Consonants

Single Consonants
B/b
"b" is pronounced more or less like the English "b" in "blue".

buku = book
bapak = father, Mr.
ibu = mother, Mrs.
abang = elder brother
kebun = garden
pembantu = helper, servant

C/c
"c" is pronounced more or less like "c" in "child", but without aspiration.

cinta = love
kucing = cat
kaca = glass
kunci = key
cokelat = brown, chocolate
kecil = small, little, tiny

D/d
"d" is pronounced more or less like "d" in "dice".

adik = love
murid = cat
jendela = glass
kuda = key
dekat = near, close
pendek = short

F/f
"f" is pronounced more or less like "f" in "feel". "f" mostly found in the words loaned from other languages (such as Arabic, etc.). Due to the fact that some Indonesian can not pronounce "f" fluently, some "f" then replaced by "p".

maaf = sorry
formulir = form
pihak = fihak = side
pikir = fikir = think
paham = faham = understand
hafal = hapal = memorize

G/g
"g" is pronounced more or less like "g" in "gold".

gelas = glass
guru = teacher
gereja = church
mentega = butter
pergi = go
pagi = morning

H/h
"h" is pronounced more or less like "h" in "hug". 

pohon = tree
bodoh = stupid, silly
mahal = expensive
murah = cheap
hijau = green
hitam = black

J/j
"j" is pronounced more or less like "j" in "jam". 

anjing = dog
jalan = road, street, way
jam = clock
meja = table
hijau = green
keranjang = basket

K/k
"k" is pronounced more or less like "c" in "cool", but without aspiration. 

adik = younger brother/sister
anak laki-laki = boy, son
kamar = room
kakak = elder brother/sister
toko = shop
kantor = office

L/l
"l" is pronounced more or less like "l" in "love". 

malam = night
lampu = lamp
lemari = cupboard
polisi = policeman
sekolah = school
gelas = glass

M/m
"m" is pronounced more or less like "m" in "milk". 

anak perempuan = daughter, girl
jam = clock
kamar = room
lampu = lamp
mobil = car
pembantu =helper, servant

N/n
"n" is pronounced more or less like "n" in "nice". 

nasi = cooked rice
anak = child
jalan = road, street, way
kantor = office
kebun = garden
pensil = pencil

P/p
"p" is pronounced more or less like "p" in "apple". 

pria = man
pelayan = waiter, waitress
pembantu = helper, servant
apa = what
siap = ready
apel = apple

Q/q
"q" is pronounced more or less like "q" in "queen". 

Qur'an = Quran = Koran

R/r
"r" is pronounced more or less like "r" in "rice". 

perempuan = female
guru = teacher
kamar = room
kursi = chair
roti = bread
rumah = house

S/s
"s" is pronounced more or less like "s" in "kiss". 

gelas = glass
kertas = paper
kursi = chair
pensil = pencil
sekolah = school
sepeda = bicycle

T/t
"t" is pronounced more or less like "t" in "tall", but without aspiration. 

kantor = office
kertas = paper
roti = bread
tas = bag
toko = shop
tukang = workman

V/v
"v" is pronounced more or less like "f" in "fox". 

vas = vase
kapling = kavling = kaveling = plots

W/w
"w" is pronounced more or less like "w" in "want". 

warung = small shop, stall,  stand
warna = colour
bawah = bellow
bahwa = in which
pesawat terbang = aeroplane
tertawa = to laugh

X/x
"x" is pronounced more or less like "x" in "extra", but we do not use it much any longer, for nowadays most of the "x" are already transformed into "ks". 

x = x

Y/y
"y" is pronounced more or less like "y" in "yolk". 

ayah = father
pelayan = waiter, waitress
sayur = vegetable
kaya = rich
yang = which
sayang = care


Z/z
"z" is pronounced more or less like "z" in "zebra". "z" mostly found in loan words and some Indonesian find it difficult to read "z", so they read it as "j".

jaman = zaman = period
ijin = izin = permit
zebra = zebra