Bisa and Boleh (Can/May) in Indonesian

Overview

Indonesian makes a clear distinction between bisa (can/able to) and boleh (may/permitted to). This parallels the English distinction between "can" (ability) and "may" (permission), though in casual English this difference is often blurred. In Indonesian, it remains important.

Bisa is used when talking about ability, possibility, or skill: Saya bisa berenang (I can swim). Boleh is used when talking about permission: Boleh saya masuk? (May I come in?). Both are followed directly by the main verb, like other Indonesian modal-type words.

How It Works

Bisa vs. Boleh

Bisa (ability/possibility)	Boleh (permission)
Saya bisa berenang. (I can swim.)	Boleh saya duduk di sini? (May I sit here?)
Dia bisa bahasa Inggris. (She can speak English.)	Boleh masuk? (May I enter?)
Tidak bisa! (Can't / Impossible!)	Tidak boleh! (Not allowed!)

Patterns

Pattern	Example	English
Subject + bisa + verb	Saya bisa baca.	I can read.
Bisa + verb + ?	Bisa bantu?	Can you help?
Boleh + subject + verb + ?	Boleh saya bertanya?	May I ask?
Tidak bisa	Tidak bisa datang.	Can't come.
Tidak boleh	Tidak boleh parkir di sini.	Parking not allowed here.

Responding to Requests

Question	Positive Answer	Negative Answer
Boleh...?	Boleh. / Boleh, silakan.	Tidak boleh. / Maaf, tidak boleh.
Bisa...?	Bisa.	Tidak bisa.

Examples in Context

Indonesian	English	Note
Saya bisa berenang.	I can swim.	Ability
Boleh saya masuk?	May I come in?	Permission
Tidak bisa!	Can't! / Impossible!	Inability
Boleh, silakan.	You may, go ahead.	Granting permission
Dia bisa memasak dengan baik.	She can cook well.	Skill
Tidak boleh merokok di sini.	Smoking is not allowed here.	Prohibition
Bisa tolong ulangi?	Can you please repeat?	Polite request
Anak-anak tidak boleh masuk.	Children are not allowed in.	Prohibition
Saya bisa datang besok.	I can come tomorrow.	Possibility
Boleh minta tolong?	May I ask for help?	Permission to request

Common Mistakes

Using bisa for permission

• Wrong: Bisa saya duduk di sini? (when asking for permission)
• Right: Boleh saya duduk di sini?
• Why: Bisa asks about ability/possibility. Boleh asks for permission. The distinction matters in Indonesian.

Using boleh for ability

• Wrong: Saya boleh berenang. (I am permitted to swim — when meaning "I can swim")
• Right: Saya bisa berenang.
• Why: Saying boleh implies someone gave you permission, not that you have the skill.

Confusing tidak bisa and tidak boleh

• Wrong: Using tidak bisa for a rule/prohibition
• Right: Tidak boleh parkir di sini. (Parking is not allowed here.)
• Why: Tidak bisa means "cannot" (impossibility); tidak boleh means "not allowed" (prohibition).

Practice Tips

1. Practice asking permission with boleh: Boleh saya...? followed by various verbs. Then practice asking about ability with bisa: Kamu bisa...?
2. Look for signs in Indonesian that say Dilarang (forbidden) or Tidak boleh — these reinforce the permission concept.

Related Concepts

• Basic Verb Structure — how bisa and boleh fit into verb phrases