IndonesianPod101.com Blog

The Indonesian language was literally designed to be easy. Seriously. Easy alphabet, easy grammar, easy pronunciation. It’s a constructed standard that’s been promoted in order to build a national identity and unite the very different groups of people all over the country. And in that, it works really well. Where it doesn’t always work well, however, is in translation (where untranslatable words in Indonesian come in). No matter their reason for pursuing it, many Indonesian learners are delighted to find that quite a few words and expressions translate quite readily into English. That only makes it more confusing when there are new concepts that take more mental gymnastics to understand. In this article, we’ve prepared... 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

Living and working in Indonesia—could it be a dream come true? You’ve got an incredible blend of vibrant cultures all around you. You’ve got the world’s best beaches, towering volcanoes, and pristine forests. You’ve got an attractive expat salary package in a country with a very low cost of living. You’ve got it made. You just have to get there. Unfortunately, Indonesia is one of the hardest Asian countries to find a job in, even with an Indonesia visa. The government’s strategy to reduce unemployment is to place heavy restrictions on expat workers, and that severely limits the opportunities available in every sector. In this article, we’ll walk you through just what these restrictions are and what you can do to... Show more

Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Indonesian could be just what you need to find it. Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Indonesian partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At IndonesianPod101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Indonesian lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra... Show more

Can You Really Learn Indonesian Alone? Learning a language on your own or without traditional classroom instruction may seem quite daunting at first. What if you run into questions? How do you stay motivated and on track to achieving goals? Don’t worry, not only is it possible to learn Indonesian or any language without traditional classroom instruction: IndonesianPod101 has created the world’s most advanced and extensive online language learning system. Not only is IndonesianPod101 specifically designed to help you with learning a language on your own, it’s actually faster, more convenient, and less expensive than traditional classroom options! Let’s look at some of the benefits of learning Indonesian or any language alone. Also,... Show more

Yes, even beginners can quickly learn conversational Indonesian well enough to carry on real conversations with native speakers. Of course, beginners won’t be able to carry a conversation the same way they could in their native language. But, just knowing a few tips like which questions to ask to keep a conversation going are all you need to speak and interact with real native speakers! But before we get to specific suggestions, let’s first take a closer look at how having real Indonesian conversations is so vital to your mastery of the language. Learning to Carry a Conversation is Vital to Mastery of Any Language Communicating with other people is the very point of language and conversation is almost second nature in our native tongue.... Show more

Today, classrooms are no longer the only or even best place to learn a new language like Indonesian. More and more people are finding that they can easily learn a language just about anywhere they have a few minutes of spare time, including their daily commute to work. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average American spends over 50 minutes a day commuting to and from work, or over 300 hours a year. Rethinking Your Daily Commute to Work But rather than simply sitting in traffic and wasting the time, you can instead use your daily commute to literally learn Indonesian in just a few short months! IndonesianPod101 has developed specialized learning tools that you can use on your commute to work (and home again) to master the... Show more

So, you’re heading for to travel or work. Awesome! You’re in for an amazing adventure! It’s a beautiful country, steeped in a rich culture that may be very unlike your own. However, showing respect to the locals is a big deal in every country around the world. A respectful manner and attitude could open doors for you that would otherwise remain mystifyingly closed. Aside from just knowing ‘Thank you’ in Indonesian, greeting someone correctly in Indonesian could incline a local to treat you more favorably than otherwise! So, the clever thing to do would be to learn Indonesian greetings before you embark on your journey. Indonesian greetings are different from other languages and probably not what you’d expect. But if learning how to say... Show more