Continuing my first series of Indonesian language lessons with A.M. Almatsier's book How to Master the Indonesian Language.
Lesson 4 covers the articles and demonstrative pronouns itu and ini, attribute adjectives, and possessive pronouns. Sounds complicated but it's really just some simple Indonesian language basics.
Here are my exercises for this lesson, which involved creating sentences from a variety of vocab words and translating, so yours may vary:
Murid ini tinggi. = This student is tall.
Nyonya itu kuat. = That woman is strong.
Tuan ini rajin. = This gentleman is industrious.
Tukang itu malas. = That workman is lazy.
Polisi ini besar. = This policeman is big.
Pelayan itu bodoh. = That waiter is silly.
Babu ini rajin. = This house-maid is industrious.
Pintu itu gelap. = That door is dark.
Jendela ini besar. = This window is big.
Kursi itu hitam. = That chair is black.
Kapal ini berat. = This ship is heavy.
Susu itu mahal. = That milk is expensive.
Gula ini murah. = This sugar is cheap.
Teh itu hijau. = That tea is green.
Kamar tidur ini terang. = This bedroom is bright.
Meja makan itu besar. = That dining table is big.
Lemari buku ini kuning. = This bookcase is yellow.
Meja tulis itu mahal. = That writing table is expensive.
Sepeda motor ini biru. = This motorcycle is blue.
Lampu listrik itu kecil. = That electric lamp is small.
Pelayan kita pintar. = Our (incl.) waiter is clever.
Ayah kamu tinggi. = Your (inf.) father is tall.
Anak saya malas. = My sibling is lazy.
Sekolah saudara besar. = Your (f.) school is big.
Sepeda kami mahal. = Our (excl.) bicycle is expensive.
Paman kamu rajin. = Your (inf.) uncle is industrious.
Koki kita malas. = Our (incl.) cook is lazy.
Barang polisi ini berat. = That policeman's stuff is heavy.
Jam kamar itu mahal. = That room's clock is expensive.
Rumah nona Kartini ini kecil. = Miss Kartini's house is small.
Jendela abang itu banyak. = Elder brother's windows are many.
So there we have it for lesson 4. Not bad, hey?
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
November 25, 2011
November 23, 2011
3 More Reasons Why You Should Learn Indonesian (and How to Begin)
Many people ask me about my language interests ...
I completely understand why people have these questions and wanted to take a minute to talk about the language focus of this blog, Bahasa Indonesia (the national language of Indonesia).
Just recently I compiled an article called Why Indonesian Is One of the Easiest Languages to Learn. This article covered some of the aspects of Indonesian grammar and vocabulary which make it one of the best ways for English speakers to get started with a foreign language.
However, what else is there? Why should someone consider investing time in Indonesian? What does Indonesian have to offer?
Reason #1: Access to 230+ Million People
Language is the true culture of people. Foreign languages give a learner access to new worlds of thought, conversation, and so much more.
I think it's a shame that many North Americans forget to see the bigger picture with language. It is easy to forget that English is a language and not just "how to talk", with everything else being strange or odd.
I do not blame most people because this is all they ever experience and learn. But this issue gets me a bit angry, so humor me with these 4 wake-up calls about people and language.
First off:
NOT EVERYONE SPEAKS ENGLISH!
While English is one of the most widely-spoken native and second languages, it is not the only language, and I hope things stay this way.
There is so much linguistic diversity in the world (check out this listt of languages by native speakers at Wikipedia for just a glimpse).
Secondly:
NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH!
English may offer new opportunity as a second language, but that doesn't mean that every person in the world wants to abandon their mother tongue and lose their traditional culture.
Next, even more importantly:
NOT EVERYONE HAS THE RESOURCES TO LEARN ENGLISH!
We must remember that some people do not have the books, computers, teachers, schools, or simply the money to be formally educated in English.
But at the same time, just because someone does not speak English does not mean they are stupid or uneducated.
And finally:
NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE WESTERN WORLD!
In other words, there is so much to see out there beyond the Euro-centric, white-centric, America-centric world. There is nothing wrong with America, Canada, Europe, and so on ... that's not the point.
The point is that learning a language like Indonesian gives you access to MILLIONS and MILLIONS of more people.
Whether that's opens doors for your business, education, job, travels, or simply personal enrichment, it's a darn good reason to hit the books and study a lesser common language.
Indonesians are most often incredibly friendly to foreigners and overall seem to be a pretty happy and industrious people.
