Tulung!
Tu-lung!
Help!
Usage
Urgent call for help
Grammar Note
"Tulung" is imperative meaning "help me". Equivalent to Indonesian "Tolong".
Kula mbutuhaken dokter
Ku-la mbu-tu-ha-ken dok-ter
I need a doctor
Usage
Requesting medical help
Grammar Note
"Mbutuhaken" is the verbal form of "butuh" (need). "Dokter" is borrowed from Dutch.
Wonten maling!
Wo-nten ma-ling!
Thief! / There's a thief!
Usage
Shouting when witnessing or experiencing theft
Grammar Note
"Maling" is a Javanese word for thief, also used in Indonesian.
Kula alergi dhateng obat menika
Ku-la a-ler-gi dha-teng o-bat me-ni-ka
I am allergic to this medicine
Usage
Informing medical staff about a drug allergy
Grammar Note
Allergy uses "alergi", as in the Health & Hospital category hlth-004 ("Kula alergi dhateng…") and the Pharmacy & Health category pharmacy-005 ("Aku duwe alergi"). The earlier version had two faults. (1) "Larangan" means a prohibition or restriction, not a medical allergy, and the note itself defended the error by saying the prohibition word was being used to express allergy. (2) "Kagungan" is krama inggil "to have" — the honorific reserved for the person being honoured — so using it of oneself is self-honorification, the same class of error as the rejected "mustaka" in the Body Parts category.
Telpun polisi!
Tel-pun po-li-si!
Call the police!
Usage
Urging someone to call the police
Grammar Note
"Telpun" is a colloquial form of "telepon" (telephone). "Polisi" is the same in Indonesian.
Kula tatu
Ku-la ta-tu
I am injured
Usage
Reporting an injury
Grammar Note
"Tatu" means injury or wound in Javanese (same in both speech levels). It also metaphorically means a wounded heart.
Kula mboten saget ambegan
Ku-la mbo-ten sa-get am-be-gan
I cannot breathe
Usage
Reporting breathing difficulty to medical staff
Grammar Note
"Ambegan" is the Javanese word for breathe. Ngoko: "Aku ora bisa ambegan". "Darurat!" (Emergency!) is also useful.
Kula kelangan dompet
Ku-la ke-lang-an dom-pet
I have lost my wallet
Usage
Reporting a lost wallet or valuables
Grammar Note
The "ke-" prefix marks an unintentional state (lost accidentally). Swap "dompet" with "paspor" (passport).
Kula mbetahaken juru basa
Ku-la mbe-ta-ha-ken ju-ru ba-sa
I need an interpreter
Usage
Requesting an interpreter at the police or hospital
Grammar Note
"Juru basa" means "interpreter" (juru = person in charge, basa = language). "Terjemah" means a translation (the product), not a person. Ngoko: "Aku butuh juru basa".
Rumah sakit wonten pundi?
Ru-mah sa-kit wo-nten pun-di?
Where is the hospital?
Usage
Urgently asking for the location of a hospital
Grammar Note
"Rumah sakit" (sick house) is the same in Indonesian. Ngoko: "Rumah sakit ana ngendi?".
Aja!
A-ja!
Stop it! / Don't!
Usage
A flat refusal for pushy touts, scams, or unwanted contact; the krama "sampun" also means "already", so the blunt ngoko form is used deliberately
Aja nyekel aku!
A-ja nye-kel a-ku!
Don't touch me!
Usage
Hold the screen up to someone touching you; bystanders can read it too
Grammar Note
"Aja" = don't, "nyekel" = to grab/touch, "aku" = me; deliberately not softened
Barangku dicolong
Ba-rang-ku di-co-long
My things were stolen
Usage
Show it when reporting a theft at the police or a hotel desk
Grammar Note
"Barang" = belongings, "-ku" = my, "di-" = passive prefix, "colong" = to steal
Kula badhe nelpon pulisi!
Ku-la ba-dhe nel-pon pu-li-si!
