Indonesian pronunciation is relatively straightforward, with just six vowels (compared to English’s 12) and 18 consonants. However, depending on your native language, certain aspects of Indonesian may be challenging. For example, Japanese speakers may find the /l/ sound difficult, Germans may struggle with the /j/, and native English speakers often have trouble rolling the /r/. English speakers also frequently mispronounce the /a/ sound, saying orang as if it rhymes with “slang” or pronouncing the “a” in Bali as in “ball.” However, the only correct pronunciation of “a” in Indonesian is like the “a” in “father.”
I can often identify someone’s origin based on their pronunciation or “accent.” This is completely normal, since achieving native-like pronunciation in a language learned as an adult is nearly impossible. So, if your pronunciation isn’t perfect, that’s okay. However, it’s important to aim for accurate pronunciation. To help you improve, we’ve developed a short, free course called “Mastering Indonesian Pronunciation”, which hopefully will assist you in achieving that goal.