Reason #2: Beautiful Weather, Beaches, and Wildlife
Indonesia is the world's largest archipelago of islands and home to some of the largest remaining tropical forest, pristine beaches, and over 160 volcanoes.
It is filled with wildlife: birds and animals (such as the Sumatran orangutan), tropical flowers and trees, and fish and other marine life, including hundreds of endangered and endemic species.
Indonesia is a warm, sunny, lush country with many beaches and resorts as well!
Check out these pictures:
Reason #3: DURIAN! And Other Cheap Ripe Tropical Fruit
If you know me at all, you know that I am a fruit-lover and eat TONS of fresh fruits and vegetables.
I eat a vegan diet of fresh produce and am always on the hunt for new and exotic varieties to try. And most of all, I'm always looking for good deals and the freshest, ripest stuff there is. (Learn more about my diet at my website Brian on Health here.)
Indonesia is a tropical country whose climate and soil lends itself well to so many tropical fruits and vegetables, something to entice both the simple fruit-lover like myself and the gourmet chef and food connoisseur as well.
My favorite fruit in the world is durian, the spiky, creamy, rich, delicious Southeast Asian fruit known for its unique pungent odor. And Indonesia's got it:
Just one more reason to take up Bahasa Indonesia!
How to Begin Learning
What's the best way to get started learning Indonesian?
Pick up a few books and start reading away.
Language self-study is a rewarding hobby that can bring so many new experiences into your life. Simply by reading and seeing new material you are exposing yourself to enriching culture and diversity of thought.
The Internet is a great place for listening to audio, watching video (like Indonesian news), and looking up words and phrases.
However, to seriously begin learning, books are your best bet. This blog will feature lessons and exercises from various Indonesian textbooks, which is my way of sharing what I'm learning and reviewing key points.
The books I have right now are listed at this blog post here. Check them out if you're interested in Indonesian ... they're a great start for learners.
So there we have it. I hope you learned something from this article and maybe are enticed to learn some Indonesian or even head to Indonesia one day yourself!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
- What languages are you studying and why?
- Why not focus on Spanish, French, and other standards?
- Does anyone even speak that language?
- Aren't Asian languages too difficult to study?
- Why bother with a language like Indonesian?
I completely understand why people have these questions and wanted to take a minute to talk about the language focus of this blog, Bahasa Indonesia (the national language of Indonesia).
Just recently I compiled an article called Why Indonesian Is One of the Easiest Languages to Learn. This article covered some of the aspects of Indonesian grammar and vocabulary which make it one of the best ways for English speakers to get started with a foreign language.
However, what else is there? Why should someone consider investing time in Indonesian? What does Indonesian have to offer?
Reason #1: Access to 230+ Million People
I think it's a shame that many North Americans forget to see the bigger picture with language. It is easy to forget that English is a language and not just "how to talk", with everything else being strange or odd.
I do not blame most people because this is all they ever experience and learn. But this issue gets me a bit angry, so humor me with these 4 wake-up calls about people and language.
First off:
NOT EVERYONE SPEAKS ENGLISH!
While English is one of the most widely-spoken native and second languages, it is not the only language, and I hope things stay this way.
There is so much linguistic diversity in the world (check out this listt of languages by native speakers at Wikipedia for just a glimpse).
Secondly:
NOT EVERYONE WANTS TO SPEAK ENGLISH!
English may offer new opportunity as a second language, but that doesn't mean that every person in the world wants to abandon their mother tongue and lose their traditional culture.
Next, even more importantly:
NOT EVERYONE HAS THE RESOURCES TO LEARN ENGLISH!
We must remember that some people do not have the books, computers, teachers, schools, or simply the money to be formally educated in English.
But at the same time, just because someone does not speak English does not mean they are stupid or uneducated.
And finally:
NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT THE WESTERN WORLD!
In other words, there is so much to see out there beyond the Euro-centric, white-centric, America-centric world. There is nothing wrong with America, Canada, Europe, and so on ... that's not the point.
The point is that learning a language like Indonesian gives you access to MILLIONS and MILLIONS of more people.
Whether that's opens doors for your business, education, job, travels, or simply personal enrichment, it's a darn good reason to hit the books and study a lesser common language.
Indonesians are most often incredibly friendly to foreigners and overall seem to be a pretty happy and industrious people.
Reason #2: Beautiful Weather, Beaches, and Wildlife
It is filled with wildlife: birds and animals (such as the Sumatran orangutan), tropical flowers and trees, and fish and other marine life, including hundreds of endangered and endemic species.
