Difference between ‘Kamar’, ‘Ruang’ and ‘Ruangan’

Difference between ‘Kamar’, ‘Ruang’ and ‘Ruangan’

‘Kamar’, ‘Ruang’ or ‘Ruangan’ There are three words in Indonesian that mean room. They are ‘kamar’, ‘ruang’ and ‘ruangan’. The three words are used in quite a distinguished manner and it’s important to know the difference. ‘Kamar’ means room and it’s usually used

Difference between ‘Bisa’, ‘Boleh’ and ‘Dapat’

Difference between ‘Bisa’, ‘Boleh’ and ‘Dapat’

‘Bisa’, ‘Boleh’ or ‘Dapat’ Using the word can in Indonesian can be a bit tricky especially if you have tried to explore ways to order food in Indonesian. There are 3 words that are commonly used in Indonesian that mean

Difference between ‘Tua’ and ‘Lama’

Difference between ‘Tua’ and ‘Lama’

‘Tua’ or ‘Lama’ The word old in English is one of the most used words when describing a thing or a person. Indonesian has two words that mean old: ‘tua’ and ‘lama’. Do you know the difference? ‘Tua’ is an

Special Edition #2: Happy New Year 2015!

New_Year

Selamat Tahun Baru 2015! We hope that you have a great and lovely year ahead! I’ll start the New Year by helping you use one of the words above even more… the word ‘baru’! The word ‘baru’ is an adjective that

Special Edition #1: Merry Christmas in Indonesian

Special Edition #1: Merry Christmas in Indonesian

Selamat Hari Natal You might have known that the phrase above means Merry Christmas in Indonesian. But do you know the meaning of each of the words? Selamat The word ‘selamat’ can mean to wish you a good… (as a part of a phrase),

Difference between ‘Kapan’, ‘Ketika’ and ‘Waktu’

‘Kapan’, ‘Ketika’ or ‘Waktu’ The word when is arguably one of the most used words in any language. Sooner or later you will find yourself wanting to ask a question about time or to tell stories about the time when you

Listening Tip #2: Notice the Honorifics

 Listening Tip #2: Notice the Honorifics Respect and formality are very important in the Indonesian culture and is conveyed strongly in the language. If you have learnt Indonesian for a while, I’m sure you have heard these words before: Bapak (Pak),

Difference between ‘Tahu’ and ‘Kenal’

‘Tahu’ or ‘Kenal’ ‘Tahu’ and ‘kenal’ both mean to know in Indonesian. They are root words that are commonly used in the language. You might have some knowledge about these two words but do you know how to use them

Difference between ‘Jahat’, ‘Buruk’ and ‘Jelek’

‘Jahat’, ‘Buruk’ or ‘Jelek’ In the earlier post I have explained the difference between ‘Baik’ and ‘Bagus’ which both mean good. Now I am going to explain the words that Indonesian use to say bad. Yes, there are at least three

Difference between ‘Mengerjakan’ and ‘Melakukan’

‘Mengerjakan’ or ‘Melakukan’? ‘Kerjakan’ or ‘Lakukan’? The word ‘do’ is very important in English. It is used in a lot of contexts and can even be used to add emphasis on a positive verb. However, do you know how to use the