciation!

"Ondoku" is a speech synthesis service that can read Indonesian aloud using the latest AI.

Since you can synthesize native-sounding Indonesian audio, it is perfect for learning the correct pronunciation of words!

From listening study to shadowing practice, "Ondoku" is ideal for learning Indonesian.

Besides learning, it can be used widely, from creating Indonesian narration audio for YouTube videos to improving services for inbound tourists from Indonesia.

And "Ondoku" is free!

As it is a web app used from a browser, no installation is required and you can use it easily right now.

Of course, commercial use is also OK (Click here for details on commercial use).

Why don't you also try using the AI reading web app "Ondoku" to learn Indonesian words and pronunciation?

165 Basic Indonesian Vocabulary Words [With Audio & Katakana, By Category]

165 Basic Indonesian Vocabulary Words [With Audio, By Category]

From here, we will introduce basic Indonesian words in a list as a vocabulary book.

They are organized by genre, so please use them for your Indonesian word study.

In the word collection, we have provided the Indonesian spelling, English meaning, Katakana reading, and an audio player.

By remembering words while listening to the audio, you can also acquire the correct pronunciation together.

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Greetings and Daily Conversation

Among Indonesian words, those used in greetings and daily conversation are what you should remember first.

Whether for travel or business, these are all words you will have many opportunities to use initially.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Halo Hello ハロ
Selamat pagi Good morning スラマッ パギ
Selamat siang Good afternoon (daytime) スラマッ シアン
Selamat malam Good evening スラマッ マラム
Terima kasih Thank you トゥリマ カシ
Sama-sama You're welcome サマ サマ
Maaf I'm sorry マアフ
Permisi Excuse me プルミシ
Ya Yes
Tidak No ティダッ
Tolong Please (request/help) トロン
Selamat tinggal Goodbye スラマッ ティンガル
Sampai jumpa See you later サンパイ ジュンパ
Apa kabar? How are you? アパ カバール
Baik I'm fine バイッ

List of Basic Indonesian Interrogatives and Question Words

We have summarized the question words that are essential for conversation in a vocabulary list.

By remembering the words introduced here, you will be able to ask questions in Indonesian!

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Siapa Who シアパ
Apa What アパ
Kapan When カパン
Di mana Where ディ マナ
Mengapa Why ムンガパ
Kenapa Why (colloquial) クナパ
Bagaimana How バガイマナ
Berapa How many / How much ブラパ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Numbers and Time

Numbers in Indonesian are necessary for shopping and telling the time.

We introduce words related to numbers and time in a list as a vocabulary book.

It is convenient to remember everything from basic digits to frequently used large numbers.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Satu 1 サトゥ
Dua 2 ドゥア
Tiga 3 ティガ
Empat 4 ウンパッ
Lima 5 リマ
Enam 6 ウナム
Tujuh 7 トゥジュ
Delapan 8 ドゥラパン
Sembilan 9 スンビラン
Sepuluh 10 スプル
Sebelas 11 スブラス
Dua belas 12 ドゥア ブラス
Tiga belas 13 ティガ ブラス
Lima belas 15 リマ ブラス
Dua puluh 20 ドゥア プル
Tiga puluh 30 ティガ プル
Empat puluh 40 ウンパッ プル
Lima puluh 50 リマ プル
Seratus 100 スラトゥス
Seribu 1,000 スリブ
Sejuta 1 Million スジュタ
Hari ini Today ハリ イニ
Kemarin Yesterday クマリン
Besok Tomorrow ブソッ
Pagi Morning パギ
Siang Noon/Daytime シアン
Sore Late Afternoon/Evening ソレ
Malam Night マラム
Jam Hour/Clock ジャム
Menit Minute ムニッ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Days of the Week

This is a vocabulary list for the days of the week, used when talking about schedules or plans.

We introduce words that are useful for making plans for Indonesian travel or business in a list.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Senin Monday スニン
Selasa Tuesday スラサ
Rabu Wednesday ラブ
Kamis Thursday カミス
Jumat Friday ジュマッ
Sabtu Saturday サブトゥ
Minggu Sunday ミング

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Family and Human Relationships

This is a vocabulary list of Indonesian words representing family and human relationships.

We have summarized content useful for daily conversation and communication with people from Indonesia in a list.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Keluarga Family クルアルガ
Ayah Father アヤ
Ibu Mother イブ
Anak Child アナッ
Kakak Older brother/sister カカッ
Adik Younger brother/sister アディッ
Suami Husband スアミ
Istri Wife イストリ
Teman Friend トゥマン
Orang Person オラン

Indonesian Vocabulary List for Food and Drink

This is an Indonesian vocabulary list that can be used in restaurants and markets.

