As many guidebooks will tell you, Indonesia is a happy country. The locals look on visitors with warmth and welcoming. But what happens when you get on their wrong side? To be honest, not much. It takes something really severe to bring Indonesians to confrontation. The worst thing that happens is that you get passed up for opportunities and friendships because people think you’re not that pleasant to be around. But that’s still awful! So to avoid a scenario like that, it’s important that you become familiar with etiquette in Indonesia. To help you out, we’ve put this article together for you, outlining everything you need to know about table manners in Indonesia and more. You may be surprised to know how far knowing just a little... Show more

It’s 9 AM. You drive your motor scooter up to your favorite noodle soup place for breakfast, but with a cry of despair you find that it’s tutup—"closed." Scrawled on the sign is a phrase that you manage to make out as being "closed for national holiday." A national holiday? How were you supposed to know? This kind of situation is pretty common in Indonesia for foreigners. And one major cause can be traced to simple ignorance—not knowing how to talk about dates in Indonesian. It’s an easy skill to overlook when you’re juggling a bunch of Indonesian resources to get a handle on the different vocabulary words that seem to fill the air wherever you go. But it’s no less important for day-to-day life, and as it turns out, just a little... Show more

Any language student is going to recognize this assignment: Write a paragraph about your family. Say how old each person is and give their names. Perhaps it’s a ho-hum writing prompt, but it serves a really important purpose. As it turns out, people talk about their families all the time—and they definitely ask others about theirs. In Asian cultures, the family usually plays a much more important role than it does in Western cultures. This makes it practical to know how to talk about the family tree in Indonesian, fluently. Are you aware of all the vocabulary and usage that you’ll need in order to truly understand how Indonesians talk about their Indonesian family tree? Below you’ll find all the information you need about Indonesian... Show more

Everybody knows about the beautiful beaches and temples of Bali. Millions of people flock there every year, and the island is developing at an incredible speed. Did you know, though, that there’s a whole lot more to Indonesia—frequently referred to as the country of 1,000 islands—than just Bali? And the beautiful thing for the tourist who wants to see it all is that the effort to promote the national Indonesian language has been enormously successful. The vast majority of Indonesians are perfectly bilingual in at least one local language as well as standard Indonesian. So the visitor with Indonesian phrases for travelers under their belt gets to avoid the hassle of learning multiple local languages, and instead gets to experience the... Show more

I remember that one of the hardest things for me when I was actually living in Indonesia was using numbers automatically. Anybody can count through the numbers to ten in Indonesian—you can pick that up on the plane ride over. When you actually have to use these Indonesian numbers, though, things are probably a bit more tight. It’s probably hot, and there’s probably somebody behind you in line who doesn’t care at all that it’s your first time in an Indonesian restaurant. Can’t you just feel their gaze on the back of your head? Well, probably not, because Indonesians are famously polite and patient. Nevertheless, it’s not a situation you want to be in. You want to have those numbers down pat. And the best way to learn numbers in... Show more

You're learning to speak Indonesian, and it's going well. Your confidence is growing! So much so that you feel ready to share your experiences on social media—in Indonesian. At Learn Indonesian, we make this easy for you to get it right the first time. So, post like a boss with these phrases and guidelines, and get to practice your Indonesian in the process. 1. Talking about Your Restaurant Visit in Indonesian Eating out is often fun, and an experience you want to share. Post a suitable pic of yourself in the restaurant, and start a conversation on social media in Indonesian. Your friend will be amazed by your language skills...also perhaps your taste in restaurants! Indra eats out with his friends, posts an image of the restaurant,... Show more

When I was little, I always hated getting in trouble at a friend’s house. Something about being in a slightly unfamiliar environment made the feeling of shame and embarrassment ten times worse. It’s kind of the same when you have to apologize for something in a foreign language, right? You’re completely out of your comfort zone, to begin with, and now you’ve gone and messed something up to the point where you’ve got to rely on your language skills to get you out of trouble, and say sorry in the Indonesian language. Lucky for you, if you land into trouble in Indonesia, you’ve already got an advantage. Indonesians are extremely accommodating and are more often than not perfectly willing to let an altercation go without so much as a... Show more

Out of the many, many countries that I’ve been to, Indonesia is one that I can describe as the "friendliest." People just want to talk to you, in a real and genuine way that doesn’t happen in some other countries where foreigners are either too commonplace or too much of a curiosity. And although a lot of younger people in big cities can hold conversations in English, there are also quite a few people who would love to chat and find out more about you—if only you knew how to introduce yourself in Indonesian. So, must you learn how to introduce yourself to learn Indonesian? Yes! When you learn Indonesian, how to introduce yourself can’t be skipped over! That’s where we come in, as we’ll teach you how to introduce yourself (English to... Show more

Indonesians celebrate Ascension Day, one of the most significant Christian holidays, each year with an array of traditions. The most notable traditions may be those surrounding the Cathedral Church (Jakarta), though celebrations for this Indonesia holiday do go beyond this. In this article, we’ll be going over celebrations as well as Ascension Day meaning in Indonesia. By learning about Indonesian culture, including the most significant Indonesian holidays, you’re opening yourself up to a greater comprehension of the country and its language. In turn, this will greatly improve your Indonesian language skills as you learn it in context of a greater, more vivid picture. And at IndonesianPod101.com, we hope to make this learning journey... Show more

Indonesia is not a country that gets its fair share of cultural recognition. It’s enormous, it’s diverse, and it’s breathtakingly gorgeous…but how many people outside its borders follow the lives of its celebrities or listen to its pop music? The Indonesian movies box office? Not a whole lot, and they’re all the poorer for it. Whether or not you’re a student of the Indonesian language looking for something to boost your listening comprehension, watching a couple of Indonesian movies is going to open the door to a whole new world of cinema. Here’s a list of the best Indonesian films with something for everyone, so that you can find something good no matter what your favorite genre is. You’ll also find movies here from early... Show more