If you’re on the exciting journey of learning Indonesian and have reached the B1 level, congratulations! You’re probably able to handle everyday situations, understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters, and describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions. But as you progress, expanding your vocabulary is crucial for a deeper understanding and more natural communication. In this article, we’ll explore essential Indonesian words that every B1 level learner should know. These words will not only help you build your vocabulary but also enhance your ability to engage in more complex conversations and understand a wider range of texts.

Basic Verbs and Their Usage

Verbs are the backbone of any language, and in Indonesian, they are relatively straightforward because they do not change according to the subject. Here are some key verbs that you should be comfortable with at the B1 level:

1. **Mengerti** (to understand)
– Saya mengerti apa yang Anda katakan. (I understand what you are saying.)

2. **Berbicara** (to speak)
– Dia suka berbicara bahasa Indonesia. (He likes to speak Indonesian.)

3. **Membaca** (to read)
– Saya sedang membaca buku ini. (I am reading this book.)

4. **Menulis** (to write)
– Apakah Anda suka menulis? (Do you like to write?)

5. **Mendengarkan** (to listen)
– Saya selalu mendengarkan musik saat bekerja. (I always listen to music while working.)

6. **Makan** (to eat)
– Kami akan makan malam bersama. (We will eat dinner together.)

7. **Minum** (to drink)
– Apa yang Anda ingin minum? (What do you want to drink?)

8. **Pergi** (to go)
– Saya harus pergi sekarang. (I have to go now.)

9. **Datang** (to come)
– Dia datang ke pesta kemarin. (He came to the party yesterday.)

10. **Bekerja** (to work)
– Saya bekerja di perusahaan ini. (I work at this company.)

Common Nouns

A robust vocabulary of nouns is essential for describing the world around you. Here are some common nouns that will come in handy:

1. **Teman** (friend)
– Saya punya banyak teman di sini. (I have many friends here.)

2. **Keluarga** (family)
– Keluarga saya tinggal di Jakarta. (My family lives in Jakarta.)

3. **Sekolah** (school)
– Anak-anak pergi ke sekolah setiap hari. (The children go to school every day.)

4. **Rumah** (house/home)
– Rumah saya dekat dengan pasar. (My house is near the market.)

5. **Pekerjaan** (job/work)
– Dia mencari pekerjaan baru. (He is looking for a new job.)

6. **Pasar** (market)
– Saya suka pergi ke pasar tradisional. (I like going to the traditional market.)

7. **Buku** (book)
– Buku ini sangat menarik. (This book is very interesting.)

8. **Mobil** (car)
– Saya baru membeli mobil baru. (I just bought a new car.)

9. **Uang** (money)
– Dia tidak punya banyak uang. (He doesn’t have much money.)

10. **Makanan** (food)
– Makanan di restoran ini enak sekali. (The food at this restaurant is very delicious.)

Adjectives to Describe People and Things

Adjectives add color to your language, allowing you to describe people, places, and things more vividly. Here are some useful adjectives for B1 learners:

1. **Bagus** (good)
– Film itu sangat bagus. (That movie is very good.)

2. **Buruk** (bad)
– Cuaca hari ini buruk. (The weather today is bad.)

3. **Panas** (hot)
– Hari ini sangat panas. (Today is very hot.)

4. **Dingin** (cold)
– Saya tidak suka minum air dingin. (I don’t like drinking cold water.)

5. **Senang** (happy)
– Dia terlihat senang. (He looks happy.)

6. **Sedih** (sad)
– Film itu membuat saya sedih. (That movie makes me sad.)

7. **Cepat** (fast)
– Internet di sini sangat cepat. (The internet here is very fast.)

8. **Lambat** (slow)
– Mobil itu berjalan lambat. (That car is moving slowly.)

9. **Besar** (big)
– Rumah itu sangat besar. (That house is very big.)

10. **Kecil** (small)
– Kami tinggal di apartemen kecil. (We live in a small apartment.)

Useful Phrases for Everyday Situations

Being able to use common phrases can make your conversations flow more smoothly. Here are some phrases that will be useful in everyday situations:

1. **Apa kabar?** (How are you?)
– Apa kabar? Saya baik-baik saja. (How are you? I am fine.)

2. **Terima kasih** (Thank you)
– Terima kasih atas bantuan Anda. (Thank you for your help.)

3. **Tolong** (Please)
– Tolong, bisa Anda bantu saya? (Please, can you help me?)

4. **Maaf** (Sorry)
– Maaf, saya terlambat. (Sorry, I am late.)

5. **Selamat pagi** (Good morning)
– Selamat pagi, bagaimana kabar Anda? (Good morning, how are you?)

6. **Selamat malam** (Good night)
– Selamat malam, tidur yang nyenyak. (Good night, sleep well.)

