What Language Do They Speak In Bali?

Can they speak English? What if I get lost? Is there anybody able to help me if they can not speak English? Should I prepare certain language to make my communication with Balinesse easier?

Those questions often occurs to tourists that want to go to Bali. Some of them try to search the answer and they find out that they do not have to worry about the language. Some of them are to lazy to move their fingers and tongue and lost their change to see the beauty of island that created when the God smile.  

I write this article to give you some insight about the languages that speaks by Balinesse. Of course languages, the plural, not only one language. Most Balinesse and Indonesians are polyglot. They could speak at least two language, their ethnic language and Indonesia language or Bahasa Indonesia. After reading this article you may necessary to find out several words of the languages corelated with your future activities in Bali.

1. Balinesse. Of course Balinesse speak Balinesse just like Javanesse speak Javanesse, Chinesse speak Chinesse, Japanesse speak Japanesse and English speak English. This language is as old as the ethnic of Bali. Some Balinesse mostly in rural and inland area speak the ancient Balinesse but some them speak modern Balinesse that has absorbed many words from many language including Javanesse, Bahasa Indonesia, Dutch, and of course English. There are alot of Balinesse words that similar with Javanesse words since those two ethnics have strong history correlation. When the biggesst Kingdom in Javanesse history, Majapahit collapsed, many of their nobles and common people run to Bali and built new settlement that developed to kingdom. Some of them still exist until now. If you ever visiting Java, you don’t need to worry about the language.  
2. Bahasa Indonesia or Indonesian. This is the formal language for the Indonesian. All Indonesian should learn this language in school. They also have to used this language in formal situation such as at public service and utilities, You could also see this language on the signboard, billboard advertisements, and so on. If you learn Bahasa Indonesia, trust me, you can used it in most Indonesia area, not only in Bali.
3. English. Bali has became tourism destination since early 1930. Since Charlie Chaplin starring mute movies, since the most advance gadget is black and white television, and since your grandma and grandpa sneaking around every night just to meet each other. The Balinesse are prepared to welcome the tourists since they are born. And they aware that English language is the most powerfull weapon to interact to touurists. If you can speak English, you don’t have to worry about your journey. You can use that language in every hot spot you like to visit in Bali.

Beside those language, some Balinesse also could speak major language such as Chinesse, Japanesse, Dutch, Korean, and even Russian. They are aware that the ability to speak more language is necessarry in tourism. Many foreign language school has been established in Bali to make your journey more comfortable.