165 Essential Indonesian Words! A Vocabulary List with Audio for Learning Pronunciation
Jan. 26, 2026


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" is recommended for learning Indonesian words and practicing pronunciation!
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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.
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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]](https://storage.googleapis.com/ondoku3/image/bahasa_indonesia_words_003_930.webp)
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 | ヤ | |
| 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 | テ | |
| 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?

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?](https://storage.googleapis.com/ondoku3/image/bahasa_indonesia_words_004_930.webp)
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!
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