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Our beginner-level textbook, «The Indonesian Way», has been reviewed by Dr. Jessica Fox, who holds a Ph.D. in Second Language Studies from Michigan State University. The review was published in her article Toward a task-based textbook for Indonesian language learning in the Journal of the National Council of Less Commonly Taught Languages, Vol. 19 .

Dr. Fox starts her review by stating “I find this textbook to be particularly useful for today’s Indonesian language teachers because the methods promoted in this textbook are current and can be supplemented well by teachers who adhere to task-based language teaching principles. This textbook falls in line with the aims of communicative and task-based language teaching for a number of reasons. First, the tasks in which the students learn grammar, vocabulary, and cultural insights will directly impact their ability to communicate in authentic ways, fulfilling Long’s (2015) call for pedagogic tasks that are relevant, motivating to students, and approximate real-world language use. Explicit lessons on grammar are embedded within the broader context of what students need to know to be polite and best understood by Indonesian interlocutors.”

The author is also highly appreciative of our “spaced repetition system of vocabulary acquisition,” referring to our Anki vocabulary flashcards, and concludes her review with the following summary:

In summary, this textbook is an invaluable staple for learning and teaching the Indonesian language. Indonesian is a Less Commonly Taught (LCTL) and critical language as identified by the U.S. Department of State due to its growing importance to global politics, religion, culture, and geography. Nonetheless, there are few Indonesian textbooks that are up-to-date, available for free, age appropriate for adults, and weave cultural learning alongside language development. This textbook is an excellent resource for language teachers who are looking for interactive, interesting, and task-based lessons.

Needless to say, we are very happy to have received such a wonderful review from such a competent scholar in the field of Second Language Studies.

In textbooks for the Indonesian language, you may read that the plural form is created by reduplicating the noun. In Indonesian for Beginners by Restiany Achmad, on page 6, it states:

However, this is not entirely accurate!

For example, how would you translate “When I was a child, there were no computers”?

Would it be…

Let’s correct it to sound more natural in Indonesian:

Now, the sentence is correct. Notice that the singular (child) is reduplicated, but not the plural (computers)! So, if someone claims that forming the plural in Indonesian is simple, don’t believe them. It’s more complex than it appears. Reduplication in Indonesian is intricate and requires a good teacher or textbook to master it.

In Indonesian, every noun is inherently singular and plural, and context determines the intended meaning.

These sentences imply general statements about Indonesian people and American cars, without indicating a specific number.

Instead of reduplication, group words can be used. For example, “more than one student” can be expressed as beberapa mahasiswa (some students), banyak mahasiswa (many students), or para mahasiswa (students as a group).

Reduplication is mainly used when the context does not make it clear whether a noun is singular or plural, or to express variety.

Reduplication is not used when group words are present. For instance, you wouldn’t say banyak mobil-mobil.

In Indonesia, you often see traffic signs saying, “Hati-hati. Banyak anak-anak!”

This is because anak and anak-anak have different connotations. Anak can mean ‘child’, ‘offspring’, or ‘person’. Although anak-anak can indicate plurality, it also refers to an underaged person.

Therefore, anak is not necessarily singular:

It is now evident that anak-anak does not always indicate plural:

The same flexibility applies to bapak-bapak and ibu-ibu, which can be either singular or plural depending on the context. For example, bapak-bapak may refer to a mature male or males, while ibu-ibu can refer to a mature woman or women.

Here’s a quote from the novel Shanum by Tesa Yuli Dhenis (p. 32):

Noun Reduplication Indicating Plurality

The primary function of noun reduplication is to indicate plurality: Rumah means ‘a house’, while rumah-rumah means ‘houses’.

However, reduplication is used only when explicitly needed. For example, buku can mean both ‘book’ and ‘books’.

If you want to emphasise the plural, you can reduplicate:

But when the plural is apparent, reduplication is not necessary:

Reduplication does not apply when referring to a general class:

Some words change meaning when reduplicated:

Mata means ‘eye’, while mata-mata means ‘spy’. Langit means ‘sky’, while langit-langit means ‘ceiling’.

And there are even words that only exist in reduplicated form such as baling-baling ‘propeller’, kupu-kupu ‘butterfly’, or cumi-cumi ‘squid’.

As you can see, reduplication of nouns is not a simple matter, but actually quite complex. Therefore, it is important that you learn Indonesian using a quality textbook.

Indonesian Online is a state-of-the-art e-learning interactive textbook for all proficiency levels, from beginner to advanced.

For more information on the Indonesian plural, consult J. N. Sneddon’s Indonesian Reference Grammar. Allen & Unwin 1996. The US edition was published by Routledge (2010) under the title Indonesian: A Comprehensive Grammar.

You may also want to read the article Expressing plural and singular forms in bahasa Indonesia.

