165 Basic Indonesian Words! A Vocabulary Book with Audio to Learn Pronunciation

Dec. 15, 2025

165 Basic Indonesian Words! A Vocabulary Book with Audio to Learn Pronunciation


I started studying Indonesian, but it's hard to remember the words.
cat
dog
Even if I look up how to read it in katakana, I don't know how to actually pronounce it...

Do you have any of these concerns when learning Indonesian ?

Even if you have memorized the spelling and meaning of Indonesian words, it may not be possible to communicate them in everyday conversation.

In such cases, we recommend practicing the correct pronunciation of words!

This article introduces 165 basic Indonesian words with audio .

We have compiled a list of commonly used words in Indonesian, from greetings to everyday conversations.

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

The vocabulary book also includes the katakana readings, so please use this as a reference for remembering the pronunciation!

When learning Indonesian words, it is very important to not only see them but also listen to them and check the pronunciation.

Why not try using this vocabulary book to learn Indonesian words with audio?

[Free] Recommended AI services for learning Indonesian vocabulary and pronunciation

Ondoku

We recommend "Ondoku" for learning Indonesian words and practicing pronunciation !

"Ondoku" is a speech synthesis service that uses the latest AI to read out Indonesian .

It can synthesize native Indonesian audio , making it perfect for learning the correct pronunciation of words!

From listening practice to shadowing practice, Ondoku is the best way to learn Indonesian.

In addition to learning, it can be used for a wide range of purposes, from creating Indonesian narration audio for YouTube videos to improving services for inbound tourists from Indonesia.

What's more, "Ondoku" is free!

It's a web app that you use in your browser, so you can start using it right away without having to install anything.

Of course, commercial use is also OK (more information on commercial use can be found here) .

Why not try using the AI text-to-speech web app "Ondoku" to learn Indonesian vocabulary and pronunciation?

165 Basic Indonesian Vocabulary Books [With Audio & Katakana, by Genre]

165 Basic Indonesian Words (with audio, categorized)

From here on, we will introduce a list of basic words as an Indonesian vocabulary book.

The words are organized by genre, so please use them to learn Indonesian vocabulary.

The vocabulary list includes Indonesian spelling, Japanese meaning, Katakana reading, and an audio player.

By listening to the audio and learning the words, you can also learn the correct pronunciation.

List of basic Indonesian words for greetings and daily conversations

Among the Indonesian words, the first ones you should learn are greetings and expressions used in everyday conversation.

These are words that you will likely use first, whether traveling or in business.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Halo Hello Halo
Selamat pagi good morning Surama Pagi
Selamat siang Hello (Daytime) Slamacian
Selamat malam Good evening Surama Malam
Terima kasih thank you Turima Casi
Sama-sama you're welcome. Summer Summer
Maaf sorry Ma'afu
Permisi sorry Pulmishi
Ya yes Ya
Tidak no Tidak
Tolong please Tron
Selamat tinggal Goodbye Suramat Tinggal
Sampai jumpa see you Sanpai Junpa
Apa kabar? How are you? Apa Cabal
Baik I'm fine Bye

List of basic Indonesian questions and interrogative words

We have compiled a vocabulary list of questions that are always used in conversation.

If you memorize the words introduced here, you'll be able to ask questions in Indonesian!

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Siapa who Siapa
Apa what Apa
Kapan when Kapan
Di mana where Di Mana
Mengapa why Mungapa
Kenapa Why (colloquial) Knapa
Bagaimana How Bagaimana
Berapa How many/how much Brapa

List of basic Indonesian words related to numbers and time

Indonesian numbers are necessary when shopping and telling time.

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

It's useful to remember everything from basic numbers to commonly used large numbers.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Satu 1 Satu
Dua 2 Dua
Tiga 3 Tiga
Empat 4 Umpah
Lima 5 Lima
Enam 6 Unam
Tujuh 7 Tuju
Delapan 8 Durapin
Sembilan 9 Sembilan
Sepuluh 10 Sprue
Sebelas 11 Subras
Dua belas 12 Dua Bras
Tiga belas 13 Tiga Brass
Lima belas 15 Lima Brass
Dua puluh 20 Dua Puru
Tiga puluh 30 Tiga Pull
Empat puluh 40 Oompa Plu
Lima puluh 50 Lima Pool
Seratus 100 Slatus
Seribu 1,000 Sliv
Sejuta 1 million Sujuta
Hari ini today Hari Ini
Kemarin yesterday Coumarin
Besok tomorrow Grrr
Pagi morning Pagi
Siang noon Cyan
Sore evening That
Malam night Malam
Jam Time/Clock jam
Menit minutes Muni

Indonesian basic vocabulary for days of the week

This is a vocabulary book for the days of the week that you can use when talking about schedules and plans.

