How to Master Bahasa Indonesia?  

by Laurent de Quartz

The national Indonesian language is called bahasa Indonesia. Mastering Indonesian language is easy as one two three. Actually, bahasa Indonesia is the most easy language to learn. A tourist/visitor who stays a week in Bali , Indonesia can talk basic bahasa Indonesia fluently than someone who learns Chinese language in a month.

Although the Republic of Indonesia has many local languages like Javanese, Sundanese, Balinese; this bahasa Indonesia is used as national language. Therefore, you can talk bahasa Indonesia to other Indonesian people anywhere.

However, foreigners who learn bahasa Indonesia will notice that at different place it will be a different dialect. Sometimes this different dialect makes misunderstanding. So as foreigners, what should you do to master bahasa Indonesia?

1. Go to Republic of Indonesia country. Indonesia has many great Islands; you can visit one of these Islands. Open http://www.nusaland.com to know Indonesia Islands. Bali is most favorite tourist destinations. So go to Indonesia!
   
   
2. Before you go to Indonesia , buy an Indonesian dictionary for travelers or other Indonesian language practices book. Read and master it.
   
   
3. At Indonesia , try to speak in Indonesian. Talk to taxi driver, people at street, and people at hotel in Indonesian. They will reply in Indonesian. Open your dictionary if you do not understand. If you still not understand what they talk, they will translate into English, many of Indonesian can talk Basic English. Keep try to reply in Indonesian. Do not worry to make mistake. Almost Indonesian people still understand what you talking about, although you talk with wrong pronunciation or wrong grammar.
   
   
4. If you go to Indonesia , with family or friends, try to talk in Indonesian with them. If they reply in your mother language, keep talk in Indonesian. Ask them to reply in Indonesian too. It is better to learn Indonesian language together than learning alone.
   
   
5. Learn Indonesian from your local travel guide or office boy at hotel. They will teach you with pleasure.
   
   
6. To master vocabulary, read newspaper, Indonesian magazine, Indonesian internet news. If you do not understand, open your dictionary or open http://www.sederet.com at internet.
   
   
7. Listen to people speaking, watch local TV station, listen to radio broadcasts to master Indonesian pronunciation.
   
   
8. Keep try and try. Do not worry about mistake.

Those are eight steps to master bahasa Indonesia. The most important think is your effort to learn. More efforts to learn, faster you understand bahasa Indonesia.

About the author

Copyright 2006 http://www.sederet.com – All rights reserved.

Laurent de Quartz is a foreigner who teaches bahasa Indonesia to other foreigners. He stays in Republic of Indonesia about 5 years. He manages an online dictionary http://www.sederet.com it is a great place to master vocabulary. He also manage other websites : http://www.cookdojo.com and http://www.groupvita.com.

You are free to use, print and distribute this article as long you attach this author box.