I’m an Indonesian teacher, and I tried the Indonesian course on Duolingo to see how well it teaches my language. It was fun at first — with its colorful design, quirky sentences, and addictive daily streaks. But while it’s a good place to start, it might not be the most effective way to master Indonesian. Let me explain.
My Thoughts
What I Like:
- Free to use! It doesn’t cost you anything to try it out.
- It helps beginners start somewhere. The app makes it easy to get into a habit. For you who know zero Indonesian, it’s a friendly intro.
- It builds vocabulary quickly. You’ll learn many words fast — even if some of them are a little weird.
- It’s fun and low-pressure. You can practice anywhere, and the funny sentences do make you remember stuff.
What I Don’t Like:
- It teaches overly formal language. Most of the sentences sound like written or scripted Indonesian. Not how people talk daily.
- Too repetitive. You start memorizing full sentences just from repetition, not because you really understand them.
- It doesn’t teach real-life usage. The tone and word choices don’t match what Indonesians say in casual settings.
- Many unnatural or absurd sentences. As a native speaker, I couldn’t help but laugh (or cringe) at some of them. They might help you remember vocabulary, but it’s very unlikely you’ll hear or use these sentences in real-life situations.
A Few Weird Sentences I Found
These are real sentences from the app. Some are funny, some are confusing, and most are not something we’d say.
1. Pisang itu tidur
That banana sleeps
This sentence is funny and memorable — but you’ll probably never say this in real life. It’s not wrong grammatically, but pragmatically it doesn’t make sense in normal conversation. You don’t usually talk about bananas sleeping.
2. Saya bahagia makan laba-laba
I’m happy to eat spiders
A strange sentence. Again, grammatically okay, but the situation is weird. A more natural version would be “Saya senang makan laba-laba,” but even that is still unusual. Not many people are happy to eat spiders!
3. Apel itu bisa melihat kalian
That apple can see you
Funny? Yes. Useful? Probably not. It sounds like something from a cartoon. It’s not helpful if you’re trying to learn Indonesian for everyday communication.
4. Dia artis terkenal
She is a famous artist
This one is tricky. In English, “artist” means someone who creates art (like painting, drawing, or music). But in Indonesian, “artis” usually means a celebrity, especially someone on TV.
If you want to say someone is a real artist, use “seniman” instead.
5. Apakah kamu tahu di mana Mesir itu?
Do you know where Egypt is?
This sentence sounds a bit off. In Indonesian, it’s more natural to say:
“Apakah kamu tahu Mesir itu di mana?”
The position of “di mana” (where) matters in Indonesian questions.
6. Labu kita dibawa ke bank
Our pumpkin is brought to the bank
Again, not something you’d likely hear in a real conversation. Why would someone take a pumpkin to the bank? It would be more natural to say:
“Labu kita dibawa ke pasar”
(Our pumpkin is taken to the market)
7. Ayam kalian lebih jahat daripada saya
Your chickens are more evil than I am
Another strange example.
8. Mengapa saya ada?
Why do I exist?
This sentence is grammatically correct but quite philosophical and existential. It’s not something you would commonly say in daily conversation.
9. Saya memakan topi saya
I eat my hat
This is an idiom in English, often used to express disbelief (“If I’m wrong, I’ll eat my hat”), but in Indonesian, it’s not used this way. It sounds strange or even confusing to native speakers.
10. Film ini dibintangi oleh kucing saya
This movie stars my cat
Another funny one. It’s grammatically fine but highly unrealistic unless your cat is an actor. While memorable, it doesn’t reflect how Indonesian is used in real life.
Final Thoughts on Duolingo Indonesian
Duolingo is a good starting point. You can use it to build vocabulary and gain confidence as you begin learning. But if your goal is fluency and real-life conversations, you’ll need to study with a native Indonesian teacher or supplement your learning with authentic materials — like watching YouTube videos or listening to podcasts.