Indonesia is a warm, sunny, lush country with many beaches and resorts as well!
Check out these pictures:
I eat a vegan diet of fresh produce and am always on the hunt for new and exotic varieties to try. And most of all, I'm always looking for good deals and the freshest, ripest stuff there is. (Learn more about my diet at my website Brian on Health here.)
Indonesia is a tropical country whose climate and soil lends itself well to so many tropical fruits and vegetables, something to entice both the simple fruit-lover like myself and the gourmet chef and food connoisseur as well.
My favorite fruit in the world is durian, the spiky, creamy, rich, delicious Southeast Asian fruit known for its unique pungent odor. And Indonesia's got it:
Just one more reason to take up Bahasa Indonesia!
How to Begin Learning
What's the best way to get started learning Indonesian?
Pick up a few books and start reading away.
Language self-study is a rewarding hobby that can bring so many new experiences into your life. Simply by reading and seeing new material you are exposing yourself to enriching culture and diversity of thought.
The Internet is a great place for listening to audio, watching video (like Indonesian news), and looking up words and phrases.
However, to seriously begin learning, books are your best bet. This blog will feature lessons and exercises from various Indonesian textbooks, which is my way of sharing what I'm learning and reviewing key points.
The books I have right now are listed at this blog post here. Check them out if you're interested in Indonesian ... they're a great start for learners.
So there we have it. I hope you learned something from this article and maybe are enticed to learn some Indonesian or even head to Indonesia one day yourself!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Indonesian Lesson 3: Personal Pronouns (Saya, Anda, Dia, Kami, Kita, Mereka and Other 2nd Person Terms)
Continuing my first series of Indonesian language lessons with A.M. Almatsier's book How to Master the Indonesian Language.
Lesson 3 covers personal pronouns, meaning the words for I, you, he, she, it, they, and so on.
Indonesian pronouns are fairly straightforward but vary from English in their use of formal you depending on the person being spoken to, as well as the distinction from inclusive and exclusive we (a different pronoun if the person being spoken to is included in we or not).
The exercises for this lesson involved sentence creation with a wide variety of pronouns and new adjectives and verbs. To avoid redundancy, I have constructed the sentences with the first person pronoun, and then included the other pronouns and vocab so that everything's covered.
Here are my exercises for this lesson:
Sentence Creation
Saya pintar. = I am clever.
Saya malas. = I am lazy.
Saya rajin. = I am industrious.
Saya bodoh. = I am silly.
Saya kecil. = I am small.
Saya pendek. = I am short.
Saya tinggi. = I am tall.
Saya berat. = I am heavy.
Saya ringan. = I am light.
Saya duduk. = I sit.
Saya pergi. = I go.
Saya pulang. = I go home.
Saya makan. = I eat.
Saya minum. = I drink.
Saya datang. = I come.
Saya tidur. = I sleep.
Saya tinggal. = I stay.
Saya mandi. = I bathe.
Indonesian Personal Pronouns
(Keep in mind that this edition is from 1988 and pronoun use may have changed, but it's still good to review some of the older words here.)
Saya/aku = I
Kamu/engkau = You (inf.)
Saudara = You ("comrade")
Tuan = You (to a male foreigner)
Nyonya = You (to a married female foreigner)
Nona = You (to an unmarried female foreigner)
Bapak = You ("father", to a respected male)
Ibu = You ("mother", to a respected female)
Dia/ia = He/she/it
Kamu (sekalian) = You (pl.)
Kami = We (excl.)
Kita = We (incl.)
Mereka (itu) = They
So there we have it. Learn your pronouns, they're important!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Lesson 3 covers personal pronouns, meaning the words for I, you, he, she, it, they, and so on.
Indonesian pronouns are fairly straightforward but vary from English in their use of formal you depending on the person being spoken to, as well as the distinction from inclusive and exclusive we (a different pronoun if the person being spoken to is included in we or not).
The exercises for this lesson involved sentence creation with a wide variety of pronouns and new adjectives and verbs. To avoid redundancy, I have constructed the sentences with the first person pronoun, and then included the other pronouns and vocab so that everything's covered.
Here are my exercises for this lesson:
Sentence Creation
Saya pintar. = I am clever.
Saya malas. = I am lazy.
Saya rajin. = I am industrious.
Saya bodoh. = I am silly.
