Lenguia | 1000 Most Common Indonesian Words with Audio

Why these 1,000 words matter

Indonesian vocabulary is astonishingly top-heavy: the 100 most frequent words make up about half of everything you will ever hear or read, and the top 1,000 cover roughly 85% of everyday speech. Learn these first and most sentences around you turn from noise into language.

The list below is ranked by how often each word actually occurs in spoken Indonesian — dictionary forms, with concise English translations, the part of speech, the CEFR level at which learners typically meet the word, and audio for every word in a female and a male voice. Show the top 250, 500 or all 1,000, and flip to A–Z when you want to look something up.

#	Word	Translation	Part of speech	Level
1	yang	which; that; who (relativizer)	pronoun	A1
2	di	in; at; on	preposition	A1
3	dan	and	conjunction	A1
4	itu	that; the	determiner	A1
5	ini	this	determiner	A1
6	dengan	with; by	preposition	A1
7	untuk	for; to; in order to	preposition	A1
8	dari	from; of	preposition	A1
9	ke	to; toward	preposition	A1
10	tidak	not; no	adverb	A1
11	ada	there is; to exist; have	verb	A1
12	akan	will; shall (future)	adverb	A1
13	pada	at; on; to (formal)	preposition	A1
14	saya	I; me (formal)	pronoun	A1
15	dia	he; she; it	pronoun	A1
16	tak	not (short form)	adverb	A1
17	sudah	already; done (perfective)	adverb	A1
18	juga	also; too	adverb	A1
19	bisa	can; be able to	verb	A1
20	kata	word; to say	noun	A1
21	orang	person; people	noun	A1
22	kita	we; us (inclusive)	pronoun	A1
23	mereka	they; them	pronoun	A1
24	atau	or	conjunction	A1
25	lebih	more	adverb	A1
26	sebagai	as; in the capacity of	preposition	A2
27	oleh	by (agent)	preposition	A2
28	karena	because	conjunction	A1
29	sangat	very; extremely	adverb	A1
30	kami	we; us (exclusive)	pronoun	A1
31	saja	just; only	adverb	A1
32	harus	must; have to	verb	A1
33	kalau	if; when	conjunction	A1
34	jadi	so; become; therefore	verb	A1
35	satu	one	number	A1
36	bukan	not (nominal negation)	adverb	A1
37	belum	not yet	adverb	A1
38	dalam	in; inside; deep	preposition	A1
39	dulu	first; earlier; formerly	adverb	A1
40	bila	if; when	conjunction	A2
41	begitu	like that; so	adverb	A2
42	hanya	only; merely	adverb	A1
43	masih	still; yet	adverb	A1
44	seperti	like; such as	preposition	A1
45	tapi	but (colloquial)	conjunction	A1
46	tetapi	but; however	conjunction	A1
47	antara	between; among	preposition	A2
48	banyak	many; much; a lot	adjective	A1
49	apa	what	pronoun	A1
50	lain	other; another	adjective	A1
51	sini	here	adverb	A1
52	aku	I; me (informal)	pronoun	A1
53	sekali	once; very; extremely	adverb	A1
54	kamu	you (informal)	pronoun	A1
55	sama	same; with; equal	adjective	A1
56	anda	you (formal)	pronoun	A1
57	hari	day	noun	A1
58	besar	big; large; great	adjective	A1
59	setelah	after	preposition	A2
60	namun	however; nevertheless	conjunction	A2
61	jangan	don't (prohibitive)	adverb	A1
62	tahun	year	noun	A1
63	baru	new; just now	adjective	A1
64	waktu	time; when	noun	A1
65	sebuah	a; an (with classifier buah)	article	A2
66	bagi	for; on behalf of	preposition	A2
67	kepada	to (a person); toward	preposition	A2
68	tersebut	aforementioned; the said	determiner	B1
69	sehingga	so that; with the result that	conjunction	B1
70	buah	(classifier for objects); fruit	classifier	A2
71	boleh	may; be allowed to	verb	A1
72	dapat	can; be able; to get	verb	A1
73	mungkin	maybe; possible	adverb	A1
74	ingin	want; wish	verb	A1
75	sebelum	before	preposition	A2
76	melalui	through; via	preposition	B1
77	seorang	a (person); one person	article	A2
78	para	(plural marker for people)	determiner	A2
79	buat	for; to make	preposition	A1
80	kali	time; times (frequency)	noun	A1
81	seluruh	whole; entire; all	determiner	A2
82	baik	good; fine; well	adjective	A1
83	negara	country; state; nation	noun	A2
84	anak	child; kid	noun	A1
85	tanpa	without	preposition	A2
86	jalan	road; street; to walk	noun	A1
87	masuk	to enter; go in	verb	A1
88	punya	to have; own	verb	A1
89	demikian	thus; in this way	adverb	B1
90	terhadap	toward; against; regarding	preposition	B1
91	rumah	house; home	noun	A1
92	nama	name	noun	A1
93	kerja	work; to work	noun	A1
94	bahwa	that (complementizer)	conjunction	A2
95	setiap	each; every	determiner	A2
96	sekarang	now	adverb	A1
97	saat	moment; when; at the time	noun	A1
98	jika	if	conjunction	A1
99	bagian	part; section; division	noun	A2
100	melakukan	to do; carry out	verb	A2
101	sampai	until; up to; to arrive	preposition	A1
102	tempat	place; spot	noun	A1
103	jam	hour; clock; o’clock	noun	A1
104	hingga	until; up to; so that	preposition	A2
105	pernah	ever; have (done) before	adverb	A1
106	tahu	to know	verb	A1
107	ya	yes; right; you know	interjection	A1
108	pun	even; too (emphatic particle)	particle	A2
109	nya	-nya (his/her/its; the)	particle	A2
110	lah	(emphatic/imperative particle)	particle	A2
111	kah	(question particle)	particle	A2
112	membuat	to make; create	verb	A2
113	menjadi	to become	verb	A2
114	lalu	then; past; ago	adverb	A1
115	kemudian	then; afterward	adverb	A2
116	sedang	(progressive) in the middle of	adverb	A1
117	wanita	woman	noun	A1