Here is a list of useful words to use when planning your trip or business trip to Indonesia.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Senin Monday Sunin
Selasa Tuesday Surasa
Rabu Wednesday Love
Kamis Thursday Kamis
Jumat Friday Juma
Sabtu Saturday Subtoe
Minggu Sunday Ming

Indonesian basic vocabulary for family and relationships

This is an Indonesian vocabulary book that describes family and human relationships.

We have compiled a list of vocabulary words that will be useful when communicating with Indonesians in everyday conversation.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Keluarga family Kuruaruga
Ayah father Aya
Ibu mother Eve
Anak child Anah
Kakak Older brother/older sister Crack
Adik younger brother/sister Add
Suami husband Suami
Istri wife Istori
Teman friend Tuman
Orang people Oran

Indonesian food and drink vocabulary

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

If you memorize this vocabulary list, you'll have fun talking about food in everyday Indonesian conversations.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Makanan food Macanan
Minuman drink Minuman
Nasi cooked rice No
Mie noodles Me
Ayam chicken meat Ayam
Ikan fish No
Sayur vegetables Sayur
Buah fruit Bua
Roti bread Roti
Air water Isle
Kopi coffee Copy
Teh Black tea Te
Susu milk Soot
Gula sugar Gra
Garam salt Garam

Indonesian basic vocabulary for travel and transportation

A vocabulary list of transportation and locations necessary for traveling in Indonesia.

Here is a list of useful items to use at airports, hotels, and when traveling.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Hotel Hotel Hotel
Restoran restaurant restaurant
Bandara airport Bandara
Stasiun station Staciun
Taksi taxi Taxi
Bus bus Ugly
Kereta train Crete
Pesawat plane Psawwah
Kamar room Kamal
Toilet toilet Toilet
Jalan road Jalan
Kiri left Kiri
Kanan right Canaan
Lurus Straight Lulls
Peta map Puta

List of basic Indonesian vocabulary for shopping and money

This is an Indonesian vocabulary book for shopping and negotiating.

We have compiled a list of useful words for use in markets and shops.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Uang money Uan
Harga price Haruga
Diskon discount Discontinued
Bayar pay Bayard
Mahal expensive Mahal
Murah cheap unevenness

List of basic Indonesian words related to body and health

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

We have compiled a list of words that will be useful when communicating your symptoms at a hospital or pharmacy.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Kepala head Kupala
Mata eye Mata
Hidung nose Hidden
Mulut mouth Murgh
Tangan hand Tangan
Kaki feet oyster
Sakit Pain/illness Saki
Sehat health Shhh
Rumah sakit hospital Ruma Saki
Obat medicine Oba

List of basic Indonesian words for location and direction

This is an Indonesian vocabulary book that shows locations and directions.

Here is a list of words you will need for everyday conversations such as asking for directions or describing a location.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Rumah house Luma
Kantor Office Cantor
Toko shop Toko
Bank bank bank
Sekolah school Schola
Pasar market Pasar
Depan before Dupin
Belakang behind Bulacan
Atas above Atas
Bawah under Bawa

Indonesian basic vocabulary for colors

This is a color vocabulary book used to describe things.

A list of words commonly used in shopping and everyday conversation.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Merah red Mela
Biru blue building
Kuning yellow Kunin
Hijau green Hijau
Hitam black Hitam
Putih white Petit

Indonesian basic adjective vocabulary list

This is a vocabulary book of adjectives used to describe things and convey opinions.

Here's a list of important words that will broaden your everyday conversation!

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Besar big Busar
Kecil small Kutyl
Panjang long Panjan
Pendek short Pundet
Bagus Good/Excellent Bugs
Jelek Bad/Ugly Juliet
Panas Hot/hot Panas
Dingin Cold/chilly Dingin
Baru new Bar
Lama old Llama

List of basic Indonesian conjunctions and adverbs

This is a vocabulary book used to connect sentences and supplement meanings.

By memorizing this list of words, you will be able to have more natural conversations!