I'm calling the police
Usage
A warning to show someone who will not back off — no shouting required
Grammar Note
"Kula" = I and "badhe" = going to, both krama; full sentences in this data set use krama
Kobongan
Ko-bo-ngan
Fire (conflagration)
Usage
A conflagration, and also suffering loss through fire
Todhongan
To-dho-ngan
Robbery (holdup)
Usage
A holdup or robbery; the verb "todhong" is to hold someone up at gunpoint
Copet
Co-pet
Pickpocket
Usage
A pickpocket
Haruhara
Ha-ru-ha-ra
Riot / disturbance
Usage
Covers both a riot and a disturbance or upheaval
Bom
Bom
Bomb
Usage
The word for a bomb. That is its first sense, though colloquially it can also mean a fart, so use it in an urgent context
Kobongan! Mangga medal!
Ko-bo-ngan! Mang-ga me-dal!
Fire! Get out!
Usage
Alerts the people around you to a fire and tells them to get outside
Grammar Note
"Kobongan" (fire) followed by the invitation "Mangga" and "medal" (to go out). Both are krama.
Wonten maling! Nyuwun tulung nyekel!
Wo-nten ma-ling! Nyu-wun tu-lung nye-kel!
Thief! Catch him!
Usage
Calls on bystanders to seize someone who has just stolen from you
Grammar Note
"Wonten maling!" followed by the request formula "Nyuwun tulung" and the verb "nyekel". The object is dropped because the situation makes it obvious — ordinary ellipsis in Javanese.
Telpun branwir!
Tel-pun bran-wir!
Please call a fire engine
Usage
Asks someone to call a fire engine
Kantor pulisi wonten pundi?
Kan-tor pu-li-si wo-nten pun-di?
Where is the police station?
Usage
Asks for the police station so you can report an incident
Kula badhe lapur dhateng pulisi.
Ku-la ba-dhe la-pur dha-teng pu-li-si.
I want to file a police report
Usage
Files the report with the police that you need for an insurance claim or a replacement document
Grammar Note
The "Kula badhe …" (I would like to) frame with the verb "lapur" (to report), and the addressee marked by "dhateng".
Wonten ingkang saged basa Jepang?
Wo-nten ing-kang sa-ged ba-sa Jepang?
Is there anyone who speaks Japanese?
Usage
Looks for a Japanese speaker at a hospital or a police station
Wong iki ora eling.
Wong i-ki o-ra e-ling.
This person is unconscious
Usage
Tells responders or bystanders that the person who has collapsed is unconscious
Grammar Note
This sentence is written entirely in ngoko. "Ora eling" means "unconscious".
Wonten tiyang klelep!
Wo-nten ti-yang kle-lep!
Someone is drowning
Usage
Raises the alarm when you see someone drowning at the beach or in a pool
Wonten tiyang ngantem kula.
Wo-nten ti-yang ngan-tem ku-la.
I was beaten
Usage
Reports to police or a doctor that you were assaulted
Grammar Note
Uses the shape "Wonten tiyang + verb + kula", stating the harm actively. This avoids choosing between the ngoko passive "di-" and the krama "dipun-", so no speech level is mixed inside the sentence.
Wonten tiyang njojoh kula.
Wo-nten ti-yang njo-joh ku-la.
I was stabbed
Usage
Tells responders or police that you were stabbed with a blade
Grammar Note
The "Wonten tiyang + verb + kula" frame. "Njojoh" is the N- form of the root "jojoh".
Wonten maling mlebet kamar kula.
Wo-nten ma-ling mle-bet ka-mar ku-la.
My room was broken into
Usage
Reports to the hotel or the police that your room was entered while you were out
Wonten tiyang ngapusi kula.
Wo-nten ti-yang nga-pu-si ku-la.
I was deceived
Usage
Says that you were cheated or scammed
Grammar Note
The "Wonten tiyang + verb + kula" frame.
Dompet kula dicolong.
Dom-pet ku-la di-co-long.
My wallet was stolen
Usage
Reports the theft of your wallet to the police or your hotel
Grammar Note
Possession is marked with the krama "kula" rather than the ngoko suffix "-ku", making this sentence politer than the ngoko "Barangku".
Barang kula kantun.
Ba-rang ku-la kan-tun.
I left my things behind
Usage
Says that you left your things behind on a vehicle or in a shop
Grammar Note
"Barang" with the possessive "kula" and the krama predicate "kantun" (ngoko: kari). Note that "kelangan" (as in "Kula kelangan dompet") means losing something outright, which is a different concept.
Mobil nabrak kula.
Mo-bil na-brak ku-la.