118	pria	man; male	noun	A1
119	besok	tomorrow	adverb	A1
120	tinggi	high; tall	adjective	A1
121	air	water	noun	A1
122	kecil	small; little	adjective	A1
123	tangan	hand; arm	noun	A1
124	kota	city; town	noun	A1
125	dua	two	number	A1
126	mata	eye	noun	A1
127	pergi	to go; leave	verb	A1
128	datang	to come; arrive	verb	A1
129	sendiri	alone; oneself; own	adjective	A2
130	pertama	first	adjective	A1
131	melihat	to see; look at	verb	A2
132	sekolah	school; to attend school	noun	A1
133	jauh	far	adjective	A1
134	sana	there (far)	adverb	A1
135	menggunakan	to use	verb	A2
136	situ	there (near)	adverb	A1
137	mendapatkan	to get; obtain	verb	A2
138	bawah	under; below; bottom	noun	A1
139	mengatakan	to say; tell	verb	A2
140	perlu	need; necessary	verb	A1
141	hidup	to live; life; alive	verb	A1
142	seseorang	someone; a person	pronoun	A2
143	menurut	according to	preposition	A2
144	sesuatu	something	pronoun	A2
145	mau	want; will	verb	A1
146	selalu	always	adverb	A1
147	baca	to read	verb	A1
148	sering	often; frequently	adverb	A1
149	tetap	to stay; fixed; still	verb	A2
150	panjang	long	adjective	A1
151	malam	night; evening	noun	A1
152	pagi	morning	noun	A1
153	kepala	head; chief	noun	A1
154	bulan	month; moon	noun	A1
155	tiga	three	number	A1
156	benar	true; correct; right	adjective	A1
157	buku	book	noun	A1
158	makan	to eat; food	verb	A1
159	memberikan	to give	verb	A2
160	uang	money	noun	A1
161	kembali	to return; back; again	verb	A2
162	bekerja	to work	verb	A2
163	keluar	to go out; exit	verb	A1
164	ambil	to take; fetch	verb	A1
165	muda	young	adjective	A1
166	jenis	kind; type; sort	noun	A2
167	cara	way; method; manner	noun	A1
168	masyarakat	society; community	noun	B1
169	hal	matter; thing; case	noun	A2
170	pemerintah	government	noun	B1
171	mengambil	to take; fetch; pick up	verb	A2
172	kondisi	condition; state	noun	B1
173	jumlah	amount; total; number	noun	A2
174	berbagai	various	determiner	B1
175	daerah	region; area; district	noun	A2
176	sebab	cause; reason; because	noun	A2
177	salah	wrong; mistake; one of	adjective	A1
178	perusahaan	company; firm	noun	B1
179	tinggal	to live; stay; remain	verb	A1
180	menemukan	to find; discover	verb	A2
181	memiliki	to have; own; possess	verb	A2
182	terima kasih	thank you	interjection	A1
183	selama	during; for (a period); as long as	preposition	A2
184	sekitar	around; about; approximately	preposition	A2
185	mulai	to start; begin	verb	A1
186	proses	process	noun	B1
187	bahasa	language	noun	A1
188	pula	also; as well; again	adverb	A2
189	dunia	world	noun	A1
190	tanah	land; ground; soil	noun	A2
191	terjadi	to happen; occur	verb	A2
192	sebut	to mention; name; call	verb	A2
193	memerlukan	to require; need	verb	B1
194	berada	to be located; to be at	verb	A2
195	nomor	number	noun	A1
196	muka	face; front	noun	A2
197	jual	to sell	verb	A1
198	beli	to buy	verb	A1
199	menjelaskan	to explain	verb	B1
200	menunjukkan	to show; indicate	verb	B1
201	kehidupan	life; existence	noun	B1
202	memberi	to give	verb	A2
203	wah	wow (interjection)	interjection	A1
204	depan	front; ahead; next	noun	A1
205	siapa	who	pronoun	A1
206	mana	where; which	pronoun	A1
207	bagaimana	how	adverb	A1
208	berapa	how much; how many	adverb	A1
209	mengapa	why	adverb	A1
210	kenapa	why (colloquial)	adverb	A1
211	empat	four	number	A1
212	lima	five	number	A1
213	enam	six	number	A1
214	tujuh	seven	number	A1
215	delapan	eight	number	A1
216	sembilan	nine	number	A1
217	sepuluh	ten	number	A1
218	seratus	hundred	number	A1
219	seribu	thousand	number	A1
220	ayah	father	noun	A1
221	ibu	mother; ma’am	noun	A1
222	bapak	father; sir	noun	A1
223	kakak	older sibling	noun	A1
224	adik	younger sibling	noun	A1
225	teman	friend	noun	A1
226	keluarga	family	noun	A1
227	suami	husband	noun	A2
228	istri	wife	noun	A2
229	kaki	foot; leg	noun	A1
230	hati	heart; liver; feelings	noun	A2
231	mulut	mouth	noun	A2
232	telinga	ear	noun	A2
233	hidung	nose	noun	A2
234	rambut	hair	noun	A2
235	gigi	tooth	noun	A2
236	tubuh	body	noun	A2
237	darah	blood	noun	A2
238	nasi	cooked rice	noun	A1
239	makanan	food	noun	A1
240	minum	to drink	verb	A1
241	minuman	drink; beverage	noun	A2
242	kopi	coffee	noun	A1
243	teh	tea	noun	A1
244	susu	milk	noun	A2
245	roti	bread	noun	A2
246	daging	meat	noun	A2
247	ikan	fish	noun	A1
248	ayam	chicken	noun	A1
249	telur	egg	noun	A2
250	buah-buahan	fruits	noun	A2
251	sayur	vegetable	noun	A2
252	garam	salt	noun	A2
253	gula	sugar	noun	A2
254	pintu	door	noun	A1
255	jendela	window	noun	A2
256	meja	table; desk	noun	A1
257	kursi	chair	noun	A1
258	kamar	room	noun	A1
259	dapur	kitchen	noun	A2
260	kantor	office	noun	A1
261	pasar	market	noun	A1
262	toko	shop; store	noun	A1
263	rumah sakit	hospital	noun	A2
264	jalan raya	main road; highway	noun	A2
265	mobil	car	noun	A1
266	motor	motorcycle	noun	A1
267	kereta api	train	noun	A2
268	pesawat	airplane	noun	A2
269	kapal	ship; boat	noun	A2
270	sepeda	bicycle	noun	A2
271	naik	to go up; ride; board	verb	A1
272	turun	to go down; descend	verb	A1
273	berjalan	to walk; run (of things)	verb	A2
274	berlari	to run	verb	A2
275	duduk	to sit	verb	A1
276	berdiri	to stand	verb	A2
