Indonesian · A2 (Elementary)
Greetings in Indonesian: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Indonesian words for greetings are Selamat siang (Good afternoon (noon-3pm)), Selamat sore (Good afternoon (3-6pm)) and Sampai bertemu lagi (Goodbye / Until we meet again). The full Indonesian greetings phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Indonesian vocabulary for greetings, with example sentences and English translations. This is A2 (Elementary) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Indonesian to live, work, or settle abroad.
Source: Language Lab's Indonesian curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key greetings vocabulary
| Indonesian | English |
|---|---|
| Selamat siang | Good afternoon (noon-3pm) |
| Selamat sore | Good afternoon (3-6pm) |
| Sampai bertemu lagi | Goodbye / Until we meet again |
| Izinkan saya memperkenalkan | Allow me to introduce |
| Senang berkenalan dengan Anda | Nice to meet you (formal) |
| Selamat datang | Welcome |
| Apa kabar Anda? | How are you? (formal) |
| Semoga harimu menyenangkan | Have a nice day |
| Kartu nama saya | My business card |
| Merupakan kehormatan | It's an honour |
Example sentences
Apa kabar Anda? Baik, terima kasih.
How are you? Well, thank you.
Izinkan saya memperkenalkan rekan saya, Pak Hendra.
Allow me to introduce my colleague, Mr Hendra.
Senang berkenalan dengan Anda, Ibu Ratna.
Nice to meet you, Mrs Ratna.
Ini kartu nama saya.
Here is my business card.
Sampai jumpa, semoga harimu menyenangkan!
Goodbye, have a nice day!
Merupakan kehormatan bertemu dengan Anda.
It's an honour to meet you.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
Practice Indonesian that actually sticks.
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