Indonesian · B2 · Unit 20
Idioms and sayings
Ungkapan dan peribahasa
By the end you can
- Use common idioms naturally
- Explain what a saying means
- Understand idioms in speech
Words and phrases
| Indonesian | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| buah tangan | a gift you bring back from a trip (literally: fruit of the hand) | Jangan lupa bawa buah tangan dari Bali. |
| kambing hitam | a scapegoat (literally: a black goat) | Jangan jadikan saya kambing hitam. |
| besar kepala | big-headed, conceited | Sejak naik jabatan, dia jadi besar kepala. |
| buah bibir | the talk of the town (literally: fruit of the lips) | Pernikahan mereka jadi buah bibir. |
| panjang tangan | light-fingered, a thief (literally: long hand) | Hati-hati, ada yang panjang tangan di pasar. |
| makan hati | be hurt inside, suffer in silence (literally: eat liver) | Kerja di sana bikin makan hati. |
| ada udang di balik batu | there's a hidden motive (literally: a shrimp behind the stone) | Dia tiba-tiba baik sekali. Pasti ada udang di balik batu. |
| air beriak tanda tak dalam | empty vessels make the most noise (literally: rippling water isn't deep) | Air beriak tanda tak dalam, jadi jangan terlalu percaya omongannya. |
| sedikit demi sedikit, lama-lama menjadi bukit | every little helps (literally: little by little it becomes a hill) | Ayo menabung: sedikit demi sedikit, lama-lama menjadi bukit. |
| bagai pinang dibelah dua | like two peas in a pod (literally: a betel nut split in two) | Kakak beradik itu bagai pinang dibelah dua. |
| malu bertanya sesat di jalan | don't be afraid to ask (literally: too shy to ask, lost on the road) | Tanya saja ke satpam. Malu bertanya sesat di jalan! |
| seperti kata pepatah | as the saying goes | Seperti kata pepatah, di mana bumi dipijak, di situ langit dijunjung. |
Then talk it through
A friend uses a saying you don't know and explains it. In the app you have this conversation out loud or typed, with the unit's goals to tick off and corrections at the end.