Balik Meaning In Indonesia

Halo semuanya, ketemu lagi sama saya, Iman Prabawa. In this article, I want to talk to you about the meaning of the word [balik] in Indonesian, and as always, we will watch example scenes from movies where the word [balik] is spoken.

If you have any questions regarding the Indonesian language, you can ask me directly. You can see how to do that on my About Me page. 

If you are a beginner in the Indonesian language, you can learn step by step with My Lesson Here.

So, without further ado, let's get started! 

Meaning of Balik In Bahasa Indonesia

[Balik] can have many meanings based on the context.

The first meaning of [balik] is the back side of what we see.

Examples:

1. Dia bersembunyi di balik pintu itu. (He is hiding behind that door.)

2. Bisa tolong kamu balik kertas itu? (Could you turn over that paper?)

The second meaning of [balik] is to go home, to go back to where someone belongs.

Examples:

1. Gue harus balik jam 7 soalnya di rumah ngga ada orang. (I have to go home at 7 because nobody's at home.)

2. Loe kapan balik ke Bandung? (When will you go back to Bandung?)

[Balik] can also collocate with some words such as [badan], [arah], and [putar]. [Balik badan] means you turn your body to the opposite of what your body is facing right now. [Balik arah] means you turn back in the opposite direction of what you are headed to. [Putar balik] means you turn around or you make a U-turn.

How to Pronounce Balik

This is how you pronounce the word [balik] in bahasa Indonesia.

Next, we will watch scenes from movies and whatnot where the word [balik] is used by Indonesian people, and we will also learn the vocabulary used in those scenes.

Examples of Balik In Use

The first scene we are about to watch is from Losmen Bu Broto (2021). Let's watch the clip below.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Pak Guru Iman (@pakguruiman)

Below is the conversation from the scene above with English translations.

Sri’s friends: Sri! Eh, beneran nih ga papa kita balik duluan? (Sri! Is it okay if we go home earlier than you?)

Sri: Ga papa sih. (It's okay.)

Sri’s friends: Yang bener? (Seriously?)  

Sri: Kalo tega. (Yeah, but if you dare.)

Sri’s friends: Tega sih. (*laughing) Daahh! (Of course we dare. Bye.)

Sri: Ati-ati. (Take care.)

In this scene, Sri's friends take a leave from their cafe, and they ask Sri whether it is okay if they go home earlier than Sri. That's why she says this,

Ga papa kita balik duluan? (Is it okay if we go home earlier than you?)

So, the meaning of [balik] in this context is to go home. This word [balik], which means to go home, is commonly used by Indonesian people in daily conversation.

Vocabulary From the Scene

[Eh] is used to attract someone's attention. For more about this, you can read this article, Eh In Bahasa Indonesia.

[Beneran] is usually used when you want to make sure that what you are going to do is okay or if you want to make sure whether what someone says is true. In this context, Sri's friend wants to ensure that it is okay if she goes home earlier than Sri.

[Ga papa] = [tidak apa-apa] = it's okay.

[Tega] is when you show no mercy or care to others.

[Ati-ati] is short for [hati-hati]. It is used when someone is saying goodbye and to show concern for that person. [Hati-hati] = Take care, be careful.

     Read also: Berada In Indonesian

That's it for today's article, and if I find another example from movies, Insha Allah, I will update this article again. Thank you for reading my article, and I'll see you soon. Bye now.