Speak Basic Bahasa with Your Indonesian Maid: A Quick Communication Guide

(Updated 14 February 2026)

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It is beneficial to communicate with your maid in their mother language to show your respect and care and your effort to bridge the gap between different languages and cultures. If you are going to hire an Indonesian domestic helper in Hong Kong, you might want to learn the Indonesian language and culture more.

About Bahasa

Bahasa, also known as Bahasa Indonesia, is the official language of Indonesia. It is a standardized form of Malay, which is spoken by various ethnic groups across the Indonesian archipelago. Bahasa Indonesia serves as a unifying language for the diverse population of Indonesia, which consists of over 700 different languages and dialects.

Bahasa Indonesia was chosen as the national language of Indonesia to facilitate communication and foster national unity among the country’s many ethnic groups. It is widely spoken and understood throughout the nation and serves as the medium of instruction in schools, government offices, and the media.

While Bahasa Indonesia is the primary language, there are also regional languages and dialects spoken in different parts of Indonesia, such as Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese, and many more. These regional languages reflect the rich linguistic diversity of the country.

Bahasa Indonesia is written using the Latin script and is largely based on Malay, with some influences from Dutch, Arabic, and other languages. It is a relatively easy language to learn for speakers of other languages due to its simple grammar and pronunciation rules.

Overall, Bahasa Indonesia plays a crucial role in connecting the people of Indonesia, fostering national identity, and facilitating communication across the vast archipelago.

10 Simple Bahasa Phrases

Here are some basic phrases in Bahasa Indonesia that may be useful when communicating with Indonesian domestic helpers:

Selamat pagi – Good morning
Selamat siang – Good afternoon
Selamat malam – Good evening
Tolong – Please
Terima kasih – Thank you
Maaf – Sorry
Bagaimana kabarmu? – How are you?
Saya membutuhkan bantuanmu – I need your help
Apakah kamu mengerti? – Do you understand?
Bisakah kamu membantu saya? – Can you help me?

Can Indonesian maids speak Chinese?

In Hong Kong, it is possible to find Indonesian maids who can learn and speak Cantonese or Mandarin if they receive training or have exposure to those languages. Many Indonesian domestic helpers in Hong Kong or other Chinese-speaking regions may learn basic Chinese to communicate with their employers or handle daily tasks effectively.

However, it’s important to note that the level of proficiency in Chinese can vary among individuals, and not all Indonesian maids are fluent in Chinese. It depends on their language learning abilities, opportunities for language training, and the length of their stay in the Chinese-speaking region.

Employers who prefer their Indonesian domestic helpers to have a certain level of proficiency in Chinese should communicate this requirement during the hiring process and consider candidates with the desired language skills or willingness to learn. Additionally, employers can provide language resources or enroll their domestic helpers in language classes to enhance their communication abilities in Chinese.

Should I hire an Indonesian or a Filipino helper?

The choice between an Indonesian or Filipino maid depends on your specific needs, preferences, and considerations. Both Indonesian and Filipino domestic helpers are known for their hard work, dedication to their job, and valuable contributions to employer family around the world. Here are some factors to consider when making your hiring decision:

Cultural compatibility: Consider the cultural compatibility between your family and the prospective foreign domestic helper. Look into cultural values, customs, and traditions to determine which will align better with your family’s preferences and requirements.
Language proficiency: Assess the language skills of the domestic helpers you are considering. Determine which language, English or Chinese or any other relevant language, will be the best for communication with your family members.
Skills and experience: Evaluate the skills and years of experience of the domestic helpers in areas such as nationality, cooking skills, child care experience, elderly care experience, previous employment contract status (Finished 2 Years Contract/ Terminated Contract/ Break Contract), school certificate or any other job skills you may prefer. Consider their previous work experience and references to ensure they have the necessary skills for the job.
Personality fit: Consider the compatibility between the domestic helper’s personality and your family’s dynamics. Communication and rapport are essential for a harmonious working relationship, so hire a helper whose personality aligns well with your family’s values and needs.
Legal requirements: Familiarize yourself with the legal requirements and regulations related to hiring foreign domestic helpers in Hong Kong. Ensure that you adhere to the necessary procedures and meet any specific criteria for hiring a Filipino or an Indonesian maid.
Agency support: Research the reputation and reliability of the maid agencies that provide Filipino or Indonesian domestic helpers. Consider the quality of the support and help they will offer during the helper hiring process and throughout the employment contract period.

Ultimately, the decision between an Indonesian or Filipino maid will be based on your family needs, preferences, and the individual qualifications of the foreign domestic helpers you are considering. It will be helpful to interview and interact with potential foreign domestic helpers to assess their suitability for your family before making a final decision.

Want to hire a domestic helper in Hong Kong?

You may find a domestic worker in the following ways:

Traditional maid agencies: they will provide all-in-one full range of maid services from helper selection, interview arrangement, training process and transporting the helper to your door. However, these traditional maid agencies generally charge employers higher agency fee with additional items, like flight tickets, helper training fee and helper re-selection fee. Some of them may overcharge domestic helpers money in names of training fee, visa and placement fee just to maximise their profit margin.
Direct hire: it is known as the most affordable and flexible way to hire a domestic helper in Hong Kong. Employers will have full control from domestic helper profiles reviewing and selection, interviews to work permit and visa processing.

HelperChoice provides direct hire through its online platform for domestic helper matching service. It is also the first online ethical maid agency licensed by the Hong Kong Labour Department, which does not charge domestic helpers any placement fee or “agency” fee. Employers may create an account for free on HelperChoice online platform and choose the subscription plan that suits their hiring needs. For subscription details, you may visit this page.

On HelperChocie platform, the employer may publish a job ad to recruit a Filipino or an Indonesian maid. It is advised that the employer defines clearly the years of experience, caregiving skills, salary offer, nationality or any other specific job requirement they prefer.

Once employers find a domestic helper, the next step will be to process their helper’s contract and visa documents. HelperChoice can provide visa process services for Filipino maids at the best prices, which will save your time with the paper work and present at the consulate. Most of our visa processing services in both local and overseas domestic helpers cases have already included 2-years mandatory helper insurance to cover general medical expenses for domestic helpers. For details, you may contact HelperChoice team through Whatsapp.