Hello in Indonesian is halo (HAH-lo), and between friends it is hai (like English "hi"). For anything more polite, Indonesians greet by the time of day: selamat pagi (good morning), selamat siang (good midday), selamat sore (good afternoon) and selamat malam (good evening). Most of the time, though, the greeting you will actually hear is not a greeting at all. It is a question: apa kabar? (how are you?) or, at a warung, udah makan? (eaten yet?).
Here is the quick version, then each one with examples.
- Halo (HAH-lo): hello, anyone, any time. Also what you say when you pick up the phone.
- Hai (high): hi, between friends and people your age.
- Selamat pagi / siang / sore / malam: good morning / midday / afternoon / evening. Polite, and the safe choice with anyone older or in a shop, office or hotel.
- Pagi! Siang! Sore! Malam!: the same greetings with selamat dropped. This is how people say them.
- Apa kabar? (AH-pah KAH-bar): how are you? Often the whole greeting.
- Permisi (per-MEE-see): excuse me, when you walk into a room or past someone.
1. Halo and hai
Halo came from Dutch and English and does the same job as hello: neutral, friendly, fine with strangers. It is also the phone greeting. Hai is its casual cousin, for friends, classmates and anyone you would not call Bapak or Ibu.
- Halo, Pak. Hello, sir.
- Hai, apa kabar? Hi, how are you?
- Halo? Dengan siapa? Hello? Who is this? (on the phone)
Spelling: halo with one l. You will also see hallo and helo in chats; same word.
2. The selamat greetings, by the clock
Selamat (suh-LAH-mat) means safe or blessed, and it starts most polite greetings. The time word after it is what matters:
| Greeting | When | Say it like |
|---|---|---|
| Selamat pagi | sunrise to about 10 or 11 | suh-LAH-mat PAH-gee |
| Selamat siang | about 11 to 3 | suh-LAH-mat see-AHNG |
| Selamat sore | about 3 to sunset | suh-LAH-mat SO-ray |
| Selamat malam | after dark | suh-LAH-mat MAH-lahm |
Two things the textbooks leave out. First, in speech the selamat usually goes: a shopkeeper says Pagi!, you answer Pagi!. Second, selamat malam is both "good evening" and "good night" as a greeting, but when you are leaving to sleep you say selamat tidur (sleep well). Our pages on good morning in Indonesian and good evening in Indonesian go through the boundaries and the mistakes.
3. Apa kabar, the greeting that is a question
In practice, apa kabar? does most of the work of hello. Literally "what news?", it means "how are you?", and the standard answer is baik (fine) or kabar baik (good news), followed by kamu? (and you?) to a friend or Bapak / Ibu? to someone older.
- Halo, apa kabar? Baik. Kamu? Hello, how are you? Fine. You?
- Apa kabar, Bu? Alhamdulillah, baik. How are you, ma'am? Thank God, well.
There is a full page on apa kabar and how to answer it.
4. The greetings that are not greetings
Indonesians often open with a small practical question instead of hello. These are greetings, not real questions, and a short answer is all that is wanted.
- Udah makan? Eaten yet? Answer udah (yes) or belum (not yet).
- Mau ke mana? Where are you off to? Answer jalan-jalan (just out and about) or where you are going.
- Dari mana? Where have you been? Answer with the place.
Nobody is being nosy. Mau ke mana? from the neighbour is "hello", and jalan-jalan is "hello back".
5. Walking in: permisi and assalamualaikum
Entering a house, an office or a small shop, say permisi (excuse me) as you cross the threshold. In a Muslim household, and in most of Indonesia that is the majority, you will also hear assalamualaikum (peace be upon you), answered with waalaikumsalam. As a foreigner you are not expected to use it, but recognising it helps.
Common mistakes
Selamat siang at 9 in the morning. Siang starts late morning. Before that it is pagi.
Selamat malam when going to bed. That is selamat tidur. Selamat malam is for arriving, not leaving.
Hai to someone's grandmother. Hai is for equals. With elders, officials and anyone in a uniform, use selamat pagi and the rest, with Pak or Bu.
Waiting for a real answer to udah makan. It is hello. Say udah and move on.
FAQ
How do you say hello in Indonesian?
Halo. Between friends, hai. Politely, by the time of day: selamat pagi (morning), selamat siang (midday), selamat sore (afternoon), selamat malam (evening).
How do you say hi in Indonesian?
Hai, pronounced like English "hi". It is casual, for friends and people your own age.
How do you say hello in Bahasa Indonesia?
Bahasa Indonesia is the Indonesian name for the Indonesian language, so the answer is the same: halo, or a selamat greeting for the time of day.
How do you say hello, how are you in Indonesian?
Halo, apa kabar? The usual reply is baik (fine), often with kamu? (and you?) added.
What is the difference between halo and selamat pagi?
Halo is hello at any hour and with anyone. Selamat pagi is good morning and reads as more polite, which is why it is the better choice with elders, in offices and in shops.
The next 50 phrases
A greeting opens the door. What you say next is where most learners stall, because the phrases in the book are not the ones people use. Our list of 50 basic Indonesian phrases gives both forms for each.
JADI teaches the spoken version from day one: every lesson is written by Yohana, a native Indonesian teacher, around the sentences people actually say, with audio for each one and spaced repetition so they stay. Starting from zero? The beginner's guide to learning Indonesian lays out the first three months. The first 6 lesson days are free.
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