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! ·
These phrases, out loud and in your pocket
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