277	tidur	to sleep	verb	A1
278	bangun	to wake up; build	verb	A1
279	berbicara	to speak; talk	verb	A2
280	bertanya	to ask	verb	A2
281	menjawab	to answer	verb	A2
282	menulis	to write	verb	A1
283	membaca	to read	verb	A1
284	belajar	to study; learn	verb	A1
285	mengajar	to teach	verb	A2
286	mengerti	to understand	verb	A2
287	paham	to understand; grasp	verb	A2
288	bermain	to play	verb	A1
289	menonton	to watch	verb	A2
290	mendengar	to hear	verb	A2
291	mendengarkan	to listen to	verb	A2
292	menyukai	to like	verb	A2
293	suka	to like	verb	A1
294	cinta	love; to love	noun	A2
295	sayang	dear; affection; alas	noun	A2
296	senang	happy; glad; to enjoy	adjective	A1
297	gembira	joyful; cheerful	adjective	A2
298	sedih	sad	adjective	A1
299	marah	angry	adjective	A1
300	takut	afraid; scared	adjective	A1
301	malu	shy; embarrassed	adjective	A2
302	lelah	tired	adjective	A2
303	capek	tired (colloquial)	adjective	A2
304	sakit	sick; painful; hurt	adjective	A1
305	sehat	healthy	adjective	A1
306	lapar	hungry	adjective	A1
307	haus	thirsty	adjective	A2
308	kenyang	full (from eating)	adjective	A2
309	sibuk	busy	adjective	A2
310	panas	hot	adjective	A1
311	dingin	cold	adjective	A1
312	hangat	warm	adjective	A2
313	basah	wet	adjective	A2
314	kering	dry	adjective	A2
315	bersih	clean	adjective	A2
316	kotor	dirty	adjective	A2
317	penuh	full	adjective	A2
318	kosong	empty	adjective	A2
319	berat	heavy; difficult	adjective	A1
320	ringan	light (weight); easy	adjective	A2
321	cepat	fast; quick	adjective	A1
322	lambat	slow	adjective	A2
323	lama	long (time); old	adjective	A1
324	kuat	strong	adjective	A2
325	lemah	weak	adjective	A2
326	keras	hard; loud; tough	adjective	A2
327	lembut	soft; gentle	adjective	B1
328	mahal	expensive	adjective	A1
329	murah	cheap	adjective	A1
330	kaya	rich	adjective	A2
331	miskin	poor	adjective	A2
332	indah	beautiful (scenery)	adjective	A2
333	cantik	pretty; beautiful	adjective	A1
334	ganteng	handsome	adjective	A2
335	buruk	bad; ugly	adjective	A2
336	jelek	ugly; bad	adjective	A2
337	bagus	good; nice; great	adjective	A1
338	hebat	awesome; great	adjective	A2
339	penting	important	adjective	A2
340	mudah	easy	adjective	A1
341	sulit	difficult; hard	adjective	A2
342	susah	difficult; hard	adjective	A1
343	sesak	cramped; tight; stuffy	adjective	B1
344	aman	safe; secure	adjective	A2
345	bahaya	danger; dangerous	noun	A2
346	warna	color	noun	A1
347	merah	red	adjective	A1
348	putih	white	adjective	A1
349	hitam	black	adjective	A1
350	biru	blue	adjective	A1
351	hijau	green	adjective	A1
352	kuning	yellow	adjective	A1
353	coklat	brown; chocolate	adjective	A2
354	abu-abu	gray	adjective	A2
355	siang	daytime; noon	noun	A1
356	sore	afternoon	noun	A1
357	kemarin	yesterday	adverb	A1
358	nanti	later	adverb	A1
359	minggu	week; Sunday	noun	A1
360	menit	minute	noun	A1
361	detik	second	noun	A2
362	awal	beginning; early	noun	A2
363	akhir	end; final	noun	A2
364	dekat	near; close	adjective	A1
365	atas	top; above; upper	noun	A1
366	kanan	right (side)	noun	A1
367	kiri	left (side)	noun	A1
368	utara	north	noun	A2
369	selatan	south	noun	A2
370	timur	east	noun	A2
371	barat	west	noun	A2
372	tengah	middle; center	noun	A2
373	pinggir	edge; side	noun	B1
374	tebal	thick	adjective	A2
375	tipis	thin	adjective	A2
376	membeli	to buy	verb	A2
377	menjual	to sell	verb	A2
378	membayar	to pay	verb	A2
379	harga	price	noun	A1
380	bayar	to pay	verb	A1
381	gratis	free (of charge)	adjective	A2
382	mewah	luxurious; fancy	adjective	B1
383	bisnis	business	noun	B1
384	usaha	effort; business; enterprise	noun	A2
385	produk	product	noun	B1
386	barang	goods; item; stuff	noun	A2
387	pekerjaan	job; work; occupation	noun	A2
388	pekerja	worker	noun	A2
389	karyawan	employee; staff	noun	B1
390	bos	boss	noun	A2
391	pemimpin	leader	noun	B1
392	guru	teacher	noun	A1
393	murid	pupil; student	noun	A1
394	siswa	student	noun	A2
395	mahasiswa	university student	noun	A2
396	dokter	doctor	noun	A1
397	perawat	nurse	noun	B1
398	polisi	police	noun	A2
399	petani	farmer	noun	A2
400	universitas	university	noun	A2
401	kelas	class; classroom	noun	A1
402	pelajaran	lesson; subject	noun	A2
403	ujian	exam; test	noun	A2
404	nilai	value; grade; score	noun	A2
405	masalah	problem; issue	noun	A2
406	jawaban	answer; reply	noun	A2
407	pertanyaan	question	noun	A2
408	alasan	reason	noun	A2
409	hasil	result; outcome; yield	noun	A2
410	tujuan	goal; aim; destination	noun	A2
411	ide	idea	noun	A2
412	gagasan	idea; concept	noun	B1
413	pendapat	opinion	noun	A2
414	pikiran	thought; mind	noun	A2
415	berpikir	to think	verb	A2
416	pikir	to think	verb	A1
417	ingat	to remember	verb	A1
418	lupa	to forget	verb	A1
419	percaya	to believe; trust	verb	A2
420	harap	to hope; please	verb	A2
421	berharap	to hope	verb	A2
422	merasa	to feel	verb	A2
423	rasa	taste; feeling	noun	A2
424	perasaan	feeling; emotion	noun	B1
425	maksud	meaning; intention; purpose	noun	A2
426	arti	meaning	noun	A2
427	contoh	example	noun	A2
428	kabar	news; tidings	noun	A1
429	berita	news	noun	A2
430	cerita	story	noun	A1
431	surat	letter; document	noun	A2
432	pesan	message; to order	noun	A2
433	gambar	picture; image; drawing	noun	A1
