Indonesian is known as one of friendly citizen in the world. People are amazed by lots of indonesian’s culture, art, culinary, and behavior. Talking about friendly, generally we’d like to start over a coversation even with a stranger or someone new. Having a conversation with a new people sometimes makes us know many things, get some informations, get a new friend and new circle. The conversation topics are also various as daily activity, future plan, weather of the day, weekend plan, work and else. Before we start a conversation, basically we’re gonna star with a greeting in formal or informal way it’s depend on what we need to talk about and with who we’re gonna talk with. Both formal and informal greeting are used for the same purpose but something what makes them seems different is on how we use it in the appropriate time and occasion.
People use the formal greeting in special occasion as in the office circle like in a meeting, make a deal with client, talk to their boss or in some office formal events. While, the informal greeting are used to talk over a daily conversation, small talk, telephone call, chit chat with friend, and etc. Another things which make the different is in the way to write and pronounce it. The formal greeting never uses any constraction while the informal does. The informal greeting sound more fancy and cooler also east to remember, while the formal one sounds a little bit awkward and to old.
Here are some formal greetings you should know :
– Good morning / selamat pagi
– Good evening / selamat petang
– Good afternoon / selamat sore
– Good night / selamat malam
– Hello / halo
– Could you help me? / dapatkah anda membantu saya?
– Alright / baiklah
– Could I help you? / bolehkah saya membantumu?
– How are you doing? / bagaimana kabarmu
– How are you? /Bagaimana kabarmu?
– Do you have a time? / anda ada waktu?
– How is your life? /Bagaimana kehidupanmu?
– How is everything? / apakah semuanya baik-baik saja?
While informal greetings are below :
– Morning / pagi
– Night / malam
– Evening / sore
– Hi / hai
– Okay / oke
– What’s up? / ada apa?
– What? / apa?
– Bye bye / selamat tinggal
– Are you busy? / kamu sibuk?
– Long time no see / lama tidak bertemu
– Well / bail
– Repeat / ulangi
Its characteristics are as :
- For formal, the conversation is usually standard or contains interests and is usually done to uphold politeness
- If it is non-formal, the language is usually not standard and is done to peers. You could say it’s like a normal chat.
Example in a conversation :
Formal Greeting
James: Good morning, Professor Austin, how are you doing?
Professor Austin: Good morning, James. I am doing well. And you?
James: I’m great, thank you. This is my friend Emma. She is thinking about applying to this college. She has a few questions. Would you mind telling us about the process, please?
Professor Austin: Hello, Emma! It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m more than happy to speak with you. Please stop by my office next week.
Emma: It’s a pleasure to meet you, professor. Thank you so much for helping us.
Professor Austin: Don’t mention it. Hopefully, I will be able to answer your questions!
Informal Greeting
Dotty: Hi. What’s up?
Vivian: Nothing much. What’s new with you?
Dotty: Not too much. I’ve been pretty busy.
Vivian: Me Too. Seems like all I do is eat and sleep.
Dotty: Gotta go. Call me tonight.
Vivian: Okay. Check you later.
