How to haggle in Indonesian
The first price at a market isn't a price. It's an opening line, and the seller knows you know it. Paying the number you were told isn't rude, just odd — like paying the full asking price for a used car without a word.
What moves the number isn't your offer, it's your manner. A smile, an amused (not offended) "mahal banget", and a genuine willingness to walk away. Getting annoyed ends it: haggling here is an exchange of courtesies, and whoever raises their voice has left the conversation.
Realistic room is thirty to forty percent on souvenirs and clothes, close to nothing on food and cold drinks. If the seller says "harga modal" — "that's my cost" — it's usually not true, but it does mean they're done.
And the price quoted to you isn't the price a local pays. That's ordinary practice, not a conspiracy. Saying "kasih harga lokal" shows you know, and often that alone is enough.
Pronunciation below is written to be read out loud in English spelling. It isn't linguistically exact — it's meant to get you understood.
53 phrases
How much is this?
Berapa harganya?
buh-RAH-pah hahr-GAHN-yah?
Politer: Permisi, berapa harganya? ·
Local: Berapa nih? ·
Can you make it cheaper?
Boleh kurang?
BOH-luh KOO-rahng?
Politer: Bisa kurang sedikit, Pak? ·
Local: Kurang dong! ·
That's too expensive
Itu terlalu mahal
EE-too tuhr-LAH-loo MAH-hahl
Do you have a cheaper one?
Ada yang lebih murah?
AH-dah yahng luh-BEE MOO-rahh?
Politer: Permisi, ada yang lebih murah? ·
I'll think about it
Saya pikir dulu
SAH-yah PEE-keer DOO-loo
Polite way to walk away without buying. No one will be offended.
I'll take this one
Saya ambil yang ini
SAH-yah AHM-beel yahng EE-nee
Two kilos, please
Dua kilo, ya
DOO-ah KEE-loh, yah
What about my change?
Kembaliannya?
kuhm-bah-lee-AHN-nyah?
Can I take a look?
Boleh lihat?
BOH-luh LEE-haht?
Politer: Permisi, boleh lihat? ·
Is this fresh?
Ini masih segar?
EE-nee MAH-see suh-GAHR?
No thanks, I'm good
Tidak, terima kasih
TEE-dahk, tuh-REE-mah KAH-see
Local: Nggak usah, makasih ·
How much is this?
Ini berapa?
EE-nee buh-RAH-pah?
Too expensive!
Mahal banget!
MAH-hahl BAHN-guht!
said with a smile, not aggressively
Can you give me a better price?
Kasih harga murah dong
KAH-see HAHR-gah MOO-rah dohng
This is cost price, can't go any lower
Ini udah harga modal, gak bisa kurang lagi
EE-nee OO-dah HAHR-gah MOH-dahl, gahk BEE-sah KOO-rahng LAH-gee
common seller response, not always true
Can I get the local price?
Kasih harga lokal aja
KAH-see HAHR-gah LOH-kahl AH-jah
hints that you don't want to pay the tourist price
If I buy a lot, will you give me a discount?
Kalau ambil banyak, boleh diskon?
KAH-lohw AHM-beel BAHN-yahk, BOH-luh DEES-kohn?
I'll take three, can you give me a discount?
Saya ambil tiga, kasih diskon ya
SAH-yah AHM-beel TEE-gah, KAH-see DEES-kohn yah
What's your final price?
Harga pas berapa?
HAHR-gah pahs buh-RAH-pah?
asking for the real price straight away, no haggling
Is that your last price?
Ini harga terakhir?
EE-nee HAHR-gah tuh-RAHK-heer?
Give me a bit off and I'll take it
Kurangin sedikit, saya ambil
koo-RAHN-geen suh-DEE-keet, SAH-yah AHM-beel
Local: Kurangin dikit, saya ambil ·
The place next door is cheaper
Di sebelah lebih murah
dee suh-buh-LAH luh-BEE MOO-rah
classic bargaining move
I can't pay that much
Segitu saya gak sanggup
suh-GEE-too SAH-yah gahk SAHNG-goop
How about this: a hundred thousand
Gini aja, seratus ribu
GEE-nee AH-jah, suh-RAH-toos REE-boo
offering your own price
Okay, deal
Ya udah, sepakat
yah OO-dahh, suh-PAH-kaht
How much per kilo?
Berapa per kilo?
buh-RAH-pah puhr KEE-loh?