Saya kecil. = I am small.
Saya pendek. = I am short.
Saya tinggi. = I am tall.
Saya berat. = I am heavy.
Saya ringan. = I am light.
Saya duduk. = I sit.
Saya pergi. = I go.
Saya pulang. = I go home.
Saya makan. = I eat.
Saya minum. = I drink.
Saya datang. = I come.
Saya tidur. = I sleep.
Saya tinggal. = I stay.
Saya mandi. = I bathe.
Indonesian Personal Pronouns
(Keep in mind that this edition is from 1988 and pronoun use may have changed, but it's still good to review some of the older words here.)
Saya/aku = I
Kamu/engkau = You (inf.)
Saudara = You ("comrade")
Tuan = You (to a male foreigner)
Nyonya = You (to a married female foreigner)
Nona = You (to an unmarried female foreigner)
Bapak = You ("father", to a respected male)
Ibu = You ("mother", to a respected female)
Dia/ia = He/she/it
Kamu (sekalian) = You (pl.)
Kami = We (excl.)
Kita = We (incl.)
Mereka (itu) = They
So there we have it. Learn your pronouns, they're important!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
November 21, 2011
Why Indonesian Is One of the Easiest Languages to Learn
Raja Ampat Islands, Indonesia
Are you an English speaker interested learning a language?Curious about how other people think and talk around the world?
Ever get tired of the same places, people, thoughts and routine?
Language self-study may be your next step. Whether for:
- Traveling: take tourism to a whole new level
- Studying abroad: experience real culture first-hand
- Impressing a crush: words go straight to the heart
- Expanding your business: reach out to a greater clientele
- Or, personal improvement: add enrichment to your life
This blog, Bahasa Brian, is a project I started to document my learning of the Indonesian, which I believe is one of the easiest languages for English speakers to learn, in addition to Norwegian and Afrikaans.
Why? Well, first off, if you're sick of tedious study and rote memorization when it comes to languages, here are four refreshing things about in Indonesian (adapted from this Wikibooks article):
#1: No tenses.
Indonesian does not mark tenses in a verb with inflections like English (example: eat, ate, eaten, etc.) or other languages like Spanish and German do.
Instead, it uses time phrases like today or yesterday or aspect markers like in the process of or done as well as contextual clues.
#2: No gender or case.
Ever study a Romance language? You'll know that with each noun comes a special, often arbitrary gender to memorize along with it. Example in Spanish: mesa is feminine, jardÃn is masculine.
With Indonesian, you don't have to worry about gender or case inflections. Easy!
#3: No tones.
Tones in linguistics refer to pitch changes made by the speaker that distinguish the meaning of different words.
Many Asian languages such as Chinese (my favorite), Thai, Vietnamese, Burmese, and Hmong make use of tone, which is something that frightens many language learners from these critical languages.
Indonesian has no tones, so fret not, and no excuses! :-) Also, stress is consistent and usually on the penultimate (second-to-last) syllable of an Indonesian word.
#4: No irregularity.
The grammar is regular. Simple rules, very few exceptions. Done.
And moreover, below are a couple qualities of Indonesian grammar that it even MORE simple to learn:
#1: Simple plurals.
Instead of complicated plural forms like you might find in German or Arabic, Indonesian makes the process simple and cuts out unnecessary fluff.
Simply reduplicate (double) a noun to make it plural. Example: buku = book, buku-buku = books.
Often even reduplication isn't necessary. Just use a quantifier like many or few and the meaning is understood.
#2: Simple morphology.
Morphology is the way that words are constructed. For example in English, the world light can become lighten or lightly and so on, all from the basic morpheme light.
Indonesian words are easy to form, using a wide variety of prefixes. For example: satu = one, bersatu = unify (with ber- prefix).
Note that there are some rules to learn with these affixes, though, but it's nothing that should stop someone from digging into this language.
#3: Simple writing system.
Indonesian as it is written in modern society makes use of the Latin alphabet, which is used by English and most Western languages and is widely accepted.
After many spelling reforms in the 20th century, Indonesian is now standardized, phonetic (written as it sounds), and poses no roadblock for a learner to dive into real literature and other first-hand texts.
#4: Simple word order.
Just like in English, the basic structure of an Indonesian sentence follows the order SVO (Subject, Verb, then Object). No need for concern about confusing word placement.
This makes it especially easy to start USING and composing writing in your new language, which is really nice. For example, many languages like Turkish (which I do love, don't get me wrong) use a word order which causes difficulty to the beginning learner to start speaking right away.
