There is no single word for please in Indonesian. The dictionary gives tolong (TOH-long), but tolong means "help" and is used to ask someone to do something for you. Offering something or inviting someone is silakan (see-LAH-kan), "go ahead". Ordering food or asking for an item is minta (MIN-tah), "ask for". Asking permission is boleh (BOH-lay), "may I". Indonesians are polite without a please-word; politeness is in the tone, the ya at the end, and the Pak or Bu.
Here is the quick version, then each one with examples.
- Tolong: please (do something for me), help. Tolong buka pintunya. Please open the door.
- Silakan: please (go ahead, help yourself), after you. Silakan duduk. Please sit.
- Minta: can I have, I'd like. Minta es teh. Iced tea, please.
- Boleh: may I, can I. Boleh lihat? Can I see?
- Mohon: formal please, in writing and announcements. Mohon tunggu. Please wait.
- Ya, dong, deh: the little words at the end that make a request sound friendly.
1. Tolong: please do this for me
Tolong is literally "help". On its own, shouted, it is a cry for help. In front of a verb it turns an instruction into a request. It is for things you want someone to do, not things you want to receive.
- Tolong ambilkan garam. Please pass the salt.
- Tolong tunggu sebentar. Please wait a moment.
- Tolong pelan-pelan, ya. Please, slowly. (to a driver, or someone talking fast)
- Bisa tolong fotoin? Could you take a photo for me? (fotoin is the spoken form of memfotokan)
With bisa (can) in front, bisa tolong..., it is softer still.
2. Silakan: please, go ahead
Silakan is the host's word. It invites, offers and gives way. You will hear it from every waiter, receptionist and shopkeeper, and you say it when you let someone through a door.
- Silakan masuk. Please come in.
- Silakan duduk. Please sit down.
- Silakan dicoba. Please try it. (food at a stall)
- Silakan. After you. / Go ahead.
In speech, silakan is often shortened to silahkan in writing (a common misspelling) and said quickly as s'lakan.
3. Minta: ordering and asking for things
To ask for an object, use minta (ask for) or mau (want) with the item. This is how you order at a warung, and it is polite; tolong here would sound as if you needed rescuing.
- Minta nasi goreng satu. One fried rice, please.
- Mau es teh manis. I'd like a sweet iced tea.
- Minta bonnya, ya. The bill, please.
- Boleh minta air? Could I have some water?
Minta and mau alone can sound blunt; the ya at the end, or boleh at the front, does the work of "please".
4. Boleh: may I
Boleh means "may", "allowed". As a question it asks permission, and as an answer it grants it: Boleh? Boleh. (May I? Sure.) It is one of the most useful words in the language because it also means "yes please" when something is offered.
- Boleh saya duduk di sini? May I sit here?
- Boleh lihat? Can I have a look?
- Mau kopi? Boleh. Want coffee? Yes, please.
- Boleh foto? Can I take a photo? (always ask first)
The opposite answer is nggak boleh (not allowed); see our page on nggak.
5. Mohon, and the softeners
Mohon is the formal "please" of signs, emails and announcements: mohon maaf (we apologise), mohon tunggu (please wait), mohon perhatian (attention please). You will read it more than say it. In conversation, Indonesians soften requests with small words at the end: ya (OK?), dong (come on, go on), deh (then, fine). Ambilkan garam, dong is "pass the salt, would you", friendly and only between people who know each other.
Common mistakes
Tolong when ordering. Tolong nasi goreng sounds like the fried rice needs help. Say minta nasi goreng or nasi goreng satu, ya.
Silakan when asking for something. Silakan offers; it does not request. The waiter says silakan, you say minta.
Dong with strangers or elders. It is friendly to the point of cheeky. Use ya instead.
Looking for one please and feeling rude without it. Indonesians hear politeness in Pak, Bu, ya and a soft tone. A request with those and no "please" is perfectly polite.
FAQ
How do you say please in Indonesian?
It depends. Tolong asks someone to do something, silakan invites or offers, minta asks for an item, boleh asks permission, mohon is the formal written please.
What does tolong mean?
"Help". In front of a verb it makes a polite request: tolong tunggu, please wait. Alone and loud it is a call for help.
What is the difference between tolong and silakan?
Tolong asks for something to be done for you. Silakan tells someone to go ahead or offers them something. The customer says tolong, the host says silakan.
How do you say yes please in Indonesian?
Boleh (sure, may I) or mau (yes, I want some). Makasih on its own, by contrast, usually means no thank you.
How do you order politely in Indonesian?
Minta plus the item, or the item plus satu (one) and ya: es teh satu, ya. Add Pak or Bu for the server.
The polite Indonesian nobody writes down
Which please-word to use is a small example of the whole problem with learning from a book: the book has tolong, and ordering with it sounds odd. JADI teaches these choices inside real sentences from the first lesson. Our list of 50 basic Indonesian phrases gives the textbook form and the spoken form for each, and thank you in Indonesian covers the other half of being polite.
Every JADI lesson is written by Yohana, a native Indonesian teacher, with audio for every sentence and spaced repetition so it stays. The first 6 lesson days are free.
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