Let's, come on: ayo, mari, yuk

By Speak Indo, from the Speak Indo Indonesian course.

Three words for 'let us'. Which one to pick depends on formality.

How it works

Invitations and suggestions in Indonesian: • ayo, 'come on, let's'; common and broadly understood • mari, 'let us'; more formal or organised, but still used politely • yuk, a warm informal invitation; widespread in everyday speech, especially with familiar people • sebaiknya, 'it would be better to'; advice rather than an invitation • coba, 'try' or 'have a go'; before a request it can make the instruction feel less abrupt, depending on tone Typical pattern: [Ayo/Mari/Yuk] + verb or + kita + verb.

Examples

• Ayo makan!
  Let's eat!
• Mari kita mulai.
  Let us begin.
• Yuk, jalan-jalan!
  Come on, let's go for a walk!
• Coba pikir lagi.
  Try thinking again.