Both bareng and bersama mean “together”, but they have different levels of formality and are used in slightly different contexts.
Indonesian learners often mix them up, so understanding the nuance will help you sound more natural.
1. BARENG = together (casual, informal)
Bareng is a casual slang word meaning together, with, hanging out with.
It is common in everyday conversation, texting, and speech among friends.
Use bareng when speaking casually or informally.
Examples
Aku mau makan bareng kamu.
I want to eat with you.
Besok kita pergi bareng, ya?
Let’s go together tomorrow, okay?
Aku lagi nonton bareng teman-teman.
I’m watching (a movie) together with my friends.
2. BERSAMA = together/with (formal or neutral)
Bersama is the standard and more formal word for “together” or “with.”
It’s used in:
- formal writing
- announcements
- speeches
- professional settings
- polite conversation
You can use it in any situation, but it sounds more formal than bareng.
Examples
Saya pergi ke acara itu bersama keluarga.
I went to that event with my family.
Kami bekerja bersama dalam proyek ini.
We work together on this project.
Dia datang bersama temannya.
He/she came with his/her friend.
3. Simple Difference
| Word | Meaning | Tone | Usage |
|---|---|---|---|
| bareng | together / with | casual, informal | daily conversation, slang, friends |
| bersama | together / with | formal | writing, professional |
4. Example Sentence Pairs
Aku mau makan bareng kamu. (casual)
I want to eat with you.
Saya mau makan bersama kamu. (formal)
I want to eat with you.
Ayo pergi bareng!
Let’s go together! (friendly & casual)
Kami pergi bersama rombongan.
We went together with the group. (neutral/formal)
Aku nonton bareng teman-teman.
I watched (a movie) together with friends.
Saya menghadiri acara itu bersama rekan kerja.
I attended the event with coworkers.
10 Practice Questions (Bareng vs Bersama)
Instructions:
Choose the correct word — bareng or bersama — to complete each sentence.
- Besok aku mau pergi _______ teman-teman.
- Saya datang ke rapat itu _______ manajer saya.
- Mau makan _______ aku nanti sore?
- Mereka bekerja _______ untuk menyelesaikan tugas.
- Aku lagi nonton film _______ adikku.
- Kami belajar _______ dosen tamu hari ini.
- Ayo jalan _______ ke kantor!
- Dia menghadiri acara itu _______ keluarganya.
- Aku pulang _______ dia karena satu arah.
- Kami akan merayakan tahun baru _______ komunitas lokal.
