When something goes wrong
A complaint sounds different here. A direct "you did this wrong" puts someone in a spot they can't leave without losing face — and instead of a fix, you get a smile and silence.
What works is describing the problem with nobody attached to it. Not "you brought the wrong thing" but "ini bukan pesanan saya" — "this isn't my order". No one is named; the problem is, and it starts getting solved.
Two words cover half the cases: "rusak" — broken, and "tidak jalan" — not working. Both fit anything: the AC, the internet, a lock, a scooter.
On money: "minta uangnya kembali" — I'd like a refund — exists, but comes up less than you'd expect. A replacement or a repair is usually offered, and usually that's the faster way out.
Pronunciation below is written to be read out loud in English spelling. It isn't linguistically exact — it's meant to get you understood.
52 phrases
Help!
Tolong!
TOH-lohng!
One word — the one that matters most if you're in trouble.
I'm lost
Saya tersesat
sah-yah tuhr-SEH-saht
I lost my phone
HP saya hilang
hp sah-yah HEE-lahng
Phone here is "HP", pronounced "ha-pe".
My wallet was stolen
Dompet saya dicuri
dohm-puht sah-yah dee-CHOO-ree
Please call the police
Tolong panggil polisi
toh-lohng pahng-geel poh-LEE-see
Politer: Permisi, tolong panggil polisi ·
There's been an accident
Ada kecelakaan
ah-dah kuh-chuh-lah-KAH-ahn
Politer: Permisi, ada kecelakaan ·
I need help
Saya butuh bantuan
sah-yah boo-too bahn-TOO-ahn
Please call this number
Tolong telepon nomor ini
toh-lohng tuh-leh-pohn noh-mohr EE-nee
Politer: Permisi, tolong telepon nomor ini ·
Could you help me, please
Tolong bantu saya
toh-lohng bahn-too SAH-yah
Politer: Permisi, tolong bantu saya ·
I don't understand, could you say that again
Saya tidak mengerti, tolong ulangi
sah-yah tee-dahk muhn-guhr-TEE, toh-lohng oo-LAHN-gee
Local: Saya nggak mengerti, ulangi ·
Could you speak more slowly
Bicara pelan-pelan
bee-chah-rah puh-lahn puh-LAHN
Does anyone speak English?
Ada yang bisa bahasa Inggris?
ah-dah yahng bee-sah bah-hah-sah EENG-grees?
Politer: Permisi, ada yang bisa bahasa Inggris? ·
It's not my fault
Itu bukan salah saya
ee-too boo-kahn sah-lah SAH-yah
Hold on, let me call a friend
Tunggu, saya telepon teman
TOONG-goo, sah-yah tuh-leh-pohn tuh-MAHN
Works better than arguing — a local friend can often sort it out in a minute.
Could you say that again?
Tolong ulangi
toh-lohng oo-LAHN-gee
Politer: Permisi, tolong ulangi ·
Could you write it down?
Tolong tulis
toh-lohng TOO-lees
Politer: Permisi, tolong tulis ·
Can you help me carry this?
Tolong bantu bawa
toh-lohng bahn-too BAH-wah
Politer: Permisi, tolong bantu bawa ·
Call an ambulance
Panggil ambulans
pahng-geel ahm-BOO-lahns
I got scammed
Saya ditipu
sah-yah dee-TEE-poo
This is a scam, this is the wrong price
Ini penipuan, harganya salah
ee-nee puh-nee-POO-ahn, hahr-gahn-yah SAH-lah
You're scamming me
Kamu menipu saya
kah-moo muh-nee-poo SAH-yah
harsh, better softer: Kok mahal sekali, biasanya nggak segini
Can you write it on your phone?
Bisa tulis di HP?
bee-sah TOO-lees dee hp?
Politer: Permisi, bisa tulis di HP? ·
I didn't understand how much this costs
Saya nggak paham, berapa harganya?
sah-yah nggahk PAH-hahm, buh-rah-pah hahr-GAHN-yah?
Can we do this in English?
Bisa bahasa Inggris?
bee-sah bah-hah-sah EENG-grees?
