As a magic word, thank you is an important word to learn. In this blog post, we will go beyond Indonesian thank you terima kasih. We will learn the variations and the equivalent words in local languages in Indonesia.
If you prefer short video explanation, watch this video. For more examples, keep reading after the video.
Formal Thank You
The Indonesian word for thank you is ‘Terima kasih’. In formal situations, when you want to thank somebody for something, you can say ‘terima kasih atas’ or ‘terima kasih untuk’. Normally, the first one if for abstract thing and the second one is for concrete things. Have a look at the examples below:
Terima kasih atas perhatiannya – thank you for your attention.
Terima kasih atas makananya – thank you for the food.
Informal Thank You
In informal situations, Indonesians say makasih or makasih ya. ‘Ya’ literally means ‘yes’, but in this context, it doesn’t really mean anything. As you are exposed to Indonesian, you will soon notice that Indonesians say way to many ‘ya’, even when they speak English.
Check out the conversation below to see the example of informal thank you.
A: Boleh minta notanya mas? (May I have the bill?)
B: Oh ya, sebentar ya. (Yes, just a moment)
A: Makasih ya (Thanks)
B: Sama-sama. (you’re welcome)
Indonesian thank you so much
For thank you very much, we would say ‘terima kasih banyak’ or ‘makasih banyak’.
Thank you in local languages in Indonesia
Indonesia has more than 700 local languages spoken across the country. To touch Indonesian people deep inside their heart, you need to use their local languages. You will be surprised how impressed they are by you being able to say thank you in their language. Have a look at the table below to learn to say thank you in local languages in Indonesia.
| Local Language | The Translation of ‘Thank you’ |
| Javanese | Matur Nuwun/Nuwun |
| Balinese | Matur Suksma/Suksma |
| Injok | Bahasa Biak Beser (spoken around Raja Ampat archipelago) |
| Teurimong Gaseh Beh | Acehnese |
| Mauliate | Bahasa Batak (North Sumatera) |
| Sakalangkong | Maduranese |
| Epanggawang | Maumere language (East Nusa Tenggara) |
| Kurrusumanga | Toraja Language (South Sulawesi) |
| Tampiaseh | Sasak Language (Lombok) |
Conclusion on ‘Indonesian Thank You’
To say thank you, you can say terima kasih or makasih depending on the situations. You can pick local words if you are the region to impress local people. We hope the blog post is helpful for you.
