Small Tuak logo - palm tree

Small Tuak

Simple words and phrases verified by native Balinese speakers

Adjectives

Gelem
Sick
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Leleh
Tired
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Sibuk
Busy
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Wawu
wah-woo
Just / Just now
"Tiang wawu bangun" / I just woke up
Bedik
beh-deek
slightly / small / few
"Tiang punyah bedik" / I'm a little drunk
Punyah
poon-yuh
Drunk
"Tiang punyah bedik" / I'm a little drunk

Colors

Barak
Red
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Putin
White
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Biru
Blue
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Kuning
Yellow
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Selem
Black
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers

Conjunctions

Karena
Because
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Tapi
But / even though / although
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Jadi
So
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Terus
And then
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Nto mekade
That's why
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers

Greetings

Ken ken kabare?
ken ken chah BAH-reh
How are you?
Casual — used with friends
Punapi gatré?
poo-NAH-pee gah-TRÉ
How are you?
Formal — used with elders or in polite company. The TRE is rolled and sounds more like “trah” in practice. Jay writes it like “punapi gatra” when texting
Becik becik
BEH-chik BEH-chik
Good good
A: "ken ken cah bare?" (how are you?) B: "becik becik" (good good) B: "becik becik" (good good) You may also say "Becik pisan" (BEH-chik PEE-sawn) which means 'very good'. Eg; A: Panapi gatré, bli? (how are you, brother?) B: Tiang becik pisan, suksma. Ragane gen punapi gatré? (I'm very good, thank you. And how are you?)
Tiang keseng dikit
tee-YAHNG kuh-SEHNG DEE-kit
I’m a bit tired
Polite and honest reply
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Alon alon kemanten
ah-LONE ah-LONE kuh-MAHN-ten
Just taking it easy
Colloquial — like “ I'm chillin'"
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Rahajeng turu
rah-hah-jeng too-roo
Sleep well
Softer and more personal than “rahajeng wengi”; used with friends or family
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Rahajeng malih
rah-hah-jeng mah-leeh
Goodbye / Come again
Said to someone leaving
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Rahajeng rahina
rah-hah-jeng rah-hee-nah
Good day
General good wish, often used in polite speech or writing
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Swastiastu
swas-tee-as-too
Hello / May you be blessed
Use anytime, to anyone. Most polite and universal greeting — also when entering homes or temples
Rahajeng semeng
rah-hah-jeng seh-mung
Good morning
Used from sunrise until ~10 a.m. Friendly and respectful
Rahajeng siang
rah-hah-jeng see-ahng
Good afternoon
Used between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Neutral and polite
Rahajeng wengi
rah-hah-jeng wun-gih
Good evening / Good night
Used after sunset or before bed
Rahajeng rauh
rah-hah-jeng rah-ooh
Welcome / Blessed arrival
Said to guests or anyone arriving. I think* its more common at ceremonies / formal context
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers

Location

Ne
This
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Nto
That
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ane
This one
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ane cen
Which one
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Mai
Come here
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Kemu
Over there
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Dini
Here
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ditu
There
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Beduur
On / above
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Beten
Under
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Di tengah
Inside / in
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Di sisi
Outside
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Uli
From
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ke
To
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Konden
Not yet
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Sube
Already
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers

Other

Ampura
am-poo-ruh
I’m sorry
i think the r is supposed to be rolled
Suksma
sook-suh-muh
Thank you
If you're going to learn one word, this is the one to know
Matur Suksma
mah-tur sook-suh-muh
Thank you
A more polite / elevated expression of gratitude
Mewali / Suksma mewali
muh-wall-ee
You're welcome / To return
The most common response to Suksma
Sing
sing
No
casual way to say no
Nenten
nen-ten
No
polite way to say no (high register). Not commonly used. I think only for talking to holymen
ten
ten
No / not
Another lower register form of "No". Seems more commonly used than Sing for negation (eg; "ten lakar" / won't)
Nggih
en-gee
yes / okay
A very common interjection used to show agreement or akcnowledge something. Not sure on pronunciation.

Phrases

Tiang Lakar
tee-ang luh-car
I want / I will (present tense)...
Used to express a present tense intention or desire. "Tiang lakar ke villa" / I'm going to the villa
Tiang jagi
tee-ang juh-gee
I shall / I will (future tense)...
"Jagi" expresses future tense / intention. "Tiang jagi ke villa peteng ne" / I will go to the villa later tonight
Tiang Harus
I must...
Indonesian borrowed word
Dadi Tiang
Can I...?
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ragane dadi...
You can...
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Sing Ken Ken
Sing Ken Ken
No problem / no worries
Very laid back / chill way to say "no problem"

Pronouns

Tiang
tee-YAHNG
I / me
Polite, humble first-person pronoun (Alus mider); used in respectful conversation
Cang
chahng
I / me
Casual/informal; used among close friends or equals. Can be considered impolite
Rage
I / me
Alternative first-person pronoun
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ragané
rah-GAH-neh
You
Formal or neutral 2nd person; respectful, used in polite conversation
Beli
BUH-lee
You (male)
Not to be confused with BOO-lay... :D
Adi
AH-dee
You (female)
Informal; used among female peers or to someone younger; literally means "younger sibling"
Ipun
ee-POON
He / she / him / her
High-register pronoun; used to refer to others respectfully
Ipun sami
ee-POON SAH-mee
They
Polite third-person plural; respectful and formal
Ye
She / he / they
Common third-person pronoun
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Bule
BOO-lay
foreigner / white person

Questions

Api
What
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Pidan
When
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Nyen
Who
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Kenape
Why
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ken ken
How
Seems interchangeable as a greeting "how are you?" vs. "Ken ken Cabahre"
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers

Time

Ibi
Yesterday
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Mani
Tomorrow
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Jani
Now
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Mare san
Just now
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Tuni
Last morning / last afternoon
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers

Verbs

Teke
Come
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Makan
Eat
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Inem / Minum [indonesian]
ee-num
To drink
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Negak
Sit
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Nvemak
Take
Usage uncertain
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ngabe
Bring
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Mejalan
Walk
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Melaib
Run
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ntungang
Throw
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Santai
Relax
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Mesare
Sleep
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Megae
Work
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Pesu
Go outside
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Kayeh
Take bath
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Melangi
Swim
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Meli
Buy
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Masak
Cook
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Ngae
Make
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Mulih
Go home
⚠️ Not yet verified by native speakers
Jagi
jah-gee
will / shall (future marker)
indicates a future action or intention in a polite, formal context. "Tiang jagi mewali" / I will return

All translations manually verified by native Balinese speakers