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Learn 7 essential Indonesian interrogative words with examples. Beginner-friendly guide to master Indonesian grammar fast.
Introduction
If you’re new to learning Indonesian, you might be wondering where to start. Vocabulary lists are helpful, but one of the smartest first steps is learning how to ask questions. Questions open the door to conversation and help you understand people better.
In this lesson, we’ll cover the 7 must-know Indonesian interrogative words such as apa, siapa, di mana, kapan, mengapa, bagaimana, and berapa. With these simple words, you can start asking meaningful questions, build confidence, and learn faster.
What Are Indonesian Interrogative Words?
Interrogative words are the words we use to ask questions. In English, they include “what,” “who,” “where,” “when,” “why,” and “how.” Indonesian works the same way, but with simpler grammar rules, no verb conjugations or tense changes.
For example:
English: What is this?
Indonesian: Apa ini?
These words are very important in daily communication because they help us obtain information, clarification, or even start conversations. For beginners, understanding demonstrative words (kata tunjuk) is also key to being able to actively speak and understand simple conversations. For example, when you want to know someone’s name, a place, or the time of an activity, you will definitely use question words. Just by learning a few interrogative words, you’ll already be able to communicate in any situations.
7 Essential Indonesian Interrogative Words
1. Apa (What)
Use apa when asking about things, objects, actions or general information.
Apa ini? (What is this?)
Kamu sedang apa? (What are you doing?)
Tip: Apa can appear at the start or middle of a sentence depending on context.
2. Siapa (Who)
Use siapa to ask about people.
Siapa nama kamu? (What is your name?)
Dia siapa? (Who is he/she?)
Tip: There’s no singular or plural distinction, siapa works in all cases. To get familiar with how Indonesians refer to themselves and others, you might also want to learn about Indonesian personal pronouns (kata ganti orang).
3. Di mana (Where)
Di means “at/in,” and mana means “which.” So, the prhase di mana means “where.”
Kamu tinggal di mana? (Where do you live?)
Toilet di mana? (Where is the toilet?)
Tip: Replace di with other prepositions for new meanings:
Ke mana? (To where?)
Dari mana? (From where?)
4. Kapan (When)
Use kapan to ask about time.
Kapan kamu datang? (When are you coming?)
Ulang tahunmu kapan? (When is your birthday?)
Tip: Indonesian doesn’t change verbs for tense. Just add time words like kemarin (yesterday) or besok (tomorrow). If you want to explore more, check out our guide on the Indonesian time and calendar system
5. Mengapa (Why)
Use mengapa to ask about reasons.
Mengapa kamu terlambat? (Why are you late?)
Mengapa dia sedih? (Why is he/she sad?)
Tip: In daily conversation, Indonesians often use kenapa instead of mengapa. Both are correct.
6. Bagaimana (How)
Use bagaimana to ask about methods or conditions.
Bagaimana kabarmu? (How are you?)
Bagaimana cara ke stasiun? (How do I get to the station?)
Tip: Bagaimana can also mean “what kind of.”
Bagaimana filmnya? (How was the movie? / What was the movie like?)
7. Berapa (How many / How much)
Use berapa to ask about numbers, quantity, or price.
Berapa umurmu? (How old are you?)
Harga buku ini berapa? (How much is this book?)
Tip: Combine with measure words:
Berapa orang? (How many people?)
Berapa jam? (How many hours?)
Berapa rupiah? (How many rupiahs?)
Quick Tips to Master Indonesian Interrogative Words
Practice in daily situations
Instead of just saying “toilet?”, try Toilet di mana? when traveling. Don’t be shy to try! Use question words when chatting with friends, teachers, or even in Indonesian language class.Use flashcards
Write the Indonesian word on one side, English meaning on the other.Listen actively
Watch movies or listen to conversations—notice how interrogative words are used naturally.Build longer questions gradually
Start with short forms (Apa ini?), then extend (Apa yang kamu lakukan kemarin di rumah?).Don’t Be Afraid of Making Mistakes
Making mistakes is normal when learning a new language. Keep trying and learn from your mistakes.
If you’re curious about how negation works when answering questions, you can also check out our article on Indonesian negative sentences (kalimat negasi).
Practice Making Question Sentences
Try to create your own sentences using the question words you’ve learned. For example:
What is your favorite food?
Who is your best friend?
Practice Exercises #Part 1
Try answering these questions in Indonesian:
Apa hobi kamu? (What is your hobby?)
Siapa teman terbaikmu? (Who is your best friend?)
Kamu tinggal di mana? (Where do you live?)
Kapan kamu belajar bahasa Indonesia? (When do you study Indonesian?)
Mengapa kamu suka bahasa Indonesia? (Why do you like Indonesian?)
Bagaimana cuaca hari ini? (How is the weather today?)
Harga kopi ini berapa? (How much is this coffee?)
Write your answers, then check with a teacher or language partner.
Practice Exercises #Part 2
a. _______ nama ibu Anda?
b. Hari raya idulfitri _______ ?
c. _______ dua anak itu tidak datang?
d. _______ harga buku gambar ini?
e. _______ itu sepatu milik paman?
f. _______ nama ibu kota Indonesia?
g. _______ umur anakmu?
h. _______ cuaca di sana?
i. _______ hari pernikahanmu?
Answer Key:
a. Siapa nama ibu Anda?
b. Hari raya idulfitri kapan ?
c. Kenapa dua anak itu tidak datang?
d. Berapa harga buku gambar ini?
e. Apakah itu sepatu milik paman?
f. Apa nama ibu kota Indonesia?
g. Berapa umur anakmu?
h. Bagaimana cuaca di sana?
i. Kapan hari pernikahanmu?
Conclusion
Mastering Indonesian interrogative words is a simple but powerful way to speed up your learning. With just seven words: apa, siapa, di mana, kapan, mengapa, bagaimana, and berapa, you can already create natural questions in almost any situation.
For beginners, these words are the key to more confident conversations and deeper cultural understanding. Practice them daily, and you’ll soon find yourself asking and answering questions in Indonesian with ease.
To make your conversations even more natural, don’t forget to explore Indonesian greetings (sapaan khas), which will help you start interactions politely and sound more like a local.