Politer: Permisi, berapa per kilo? ·
I'll take these three
Kasih yang ini tiga
KAH-see yahng EE-nee TEE-gah
pointing at the item
Just looking, thanks
Lihat-lihat aja, terima kasih
LEE-haht LEE-haht AH-jah, tuh-REE-mah KAH-see
Local: Lihat-lihat aja, makasih ·
Can I try it?
Boleh coba dulu?
BOH-luh CHOH-bah DOO-loo?
Politer: Permisi, boleh coba dulu? ·
I'll think about it and come back
Saya pikir-pikir dulu ya
SAH-yah PEE-keer PEE-keer DOO-loo yah
polite way to walk away without buying
I want two kinds, can you total it up together?
Mau dua macam, itung jadi satu
mohw DOO-ah MAH-chahm, EE-toong JAH-dee SAH-too
asking for a combined price on different items
Is it cheaper if I pay cash?
Kalau bayar cash, lebih murah gak?
KAH-lohw BAH-yahr chahsh, luh-BEE MOO-rah gahk?
in some markets card payment costs extra due to fees
Do you have anything fresher?
Ada yang lebih segar?
AH-dah yahng luh-BEE suh-GAHR?
Politer: Permisi, ada yang lebih segar? ·
Is this from yesterday?
Ini kemarin ya?
EE-nee kuh-MAH-reen yah?
the seller might look a bit awkward, but it's a fair question
Can I take a closer look?
Boleh lihat dekat-dekat?
BOH-luh LEE-haht duh-KAHT duh-KAHT?
Politer: Permisi, boleh lihat dekat-dekat? ·
Can I touch it?
Boleh pegang?
BOH-luh puh-GAHNG?
Politer: Permisi, boleh pegang? ·
Why is it so expensive?
Kok mahal banget?
kohk MAH-hahl BAHN-guht?
standard bargaining phrase
Can you do better on the price?
Kasih harga bagus dong
KAH-see HAHR-gah BAH-goos dohng
What if I buy a lot?
Kalau saya ambil banyak, boleh kurang?
KAH-lohw SAH-yah AHM-beel BAHN-yahk, BOH-luh KOO-rahng?
Okay, I'll take it
Oke, saya ambil
OH-kuh, SAH-yah AHM-beel
No, that's too expensive, I'll go
Nggak, mahal, saya jalan dulu
nggahk, MAH-hahl, SAH-yah JAH-lahn DOO-loo
effective tactic, often gets the price lowered
Could you weigh it, please?
Tolong ditimbang
TOH-lohng dee-TEEM-bahng
Politer: Permisi, tolong ditimbang ·
How much does this weigh?
Ini berapa kilo?
EE-nee buh-RAH-pah KEE-loh?
Can you skip that one, it's a bit spoiled
Yang ini jangan, agak busuk
yahng EE-nee JAHN-gahn, AH-gahk BOO-sook
Pick the best ones for me
Pilihkan yang bagus-bagus ya
pee-LEE-kahn yahng BAH-goos BAH-goos yah
asking the seller to select good quality items
Set this aside, I'll come back later
Ini disisihkan dulu ya, saya balik lagi
EE-nee dee-see-SEE-kahn DOO-loo yah, SAH-yah BAH-leek LAH-gee
Can you hold this for me?
Tolong ditahan dulu buat saya
TOH-lohng dee-TAH-hahn DOO-loo BOO-aht SAH-yah
Politer: Permisi, tolong ditahan dulu buat saya ·
I'll pick this up in an hour
Nanti saya ambil satu jam lagi
NAHN-tee SAH-yah AHM-beel SAH-too jahm LAH-gee
Keep it separate, don't mix it in
Pisahkan ya, jangan dicampur
pee-SAH-kahn yah, JAHN-gahn dee-CHAHM-poor
Is this local or imported?
Ini lokal atau import?
EE-nee LOH-kahl AH-tohw EEM-pohrt?
local is usually considered fresher
Which variety is better?
Yang jenis apa lebih enak?
yahng juh-NEES AH-pah luh-BEE EH-nahk?
Is it ripe?
Ini udah matang?
EE-nee OO-dah MAH-tahng?
important for fruit
Is this chemical-free?
Ini nggak pakai bahan kimia kan?
EE-nee nggahk PAH-kehye BAH-hahn kee-MEE-ah kahn?
relevant when buying produce at organic markets
These phrases, out loud and in your pocket
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