By remembering this word collection, talking about food in daily conversation in Indonesian will become fun.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Makanan Food マカナン
Minuman Drink ミヌマン
Nasi Rice ナシ
Mie Noodles ミー
Ayam Chicken アヤム
Ikan Fish イカン
Sayur Vegetables サユール
Buah Fruit ブア
Roti Bread ロティ
Air Water アイル
Kopi Coffee コピ
Teh Tea
Susu Milk スス
Gula Sugar グラ
Garam Salt ガラム

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Travel and Transportation

This is a word collection about transportation and locations necessary for Indonesian travel.

We introduce content useful for airports, hotels, and travel in a list.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Hotel Hotel ホテル
Restoran Restaurant レストラン
Bandara Airport バンダラ
Stasiun Station スタシウン
Taksi Taxi タクシ
Bus Bus ブス
Kereta Train クレタ
Pesawat Airplane プサワッ
Kamar Room カマール
Toilet Toilet トイレッ
Jalan Road/Street ジャラン
Kiri Left キリ
Kanan Right カナン
Lurus Straight ルルス
Peta Map プタ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Shopping and Money

This is a word collection of Indonesian words used in shopping and price negotiations.

We have collected words useful in markets and shops in a list.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Uang Money ウアン
Harga Price ハルガ
Diskon Discount ディスコン
Bayar Pay バヤール
Mahal Expensive マハル
Murah Cheap ムラ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Body and Health

This is an Indonesian vocabulary list about body parts and health.

We have summarized words useful for conveying symptoms at a hospital or pharmacy in a list.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Kepala Head クパラ
Mata Eye マタ
Hidung Nose ヒドゥン
Mulut Mouth ムルッ
Tangan Hand タンガン
Kaki Foot カキ
Sakit Pain / Sick サキッ
Sehat Healthy スハッ
Rumah sakit Hospital ルマ サキッ
Obat Medicine オバッ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Places and Directions

This is a word collection of Indonesian words representing places and directions.

We introduce words in a list that are necessary for daily conversations such as asking for directions or explaining a location.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Rumah House/Home ルマ
Kantor Office カントール
Toko Shop トコ
Bank Bank バンク
Sekolah School スコラ
Pasar Market パサール
Depan Front ドゥパン
Belakang Back ブラカン
Atas Above/Up アタス
Bawah Below/Down バワ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Colors

This is a color vocabulary list used when describing objects.

It is a list of words frequently used in shopping and daily conversation.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Merah Red メラ
Biru Blue ビル
Kuning Yellow クニン
Hijau Green ヒジャウ
Hitam Black ヒタム
Putih White プティ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Adjectives

This is an adjective vocabulary list used when describing things or expressing impressions.

We introduce important words that will broaden the range of your daily conversation in a list!

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Besar Big ブサール
Kecil Small クチル
Panjang Long パンジャン
Pendek Short プンデッ
Bagus Good/Wonderful バグス
Jelek Bad/Ugly ジュレッ
Panas Hot パナス
Dingin Cold ディンギン
Baru New バル
Lama Old ラマ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Conjunctions and Adverbs

This is a word collection for when you connect sentences or supplement meanings.

By remembering this word list, you will be able to have more natural conversations!

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Dan And ダン
Atau Or アタウ
Tetapi But トゥタピ
Karena Because カレナ
Juga Also/Too ジュガ
Sudah Already スダ
Belum Not yet ブルム
Sangat Very サンガッ

Indonesian Basic Vocabulary List for Verbs

We introduce Indonesian verbs frequently used in daily conversation in a list.

By remembering this word list, you will be able to create simple sentences.

Indonesian Meaning Katakana Audio
Makan Eat マカン
Minum Drink ミヌム
Pergi Go プルギ
Datang Come ダタン
Lihat Look/See リハッ
Dengar Hear/Listen ドゥンガール
Bicara Speak/Talk ビチャラ
Baca Read バチャ
Tulis Write トゥリス
Beli Buy ブリ
Jual Sell ジュアル
Buka Open ブカ
Tutup Close トゥトゥップ
Ada To be/To exist アダ
Mau Want/Will マウ

What are the recommended ways to remember Indonesian words and daily conversation?

What are the recommended ways to remember Indonesian words and daily conversation?

When trying to remember Indonesian words and daily conversation, it's hard for them to stick in your head if you just try to memorize them blindly.

From here, we will introduce ways to efficiently fix Indonesian words and daily conversation in your memory.

