Police and papers: what to say if you're stopped
Stopped on a scooter, you'll be asked three things: licence, vehicle papers, helmet. An international licence works; a home licence without one doesn't, and that's not worth arguing about.
The conversation is polite, and yours should be too. "Selamat siang, pak" at the start is worth more than it looks: calling an older man "pak" isn't flattery, it's standard, and leaving it out is noticed.
A fine comes as a written ticket — "tilang". It's an official document you pay at a bank or online. An offer to settle on the spot leaves no paper; whether to accept is your call, and our advice is to calmly ask for the tilang.
And the phrase you'll need most: "saya tidak mengerti" — I don't understand. Said calmly and without panic, it ends more conversations than anything else here.
Pronunciation below is written to be read out loud in English spelling. It isn't linguistically exact — it's meant to get you understood.
43 phrases
Here's my driver's license
Ini SIM saya
EE-nee seem SAH-yah
"SIM" is what locals call a driver's license — pronounced "seem", not like English "sim card".
I don't understand
Saya tidak mengerti
SAH-yah TEE-dahk muhn-guhr-TEE
Local: Saya nggak mengerti ·
Please speak slower
Tolong pelan-pelan
TOH-lohng puh-LAHN puh-LAHN
Politer: Boleh minta pelan-pelan? ·
I'm a foreigner
Saya orang asing
SAH-yah OH-rahng AH-seeng
Here's my passport
Ini paspor saya
EE-nee PAHS-pohr SAH-yah
What did I do wrong?
Saya salah apa?
SAH-yah SAH-lah AH-pah?
Can I get an official ticket for this?
Boleh minta surat tilang?
BOH-luh MEEN-tah SOO-raht TEE-lahng?
Politer: Permisi, boleh minta surat tilang? ·
I want to extend my visa
Saya mau perpanjang visa
SAH-yah MOHW puhr-PAHN-jahng VEE-sah
Here are my documents
Ini dokumen saya
EE-nee doh-KOO-muhn SAH-yah
I do have a visa
Saya punya visa
SAH-yah POON-yah VEE-sah
It's an international driving license
SIM internasional
seem een-tuhr-nah-see-OH-nahl
I'm just a tourist
Saya turis
SAH-yah TOO-rees
Sometimes easier than explaining you actually live here.
How much is the fine?
Dendanya berapa?
duhn-DAHN-yah buh-RAH-pah?
"Tilang" is the traffic ticket itself.
Can I get a receipt for that?
Boleh minta kwitansi?
BOH-luh MEEN-tah kwee-TAHN-see?
Politer: Permisi, boleh minta kwitansi? ·
I want to call my consulate
Saya mau telepon konsulat
SAH-yah MOHW tuh-LEH-pohn kohn-SOO-laht
What's the problem?
Ada masalah apa?
AH-dah mah-SAH-lah AH-pah?
Politer: Permisi, ada masalah apa? ·
I'll wait
Saya tunggu saja
SAH-yah TOONG-goo SAH-jah
Local: Saya tunggu aja ·
I lost my passport
Paspor saya hilang
PAHS-pohr SAH-yah HEE-lahng
I lost my keys
Kunci saya hilang
KOON-chee SAH-yah HEE-lahng
Where's the police station?
Kantor polisi di mana?
KAHN-tohr poh-LEE-see dee MAH-nah?
I need a police report
Saya perlu surat
SAH-yah puhr-LOO SOO-raht
Usually needed for insurance claims.
My visa expires in a week
Visa saya habis minggu depan
VEE-sah SAH-yah HAH-bees MEENG-goo duh-PAHN
Where can I extend my visa?
Di mana saya bisa perpanjang visa?
dee MAH-nah SAH-yah BEE-sah puhr-PAHN-jahng VEE-sah?
Politer: Permisi, di mana saya bisa perpanjang visa? ·
I'm going through an agent
Saya pakai agen untuk visa
SAH-yah PAH-kehye AH-guhn OON-took VEE-sah
many people extend through agents rather than doing it themselves
Is this an official fine?
Ini denda resmi, ya?
EE-nee duhn-DAH ruhs-MEE, yah?
a soft way to check it's not a bribe
Can I get a receipt for the fine?
Boleh minta kuitansi denda?
BOH-luh MEEN-tah koo-ee-TAHN-see duhn-DAH?