7. **Sampai jumpa** (See you later)
– Sampai jumpa lagi! (See you later!)

8. **Berapa harga ini?** (How much is this?)
– Berapa harga ini? Saya ingin membelinya. (How much is this? I want to buy it.)

9. **Di mana** (Where)
– Di mana kamar mandi? (Where is the bathroom?)

10. **Saya tidak mengerti** (I don’t understand)
– Saya tidak mengerti apa yang Anda katakan. (I don’t understand what you are saying.)

Expressions of Time

Understanding and using time expressions is crucial for daily conversations and planning. Here are some essential time-related words and phrases:

1. **Hari ini** (today)
– Saya punya banyak pekerjaan hari ini. (I have a lot of work today.)

2. **Kemarin** (yesterday)
– Kemarin saya pergi ke bioskop. (Yesterday I went to the cinema.)

3. **Besok** (tomorrow)
– Besok kita akan bertemu. (We will meet tomorrow.)

4. **Pagi** (morning)
– Saya bangun pagi setiap pagi. (I wake up early every morning.)

5. **Siang** (afternoon)
– Saya makan siang pada waktu siang. (I have lunch in the afternoon.)

6. **Malam** (night)
– Kita akan pergi makan malam nanti malam. (We will go for dinner tonight.)

7. **Minggu depan** (next week)
– Minggu depan saya akan ke Bali. (Next week I will go to Bali.)

8. **Bulan lalu** (last month)
– Bulan lalu saya berlibur ke Jepang. (Last month I went on vacation to Japan.)

9. **Tahun depan** (next year)
– Tahun depan saya akan mulai belajar bahasa Prancis. (Next year I will start learning French.)

10. **Setiap hari** (every day)
– Saya berolahraga setiap hari. (I exercise every day.)

Conjunctions and Connectors

Conjunctions help to connect sentences and ideas, making your speech and writing more coherent. Here are some common conjunctions you should know:

1. **Dan** (and)
– Saya suka kopi dan teh. (I like coffee and tea.)

2. **Tetapi** (but)
– Saya ingin pergi, tetapi saya sibuk. (I want to go, but I am busy.)

3. **Atau** (or)
– Apakah Anda ingin kopi atau teh? (Do you want coffee or tea?)

4. **Karena** (because)
– Saya belajar bahasa Indonesia karena saya suka budaya Indonesia. (I study Indonesian because I like Indonesian culture.)

5. **Jika** (if)
– Jika kamu datang, kita bisa pergi bersama. (If you come, we can go together.)

6. **Sehingga** (so that)
– Dia belajar keras sehingga bisa lulus ujian. (He studied hard so that he could pass the exam.)

7. **Namun** (however)
– Saya ingin pergi, namun cuaca buruk. (I want to go, however, the weather is bad.)

8. **Oleh karena itu** (therefore)
– Dia sakit, oleh karena itu dia tidak datang. (He is sick, therefore he did not come.)

9. **Sementara** (while)
– Saya mendengarkan musik sementara bekerja. (I listen to music while working.)

10. **Supaya** (so that)
– Saya menabung uang supaya bisa membeli mobil. (I save money so that I can buy a car.)

Politeness and Social Etiquette

Being polite is important in any culture, and Indonesia is no exception. Here are some words and phrases that will help you navigate social situations more gracefully:

1. **Permisi** (Excuse me)
– Permisi, boleh saya lewat? (Excuse me, may I pass?)

2. **Boleh** (May/Can)
– Boleh saya duduk di sini? (May I sit here?)

3. **Silakan** (Please, go ahead)
– Silakan masuk. (Please, come in.)

4. **Terima kasih banyak** (Thank you very much)
– Terima kasih banyak atas bantuannya. (Thank you very much for your help.)

5. **Maafkan saya** (Forgive me)
– Maafkan saya atas kesalahan ini. (Forgive me for this mistake.)

6. **Selamat** (Congratulations)
– Selamat atas kelulusanmu! (Congratulations on your graduation!)

7. **Semoga sukses** (Good luck)
– Semoga sukses dengan ujianmu. (Good luck with your exam.)

8. **Sama-sama** (You’re welcome)
– Terima kasih! – Sama-sama. (Thank you! – You’re welcome.)

9. **Tolong bantu saya** (Please help me)
– Tolong bantu saya dengan tugas ini. (Please help me with this task.)

10. **Saya menghargai itu** (I appreciate that)
– Saya menghargai itu sangat. (I appreciate that very much.)

Conclusion

Reaching the B1 level in Indonesian is a significant milestone. Expanding your vocabulary with these essential words will help you communicate more effectively and understand a wider range of texts and conversations. Remember, the key to language learning is consistent practice and exposure. Try to use these words in your daily conversations, writing, and reading. The more you use them, the more natural they will become. Selamat belajar (happy learning)!