What Language Do They Speak in Indonesia?

Official language of Indonesia Indonesian

Facts last checked 9 October 2026.

The official language of Indonesia is Indonesian.

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Languages of Indonesia at a glance

Official language	Indonesian
Number of official languages	1
Countries on this site where Indonesian is official	1
People (demonym)	Indonesian
Capital	Jakarta
Internet domain	.id

Languages of neighbouring countries

Timor-Leste	Tetum, Portuguese
Malaysia	Malay, English
Papua New Guinea	Tok Pisin, English, Hiri Motu

Indonesia in context

Indonesia covers 1,904,569 km², making it the 14th largest of the 196 countries on this site.
Its population density of about 149 people per km² ranks 60th of 196 (1st = most crowded).
It shares a land border with 3 countries: Timor-Leste, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea.
With 284,438,782 people, Indonesia holds about 41.6% of the population of South-Eastern Asia.
Traffic drives on the left, and calendars start the week on Monday.
Indonesia is a member state of the United Nations.

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Useful phrases for visitors to Indonesia

Everyday Indonesian phrases you will hear and use in Indonesia:

English	Indonesian
Hello	Halo
Thank you	Terima kasih
Please	Tolong
Goodbye	Selamat tinggal
Yes	Ya
No	Tidak

Spellings can vary by region, and some languages use different forms for formal or informal speech. Even a simple greeting in the local language is usually appreciated.

Languages in Indonesia — FAQ