Politer: Permisi, boleh minta kuitansi denda? ·
I don't understand what I did wrong
Saya tidak paham saya salah apa
SAH-yah TEE-dahk PAH-hahm SAH-yah SAH-lah AH-pah
Local: Saya nggak paham saya salah apa ·
I'm a foreigner, still learning the rules here
Saya orang asing, masih belajar aturan di sini
SAH-yah OH-rahng AH-seeng, MAH-see buh-LAH-jahr ah-TOO-rahn dee SEE-nee
softens the tone, reduces conflict
Sorry, I didn't see the sign
Maaf, saya tidak lihat tanda tadi
MAH-ahf, SAH-yah TEE-dahk LEE-haht TAHN-dah TAH-dee
Local: Maaf, saya nggak lihat tanda tadi ·
Can we settle this here?
Bisa diselesaikan di sini saja?
BEE-sah dee-suh-luh-SEHYE-kahn dee SEE-nee SAH-jah?
Politer: Permisi, bisa diselesaikan di sini saja? ·
Local: Bisa diselesaikan di sini aja? ·
I'd rather pay the official fine at the bank
Saya lebih suka bayar denda resmi lewat bank
SAH-yah luh-BEE SOO-kah BAH-yahr duhn-DAH ruhs-MEE LEH-waht bahnk
polite refusal of an informal settlement
I don't have cash on me
Saya tidak bawa uang tunai
SAH-yah TEE-dahk BAH-wah OO-ahng TOO-nehye
Local: Saya nggak bawa uang tunai ·
Can I call my consulate?
Boleh saya telepon konsulat saya?
BOH-luh SAH-yah tuh-LEH-pohn kohn-SOO-laht SAH-yah?
Politer: Permisi, boleh saya telepon konsulat saya? ·
Is this the original license, or do I need an international one?
Ini SIM asli atau perlu SIM internasional?
EE-nee seem AHS-lee AH-tohw puhr-LOO seem een-tuhr-nah-see-OH-nahl?
I have an international driving license
Saya punya SIM internasional
SAH-yah POON-yah seem een-tuhr-nah-see-OH-nahl
I don't have a license, I'll just call a taxi
Saya tidak punya SIM, saya panggil taksi saja
SAH-yah TEE-dahk POON-yah seem, SAH-yah PAHNG-geel TAHK-see SAH-jah
Local: Saya nggak punya SIM, saya panggil taksi aja ·
I was just asking for directions, I didn't break any rule
Saya cuma tanya arah, saya tidak melanggar
SAH-yah CHOO-mah TAHN-yah AH-rahh, SAH-yah TEE-dahk muh-LAHNG-gahr
Local: Saya cuma tanya arah, saya nggak melanggar ·
Can I get a copy of the report?
Boleh saya minta salinan surat tilang?
BOH-luh SAH-yah MEEN-tah sah-LEE-nahn SOO-raht TEE-lahng?
Politer: Permisi, boleh saya minta salinan surat tilang? ·
Where do I go to pay the fine?
Saya harus ke mana untuk bayar dendanya?
SAH-yah HAH-roos kuh MAH-nah OON-took BAH-yahr duhn-DAHN-yah?
Thanks, I'll sort it out through my agent
Terima kasih, saya urus lewat agen saya saja
tuh-REE-mah KAH-seeh, SAH-yah OO-roos LEH-waht AH-guhn SAH-yah SAH-jah
Local: Makasih, saya urus lewat agen saya aja ·
I have insurance, I'll handle it myself
Saya punya asuransi, saya urus sendiri
SAH-yah POON-yah ah-soo-RAHN-see, SAH-yah OO-roos suhn-DEE-ree
Sorry, I'm in a hurry, I already have a meeting
Maaf, saya buru-buru, rapatnya sudah mulai
MAH-ahf, SAH-yah BOO-roo BOO-roo, rah-PAHT-nyah SOO-dah MOO-lehye
Local: Maaf, saya buru-buru, ada rapat udah mulai ·
I'll wait and go directly to the polres
Saya tunggu saja, biar saya urus langsung di polres
SAH-yah TOONG-goo SAH-jah, BEE-ahr SAH-yah OO-roos LAHNG-soong dee POHL-ruhs
Local: Saya tunggu aja, biar saya urus langsung di polres ·
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