434	foto	photo	noun	A1
435	film	film; movie	noun	A1
436	musik	music	noun	A1
437	lagu	song	noun	A1
438	suara	voice; sound; vote	noun	A2
439	televisi	television	noun	A2
440	radio	radio	noun	A2
441	koran	newspaper	noun	A2
442	majalah	magazine	noun	B1
443	telepon	telephone; to call	noun	A2
444	komputer	computer	noun	A2
445	internet	internet	noun	A2
446	aplikasi	application; app	noun	B1
447	data	data	noun	B1
448	informasi	information	noun	A2
449	teknologi	technology	noun	B1
450	ilmu	knowledge; science	noun	A2
451	pengetahuan	knowledge	noun	B1
452	pendidikan	education	noun	A2
453	sejarah	history	noun	A2
454	budaya	culture	noun	B1
455	seni	art	noun	A2
456	agama	religion	noun	A2
457	tuhan	God	noun	A2
458	politik	politics	noun	B1
459	presiden	president	noun	A2
460	menteri	minister	noun	B1
461	rakyat	the people; populace	noun	B1
462	warga	citizen; resident	noun	B1
463	hukum	law	noun	A2
464	aturan	rule; regulation	noun	B1
465	hak	right; entitlement	noun	A2
466	perang	war	noun	A2
467	damai	peace; peaceful	noun	A2
468	tentara	soldier; army	noun	B1
469	kekuatan	power; strength; force	noun	B1
470	ekonomi	economy	noun	B1
471	pembangunan	development; construction	noun	B1
472	perkembangan	development; progress	noun	B1
473	keadaan	situation; condition	noun	A2
474	kegiatan	activity	noun	A2
475	acara	event; program; agenda	noun	A2
476	rencana	plan	noun	A2
477	keputusan	decision	noun	B1
478	sistem	system	noun	B1
479	program	program	noun	B1
480	proyek	project	noun	B1
481	kelompok	group	noun	A2
482	anggota	member	noun	A2
483	tim	team	noun	A2
484	organisasi	organization	noun	B1
485	hubungan	relationship; connection	noun	B1
486	pengaruh	influence	noun	B1
487	dampak	impact	noun	B1
488	manfaat	benefit; use	noun	B1
489	kesempatan	opportunity; chance	noun	B1
490	keberhasilan	success	noun	B2
491	kegagalan	failure	noun	B2
492	kesalahan	mistake; error	noun	B1
493	kebenaran	truth	noun	B1
494	kenyataan	reality; fact	noun	B1
495	perbedaan	difference	noun	B1
496	persamaan	similarity; equation	noun	B1
497	perubahan	change	noun	B1
498	pertumbuhan	growth	noun	B2
499	penelitian	research	noun	B1
500	percobaan	experiment; attempt	noun	B2
501	pengalaman	experience	noun	B1
502	kemampuan	ability; capability	noun	B1
503	keterampilan	skill	noun	B2
504	kekurangan	shortage; weakness	noun	B1
505	kelebihan	advantage; excess	noun	B1
506	kebutuhan	need; necessity	noun	B1
507	keinginan	desire; wish	noun	B1
508	harapan	hope; expectation	noun	B1
509	impian	dream (aspiration)	noun	B1
510	mimpi	dream	noun	A2
511	kekhawatiran	worry; concern	noun	B2
512	ketakutan	fear	noun	B2
513	kebahagiaan	happiness	noun	B1
514	kesehatan	health	noun	A2
515	penyakit	disease; illness	noun	A2
516	obat	medicine; drug	noun	A1
517	kematian	death	noun	B1
518	mati	to die; dead; off	verb	A1
519	lahir	to be born	verb	A2
520	tumbuh	to grow	verb	A2
521	membangun	to build; develop	verb	A2
522	membawa	to bring; carry	verb	A2
523	membuka	to open	verb	A2
524	menutup	to close; cover	verb	A2
525	buka	to open; open (adj.)	verb	A1
526	tutup	to close; closed; lid	verb	A1
527	menaruh	to put; place	verb	B1
528	meletakkan	to put; lay down	verb	B1
529	mengirim	to send	verb	A2
530	menerima	to receive; accept	verb	A2
531	terima	to receive; accept	verb	A2
532	memilih	to choose; vote	verb	A2
533	pilih	to choose; pick	verb	A1
534	mencari	to look for; seek	verb	A2
535	cari	to look for; search	verb	A1
536	menunggu	to wait	verb	A2
537	tunggu	to wait	verb	A1
538	membantu	to help	verb	A2
539	bantu	to help	verb	A1
540	menolong	to help; aid; rescue	verb	A2
541	mengganti	to replace; change; substitute	verb	B1
542	memakai	to wear; use	verb	A2
543	pakai	to wear; use	verb	A1
544	menghasilkan	to produce; yield; generate	verb	B1
545	bikin	to make (colloquial)	verb	A2
546	memasak	to cook	verb	A2
547	masak	to cook; ripe; cooked	verb	A1
548	mencuci	to wash	verb	A2
549	mandi	to bathe; shower	verb	A1
550	membersihkan	to clean	verb	B1
551	memperbaiki	to fix; repair; improve	verb	B1
552	memasang	to install; attach	verb	B1
553	menyimpan	to store; save; keep	verb	B1
554	menjaga	to guard; take care of	verb	A2
555	jaga	to guard; watch over	verb	A2
556	melindungi	to protect	verb	B1
557	menyelesaikan	to finish; complete; solve	verb	B1
558	selesai	finished; done	verb	A1
559	memulai	to start; begin	verb	A2
560	berhenti	to stop	verb	A2
561	melanjutkan	to continue	verb	B1
562	lanjut	to continue; onward	verb	A2
563	mengikuti	to follow; join	verb	B1
564	ikut	to join; come along	verb	A1
565	meninggalkan	to leave; abandon	verb	B1
566	pindah	to move; relocate	verb	A2
567	kirim	to send	verb	A1
568	jatuh	to fall	verb	A1
569	terbang	to fly	verb	A2
570	berenang	to swim	verb	A2
571	menari	to dance	verb	A2
572	menyanyi	to sing	verb	A2
573	tertawa	to laugh	verb	A2
574	menangis	to cry	verb	A2
575	tersenyum	to smile	verb	B1
576	senyum	smile; to smile	noun	A2
577	memanggil	to call; summon	verb	A2
578	panggil	to call; summon	verb	A2
579	menyebut	to mention; name	verb	B1
580	menceritakan	to tell; narrate	verb	B1
581	bercerita	to tell a story	verb	A2
