These sentences 1-15 below give reading practice in all the colloquial features introduced in THE EXAMPLE SENTENCES earlier
An Answer Key is provided at the end of the section.
1. (explaining why didn’t have the money to go out last weekend).
Pas gue minta duit sama bokap dia cuma ketawa aja.
2.(Envying a witty friend)
Gue pengen jadi kayak temen gue tuh yang pinter ngomong.
3. (Talking about the high price of basic goods)
Mending kalo harga beras diturunkan biar gak bikin susah rakyat.
4. (Wondering if could start own business)
Kalo mau usaha sendiri harus modal duit gede ato gimana?
• modal = capital [Not colloquial]
5. (saying not too impressed with the film being watched)
Gue uda sering liat film yang kayak gini .
6. (to friend Fitri who is worried she is not popular):
Gue pikir lu bakal gampang dapet pacar, Tri.
7. (talking about how many guests there were at a party)
Pas kita dateng uda rame banget.
8. (passing on a piece of gossip about Edo)
Susi bilang liat Edo bareng cewek cantik di Blok M tadi sore.”
9.(saying why feel a bit guilty after getting back from trip away)
Gue lupa beli oleh-oleh buat pacar gue.
• oleh-oleh = a small gift brought back after a trip. [Not colloquial]
10.(telling own plans for that evening)
Ntar malam gua pergi belanja bareng nyokap.
11. (talking about book currently reading)
Baru kali ini gue baca historical romance, tapi emang bagus nih buku.
• baru kali ini = this is the first time [Not colloquial]
12. (telling a friend why she should have a chat with Rini)
Dia bisa kasih lo nasihat kali ya.
13.(talking about how his reading tastes have changed)
Gue dulu ga gitu suka komik buat cowok.
14.(talking about an unexpected event they witnessed)
Pas lagi jalan pulang kita liat kecelakaan di jalan.
15. (talking about a quarrel with sister)
Dia emang lagi marah sama aku waktu itu.
Answer Key to Sentences 1-15above
1. When I asked dad for money he just laughed.
• minta duit sama bokap = literally: “asked-for money to dad”
2. I want to be like that friend of mine who’s a good talker.
• pinter ngomong = literally:“clever at talking”
3. It would be better if the price of rice was lowered, so as not to make things difficult for the common people.
• biar gak bikin susah = literally: “so-that not make difficult”
4. If you want to have your own business, do you need to have a large amount of financial capital, or what?
• Kalo mau usaha sendiri= literally: “If want own business”
5. I’ve already often seen films like that.
6. I think you’ll easily get a boy/girlfriend, Tri.
7. When we got there it was already really crowded.
8. Susi says she saw Edo with a pretty girl in Blok M this afternoon.
9. I forgot to buy oleh-oleh for my boy/girlfriend.
10. Tonight I’m going shopping with mum.
• bareng nyokap = literally: “together-with mum”
11. This is the first time I’ve read a historical romance, but it really is good, this book.
12. She can give you advice perhaps, right?
13. I didn’t used to like comics for guys much.
• ga gitu suka = literally: “not so like”
14. When we were walking home we saw an accident in the street.
15. She really was angry at me then.