So there we have it. I hope this post shows you a bit about Indonesian so that you may consider taking a look at it if you hadn't thought of it.
Sometimes starting with an easier task can be a gateway of opportunity for more to come. If you're interested in starting Indonesian, check out these books and subscribe here to stay in the know with future lessons and resource blogs.
And even if not, at least I got to spoon-feed you a little bit of linguistics and language-learning inspiration (for whatever language) with this blog post.
Get out there and try it ... it's easy, fun, and very rewarding. Every minute you spend learning a new language is a minute invested in your future success and worldliness!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
P.S. - Here are two discussions about Indonesia as "easiest language":
- Indonesian -- easiest language to learn? at Antimoon
- How easy is it to learn Bahasa Indonesian? at Lonely Planet
November 20, 2011
Learn Indonesian through Video: News in Bahasa Indonesia from VOA Indonesia
I really think that video is one of the best ways to harness the power of the Internet and learn a language with first-hand resources.
I am always on the lookout for interesting content on YouTube and elsewhere on the web and one source of language video that I often watch is through VOA, which stands for Voice of America.
Voice of America is sort of a collection of news broadcasters who create content about American and world news in a variety of languages (over 40 to be precise!). Many of the languages have video content available for free to view on YouTube.
The channel in Bahasa Indonesia is here: youtube.com/voaindonesia
Here are a couple videos on different topics that are in fluent yet manageable Indonesian and are great for learning through listening:
Video 1: about an expo, from the Dunia Kita (Our World) series
Video 2: a feature on a graphic design company
Video 3: a political clip about the Occupy movement
So there we have it for a start. Check out VOA Indonesia today, there's over 3500 videos there for your viewing and learning. Enjoy!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
I am always on the lookout for interesting content on YouTube and elsewhere on the web and one source of language video that I often watch is through VOA, which stands for Voice of America.
Voice of America is sort of a collection of news broadcasters who create content about American and world news in a variety of languages (over 40 to be precise!). Many of the languages have video content available for free to view on YouTube.
The channel in Bahasa Indonesia is here: youtube.com/voaindonesia
Here are a couple videos on different topics that are in fluent yet manageable Indonesian and are great for learning through listening:
Video 1: about an expo, from the Dunia Kita (Our World) series
Video 2: a feature on a graphic design company
Video 3: a political clip about the Occupy movement
So there we have it for a start. Check out VOA Indonesia today, there's over 3500 videos there for your viewing and learning. Enjoy!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Self-Teaching Indonesian: My Book Resource Collection So Far
I love languages, and when I first start digging into a new language that I really like, one of the first things I do is look up some of the coursebooks and other resources that are out there for that specific language.
Over the years I've amassed a pretty good collection of language textbooks as well as grammars, phrasebooks, dictionaries, and other manuals that I enjoy reading as if they were fiction books.
For Indonesian, I was really happy to find a variety of helpful (and luckily, affordable) books for self-instruction. I'm sure I'll be picking up more as I make my way through these, but here is what I have ordered so far and am enjoying:
1. How to Master the Indonesian Language by A.M. Almatsier
Available at Amazon here
This is a small, portable paperback manual with 28 lessons for learning basic Indonesian. I'm working through a lesson series at this blog using this book and am really enjoying it. Very cheap and to be recommended.
2. Speak Standard Indonesian by Liaw Yock Fang
Available at Amazon here
This book features authentic, easy-to-read dialogue that is great practice for learning spoken Indonesian. There are helpful notes and translations and dialogues that cover everyday topics. Very enjoyable and interesting to peruse.
3. Everyday Indonesian by Thomas Oey
Available at Amazon here
This book includes both cultural and language information and is great with vocab and dialogue as well. I ordered the older version which seems to be a little less graphics-heavy, which I kind of like in a language book. Another great title to pick up.
4. Simple Indonesian by Asim Gunarwan
Available at Amazon here
This book is published by Europhone, a great company which created many manuals and dictionaries for rarer Asian languages such as Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tamil, and so on. Sad to see they're no longer really in print, but you can locate these books online and they're simply as they say, yet useful nonetheless.
So there we have it with my Indonesian book collection so far. If you're interested in any of these, I appreciate you purchasing from the link at this blog post as I receive a small amount of commission for the referral. If you're gonna buy one, may as well from here. :-)
Anyway, thanks and stay tuned for more lessons!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Over the years I've amassed a pretty good collection of language textbooks as well as grammars, phrasebooks, dictionaries, and other manuals that I enjoy reading as if they were fiction books.