582	berbincang	to chat; converse	verb	B2
583	mengajak	to invite; ask along	verb	B1
584	menawarkan	to offer	verb	B1
585	meminta	to ask for; request	verb	A2
586	minta	to ask for; request	verb	A1
587	memberitahu	to inform; tell	verb	B1
588	menyampaikan	to convey; deliver	verb	B1
589	memperjelas	to clarify; make clear	verb	B2
590	mengingat	to remember; recall	verb	B1
591	melupakan	to forget; put aside	verb	B1
592	mempelajari	to study; examine	verb	B1
593	mengajarkan	to teach (something)	verb	B1
594	melatih	to train; coach	verb	B1
595	berlatih	to practice; train	verb	B1
596	mencoba	to try; attempt	verb	A2
597	coba	to try; please try	verb	A1
598	berhasil	to succeed	verb	A2
599	gagal	to fail	verb	A2
600	menang	to win	verb	A2
601	kalah	to lose; be defeated	verb	A2
602	bermimpi	to dream	verb	B1
603	dunia maya	cyberspace; the online world	noun	B2
604	matahari	sun	noun	A1
605	langit	sky	noun	A2
606	bintang	star	noun	A2
607	awan	cloud	noun	A2
608	hujan	rain	noun	A1
609	angin	wind	noun	A2
610	cuaca	weather	noun	A2
611	musim	season	noun	A2
612	api	fire	noun	A1
613	asap	smoke	noun	B1
614	cahaya	light; ray	noun	A2
615	lampu	lamp; light	noun	A1
616	listrik	electricity	noun	A2
617	laut	sea	noun	A1
618	pantai	beach; coast	noun	A2
619	sungai	river	noun	A2
620	danau	lake	noun	A2
621	gunung	mountain	noun	A1
622	hutan	forest	noun	A2
623	pulau	island	noun	A2
624	desa	village	noun	A2
625	kampung	village; hometown	noun	A2
626	batu	stone; rock	noun	A1
627	pasir	sand	noun	B1
628	pohon	tree	noun	A1
629	bunga	flower; interest (bank)	noun	A1
630	daun	leaf	noun	A2
631	akar	root	noun	B1
632	rumput	grass	noun	B1
633	binatang	animal	noun	A1
634	hewan	animal	noun	A2
635	anjing	dog	noun	A1
636	kucing	cat	noun	A1
637	burung	bird	noun	A1
638	kuda	horse	noun	A2
639	sapi	cow	noun	A2
640	ular	snake	noun	B1
641	serangga	insect	noun	B2
642	nyamuk	mosquito	noun	B1
643	ekor	(classifier for animals); tail	classifier	A2
644	biji	(classifier for small items); seed	classifier	B1
645	orang-orang	people (plural)	noun	A2
646	penduduk	inhabitants; population	noun	B1
647	tetangga	neighbor	noun	A2
648	tamu	guest	noun	A2
649	raja	king	noun	A2
650	ratu	queen	noun	B1
651	pahlawan	hero	noun	B1
652	musuh	enemy	noun	B1
653	sahabat	close friend	noun	B1
654	pacar	boyfriend; girlfriend	noun	A2
655	orang tua	parents; elderly person	noun	A2
656	nenek	grandmother	noun	A2
657	kakek	grandfather	noun	A2
658	cucu	grandchild	noun	B1
659	paman	uncle	noun	B1
660	bibi	aunt	noun	B1
661	saudara	sibling; relative; you (polite)	noun	A2
662	baju	shirt; clothes	noun	A1
663	celana	trousers; pants	noun	A2
664	sepatu	shoe	noun	A1
665	topi	hat; cap	noun	A2
666	tas	bag	noun	A1
667	kacamata	eyeglasses	noun	A2
668	jam tangan	wristwatch	noun	A2
669	pakaian	clothing	noun	A2
670	kain	cloth; fabric	noun	B1
671	benda	object; thing	noun	A2
672	alat	tool; instrument	noun	A2
673	mesin	machine; engine	noun	A2
674	kunci	key; lock	noun	A2
675	jam dinding	wall clock	noun	B1
676	pisau	knife	noun	A2
677	sendok	spoon	noun	A2
678	garpu	fork	noun	B1
679	piring	plate	noun	A2
680	gelas	glass (cup)	noun	A2
681	botol	bottle	noun	A2
682	kertas	paper	noun	A1
683	pulpen	pen	noun	A2
684	pensil	pencil	noun	A2
685	buku tulis	notebook	noun	A2
686	uang kertas	banknote; paper money	noun	B2
687	dompet	wallet	noun	B1
688	hadiah	gift; prize	noun	A2
689	kado	present; gift	noun	B1
690	permainan	game	noun	A2
691	mainan	toy	noun	B1
692	olahraga	sport; exercise	noun	A2
693	sepak bola	football; soccer	noun	A2
694	bola	ball	noun	A1
695	pertandingan	match; competition	noun	B1
696	juara	champion	noun	B1
697	liburan	holiday; vacation	noun	A2
698	perjalanan	journey; trip	noun	A2
699	wisata	tourism; sightseeing	noun	B1
700	hotel	hotel	noun	A2
701	restoran	restaurant	noun	A2
702	warung	small shop; food stall	noun	A2
703	tiket	ticket	noun	A2
704	bandara	airport	noun	A2
705	stasiun	station	noun	A2
706	terminal	bus terminal	noun	B1
707	jembatan	bridge	noun	A2
708	gedung	building	noun	A2
709	bangunan	building; structure	noun	B1
710	lantai	floor; storey	noun	A2
711	dinding	wall	noun	A2
712	atap	roof	noun	B1
713	halaman	yard; page	noun	A2
714	taman	park; garden	noun	A2
715	kebun	garden; plantation	noun	A2
716	sawah	rice field	noun	B1
717	ladang	field; farmland	noun	B2
718	wilayah	territory; region	noun	B1
719	provinsi	province	noun	B1
720	ibu kota	capital city	noun	B1
721	batas	boundary; limit	noun	B1
722	arah	direction	noun	A2
723	jarak	distance	noun	A2
724	ukuran	size; measurement	noun	B1
725	gemuk	fat; plump	adjective	A2
726	kurus	thin; skinny	adjective	A2
727	bentuk	shape; form	noun	A2
728	garis	line	noun	A2
729	titik	point; dot	noun	B1
730	lingkaran	circle	noun	B1
731	sudut	corner; angle	noun	B1
732	permukaan	surface	noun	B2
733	isi	content; to fill	noun	A2
734	keseluruhan	the whole; entirety	noun	B2
735	setengah	half	number	A2
736	seperempat	a quarter	number	B1
737	persen	percent	noun	B1
738	derajat	degree	noun	B1
739	kilo	kilo; kilogram	noun	A2
740	meter	meter	noun	A2
741	liter	liter	noun	B1
742	urusan	affair; business; matter	noun	B1
743	perkara	case; matter; affair	noun	B2
