Ordering food in a warung
"Not spicy" here means "moderately spicy". Say "tidak pedas" and you'll still get something most people would call hot. If you actually mean it, say "tidak pakai sambal" — not "less chilli" but "no sambal at all", otherwise it goes in.
The other trap is sugar. Tea and coffee are sweet by default, and very. "Es teh" is sweet iced tea, not tea with ice. If you want it plain, say "tidak pakai gula" — and say it before it's poured.
Nobody brings you the bill in a warung; you walk up and ask. "Berapa semuanya" — "how much for everything" — does the job that catching a waiter's eye won't.
As for money: a proper local warung meal is twenty to thirty thousand rupiah. If the English menu has the same dishes at four times that, you're in a place built for visitors. That's fine — just know what you're paying for.
Pronunciation below is written to be read out loud in English spelling. It isn't linguistically exact — it's meant to get you understood.
82 phrases
Not spicy, please
Tidak pedas, ya
TEE-dahk puh-DAHS, yah
Local: Nggak pedas, ya ·
No spice at all
Sama sekali tidak pedas
SAH-mah suh-KAH-lee TEE-dahk puh-DAHS
Local: Sama banget nggak pedas ·
One water, please
Air putih satu, ya
EHYER POO-tee SAH-too, yah
"Air putih" is drinking water. Just "air" means water in general.
Tea with no sugar
Teh tawar
tuh TAH-wahr
Tea comes sweet by default. "Tawar" means unsweetened.
I'm vegetarian
Saya vegetarian
SAH-yah vuh-guh-TAH-ree-ahn
Safer to also add "tidak makan daging" — I don't eat meat.
I don't eat meat
Saya tidak makan daging
SAH-yah TEE-dahk MAH-kahn DAH-geeng
Local: Saya nggak makan daging ·
What do you recommend?
Yang enak apa?
yahng EH-nahk AH-pah?
Literally "what's good here". Works better than asking for a menu.
To go, please
Bungkus, ya
BOONG-koos, yah
This is really good!
Enak sekali!
EH-nahk suh-KAH-lee!
Local: Enak banget! ·
Check, please
Minta bon
MEEN-tah bohn
I'm allergic to peanuts
Saya alergi kacang
SAH-yah ah-LEHR-gee KAH-chahng
Peanuts show up in almost everything in Indonesia. This phrase can be a lifesaver.
That's all, thanks
Sudah, terima kasih
SOO-dahh, tuh-REE-mah KAH-see
Local: Udah, makasih ·
No ice, please
Tanpa es
TAHN-pah uhs
Ice isn't always made from filtered water — skip it your first week for sure.
Can I get that to go?
Bisa dibungkus?
BEE-sah dee-BOONG-koos?
Politer: Permisi, bisa dibungkus? ·
No sugar
Tanpa gula
TAHN-pah GOO-lah
Otherwise coffee and tea arrive sweetened by default.
What's good here?
Yang enak apa, Bu?
yahng EH-nahk AH-pah, boo?
No peanuts
Tanpa kacang
TAHN-pah KAH-chahng
Peanut allergies are risky here: peanuts are in almost everything.
Where can I get something to eat around here?
Ada tempat makan dekat sini?
AH-dah tuhm-PAHT MAH-kahn duh-KAHT SEE-nee?
Politer: Permisi, ada tempat makan dekat sini? ·
Do you have a free table?
Ada meja kosong?
AH-dah MEH-jah KOH-sohng?
Politer: Permisi, ada meja kosong? ·
How many people?
Untuk berapa orang?
OON-took buh-RAH-pah OH-rahng?
They'll ask this at the entrance. Reply with “dua orang”.
Can I get some water, please
Minta air putih
MEEN-tah EHYER POO-tee
“Air putih” means plain water, not just any drink.
One more, please
Minta satu lagi
MEEN-tah SAH-too LAH-gee
When will it be ready?
Kapan selesai?
KAH-pahn suh-luh-SEHYE?
Politer: Permisi, kapan selesai? ·
No gluten
Tanpa gluten
TAHN-pah GLOO-tuhn
Not everyone knows the word — add “tanpa tepung”, no flour.
Is this spicy?
Ini pedas?
EE-nee puh-DAHS?
Can you make it without sugar?
Bisa tanpa gula?
BEE-sah TAHN-pah GOO-lah?
Politer: Permisi, bisa tanpa gula? ·
Can I see a menu?