For Indonesian, I was really happy to find a variety of helpful (and luckily, affordable) books for self-instruction. I'm sure I'll be picking up more as I make my way through these, but here is what I have ordered so far and am enjoying:
1. How to Master the Indonesian Language by A.M. Almatsier
Available at Amazon here
This is a small, portable paperback manual with 28 lessons for learning basic Indonesian. I'm working through a lesson series at this blog using this book and am really enjoying it. Very cheap and to be recommended.
2. Speak Standard Indonesian by Liaw Yock Fang
Available at Amazon here
This book features authentic, easy-to-read dialogue that is great practice for learning spoken Indonesian. There are helpful notes and translations and dialogues that cover everyday topics. Very enjoyable and interesting to peruse.
3. Everyday Indonesian by Thomas Oey
Available at Amazon here
This book includes both cultural and language information and is great with vocab and dialogue as well. I ordered the older version which seems to be a little less graphics-heavy, which I kind of like in a language book. Another great title to pick up.
4. Simple Indonesian by Asim Gunarwan
Available at Amazon here
This book is published by Europhone, a great company which created many manuals and dictionaries for rarer Asian languages such as Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Tamil, and so on. Sad to see they're no longer really in print, but you can locate these books online and they're simply as they say, yet useful nonetheless.
So there we have it with my Indonesian book collection so far. If you're interested in any of these, I appreciate you purchasing from the link at this blog post as I receive a small amount of commission for the referral. If you're gonna buy one, may as well from here. :-)
Anyway, thanks and stay tuned for more lessons!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
November 19, 2011
Learn Indonesian through Video: Sumatran Orangutan Series
Brian here coming to you with an interesting couple of videos for your learning in Indonesian about one of Indonesia's most boasted assets ... the orangutan!
These two videos feature the Sumatran orangutan which we meet along with ambassador and former Miss Indonesia herself, Angelina Sondakh. There are also interviews with orangutan experts and conservationists, some of whose English speech is subtitled (perfect for learning English to Indonesian).
But first, I can't resist. Here are some adorable pictures of this special species, the Sumatran orangutan:
As a fellow fruit-lover, I can definitely relate to these:
So cute! Now for the videos...
What is great about these below is that you not only get to hear spoken Bahasa Indonesia, but also you can take a look at some authentic Indonesian wildlife and culture. Enjoy! Here they are:
Part 1
Part 2
So there we have it. Check out Orangutan Republik's YouTube channel for more video content, and stay tuned for more!
Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter @BahasaBrian, comment, email me or subscribe here to stay in the know with future updates.
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
These two videos feature the Sumatran orangutan which we meet along with ambassador and former Miss Indonesia herself, Angelina Sondakh. There are also interviews with orangutan experts and conservationists, some of whose English speech is subtitled (perfect for learning English to Indonesian).
But first, I can't resist. Here are some adorable pictures of this special species, the Sumatran orangutan:
As a fellow fruit-lover, I can definitely relate to these:
So cute! Now for the videos...
What is great about these below is that you not only get to hear spoken Bahasa Indonesia, but also you can take a look at some authentic Indonesian wildlife and culture. Enjoy! Here they are:
Part 1
Part 2
So there we have it. Check out Orangutan Republik's YouTube channel for more video content, and stay tuned for more!
Also, feel free to follow me on Twitter @BahasaBrian, comment, email me or subscribe here to stay in the know with future updates.
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Indonesian Lesson 2: Negative (Bukan) and Contradiction (Tetapi)
Continuing my first series of Indonesian language lessons with A.M. Almatsier's book How to Master the Indonesian Language.
Lesson 2 covers the words for negative (bukan) and contradictory (tetapi) meanings. Here are my exercises.
1. Ini bukan batu, tetapi tanah.
This is not a stone, but earth.
2. Itu bukan atap, tetapi pagar.
That is not a roof, but a fence.
3. Ini bukan saputangan, tetapi kertas.
This is not a handkerchief, but paper.
4. Itu bukan pisau, tetapi gunting.
That is not a knife, but scissors.
5. Ini bukan toko, tetapi warung.
This is not a shop, but a small stand.
6. Itu bukan lemari, tetapi meja.
That is not a cupboard, but a table.
7. Ini bukan roti, tetapi batu.
This is not bread, but a stone.