744	kejadian	incident; event	noun	B1
745	peristiwa	event; occurrence	noun	B1
746	keadaan darurat	emergency	noun	B2
747	kecelakaan	accident	noun	B1
748	bencana	disaster	noun	B2
749	gempa	earthquake	noun	B2
750	banjir	flood	noun	B1
751	kebakaran	fire (blaze)	noun	B2
752	keamanan	security; safety	noun	B1
753	kesehatan mental	mental health	noun	B2
754	tekanan	pressure	noun	B1
755	stres	stress	noun	B1
756	semangat	spirit; enthusiasm	noun	A2
757	tenang	calm; peaceful	adjective	A2
758	sabar	patient	adjective	A2
759	berani	brave; to dare	adjective	A2
760	jujur	honest	adjective	A2
761	ramah	friendly	adjective	A2
762	sopan	polite	adjective	B1
763	sombong	arrogant	adjective	B1
764	malas	lazy	adjective	A2
765	rajin	diligent; hardworking	adjective	A2
766	pintar	smart; clever	adjective	A1
767	pandai	clever; skilled	adjective	A2
768	bodoh	stupid; foolish	adjective	A2
769	gila	crazy; insane	adjective	A2
770	lucu	funny; cute	adjective	A2
771	serius	serious	adjective	A2
772	luar biasa	extraordinary; amazing	adjective	B1
773	terkenal	famous; well-known	adjective	B1
774	biasa	usual; ordinary; used to	adjective	A2
775	aneh	strange; weird	adjective	A2
776	asli	original; genuine; native	adjective	B1
777	palsu	fake; counterfeit	adjective	B1
778	benar-benar	really; truly	adverb	B1
779	nyata	real; tangible; evident	adjective	B1
780	jelas	clear; obvious	adjective	A2
781	pasti	certain; sure; definitely	adjective	A1
782	tentu	certainly; of course	adverb	A2
783	umumnya	generally; in general	adverb	B1
784	barangkali	perhaps; maybe	adverb	B1
785	kira-kira	approximately; roughly	adverb	B1
786	sesekali	once in a while; occasionally	adverb	B2
787	hampir	almost; nearly	adverb	A2
788	kurang	less; lacking; not enough	adverb	A1
789	cukup	enough; quite; sufficient	adverb	A1
790	terlalu	too; excessively	adverb	A2
791	paling	most (superlative)	adverb	A1
792	agak	somewhat; rather	adverb	B1
793	sedikit	a little; few	adverb	A1
794	semua	all; everything	determiner	A1
795	segala	all kinds of; every	determiner	B1
796	beberapa	several; some	determiner	A2
797	masing-masing	each; respectively	determiner	B1
798	seluruhnya	entirely; the whole of it	adverb	B2
799	sebagian	part; some of	noun	B1
800	separuh	half	noun	B1
801	sisa	remainder; leftover	noun	B1
802	meskipun	although; even though	conjunction	B1
803	walaupun	although; even though	conjunction	B1
804	selain	besides; other than	preposition	B1
805	apalagi	moreover; let alone	conjunction	B1
806	bahkan	even; in fact	adverb	B1
807	justru	on the contrary; precisely	adverb	B2
808	sedangkan	whereas; while	conjunction	B1
809	melainkan	but rather	conjunction	B2
810	kecuali	except	preposition	B1
811	asalkan	as long as; provided that	conjunction	B2
812	seandainya	if; supposing	conjunction	B2
813	agar	so that; in order that	conjunction	A2
814	supaya	so that; in order to	conjunction	A2
815	ketika	when; while	conjunction	A2
816	sambil	while; at the same time as	conjunction	B1
817	sejak	since; from	preposition	A2
818	tajam	sharp	adjective	B1
819	selanjutnya	next; subsequently	adverb	B1
820	sebelumnya	previously; beforehand	adverb	B1
821	akhirnya	finally; in the end	adverb	A2
822	tumpul	blunt; dull	adjective	B2
823	biasanya	usually	adverb	A2
824	kadang	sometimes	adverb	A2
825	kadang-kadang	sometimes; occasionally	adverb	A2
826	jarang	rarely; seldom	adverb	A2
827	lagi	again; more; still	adverb	A1
828	terus	to keep on; straight; then	adverb	A2
829	segera	immediately; soon	adverb	B1
830	langsung	directly; immediately	adverb	A2
831	tiba-tiba	suddenly	adverb	B1
832	akhir-akhir ini	lately; recently	adverb	B2
833	dahulu	formerly; long ago; first	adverb	B1
834	zaman	era; age; times	noun	B1
835	masa	period; era; time	noun	A2
836	abad	century	noun	B1
837	tanggal	date; to come off	noun	A2
838	jadwal	schedule	noun	B1
839	giliran	turn (in sequence)	noun	B1
840	urutan	order; sequence	noun	B1
841	tahap	stage; phase	noun	B1
842	langkah	step; measure	noun	B1
843	cara kerja	way of working; mechanism	noun	B2
844	peraturan	regulation; rule	noun	B1
845	peran	role; part	noun	B1
846	tugas	task; assignment; duty	noun	A2
847	tanggung jawab	responsibility	noun	B1
848	kewajiban	obligation; duty	noun	B2
849	norma	norm; standard of conduct	noun	B2
850	kebiasaan	habit; custom	noun	B1
851	adat	custom; tradition	noun	B1
852	tradisi	tradition	noun	B1
853	suku	ethnic group; tribe	noun	B1
854	bangsa	nation; people	noun	B1
855	perekonomian	the economy; economic affairs	noun	B2
856	pasar modal	stock market; capital market	noun	B2
857	pajak	tax	noun	B1
858	gaji	salary; wage	noun	A2
859	untung	profit; luck; fortunately	noun	A2
860	rugi	loss; disadvantage	noun	B1
861	modal	capital; funds	noun	B1
862	utang	debt	noun	B1
863	tabungan	savings	noun	B1
864	harga diri	self-esteem; dignity	noun	B2
865	kekayaan	wealth; riches	noun	B1
866	kemiskinan	poverty	noun	B2
867	kesejahteraan	welfare; prosperity	noun	B2
868	keadilan	justice	noun	B2
869	kebebasan	freedom	noun	B1
870	kemerdekaan	independence	noun	B2
871	kekuasaan	power; authority	noun	B2
872	jabatan	position; office (post)	noun	B1