I was hit by a car
Usage
Tells responders or police that a car hit you
Grammar Note
States the harm actively. "Nabrak" is the N- form of the root "tabrak".
Mangga medal saking pintu darurat.
Mang-ga me-dal sa-king pin-tu da-ru-rat.
Please escape through the emergency exit
Usage
Directs people to the escape route. Signage in Java is in Indonesian: "PINTU DARURAT"
Grammar Note
The invitation "Mangga" with "medal" and "saking", taking the signage term "PINTU DARURAT". Signs in Java are written in Indonesian rather than Javanese.
Aja! Mbebayani!
A-ja! Mbe-ba-ya-ni!
Watch out! It is dangerous!
Usage
Stops someone and warns them of an immediate danger
Grammar Note
The prohibition uses the strong ngoko "Aja!" (the krama "sampun" can also read as "already done" and is weak as a warning). "Mbebayani" (dangerous) sits at the same ngoko level.
Nyuwun tulung ingkang cepet.
Nyu-wun tu-lung ing-kang ce-pet.
Please hurry
Usage
Urges someone to hurry
Nyuwun tulung rawuh samenika kemawon.
Nyu-wun tu-lung ra-wuh sa-me-ni-ka ke-ma-won.
Please come right away
Usage
Asks someone — on the phone, for instance — to come immediately
Grammar Note
The request "Nyuwun tulung" followed by "rawuh" and the Krama "samenika kemawon" for "right now" (ngoko: "saiki uga"). "Rawuh" is the honorific used of the addressee's action, which is exactly right when asking someone to come.
Menika darurat.
Me-ni-ka da-ru-rat.
It is an emergency
Usage
States that the situation is urgent — to be seen ahead of a queue, for instance
Grammar Note
An equational sentence with no copula: demonstrative plus noun.
Nyuwun tulung kula dipunteraken dhateng rumah sakit.
Nyu-wun tu-lung ku-la di-pun-te-ra-ken dha-teng ru-mah sa-kit.
Please take me to a hospital
Usage
Asks a taxi driver or a bystander to take you to a hospital
Grammar Note
Combines the request formula "Nyuwun tulung" with the passive "kula dipunteraken" (I am taken/delivered), plus "dhateng" and "rumah sakit". "Kula dherekaken" means "I will guide you", with the opposite subject, so it is not used here.
Ana kecelakaan lalu lintas.
A-na ke-ce-la-ka-an la-lu lin-tas.
There has been a traffic accident
Usage
Tell the police or bystanders that a traffic accident has happened
Grammar Note
"Ana kecelakaan" (there is an accident) plus "lalu lintas" (traffic). "Kecelakaan" means accident.
More Javanese phrases
- Basic Words
- Basic Nouns
- Basic Verbs
- Adjectives
- Question Words
- Greetings
- Food & Drinks
- Transportation
- Shopping
- Numbers
- Hotel
- Sightseeing
- Flirting
- Nightlife
- Massage & Spa
- Compliments
- Contacts & SNS
- Beach & Activities
- Places & Areas
- Useful Phrases
- Airport & Customs
- Weather & Climate
- Pharmacy & Health
- Directions
- Money & Exchange
- Health & Hospital
- Internet & WiFi
- Nature & Outdoors
- Religion & Temples
- Café & Drinks
- Schedule & Booking
- Culture & Etiquette
- Traveling with Kids
- Sports & Activities
- Public Transport
- Accommodation
- Banking & ATM
- Visa & Immigration
- Business & Work
- School & Education
- Cooking & Markets
- Music & Entertainment
- Art & Museums
- Festivals & Events
- Photography
- Laundry
- Post Office
- Language Learning
- Dating & Romance
- Dating Apps
- Volunteering
- Accessibility
- Sustainability & Eco
- Fruits
- Colors
- Dietary & Allergies
- Markets & Souvenirs
- Wine & Spirits
- Car Rental & Driving
- Time & Dates
- Hiking & Trekking
- Diving & Water Sports
- Skiing & Winter Sports
- Hot Springs & Baths
- Yoga & Wellness
- Casino & Gambling
- Beauty & Grooming
- Remote Work
- Fashion & Clothing
- Convenience Store
- Martial Arts
- Signs
- Body Parts
- Animals
- Vehicles
- Electronics
- Feelings
- Slang
- Local Dishes
- Local Drinks
- Indulgences