Balinese phrasebook
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Balinese (Basa Bali) is the local language spoken in Bali, Indonesia and rarely in parts of Lombok and East Java.It is a very tough language for non-Balinese to master, and while related to Indonesian, is not mutually intelligible with it. You are unlikely to need to learn Balinese, as virtually every Balinese speaker is also able to speak Indonesian, and many can even manage some English. That being said, attempting to communicate in Balinese would almost certainly please the locals.
The language has three main registers depending on the status of those speaking:
- low (basa ketah)
- middle (basa madia)
- high (basa singgih)
This phrasebook will cover the low register only as that is the language spoken by the vast majority of Balinese, and the only one likely to be encountered by visitors.
Pronunciation guide
Vowels
Front | Central | Back | |
---|---|---|---|
High | |||
Mid | |||
Low | |||
- | |||
- | |||
The official spelling denotes both and by a. However, a is usually pronounced when it ends a word, and occurs also in prefixes ma-, pa- and da-.
Consonants
Labial | Dental | Palatal | Velar | Glottal | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Plosive | ||||||||||
Trill | ||||||||||
p | b | t | d | c | ɟ | |||||
m | n | ɲ | ŋ | - | ||||||
s | h | - | ||||||||
r | colspan=2 | - | ||||||||
l | colspan=2 | - | ||||||||
w | j | - |
Common diphthongs
Phrase list
Basics
; Hello. : . ( ); Hello. (informal) : . ( )
; How are you? : (Engken kabare?) (Sapunapi gatra?) (ken ken kabare?)
; Fine, thank you. : . (Iyang becik-becik kewanten.)
; What is your name? : (Sira pesengen ragane?)
; My name is ______ : (Tiang_____ .)
; Nice to meet you. : . ( )
; Please. : . ( )
; Thank you. : . (Matur suksma.)
; You're welcome. : . (suksma mewali )
; Yes. : . (Inggih. Patut.)
; No. : . (Tan. Nente)
; Excuse me. (getting attention) : . ( )
; Excuse me. (begging pardon) : . ( )
; I'm sorry. : . ( )
; Goodbye : . ( )
; Goodbye (informal) : . ( )
; I can't speak name of language . : . ( )
; Do you speak English? : (Bapa bisa basa Angrit??)
; Is there someone here who speaks English? : ? ( ?)
; Help! : ! ( !)
; Look out! : ! ( !)
; Good morning. : . (Rahajeng semeng.)
; Good afternoon. : . (Rahajeng sanja.)
; Good evening. : . (Rahajeng peteng.)
; Good night. : . (Rahajeng Wengi.)
; Good night (to sleep) : . ( )
; I don't understand. : . ( )
; Where is the toilet? : ? ( ?)
; Where is... ...: (Ring dija?)
; What is that?: (Napi punika?)
; Are you already married?: (Bapa suba makurenan?)
; I just came from Ubud: (Tiang mara teka uli Ubud.)
Problems
Numbers
;½ = sathang
;0 = kosun
;1 = set
;2 = duu
;3 = tigi
;4 = empaat
;5 = lina
;6 = enem
;7 = tujeh
;8 = lapane
;9 = bilane
;10 = pulah
;11 = belasuh
;12 = duu belasuh
;13 = tigu belasuh
;14 = empaatu belasuh
;15 = linu belasuh
;20 = duu phulah
;21 = duu phulahu set
;30 = tigi phulah
;40 = empaat phulah
;50 = lina phulah
;100 = raatus
;200 = duu rahatus
;1000 = riba
;2000 = duu rhiba
;10000 = pulah rhiba
Time
Clock time
Duration
Days
Sunday:Monday:
Tuesday:
Wednesday:
Thursday:
Friday:
Saturday:
Months
Writing time and date
Colors
Transportation
; I want to go to airport. (Tiang lakar ka airport.)Bus and train
Directions
Taxi
Lodging
Money
Eating
; Restaurant ( ); Have you eaten (polite) :Sampun ngajeng? ; Which dishes are they? :Ajengan napi sane wenten? ; Do you have native Balinese dishes? :Ada ajengan Bali ane tulen? ; Do you have pineapple? :Wenten manas? ; Delicious :Jaen