Essential Indonesian phrases

The Surabaya way of addressing a man and a woman respectively — warmer and more local than the national 'mas' and 'mbak'. Using them marks you as someone who has actually been here.

'How are you?' in Suroboyoan Javanese, rather than the standard Indonesian 'apa kabar'. Answering in kind buys you a lot of goodwill.

'Surabaya kid' — the local self-description, and shorthand for a directness the rest of Java finds startling.

The plain register of Javanese. Surabaya uses it far more freely than Solo or Yogyakarta do, which is why the city sounds blunt to Javanese ears from elsewhere — it is register, not rudeness.

'Absolutely boiling.' You will use it. Surabaya is reliably one of the hottest large cities in Java.

Surat Keterangan Tempat Tinggal — the residence certificate issued by the civil registry of whichever city or regency you actually live in. Not the same office for Surabaya, Sidoarjo and Gresik.

Your limited-stay permit. In Surabaya it is nearly always sponsored by an employer, which means it belongs to the company as much as to you.

Indonesia's single national QR payment standard. One code, every wallet and bank app — the practical way to pay for street food and parking.

Surabaya's signature dish: fruit and vegetables with slices of cow's snout in a black shrimp-paste dressing. Locals will watch you try it.

'Delicious, mate!' The correct thing to say after the rujak cingur, whatever you actually thought.

Help! / Look out! — the two emergency words worth learning first.