873	pejabat	official	noun	B1
874	lembaga	institution	noun	B2
875	badan	body; agency	noun	A2
876	pihak	party; side (in a matter)	noun	B1
877	pemilik	owner	noun	B1
878	pelanggan	customer; subscriber	noun	B1
879	penjual	seller; vendor	noun	A2
880	pembeli	buyer	noun	A2
881	pengguna	user	noun	B1
882	peserta	participant	noun	B1
883	penonton	spectator; audience	noun	B1
884	penulis	writer; author	noun	B1
885	seniman	artist	noun	B2
886	wartawan	journalist	noun	B1
887	pengusaha	entrepreneur; businessperson	noun	B2
888	ahli	expert	noun	B1
889	tukang	craftsman; handyman	noun	B1
890	sopir	driver	noun	A2
891	pembantu	helper; domestic worker	noun	B1
892	menganggap	to consider; regard as	verb	B1
893	menentukan	to determine; decide	verb	B1
894	menyebabkan	to cause	verb	B1
895	mempengaruhi	to influence; affect	verb	B1
896	membutuhkan	to need; require	verb	B1
897	menghadapi	to face; confront	verb	B1
898	mengalami	to experience; undergo	verb	B1
899	meningkatkan	to increase; improve	verb	B1
900	menurunkan	to lower; reduce; unload	verb	B1
901	mengurangi	to reduce; lessen	verb	B1
902	menambah	to add; increase	verb	B1
903	menambahkan	to add (something)	verb	B1
904	menghitung	to count; calculate	verb	B1
905	mengukur	to measure	verb	B1
906	membagi	to divide; share out	verb	B1
907	mengumpulkan	to collect; gather	verb	B1
908	menyediakan	to provide; prepare	verb	B1
909	menyiapkan	to prepare; get ready	verb	B1
910	mengatur	to arrange; regulate; manage	verb	B1
911	mengelola	to manage; administer	verb	B2
912	memimpin	to lead	verb	B1
913	menugaskan	to assign; task	verb	B2
914	memerintah	to govern; command	verb	B2
915	melarang	to forbid; prohibit	verb	B1
916	mengizinkan	to allow; permit	verb	B1
917	menyetujui	to agree to; approve	verb	B2
918	menolak	to refuse; reject	verb	B1
919	menghargai	to appreciate; value; respect	verb	B1
920	mendukung	to support	verb	B1
921	menentang	to oppose; be against	verb	B2
922	membela	to defend	verb	B1
923	menyerang	to attack	verb	B1
924	melawan	to fight against; resist	verb	A2
925	bertahan	to hold out; survive; defend	verb	B1
926	menyerah	to surrender; give up	verb	B1
927	memenangkan	to win (something)	verb	B2
928	mengalahkan	to defeat	verb	B1
929	membandingkan	to compare	verb	B1
930	membedakan	to distinguish	verb	B2
931	menggabungkan	to combine; merge	verb	B2
932	memisahkan	to separate	verb	B1
933	mengubah	to change; alter	verb	B1
934	memperbarui	to renew; update	verb	B2
935	memperluas	to expand; broaden	verb	B2
936	mengembangkan	to develop	verb	B1
937	menciptakan	to create	verb	B1
938	menghubungi	to contact; get in touch with	verb	B1
939	menghancurkan	to destroy	verb	B1
940	merusak	to damage; ruin	verb	B1
941	mengingatkan	to remind; warn	verb	B1
942	memperhatikan	to pay attention to	verb	B1
943	menyadari	to realize; be aware	verb	B1
944	memahami	to understand; comprehend	verb	B1
945	mengetahui	to know; find out	verb	B1
946	membayangkan	to imagine	verb	B1
947	menduga	to guess; suspect	verb	B2
948	memutuskan	to decide	verb	B1
949	menyimpulkan	to conclude	verb	B2
950	menyatakan	to state; declare	verb	B1
951	mengungkapkan	to express; reveal	verb	B2
952	membahas	to discuss	verb	B1
953	mengomentari	to comment on	verb	B2
954	melaporkan	to report	verb	B1
955	mengumumkan	to announce	verb	B1
956	memuji	to praise	verb	B1
957	mengkritik	to criticize	verb	B2
958	menyalahkan	to blame	verb	B2
959	memaafkan	to forgive	verb	B1
960	meminta maaf	to apologize	verb	A2
961	berterima kasih	to thank; be grateful	verb	A2
962	menghormati	to respect	verb	B1
963	mempercayai	to trust; believe in	verb	B2
964	meragukan	to doubt	verb	B2
965	menyerahkan	to hand over; submit	verb	B1
966	menawar	to bargain; make an offer	verb	B1
967	menghabiskan	to spend; use up	verb	B1
968	menghemat	to save; economize	verb	B2
969	meminjam	to borrow	verb	A2
970	meminjamkan	to lend	verb	B1
971	menyewa	to rent	verb	B1
972	memesan	to order; book; reserve	verb	A2
973	mengantar	to escort; deliver; drop off	verb	B1
974	menjemput	to pick up (a person)	verb	B1
975	mengunjungi	to visit	verb	A2
976	berkunjung	to pay a visit	verb	B1
977	bertemu	to meet	verb	A2
978	berkumpul	to gather; assemble	verb	B1
979	bergabung	to join; unite	verb	B1
980	berpisah	to part; separate	verb	B1
981	berubah	to change (intransitive)	verb	A2
982	berkembang	to develop; expand	verb	B1
983	meningkat	to rise; increase	verb	B1
984	menurun	to decline; decrease	verb	B1
985	bertambah	to increase; grow	verb	B1
986	berkurang	to decrease; diminish	verb	B1
987	terlihat	to be seen; appear; look	verb	B1
988	terdengar	to be heard; sound	verb	B1
989	terasa	to be felt; feel like	verb	B1
990	ternyata	it turns out; apparently	adverb	B1
991	tampak	to appear; be visible	verb	B1
992	muncul	to appear; emerge	verb	B1
993	hilang	to disappear; be lost	verb	A2
994	menghilang	to vanish; disappear	verb	B1
995	diam	to be silent; still	verb	A2
996	ribut	noisy; commotion; to quarrel	adjective	B1
997	sepi	quiet; deserted; lonely	adjective	B1
998	ramai	crowded; lively; busy	adjective	A2
999	gelap	dark	adjective	A2
1000	terang	bright; clear; light	adjective	A2

