Known as an easy language and spoken by millions of people, many foreign speakers want to learn Indonesian. If you are new to the Indonesian language, this article is perfect for you as we will talk about four main topics regarding learning Indonesian: What is Bahasa Indonesia? Why should you learn it? How can you successfully learn it? and Where to learn Indonesian language?
What is Bahasa Indonesia?
Bahasa Indonesia or the Indonesian language is the official language of the Republic of Indonesia. With Indonesia’s 267.7 million population (2018 census), Bahasa Indonesia becomes one of the most widely spoken languages in the world. It is adapted from Malay, which has long been used as a lingua franca or a bridge language across what is now known as the Indonesian archipelago.
As a big country with diverse ethnic groups, Indonesia has more than 700 local languages such as Javanese, Balinese, Sundanese, Acehnese, and Bahasa Biak. These local languages are still widely used at the speakers’ homes and within their local communities. In addition to their local languages, Indonesians learn and use Indonesian at schools. The official language is also used for mass media, administration, judiciary, and governance.
Why Should You Learn Indonesian?
As mentioned above, Bahasa Indonesia has more than 26 million speakers in the country alone. It also functions as a working language in East Timor and it’s very similar to the standard varieties of Malay spoken in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei. Learning Indonesian means that you have the potential to communicate with millions of people from diverse cultures across 1700 exotic islands. Mastering the language will also be beneficial if you visit the three neighboring countries of Indonesia, as you will understand most of their Malay varieties.
Another reason is that the Indonesian language is an easy language to learn. Unlike English, Indonesian is a phonetic language, meaning one letter only represents one sound. It doesn’t have tenses, conjugations, and complicated grammar structures. The language has many English and Dutch loanwords, so if you speak those two languages, you will have a head start.
Last but not least, another key reason is Indonesia’s economic growth. Indonesia is one the fastest growing economies in the world. It’s a member of G20, a group of twenty of the world’s largest economies. It’s also classified as a newly industrialized country with the 7th largest economy in terms of GDP (PPP), gross domestic product converted to international dollars using purchasing power parity rates. Learning Indonesian will give you more opportunities for employment and business in the country.
How to Learn Indonesian?
You can learn Indonesian in many ways as there are many resources on the internet. A quick Google search for the keyword “learn Indonesian” will provide you with an array of videos, audio files, and articles on how to learn the language.
There are also a lot of great books to learn Indonesian. Some of them include ‘The Indonesian Way’ by George Quinn, ‘Easy Indonesian’ by Katherine Davidsen, and ‘Basic Indonesian’ by Stuart Robson. If you start learning Indonesian grammar, two books that we think are great resources and easy to understand are: ‘A Student Guide to Indonesian Grammar’ by Dwi Novirini Djenar, and ‘Understanding Indonesian Grammar’ by James Neil Sneddon.
Like learning other languages, the best way to learn Indonesian is by using it actively. If you live in the country, then you have a great advantage as you have a massive ‘library’ to improve your Indonesian. You can learn from a taxi driver, local vendors, and local people in your neighborhood. However, if you are a beginner, this can be intimidating so language classes are a great idea to help you get started.
Where to learn Indonesian?
If you are looking for a place to learn Indonesian, look no further. We are a professional and highly rated Indonesian language school based in Bali, Indonesia. We can help you master the Indonesian language quickly and naturally. Here is why:
- All of our teachers are experienced and certified to teach Indonesian
- We try to have our lessons entirely in Indonesian
- Our course includes audio lessons of daily conversations and mini stories
- We provide scientifically proven flashcard apps to remember vocabulary long term.
- We use authentic content such as real-life conversations, articles and media to teach the language.
- We adapt our teaching to meet your learning styles and language needs.
If you are ready to start your learning journey with us or want to ask any questions, feel free to reach out to us at hi@jembatanbahasa.com. You can also find out more here.
