Bali is a beautiful archipelago province in Indonesia. When traveling to Bali, you should be able to say hello in a friendly, polite and respectful way. Learn how to say “hello” and some other greetings and phrases in the local language before traveling.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Saying "Hello" in Balinese
Step 1. Say "om suastiastu"
The Balinese word for "hello" is "om suastiastu". The Balinese language has a different alphabet from Indonesian, so the writing of the phrase "hello" corresponds to its pronunciation in Balinese. This version of the Balinese pidgin makes it easy for users to pronounce certain phrases without learning the Balinese alphabet and writing.
- Pronounce the word as it is written. It might be easier if you divide the word " Om Swasti Astu " into three parts. Put pressure on "Om" and imitate the "ast" sound. " Om SwASti AStu ".
- You can listen to a recording of someone saying "om suastiastu" on the internet to find out the correct pronunciation.
- This sentence means "peace and greetings from God".
- The other person will answer with "om suastiastu".
Step 2. Use the right gestures
In Balinese culture, greetings are usually accompanied by gestures. To be as polite and respectful as possible, place your palms together in front of your chest with your fingers pointing up as if in a prayer position.
- This is a traditional Hindu greeting that is now commonly used by everyone.
- Many people shook hands with a light handshake. Some people can touch his chest afterwards, as part of the ritual.
Step 3. Try another greeting
You can also say greetings in other Balinese languages, for example to say good morning or good night. Having lots of “ammunition” to say hello will make it easier for you to get to know the locals.
- To say good morning, say "rahajeng semeng".
- To say good night, say "rahajeng wengi".
Step 4. Say hello in Indonesian
Another language commonly used in Bali is Indonesian. Therefore, you can say our traditional greetings such as "Hello" or "Hi" in Bali to greet others. You can also say hello by saying "How are you?" Also, depending on the time of day, you can say another greeting.
- Say "Good morning" to say hello in the morning.
- Say "Good afternoon" to say hello during the day.
- In the afternoon, greet others by saying "Good afternoon".
- In the evening, greet by saying "Good night".
- You can practice your pronunciation by listening to what other people have to say on the internet.
Method 2 of 2: Learning Other Basic Expressions
Step 1. Introduce yourself
When greeting people in Balinese, you should introduce yourself. To do this, say "wastan pole" followed by your name. This sentence means “my name is…”. You can continue by asking the name or nickname of the person who is addressed by saying "sira pesengen ragane".
Step 2. Say thank you
If you're asking someone for directions, express your gratitude for the help before saying goodbye. Say "suksma" to say thank you.
For a more polite version, you can say "thank you" or "matur suksma" which means "thank you very much"
Step 3. Close the conversation politely
After greeting someone respectfully, it's best to end the conversation equally. People will appreciate a more polite goodbye than just "bye" or "bye". The polite way to say goodbye is to say “Titiang lungur mapamit dumun”, which means “I will say goodbye first.” Usually this sentence is used for people who are respected or of a higher caste.
- Other alternatives are “Farewell dumun”, “Pamit”, “Ngiring dumun”, and “Ngiring”.
- You can say “Kalihin embarrassed as an informal goodbye to people you know well.
