Indonesia is rich in culture and tradition, leading to a wide variety of festivities and celebrations throughout the year. If you’re learning Indonesian, understanding the words that describe these festivities will enrich your vocabulary and deepen your appreciation of Indonesian culture. Here are some Indonesian words related to festivities and celebrations along with definitions and example sentences.

Perayaan
Perayaan means celebration in general. It can refer to any kind of event that is being celebrated, such as a birthday, a national holiday, or a religious festival.

Ada perayaan besar di kota untuk menyambut tahun baru.

Hari Raya
Hari Raya translates to “great day” and usually refers to major religious festivals such as Eid al-Fitr or Christmas.

Kami berkumpul dengan keluarga untuk merayakan Hari Raya.

Pesta
Pesta means party or feast and is used for occasions that involve a lot of eating, drinking, dancing, and merrymaking.

Saya diundang ke pesta ulang tahun teman saya malam ini.

Upacara
Upacara is a ceremony or a ritual, often with formal significance and involving traditional cultural elements.

Upacara bendera diadakan setiap tahun untuk merayakan Hari Kemerdekaan.

Festival
The word festival is similar to its English counterpart and is used for events that celebrate arts, music, food, or other specific themes.

Festival layang-layang internasional akan berlangsung di Pantai Sanur bulan depan.

Karnaval
Karnaval, similar to the word carnival, refers to a festive season that typically involves a public celebration or parade with some elements of a circus.

Karnaval tahun ini lebih meriah dibanding tahun lalu.

Acara
Acara means an event or program which can range from a small gathering to a large public event.

Kami akan mengadakan acara amal untuk membantu korban bencana alam.

Merayakan
The verb merayakan means to celebrate, signifying the act of engaging in a celebration.

Semua orang berkumpul untuk merayakan kelulusan Ana dari universitas.

Each of these words reflects the joyous nature of festivities and is integral to discussing celebratory occasions in Indonesian. By adding these words to your vocabulary, you will be better equipped to join in the celebrations and understand the cultural context in which they occur. Selamat belajar, and may your language learning journey be as exciting as an Indonesian pesta!