Minta menu, ya
MEEN-tah MEH-noo, yah
I'll have this
Saya mau ini
SAH-yah mohw EE-nee
pointing at the menu item — that's how it's usually done
Not too spicy, please
Jangan pedas ya
JAHN-gahn puh-DAHS yah
locals' idea of "not spicy" can still be hot — clarify the level
No spice at all
Gak pedas sama sekali ya
gahk puh-DAHS SAH-mah suh-KAH-lee yah
Local: Gak pedas sama banget ya ·
A little spicy, medium
Pedas sedikit aja
puh-DAHS suh-DEE-keet AH-jah
Local: Pedas dikit aja ·
Very spicy, how the locals eat it
Pedas banget, kayak orang sini makan
puh-DAHS BAHN-guht, KAH-yahk OH-rahng SEE-nee MAH-kahn
No chili sauce at all
Tanpa sambel ya
TAHN-pah SAHM-buhl yah
No MSG, please
Tanpa micin ya
TAHN-pah MEE-cheen yah
"micin" is the casual word for MSG, everyone understands it
No fish sauce
Tanpa kecap ikan ya
TAHN-pah KEH-chahp EE-kahn yah
No shrimp paste ("terasi")
Tanpa terasi ya
TAHN-pah tuh-RAH-see yah
"terasi" is often added by default in sambal
No egg
Tanpa telur ya
TAHN-pah tuh-LOOR yah
No vegetables
Tanpa sayur ya
TAHN-pah SAH-yoor yah
Rice on the side, please
Nasinya dipisah ya
nah-SEEN-yah dee-PEE-sah yah
Can you wrap this up, please?
Dibungkus aja ya
dee-BOONG-koos AH-jah yah
This one's to go, this one's to eat here
Yang ini bungkus, yang ini makan di sini
yahng EE-nee BOONG-koos, yahng EE-nee MAH-kahn dee SEE-nee
useful for mixed orders
Can I get the bill?
Minta bill
MEEN-tah beell
"bill" is understood almost everywhere, especially at tourist-friendly warungs
Put it all together, please
Semuanya digabung aja ya
suh-moo-AHN-yah dee-GAH-boong AH-jah yah
Can I get some water, please?
Minta air putih ya
MEEN-tah EHYER POO-tee yah
often free, but not always — worth checking
Is this extra?
Ini bayar ya?
EE-nee BAH-yahr yah?
relevant for water, snacks, extra sauces
More rice, please
Nasinya nambah ya
nah-SEEN-yah NAHM-bah yah
often free refills — worth asking
I'm allergic to seafood
Saya alergi seafood
SAH-yah ah-LEHR-gee suh-ah-FOH-ohd
I'm vegetarian, no meat at all
Saya vegetarian, tidak makan daging sama sekali
SAH-yah vuh-guh-tah-REE-ahn, TEE-dahk MAH-kahn DAH-geeng SAH-mah suh-KAH-lee
Local: Saya vegetarian, nggak makan daging sama banget ·
I don't eat eggs or dairy either
Saya juga nggak makan telur sama susu
SAH-yah JOO-gah nggahk MAH-kahn tuh-LOOR SAH-mah SOO-soo
Local: Saya juga nggak makan telur dan susu ·
Is there pork in this?
Ini ada babi, ga?
EE-nee AH-dah BAH-bee, gah?
casual local phrasing, no strict formal equivalent needed
Is this dish halal?
Ini halal, kan?
EE-nee HAH-lahl, kahn?
Do you have halal food?
Ada makanan halal di sini?
AH-dah mah-KAH-nahn HAH-lahl dee SEE-nee?
Politer: Permisi, ada makanan halal di sini? ·
Do you cook this on the same pan as pork?
Masaknya pakai wajan yang sama buat babi, ga?
mah-SAHK-nyah PAH-kehye WAH-jahn yahng SAH-mah BOO-aht BAH-bee, gah?
important question about cross-contact for halal/vegetarians
Can you make this without pork?
Bisa tanpa babi ya untuk ini?
BEE-sah TAHN-pah BAH-bee yah OON-took EE-nee?
Politer: Permisi, bisa tanpa babi ya untuk ini? ·
Can you swap the meat for vegetables, please?
Tolong ganti dagingnya jadi sayur aja
TOH-lohng GAHN-tee dah-GEENG-nyah JAH-dee SAH-yoor AH-jah
Politer: Permisi, tolong ganti dagingnya jadi sayur aja ·
I have an allergy, it's serious, not just a preference
Saya alergi, ini serius, bukan bohong
SAH-yah ah-LEHR-gee, EE-nee suh-REE-oos, BOO-kahn BOH-hohng
If it has nuts in it, I can't eat it
Kalau ada kacang, saya ga bisa makan ini
KAH-lohw AH-dah KAH-chahng, SAH-yah gah BEE-sah MAH-kahn EE-nee
Water with ice, please
Tolong air es nya ya
TOH-lohng EHYER uhs nyah yah
Politer: Permisi, tolong air es nya ya ·
Can I get a glass of ice water on the side?