8. Itu bukan anjing, tetapi kuda.
That is not a dog, but a horse.
9. Ini bukan gereja, tetapi kantor.
This is not a church, but an office.
10. Itu bukan pagar, tetapi jendela.
That is not a fence, but a window.
11. Itu bukan kertas, tetapi kain.
That is not paper, but cloth.
12. Ini bukan keranjang, tetapi tas.
This is not a basket, but a bag.
13. Ini bukan air, tetapi bensin.
This is not water, but petrol.
14. Itu bukan susu, tetapi mentega.
That is not milk, but butter.
15. Itu bukan tas, tetapi kotak.
That is not a bag, but a box.
So there we have it for lesson 2. Again, starting a little bit slow but it's important to practice the sentence structures and vocab.
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Lesson 2 covers the words for negative (bukan) and contradictory (tetapi) meanings. Here are my exercises.
1. Ini bukan batu, tetapi tanah.
This is not a stone, but earth.
2. Itu bukan atap, tetapi pagar.
That is not a roof, but a fence.
3. Ini bukan saputangan, tetapi kertas.
This is not a handkerchief, but paper.
4. Itu bukan pisau, tetapi gunting.
That is not a knife, but scissors.
5. Ini bukan toko, tetapi warung.
This is not a shop, but a small stand.
6. Itu bukan lemari, tetapi meja.
That is not a cupboard, but a table.
7. Ini bukan roti, tetapi batu.
This is not bread, but a stone.
8. Itu bukan anjing, tetapi kuda.
That is not a dog, but a horse.
9. Ini bukan gereja, tetapi kantor.
This is not a church, but an office.
10. Itu bukan pagar, tetapi jendela.
That is not a fence, but a window.
11. Itu bukan kertas, tetapi kain.
That is not paper, but cloth.
12. Ini bukan keranjang, tetapi tas.
This is not a basket, but a bag.
13. Ini bukan air, tetapi bensin.
This is not water, but petrol.
14. Itu bukan susu, tetapi mentega.
That is not milk, but butter.
15. Itu bukan tas, tetapi kotak.
That is not a bag, but a box.
So there we have it for lesson 2. Again, starting a little bit slow but it's important to practice the sentence structures and vocab.
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Indonesian Lesson 1: Demonstrative Pronouns (Ini, Itu) and Question Words (Apa, Siapa)
Starting my first series of Indonesian language lessons with A.M. Almatsier's book How to Master the Indonesian Language.
Lesson 1 covers demonstrative pronouns (ini, itu) and question words (apa, siapa) as well as some basic vocabulary. Here are my exercises.
Part A: Apa ini? = What is this?
Ini jalan. = This is a road.
Ini toko. = This is a shop.
Ini kucing. = This is a cat.
Ini rumah. = This is a house.
Ini anjing. = This is a dog.
Ini buku. = This is a book.
Ini pohon. = This is a tree.
Ini kantor. = This is an office.
Ini sepeda. = This is a bicycle.
Ini kebun. = This is a garden.
Part B: Apa itu? = What is that?
Itu pensil. = That is a pencil.
Itu kamar. = That is a room.
Itu toko. = That is a shop.
Itu kursi. = That is a chair.
Itu kertas. = That is paper.
Itu kucing. = That is a cat.
Itu lemari. = That is a cupboard.
Itu gelas. = That is a glass.
Itu jam. = That is a clock.
Itu roti. = That is bread.
Itu tas. = That is a bag.
Part C: Siapa ini? = Who is this?
Ini adik. = This is little brother.
Ini pembantu. = This is a servant.
Ini supir. = This is a driver.
Ini murid. = This is a pupil.
Ini Saudara Kho. = This is Mr. Kho.
Ini kakak. = This is elder sister.
Ini orang laki-laki. = This is a man.
Ini babu. = This is a house-maid.
Ini tukang. = This is a workman.
Ini ayah. = This is father.
Part D: Siapa itu? = Who is that?
Itu abang. = That is elder brother.
Itu polisi. = That is a policeman.
Itu guru. = That is a teacher.
Itu Saudara Sardi. = That is Mr. Sardi.
Itu supir. = That is a driver.
Itu kakak. = That is elder sister.
Itu ibu. = That is mother.
Itu ayah. = That is father.
Itu murid. = That is a pupil.
So there we have it for lesson 1. A little tedious, but vocabulary is a good place to start!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Lesson 1 covers demonstrative pronouns (ini, itu) and question words (apa, siapa) as well as some basic vocabulary. Here are my exercises.