There are methods for remembering words and daily conversation that suit each person, so it is recommended to find the way that works for you.

Even those who find it difficult to continue studying words and daily conversation should try the methods introduced below.

It is recommended to learn related words as a set!

A recommended way to remember Indonesian words is grouping related words together and learning them.

For example, using a method where you summarize words by genre, such as "food," "travel," or "family," as in the list in this article, will make them much easier to remember.

When making an Indonesian wordbook or word collection, it is also recommended to incorporate a way to organize them by genre.

By creating an original word collection, learning Indonesian and conversation will become even more enjoyable!

A method of repeating a little bit every day is effective

The most important thing in how you remember Indonesian words is repeating a little bit every day.

Rather than a method of memorizing 100 words at once, a method where you repeat 10 words every day from a wordbook or word collection is more likely to settle in your memory.

The important thing is not to try to remember the entire word collection perfectly from the start.

Even if you can't recall the meaning at first, by continuing a method where you repeatedly listen to the audio and speak aloud, it will naturally enter your head.

A method of continuing every day, even if for a short time, is the shortcut to improving your Indonesian.

[Free] What are the practice methods for improving Indonesian pronunciation?

[Free] What are the practice methods for improving Indonesian pronunciation?

Once you've memorized Indonesian words, the next step is practicing pronunciation.

A recommended way to learn pronunciation is using audio-based study methods.

We introduce recommended ways to learn Indonesian pronunciation.

1. Listen to word and daily conversation audio repeatedly to improve your listening skills

What is important when learning the pronunciation of Indonesian words and daily conversation is, first, listening to native pronunciation many times.

The key is to not just check the reading in Katakana, but to listen to actual audio repeatedly and memorize the correct pronunciation.

It is even OK to just let the audio of the words introduced in the collection on this page play in the background during your commute to work or school.

As a more effective method, by listening to the audio even more intently, you will be able to understand the specific characteristics of Indonesian sounds.

2. Actually speak aloud and practice Indonesian pronunciation

When learning Indonesian words and daily conversation, it is very important to actually speak aloud and practice.

By not just remembering words in your head, but by moving your mouth and pronouncing them, they will become easier to fix in your memory.

A recommended study method is recording your own pronunciation and listening back to it.

If you use a recording app on your smartphone, you can easily check your pronunciation for free.

While comparing it with the recording, speak aloud and practice many times until you can produce the correct pronunciation.

3. Challenge yourself with sentence pronunciation practice through shadowing!

Once you've begun to remember Indonesian words and daily conversation expressions, why not challenge yourself with shadowing?

Shadowing is a study method where you listen to audio and immediately follow it by pronouncing it in the same way.

Once the Indonesian audio plays, immediately speak aloud the words you heard and mimic them.

It might be difficult to keep up with the audio at first, but by practicing repeatedly, you can acquire natural Indonesian pronunciation.

Shadowing is an effective method that simultaneously trains your listening and speaking skills.

In this article, we introduce practical Indonesian example sentences with audio, so please take a look!

Improve Your Indonesian Skills Using Wordbooks and Vocabulary Collections!

In this article, we introduced 165 basic Indonesian words with audio.

We would be happy if this word collection was helpful for your Indonesian study.

When learning words and pronunciation, it is very important not just to check the reading in Katakana, but to listen to the audio and memorize the correct pronunciation.

By utilizing wordbooks and vocabulary collections, listening to audio repeatedly, and mimicking pronunciation through shadowing, you can boost your Indonesian skills all at once.

Furthermore!

By using the AI reading service "Ondoku", you can freely and for free create native pronunciation audio for words other than those introduced in this article.

Why not learn more Indonesian words and sentences and utilize them for travel, business, and daily conversation practice?

I sincerely hope for the success of your Indonesian language learning!

■ AI voice synthesis software "Ondoku"

"Ondoku" is an online text-to-speech tool that can be used with no initial costs.

  • Supports approximately 50 languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, and German
  • Available from both PC and smartphone
  • Suitable for business, education, entertainment, etc.
  • No installation required, can be used immediately from your browser
  • Supports reading from images

To use it, simply enter text or upload a file on the site. A natural-sounding audio file will be generated within seconds. You can use voice synthesis up to 5,000 characters for free, so please give it a try.

Text-to-speech software "Ondoku" can read out 5000 characters every month with AI voice for free. You can easily download MP3s and commercial use is also possible. If you sign up for free, you can convert up to 5,000 characters per month for free from text to speech. Try Ondoku now.
HP: ondoku3.com
Email: ondoku3.com@gmail.com
Related posts