Bisa minta air es nya di gelas terpisah?
BEE-sah MEEN-tah EHYER uhs nyah dee guh-LAHS tuhr-PEE-sahh?
Politer: Permisi, bisa minta air es nya di gelas terpisah? ·
Do you have vegetarian options on the menu?
Ada menu vegetarian, ga?
AH-dah MEH-noo vuh-guh-tah-REE-ahn, gah?
Politer: Permisi, ada menu vegetarian, ga? ·
Is this dish spicy but no meat?
Ini pedas tapi tanpa daging kan?
EE-nee puh-DAHS TAH-pee TAHN-pah DAH-geeng kahn?
Thanks for taking my allergy into account
Terima kasih udah perhatiin alergi saya
tuh-REE-mah KAH-see OO-dah puhr-hah-TEE-een ah-LEHR-gee SAH-yah
Local: Makasih udah perhatiin alergi saya ·
Can I see what's in this dish?
Bisa liat bahan-bahannya, ga?
BEE-sah LEE-aht BAH-hahn bah-HAHN-nyah, gah?
Politer: Permisi, bisa liat bahan-bahannya, ga? ·
I don't eat pork for religious reasons
Saya ga makan babi karena agama
SAH-yah gah MAH-kahn BAH-bee KAH-ruh-nah ah-GAH-mah
simple explanation for warung staff
One coffee to go
Kopi satu, bawa pulang
KOH-pee SAH-too, BAH-wah POO-lahng
Can I get it iced?
Bisa pakai es?
BEE-sah PAH-kehye uhs?
Politer: Permisi, bisa pakai es? ·
An iced latte, please
Es latte satu, ya
uhs LAHT-tuh SAH-too, yah
Do you have wifi?
Ada wifi, gak?
AH-dah WEE-fee, gahk?
Politer: Permisi, ada wifi, gak? ·
What's the wifi password?
Password wifinya apa, ya?
PAHS-swohrd wee-FEEN-yah AH-pah, yah?
Is there a free outlet?
Ada stop kontak yang kosong?
AH-dah stohp KOHN-tahk yahng KOH-sohng?
Politer: Permisi, ada stop kontak yang kosong? ·
Can I sit near an outlet?
Boleh duduk dekat stop kontak?
BOH-luh DOO-dook duh-KAHT stohp KOHN-tahk?
Politer: Permisi, boleh duduk dekat stop kontak? ·
It's quiet here — is it okay to work?
Di sini tenang, bisa kerja?
dee SEE-nee tuh-NAHNG, BEE-sah kuhr-JAH?
Is there a quieter spot?
Ada tempat yang lebih tenang?
AH-dah tuhm-PAHT yahng luh-BEE tuh-NAHNG?
Politer: Permisi, ada tempat yang lebih tenang? ·
Can I keep this table for a couple hours?
Boleh duduk lama, sekitar dua jam?
BOH-luh DOO-dook LAH-mah, suh-KEE-tahr DOO-ah jahm?
Politer: Permisi, boleh duduk lama, sekitar dua jam? ·
Is the coffee hot or iced?
Kopinya panas atau dingin?
koh-PEEN-yah PAH-nahs AH-tohw DEEN-geen?
Can I get a bigger cup, please?
Minta gelas yang lebih besar, ya
MEEN-tah guh-LAHS yahng luh-BEE buh-SAHR, yah
Is this for here or to go?
Ini mau dibawa atau makan di sini?
EE-nee mohw dee-BAH-wah AH-tohw MAH-kahn dee SEE-nee?
baristas often ask this
Just coffee for me, no food
Cuma kopi aja, gak pakai makanan
CHOO-mah KOH-pee AH-jah, gahk PAH-kehye mah-KAH-nahn
Is it okay to work here with my laptop?
Di sini boleh bawa laptop?
dee SEE-nee BOH-luh BAH-wah LAHP-tohp?
The outlet isn't working
Stop kontaknya rusak
stohp kohn-TAHK-nyah ROO-sahk
The wifi is really slow
Wifinya lambat banget
wee-FEEN-yah LAHM-baht BAHN-guht
Can I get some more ice, please?
Tambah es nya, ya
TAHM-bah uhs nyah, yah
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