Part A: Apa ini? = What is this?
Ini jalan. = This is a road.
Ini toko. = This is a shop.
Ini kucing. = This is a cat.
Ini rumah. = This is a house.
Ini anjing. = This is a dog.
Ini buku. = This is a book.
Ini pohon. = This is a tree.
Ini kantor. = This is an office.
Ini sepeda. = This is a bicycle.
Ini kebun. = This is a garden.
Part B: Apa itu? = What is that?
Itu pensil. = That is a pencil.
Itu kamar. = That is a room.
Itu toko. = That is a shop.
Itu kursi. = That is a chair.
Itu kertas. = That is paper.
Itu kucing. = That is a cat.
Itu lemari. = That is a cupboard.
Itu gelas. = That is a glass.
Itu jam. = That is a clock.
Itu roti. = That is bread.
Itu tas. = That is a bag.
Part C: Siapa ini? = Who is this?
Ini adik. = This is little brother.
Ini pembantu. = This is a servant.
Ini supir. = This is a driver.
Ini murid. = This is a pupil.
Ini Saudara Kho. = This is Mr. Kho.
Ini kakak. = This is elder sister.
Ini orang laki-laki. = This is a man.
Ini babu. = This is a house-maid.
Ini tukang. = This is a workman.
Ini ayah. = This is father.
Part D: Siapa itu? = Who is that?
Itu abang. = That is elder brother.
Itu polisi. = That is a policeman.
Itu guru. = That is a teacher.
Itu Saudara Sardi. = That is Mr. Sardi.
Itu supir. = That is a driver.
Itu kakak. = That is elder sister.
Itu ibu. = That is mother.
Itu ayah. = That is father.
Itu murid. = That is a pupil.
So there we have it for lesson 1. A little tedious, but vocabulary is a good place to start!
Selamat belajar,
Bahasa Brian
Welcome to Bahasa Brian
Selamat datang!
My name is Brian Greco, I'm 15 years old, and I'm from Pennsylvania. Welcome to my new blog, Bahasa Brian, featuring my journey learning Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia.
I created this blog because I am a lover of languages. And while I appreciate just about any place, the heart of my interest has always been with Asia and its creative and exotic languages. Indonesia's simplicity and lilting sound and grammar drew me in from the start.
Indonesia is a place that's always fascinated me and I'm dying to go there one day. Having ordered a bunch of Indonesian language textbooks for my collection, I've decided to start learning and see where it takes me.
I've also been inspired recently by the prospective interest of studying abroad in Indonesia or elsewhere in Asia, through a high school exchange program such as the American Field Service (AFS). How awesome of an experience it would be to attend school and truly live the culture of a place like Indonesia! We'll see.
Over the years I've started many projects and blogs and often have fallen out with them. I'm looking forward to a fresh start with this new website, Bahasa Brian, and invite you to join me as we venture into the world of this amazing Asian archipelago, Indonesia!
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to comment, email me, and subscribe to the blog with the form on your right to stay in the know with new stuff.
Selamat belajar! (Good luck with your studies!)
Bahasa Brian
November 2011
My name is Brian Greco, I'm 15 years old, and I'm from Pennsylvania. Welcome to my new blog, Bahasa Brian, featuring my journey learning Bahasa Indonesia, the national language of Indonesia.
I created this blog because I am a lover of languages. And while I appreciate just about any place, the heart of my interest has always been with Asia and its creative and exotic languages. Indonesia's simplicity and lilting sound and grammar drew me in from the start.
Indonesia is a place that's always fascinated me and I'm dying to go there one day. Having ordered a bunch of Indonesian language textbooks for my collection, I've decided to start learning and see where it takes me.
I've also been inspired recently by the prospective interest of studying abroad in Indonesia or elsewhere in Asia, through a high school exchange program such as the American Field Service (AFS). How awesome of an experience it would be to attend school and truly live the culture of a place like Indonesia! We'll see.
Over the years I've started many projects and blogs and often have fallen out with them. I'm looking forward to a fresh start with this new website, Bahasa Brian, and invite you to join me as we venture into the world of this amazing Asian archipelago, Indonesia!
Thanks for stopping by and feel free to comment, email me, and subscribe to the blog with the form on your right to stay in the know with new stuff.
Selamat belajar! (Good luck with your studies!)
Bahasa Brian
November 2011
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