Indonesia · Phrasebook
Indonesia — Phrasebook for Adult Engagements
Essential phrases for navigating Indonesia: greetings, pricing, safety, and exit vocabulary. Indonesia primarily speaks Indonesian; English in tourist areas.
Currency
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR)
Emergency
112 (universal); 110 police
Languages
Indonesian; English in tourist areas
Core Phrases
| English | Local | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Halo / Selamat | HAH-loh / seh-LAH-maht |
| Thank you | Terima kasih | teh-REE-mah KAH-see |
| How much? | Berapa? | beh-RAH-pah |
Adult-Engagement Phrases (Translate Locally)
These phrases need to be translated in your destination — most providers and translation apps handle them fine. Showing what you want communicated, not the local form.
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"How much for one hour?"
Negotiate full duration up front; "one hour" is the universal unit.
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"I want to use a condom."
Non-negotiable; if pushed back, walk.
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"Can I see your ID?"
Standard provider screening. The floor is 18.
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"Where is the bathroom?"
Useful at every venue.
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"Is the price all-inclusive?"
Stops surprise extras-charges.
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"I want to leave now."
Non-confrontational exit phrase.
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"Please call me a taxi."
Many providers will use their preferred local app/firm.
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"Thank you, that was nice."
Universal exit; tipping is bonus, not expected everywhere.
Pricing Tip
Always confirm price in Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) directly, not USD/EUR equivalent. Tourist-rate providers will quote in your currency and pocket the conversion margin. Standard 1-hour pricing in Indonesia: IDR 1,500,000–4,000,000 (USD 95–250) for the typical band.
Related
Last verified April 2026. Phrases curated to match real local usage; pronunciation hints written in English-speaker phonetics. For full-language travel basics, the Tatoeba corpus (CC-BY) is a free open-source resource.