Helping Hand

sherm

Basa Indonesia is pretty easy to learn. Even if you are not great, local usually respect your effort. My biggest mistakes have been being too good and then they assume you know it well. Then talk to you and you have no idea what you just heard. The app is good, but every few words it doesn't recognize slang local spellings and I'm left scratching my scalp. Note I didn't say scratching my head to avoid confusion. If they could come up with the ability to decipher farcebook slang that would be great. I got yg = yang wkwkwk = laughing Still don't understand 'exsis' when referring to foto-foto 'dek' when referring to newborn and the word 'sing' in posts just don't get it.

Nydave

Well you are far ahead of me with your Indonesian language,i have about 10 words total,and its weird cause I see my little son born in Bali and grew up speaking English,he is now 5 yrs old and is speaking Indonesian almost as perfect as his Mom now,maybe I can learn from him ?,,thruth is im lazy to learn,as for the app I don't think it would be possible for it to translate slang words from any language,in fact I read that it will give the wrong translation of certain words occasionally ,like there are certain words in our English language that are spelled the same ,sound the same but have different meanings,but as it is I find it very helpful,

Nydave

Hi all,here`s something for those of us who don't speak Bahasa Indonesia, Worth checking it out, Install the latest version of Google Translate on your smart phone, Then for example when say looking at a menu that is completely written in Indonesian,Pop out your phone,open translate,set your languages to Indonesian-English, then focus the camera on the menu,click the CAMERA icon on the screen and watch it instantly translate the writing into English or whatever language you require,its really cool,works with everything,Street signs,documents etc,, Also if you want to say something in Indonesian but don't know how,set your languages to English-Indonesian,press the microphone icon,speak into the phone,it will give you the translation in Indonesian words and will also speak the translation to you,also you can use it the other way round,if someone is talking in Indonesian hold your phone close to them and it will translate both in writing and voice, This is new to me however it may be old news to many of you, I wonder what is coming next,

matsaleh

sherm wrote.... If they could come up with the ability to decipher farcebook slang that would be great. I got yg = yang wkwkwk = laughing Still don't understand 'exsis' when referring to foto-foto 'dek' when referring to newborn and the word 'sing' in posts just don't get it.

Dek refers to adek or adik, meaning younger brother or sister Sing comes from Balinese meaning no or not. Sing is the Balinese word for tidak. No idea about the exsis.

Dick Rector

Exsis in foto-foto means (according to my Indonesian wife) being in every picture. Like in selfies.

Markit

Don't you just love the Balipod?!