Showing the top 1000 of 1000 words, by frequency · audio: female voice

Put the list to work

Frequently asked questions

Why learn Indonesian words by frequency?

Word frequency is brutally top-heavy: a small core of words does almost all the work in everyday speech. Learning in frequency order front-loads exactly those words, so every hour of study unlocks the largest possible share of real conversations, shows and books — instead of textbook chapter vocabulary you might not meet for months.

How many Indonesian words do I need to understand conversations?

The 100 most common Indonesian words already cover roughly half of everyday speech, the top 1,000 around 85%, and about 2,500–3,000 words push you past 95%. That last stretch is the long tail — but this list is the highest-value first mile: master it and most sentences you hear will be built from words you know.

What do the CEFR levels next to the words mean?

Each word carries the CEFR level (A1–B2) at which learners typically study it. Most of the top 1,000 is A1–A2 — high frequency and beginner vocabulary largely overlap — with the tail reaching into B1–B2. If the B1 and B2 words in the list feel unfamiliar, that is a normal place for an A2 learner to be.

How was the audio made?

Every word was recorded individually with two studio-grade neural text-to-speech voices — one female, one male — so you can hear each word in isolation and compare pronunciations. Use the voice toggle above the table to switch; the clips are short, natural and free to replay as often as you like.

Is this a list of dictionary forms or word forms?

Indonesian words don't inflect for tense or number. Each entry is listed in its most common surface form — a root (makan 'eat') or a frequent affixed form — and fixed multi-word lexemes (terima kasih 'thank you') keep their space.

How should I study this list?

Don't memorize it top to bottom in one go. Work in slices (the Top 250 view is a good first target), listen to every word as you review it, and meet the same words in context as fast as possible — graded stories and podcasts at your level are where frequency vocabulary actually sticks. Spaced-repetition flashcards work well for the concrete nouns and verbs in the tail.

Don't just read the list — learn it

Lenguia turns vocabulary like this into a daily Indonesian plan: graded stories and podcasts built from high-frequency words, spaced-repetition flashcards, grammar, writing and speaking practice — all at exactly your level.

Start learning Indonesian

How many of these words do you already know?

Take the free Indonesian placement test — grammar, reading, vocabulary, listening, writing and speaking, graded A1 to C1 — and find out exactly where to start in this list.

Take the free Indonesian test

More Indonesian Tools

Indonesian CEFR Level Test

Find out your indonesian CEFR level

Indonesian Listening Test

Grade your indonesian listening with real audio (A1–C1)

Indonesian Reading Test

Find your indonesian reading level (A1–C1)

Indonesian Grammar Test

50 questions to grade your indonesian grammar (A1–C1)

Indonesian Vocabulary Level Test

Grade your indonesian vocabulary from A1 to C1

Indonesian Writing Test

AI-assessed indonesian writing test (A1–C1)

Indonesian Speaking Test

AI-assessed indonesian speaking test (A1–C1)

How Long to Learn Indonesian?

Calculate your indonesian timeline by level and study pace

Indonesian Stories

Read indonesian stories at your level