Learn Hardcore Indonesian: Tolong simpan nomor telepon saya.

Tolong literally means help, but before a verb it works like please to soften a request. It’s polite and very common in everyday Indonesian. It doesn’t name the subject; the listener is understood to be the one asked to act.

Is it okay to drop tolong? Will it sound rude?

Yes. Simpan nomor telepon saya. is grammatically fine, but it’s a bare command and can feel blunt. To soften it without tolong, you can add particles like ya or dong:

Simpan nomor telepon saya, ya. (friendly/soft)
Simpan nomor telepon saya, dong. (casual, friendly)

Why is the verb in the bare form simpan, not menyimpan?

Imperatives in Indonesian typically use the base verb: simpan. After tolong, you also use the base form: Tolong simpan.... Tolong menyimpan... sounds awkward/incorrect in most contexts. Use menyimpan when you’re not giving an imperative, e.g., in a statement or some questions: Anda sedang menyimpan..., Bisakah Anda menyimpan... (both are fine), though many speakers still prefer bisa simpan.

Is Tolong disimpan nomor telepon saya correct? Why use passive?