# Indonesian: bisa / bicara



## C_Nor

Halo! 
I have heard the English word _speak_ said as both *bisa *and *bicara. *What is the difference in use?


----------



## niddy2040

hi...
I don't think so...
_bisa_ = can do something
_bicara_ = speak/talk
in conversation, maybe:
can I speak with X? = _bisa_kah saya ber_bicara_ dengan X?
hehe...


----------



## C_Nor

The examples are: 

Please speak to me in Indonesian. 
_Tolong bicara pada saya dalam Bahasa Indonesia. _

Do you speak English? 
_Apakah kamu bisa Bahasa Inggris? _

I see what you mean. Terima kasih for your help, niddy2040!


----------



## mignons

C_Nor said:


> The examples are:
> 
> Please *speak* to me in Indonesian.
> _Tolong *bicara* pada saya dalam Bahasa Indonesia. _
> 
> Do you *speak* English?
> _Apakah kamu bisa *bicara* Bahasa Inggris? _


The complete sentence is as follow:
_Apakah kamu bisa bicara Bahasa Inggris_.
It can be translated as (by replacing "do" to "can"):
Can you speak English?

However, the word "bicara" in the second sentence can be omitted. But it doesn't work the same way in the first sentence.

Another example:
"Do you dance?" can be translated as "Can you dance?" = "Apakah kamu bisa menari?"
"Do you sing?" can be translated as "Can you sing?" = "Apakah kamu bisa menyanyi?"


----------



## C_Nor

Apakah kamu *bisa* Bahasa Inggris? 

*Literal Meaning:* Are you *able to use* English?
*Understood Meaning:* Do you *speak* English?

That comes from an internet program I use to learn Bahasa Indonesia. I didn't notice that it showed the literal meaning until after I asked about _bisa _and _bicara. _Thanks to you, mignons, I picked up on my snafu.

Plus, I overlooked the helpful information niddy2040 gave me, in regards to _bisa_.  Oops! I thought I understood, when, in fact, I didn't. It's because I didn't pay close attention to *Bisakah**...? Can...? *

Before going back and checking the program, I looked 'bisa' up in the vocabulary section of an Indonesian language book I own. 
It has: *bisa can, to be able to*... which is what you two filled me in own.

Thanks to the both of you, I, now, fully understand. And I _am_ sure about that!


----------

