bahasa
/baˈhasa/
The English word 'language' is translated into Indonesian as bahasa.
bahasa refers to a body of words used as a form of communication. It is used when referring to any specific language. For example, you can say bahasa Inggris for English or bahasa Prancis for French.
Meaning: body of words used as a form of communication (noun)
How do you pronounce it?
/baˈhasa/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often use bahasa to refer specifically to the Indonesian language, but bahasa literally means 'language'. To avoid ambiguity, you should follow the word with a specific name, such as bahasa Indonesia.
Did you know?
- The word bahasa is borrowed from the Sanskrit word bhāṣā. It eventually replaced the native Proto-Malayic word tuturan which literally meant 'speech'.
- Because Indonesia has over 700 local languages, bahasa Indonesia serves as a 'lingua franca'. It is used to allow people from different islands who speak entirely different native tongues to communicate.
- Because bahasa is such a broad term, Indonesians often use more specific words like lidah (literally 'tongue') to refer to certain dialects or the way a specific group speaks.
Examples in context
- Aku suka bahasa kalian.I like your language.Tatoeba #13742342 by HAGNi, translation #9930198 by lucasmg123
- Bahasa Yunani itu sulit.The Greek language is difficult.Tatoeba #10014619 by HAGNi, translation #7119528 by CarpeLanam
- Apa bahasa resmi Tunisia?What's the official language of Tunisia?Tatoeba #11672025 by Pacific, translation #4088693 by mervert1
- Apakah Anda bisa berbicara bahasa Indonesia?Can you speak Indonesian?
- Belajar bahasa daerah Sulawesi membutuhkan waktu dan dedikasi.Learning the regional language of Sulawesi requires time and dedication.
- Anda bisa berbahasa Inggris?Can you speak English?
- Kamu beneran ngerti bahasanya?Do you really understand the language?
- 87 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Dimas and Putri are discussing their studies at a cafe.
- DimasApakah kamu belajar bahasa baru?Are you learning a new language?
- PutriIya, aku sedang belajar bahasa Spanyol.Yes, I am studying Spanish.
- DimasWah, bahasa itu sangat indah.Wow, that language is very beautiful.
- PutriTerima kasih, Dimas.Thank you, Dimas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “language” translations and entries bahasa, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bahasa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