Politer: Permisi, bisa bahasa Inggris? ·
I'm not from here, I don't know the way
Saya bukan orang sini, nggak tahu jalan
sah-yah boo-kahn oh-rahng SEE-nee, nggahk tah-hoo JAH-lahn
This isn't what I ordered
Ini bukan yang saya pesan
ee-nee boo-kahn yahng sah-yah puh-SAHN
We agreed on a different price
Kita udah sepakat harga lain
kee-tah oo-dah suh-pah-kaht hahr-gah LEHYEN
Show me where I am on the map
Tolong tunjukkan saya posisi di peta
toh-lohng toon-jook-kahn sah-yah poh-see-see dee puh-TAH
Politer: Permisi, tolong tunjukkan saya di mana di peta ·
My bag was stolen
Tas saya dicuri
tahs sah-yah dee-CHOO-ree
My bike was stolen
Motor saya dicuri
moh-tohr sah-yah dee-CHOO-ree
Something's not right, explain again please
Ada yang salah, tolong jelaskan lagi
ah-dah yahng SAH-lahh, toh-lohng juh-lahs-kahn LAH-gee
Politer: Permisi, ada yang salah, tolong jelaskan lagi ·
I don't believe you
Saya nggak percaya
sah-yah nggahk puhr-CHAH-yah
harsh, for conflict situations
Give me a minute, I need to make a call
Tunggu sebentar, saya mau telepon dulu
toong-goo suh-buhn-TAHR, sah-yah mohw tuh-leh-pohn DOO-loo
to call a friend / step out of the situation
I'll write this down so I don't forget
Saya catat dulu biar nggak lupa
sah-yah chah-taht doo-loo bee-ahr nggahk LOO-pah
This is way too expensive, that's a tourist price
Ini kemahalan, ini harga turis
ee-nee kuh-mah-HAH-lahn, ee-nee hahr-gah TOO-rees
harga turis = inflated price for tourists
Please write it in numbers
Tolong tulis angkanya
toh-lohng too-lees ahng-KAHN-yah
Politer: Permisi, tolong tulis angkanya ·
I'm not paying this, it's not right
Saya nggak mau bayar, ini nggak benar
sah-yah nggahk mohw BAH-yahr, ee-nee nggahk buh-NAHR
for obvious scams
My phone got stolen!
HP saya dicuri!
hp sah-yah dee-CHOO-ree!
HP = phone, pronounced "ha-pe"
I just got robbed!
Saya kena copet!
sah-yah kuh-nah CHOH-puht!
copet — pickpocket, often about theft on the move/from a scooter
Stop, thief!
Maling! Maling!
MAH-leeng! MAH-leeng!
shouted at the crowd, not at police
There's an accident, we need help!
Ada kecelakaan, tolong bantu!
ah-dah kuh-chuh-lah-KAH-ahn, toh-lohng BAHN-too!
Politer: Permisi, ada kecelakaan, tolong bantu! ·
I had a motorbike accident!
Saya kecelakaan motor!
sah-yah kuh-chuh-lah-kah-ahn MOH-tohr!
Call an ambulance, now!
Panggil ambulans, cepat!
pahng-geel ahm-BOO-lahns, chuh-PAHT!
Fire!
Kebakaran!
kuh-bah-KAH-rahn!
There's a fire over there!
Di sana kebakaran!
dee sah-nah kuh-bah-KAH-rahn!
Call the fire department!
Panggil pemadam kebakaran!
pahng-geel puh-mah-dahm kuh-bah-KAH-rahn!
I need the police!
Saya perlu polisi!
sah-yah puhr-loo poh-LEE-see!
Somebody call the police!
Ada yang bisa telepon polisi?
ah-dah yahng bee-sah tuh-leh-pohn poh-LEE-see?
Politer: Permisi, ada yang bisa telepon polisi? ·
I feel sick, I need help!
Saya sakit, tolong bantu!
sah-yah SAH-keet, toh-lohng BAHN-too!
He's unconscious!
Dia pingsan!
dee-ah PEENG-sahn!
He's not breathing!
Dia tidak bernapas!
dee-ah tee-dahk buhr-NAH-pahs!
Local: Dia nggak bernapas! ·
He's bleeding, we need help!
Ada yang berdarah, tolong bantu!
ah-dah yahng buhr-DAH-rahh, toh-lohng BAHN-too!
Politer: Permisi, ada yang berdarah, tolong bantu! ·
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