Ways to say it
| Indonesian | IPA |
|---|---|
| kerja bagus | /kərˈd͡ʒa ˈbaɡus/ (Standard Indonesian, word by word) |
| syabas | /ˈʃa.bas/ |
Kerja bagus is commonly used in casual or semi-formal settings to acknowledge someone's successful effort. You can increase the intensity of the praise, you can use bagus sekali (very good) instead of just bagus.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase kerja bagus is a literal combination of kerja (work) and bagus (good).
Which one should you use?
While kerja bagus is a standard way to say 'good job', syabas is used to mean 'bravo' or 'well done'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Syabas is a more formal or classical way to express praise or congratulations compared to kerja bagus. For highly formal contexts, you might say Anda luar biasa!, which means 'You are exceptional!' In informal settings, you can use Bagus! for 'Good!' or Kamu hebat! for 'You're amazing!'
How do you pronounce it?
/kərˈdʒa ˈbaɡus/
Did you know?
- The word syabas has a surprising international journey, traveling from Hindi through Persian before entering the Indonesian language to mean 'bravo'.
- In many Indonesian social contexts, praising someone too directly with kerja bagus can sometimes cause the recipient to feel shy or embarrassed, leading them to deflect the praise.
- While kerja bagus is used for a task, Indonesians often use mantap to express that a job was done with a satisfying and solid quality.
Examples in context
- Kerja bagus!Good job!This sentence demonstrates how to use the phrase kerja bagus to express praise.Tatoeba #4701334 by Bilmanda, translation #1021038 by Quazel
- Kerja bagus, kamu sudah berusaha keras.Good job, you have worked very hard.
Example conversation
Putri is praising Budi for completing a difficult task.
- PutriBudi, kamu sudah selesai mengerjakannya?Budi, have you finished doing it?
- BudiYa, saya baru saja selesai.Yes, I just finished.
- PutriWah, kerja bagus!Wow, good job!
- BudiTerima kasih, Putri.Thank you, Putri.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “good job” translations and entries syabas, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (kerja, bagus) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bagus, kerja, syabas, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
