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Only in the case of celebrating a foreigner’s birthday would a song be sung, and then it would just probably be the same tune as the English Happy Birthday to You. In Indonesian, though, people don’t really sing the song. In English, we have one typical birthday song that everybody knows (perhaps two, if you count He’s a Jolly Good Fellow). If you’re writing a card, you should also include some of these excellent phrases for wishing long life, happiness, and success. Generally, dirgahayu is used for Indonesian Independence Day-so it has the same connotation as the birth of a country!
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In very formal contexts, like when an important person is celebrating their birthday as a large public event, the word dirgahayu is used. The word for “birthday” is hari kelahiran (literally “day of birth” when translated), but instead of using that construction, there’s a set phrase you should use. Indonesians definitely celebrate birthdays, meaning that wishing someone a happy birthday in Indonesian is much appreciated. In this article, you’ll learn about phrases of congratulations in Indonesian, as well as how to offer Indonesian condolences when they’re needed. Knowing the right thing to say, whether it’s good news or bad, is the cornerstone of any interesting conversation. Well-wishes, or ucapan in Indonesian, are an important part of any culture. For example, wishing them a happy birthday in Indonesian is a good way to open up new conversation topics (like what they want to do during this next year of their life, if they have special plans, etc.).
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When something big happens in their life, you’ve got the perfect opening. Or perhaps you’ve already met someone in Indonesia and gotten along with them, but you don’t know what to talk about whenever you hang out. Conversations can start up and keep going indefinitely with the right people.īut what can you talk about? Perhaps you’ve tried talking about the weather and didn’t end up getting terribly far. There’s a lot to be said for being able to make good small talk in another language.
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