Learning a new language opens doors to new cultures, ideas, and opportunities, but mastering correct pronunciation is a crucial aspect that is often underestimated. Pronunciation directly affects how well we are understood and how confidently we engage with native speakers. For native English speakers, the challenge of learning correct pronunciation in languages like Indonesian is significant due to differences in sounds, stress patterns, and phonetic rules. By understanding these challenges, learners can better navigate their language-learning journey.

Ensuring Communication and Clarity

One of the most important reasons to focus on pronunciation is that it ensures clarity in communication. Mispronouncing words can lead to misunderstandings, even if your grammar and vocabulary are correct. For example, in Indonesian, the word bisa (which means “can”) is pronounced “bee-sah,” with the “i” pronounced like the “ee” in “see.” However, an English speaker might mispronounce this as “bi-sa,” applying an English vowel sound, which would make it impossible for the listener to understand you. The correct pronunciation is…
bisa ‘can’

Because Indonesian is a phonetic language, where words are pronounced as they are written, small pronunciation errors can make a big difference. For instance, the word makan (to eat) and makin (more) may seem similar, but incorrect pronunciation can easily lead to confusion in everyday conversation.

Sounding Natural and Fluent

Correct pronunciation also helps learners sound more natural and fluent. For native English speakers learning Indonesian, the challenge lies in sounds that are not common in English. The rolled “r” in Indonesian, for example, is a common stumbling block. In English, the “r” is softer and less pronounced, while in Indonesian, it requires a tap or roll of the tongue as in rumah (house):
rumah ‘house’

Another area where non-native speakers often struggle is the Indonesian nasal sound “ng”, as in bangun (to wake up). Many non-native speakers tend to incorrectly pronounce it “bang-gun” – resulting in an awkward or foreign-sounding accent, which can make it harder to be understood by native speakers. The correct pronunciation, however, is:

bangun ‘to wake up’

Boosting Confidence and Building Connections

Mastering pronunciation not only makes you more comprehensible, but also boosts your confidence. Speaking with proper pronunciation allows you to participate more freely in conversations without the fear of being misunderstood. This is especially important in building relationships with native speakers, as it shows respect for their language and culture.

For example, correctly pronouncing the common greeting selamat pagi (good morning) with proper vowel sounds and stress patterns will make your speech more pleasant and better received by Indonesians. A learner who focuses on pronunciation will feel more at ease engaging with native speakers and be more willing to practice, which accelerates overall language acquisition:
Selamat Pagi ‘good morning’.

Caveats for Native English Speakers

English speakers face specific challenges when learning Indonesian pronunciation. English is known for its irregular spelling rules, where words are often not pronounced the way they are written. In contrast, Indonesian follows a consistent phonetic system. Native English speakers must be mindful not to rely on English vowel sounds when pronouncing Indonesian words.

For example, the Indonesian “e” in words like membeli (buy) is pronounced like the “e” in “chicken”, the “o” in “lemon”, or the first “a” in “banana”. Such small differences can lead to significant misunderstandings, which is why paying close attention to the new phonetic rules is essential.
membeli ‘to buy’

The Indonesian “a” in words like Bali or orang (person) is always pronounced like the “a” in “father”, not like the English “a” in “ball”, or “a” in “gang”. Such small differences can lead to significant misunderstandings! If you pronounce the word jalan as if it were an English word, people will likely not understand you as the proper pronunciation is
jalan ‘street’

Pronunciation Guide

Learning to pronounce a foreign language correctly is essential for clear communication, sounding natural, and building confidence. For you as a learner of Indonesian, the challenges of unfamiliar sounds and consistent spelling patterns can be overcome with practice and careful listening. It is especially helpful if you have a textbook, such as The Indonesian Way which places special emphasis on learning to pronounce Indonesian properly. At Indonesian Online, you can also find the free pronunciation guide “Mastering Indonesian Pronunciation”.

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.

Gara-gara & Gara-gara apa?

You all know the interrogative kenapa? (why?) and the conjunction karena (because). Now, I realise that the related pair gara-gara apa? (why?) and gara-gara (because) is for the first time mentioned in our intermediate textbook Baca Yuk! but not in The Indonesian Way.

Gara-Gara as a Noun

The interrogative gara-gara apa? and the conjunction gara-gara are commonly and frequently used words.

However, gara-gara is also a noun, which, in the standard Indonesian dictionary, is defined as ‘a shocking event’, and in the Malaysian standard dictionary it is defined as “disaster, chaos, commotion, and uproar.” By the way, it is perfectly safe to use a Malaysian instead of an Indonesian dictionary, as standard Malaysian and standard Indonesian are virtually identical.

The noun gara-gara is most commonly translated as ‘trouble’ or ‘problem’:

Kenapa kalian membuat gara-gara di sini?
Why are you causing trouble here?