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Dan and Dan
Atau or Atau
Tetapi but Tutapi
Karena because Karena
Juga too Juga
Sudah Already Suda
Belum still Blum
Sangat very Sanga

Indonesian basic vocabulary for verbs

Here is a list of Indonesian verbs that are commonly used in everyday conversation.

Once you memorize this list of words, you will be able to make simple sentences.

Indonesian meaning Katakana audio
Makan eat Macan
Minum drink Minum
Pergi go Pulgi
Datang come Datang
Lihat look Rehearsal
Dengar listen Dungar
Bicara talk Bichara
Baca read Bacha
Tulis write Turis
Beli buy Yellowtail
Jual sell Casual
Buka open Buka
Tutup close Tutuup
Ada Yes/Yes Ada
Mau I want/want to Mau

What is the recommended way to memorize Indonesian vocabulary and everyday conversations?

What is the recommended way to memorize Indonesian vocabulary and everyday conversations?

When learning Indonesian vocabulary and everyday conversations, it's hard to remember them if you just try to memorize them randomly.

From here on, we will introduce you to a method for efficiently memorizing Indonesian vocabulary and everyday conversations .

There are different ways to memorize vocabulary and everyday conversations that suit each person, so it's best to find a method that works for you.

If you find it difficult to continue studying vocabulary and everyday conversations, try out the memorization methods we will introduce.

It's recommended to learn related words as a set!

A recommended way to memorize Indonesian words is to memorize related words in groups .

For example, if you group words by genre, such as "food," "travel," and "family," as in the list of words in this article, you will find them easier to remember.

When creating an Indonesian vocabulary book or glossary , it is recommended to adopt a memorization method that organizes words by genre.

Creating your own vocabulary list will make learning and speaking Indonesian even more fun!

Repeating a little bit every day is effective

The most important thing to remember when learning Indonesian vocabulary is to repeat it a little bit every day .

It is easier to remember words by repeating 10 words from a vocabulary book or word list every day than by memorizing 100 words at once.

The important thing is not to try to memorize the entire vocabulary list perfectly from the start.

Even if you can't remember the meaning at first, as you continue to listen to the audio and speak it out loud over and over, it will naturally come to mind.

The quickest way to improve your Indonesian is to continue memorizing every day, even if it's just for a short time .

[Free] How to practice to improve your Indonesian pronunciation?

[Free] How to practice to improve your Indonesian pronunciation?

Once you have memorized the Indonesian words, the next step is to practice pronunciation.

A recommended way to learn pronunciation is to use audio.

Here are some recommended ways to learn Indonesian pronunciation.

1. Improve your listening skills by repeatedly listening to audio of vocabulary and everyday conversations

When learning Indonesian words and pronunciation of everyday conversations, the most important thing is to listen to native pronunciation many times .

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

It's ok to just listen to the audio of the words introduced in the vocabulary list on this page while commuting to work or school.

A more effective way to memorize is to concentrate more on listening to the audio, which will help you understand the unique sound characteristics of Indonesian.

2. Practice your Indonesian pronunciation by speaking it out loud

When learning Indonesian vocabulary and everyday conversations, it is very important to actually practice speaking out loud .

Rather than just memorizing words in your head, pronouncing them with your mouth will help them stick in your memory.

A recommended learning method is to record your own pronunciation and listen to it again.

You can easily check your pronunciation for free by using a recording app on your smartphone.

Practice out loud and compare it with the recording until you get the pronunciation right.

3. Try shadowing to practice your pronunciation!

Once you have memorized Indonesian words and everyday conversational expressions, why not try your hand at shadowing ?

Shadowing is a learning method in which you listen to audio and pronounce it in the same way after a slight delay.

When you play the Indonesian audio, immediately repeat out loud the words you hear.

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

Shadowing is an effective memorization method that allows you to improve your listening and speaking skills at the same time.

This article introduces practical Indonesian example sentences with audio, so be sure to check it out!

Improve your Indonesian language skills by using vocabulary books and word lists!

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

I hope this vocabulary list will be helpful in your Indonesian studies.

When learning words and pronunciation, it is very important not only to check how to read them in katakana, but also to listen to the audio and memorize the correct pronunciation.

By using a vocabulary book or word list, listening to audio repeatedly, and imitating pronunciation through shadowing, you can quickly improve your Indonesian language skills .

moreover!

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

Learn more Indonesian words and sentences to use in travel, business, and everyday conversations.

I wish you every success in 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
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