selamat siang
/səˈlamat ˈsiaŋ/word by word
The English phrase 'good afternoon' is translated into Indonesian as selamat siang. Wiktionary also lists selamat sore.
Meaning: greeting said in the afternoon (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| selamat siang | /səˈlamat ˈsiaŋ/ (Standard Indonesian, word by word) |
| selamat sore | /səˈlamat ˈsore/ (Standard Indonesian, word by word) |
The phrase is used as a greeting during the afternoon. The specific form you choose depends on the time of day.
What does it mean word for word?
The word selamat means safe, blessed or congratulations and is a component in many Indonesian time-based greetings.
Which one should you use?
selamat siang is used for the afternoon period between roughly 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM. selamat sore is used for the late afternoon or early evening period from approximately 3:00 PM until sunset.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
selamat siang is a formal way to say 'good afternoon'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bali, people may use om swastiastu as a greeting, regardless of the time of day.
How do you pronounce it?
/səˈlamat ˈsiaŋ/
When do people say it?
In Bali, the greeting om swastiastu is used regardless of the time of day.
Did you know?
- The word selamat is derived from the Arabic word salāmāt, which is the plural form of salām, meaning 'peace'.
- In many Indonesian contexts, a greeting like selamat siang is accompanied by a slight nod of the head or a gentle hand gesture to show respect to elders.
- In professional settings, selamat siang is often paired with the person's title, such as Pak or Bu, to avoid sounding too blunt.
Examples in context
- "Selamat siang, Tom!" "Selamat siang, Mary!""Good afternoon, Tom!" "Good afternoon, Mary!"This example shows a greeting between two people using selamat siang.Tatoeba #11327958 by Pacific, translation #8886945 by deniko
- Selamat siang.Good afternoon.This example shows a standalone use of selamat siang.Tatoeba #1019433 by pryo, translation #499689 by CK
- Selamat siang, Pak.Good afternoon, Sir.
Example conversation
Putri meets Budi at the office.
- PutriSelamat siang, Budi.Good afternoon, Budi.
- BudiSelamat siang, Putri. Apa kabar?Good afternoon, Putri. How are you?
- PutriSaya baik, terima kasih.I am well, thank you.
- BudiSama-sama.You are welcome.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good afternoon” translations and entries selamat siang, selamat sore, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (selamat, siang, sore) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries selamat, siang, sore, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
