5 Benefits of Learning Bahasa Indonesia

Do you even need to learn Bahasa Indonesia, a language most people you know have not heard of, and that is rarely taught anywhere?

Most prefer the famous French, German, or Spanish. Or something ambitious, such as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, when selecting a language.

The popularity factors often narrow our decisions.

However, there are many clear pros to learning a new language like Indonesian. The benefits outweigh any fears you may have.

Allow me to convince you that it is really worth picking up!

In this post, I have listed the 5 best reasons why you should learn this beautiful language.

About the Languages of Indonesia

Indonesia has over 700 indigenous languages, almost 10% of the world’s languages. After Papua New Guinea, it is the world’s second-most linguistically diverse country.

Following independence in 1945, the government designated Indonesian as the national language to improve communication across the vast island country.

Today, this language is the best way to interact here, and it serves its original purpose. Most people here are bilingual, and many speak three or four languages to varying degrees.

Indonesian is part of the Western Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian family.

This is the fifth-largest language family globally by number of speakers. Malay, Javanese, Māori, Samoan, Tagalog (Filipino), and more than 1,000 others are part of this group.

Today, over 200 million people speak Bahasa Indonesia, a standard form of Malay.

While it is the lingua franca, only 20% of the total population uses it as their first language.

Javanese is the most common mother tongue. Still, Bahasa Indonesia is widely spoken, with approximately 90% of the population understanding it.

The standard version came from the language of its capital, Jakarta (Island of Java). The two vital languages, Javanese and Sundanese, have also been influenced.

5 Reasons to Learn Bahasa Indonesia

There are many excellent reasons to learn Indonesian. Here are the top five advantages of learning Bahasa Indonesia.

To be honest, there are many more than five. However, to focus on the most important items and limit the article’s length, I’m listing the top 5.

1. Connect over 200 million speakers

More than 270 million people live in Indonesia. This makes it the fourth most populous nation in the world. Indonesian is the tenth most spoken language globally.

You can live in Jakarta, Bali, or other big cities without knowing Bahasa Indonesia, but your stay will not be as comfortable as it could be.

By cutting yourself off from society, you will isolate yourself. Plus, you will miss the rich experience of other cultures.

You may want to learn whether you plan to move to Indonesia to study or work, and for how long.

Although most youths speak English, you will still need to interact with locals from all walks of life. Thus, studying Indonesian will positively impact business and personal relationships.

2. Increases job opportunities and salary

Why are so many people going to China to learn Mandarin?

The reason is simple: the booming Chinese economy and growing job opportunities. Indonesia will experience the same thing in the next decade.

Growth in Indonesia’s economy means more employment. This is not only for the country but also for those who speak the language fluently. As a result, you can learn to pursue career goals.

It is the 15th-largest economy by nominal GDP and the 7th-largest by GDP (PPP). It is the biggest economy in Southeast Asia, an emerging market, a key ASEAN member, and a growing industrialized nation.

Bilateral trade between Indonesia and India will reach $50 billion by 2025, up from $20 billion in 2020.

Combining language skills with other academic disciplines will give you a competitive edge. This includes law, business, engineering, health, import, government, journalism, and the humanities.

This can open doors to a wide range of jobs in interpretation and translation. You can also become a tour guide, content writer, or teacher, or find work in BPO, MNC, and export houses.

You will expand your network and contacts, which can help you tap into the market. This can help you grow your business in regions where the language is beneficial. It can indeed be a life changer.

3. Travel to beautiful Indonesia

Do you have plans for your next holiday?

Explore Indonesia, a land of countless spectacular wonders!

The natural beauty, low cost of living, exotic places, and diversity make it a dream destination for travelers.

The people are kind and fun-loving, and you will meet some of the friendliest people on earth.

Millions of foreign tourists visit this beautiful country from around the world every year. Discovering this fascinating land is a once-in-a-lifetime adventure that you can’t miss.

Tropical forests, pristine beaches, incredible mountains and volcanoes, spiritual temples, Rice paddies, historical sites, mystical landscapes, flourishing markets, lively cities, and delicious cuisine are among the reasons to impress anyone.

Indonesia offers many stunning destinations for tourists. Bali, Jakarta, Java, Sumatra, Yogyakarta, Sulawesi, Kalimantan are endless.

Language barriers should not prevent you from having a good time.

You can still visit without speaking a single word of Bahasa Indonesian, but knowing the language makes travel more pleasant and rewarding.

Some essential day-to-day phrases would help you travel with ease! It will allow you to explore different regions, cultures, and lifestyles, and open the door to genuine interaction with locals.

Now, you don’t have to use a dictionary or hire a guide when you arrive at the enchanting archipelago.

4. Gateway to other Southeast Asia languages

The two variants of Malay are Bahasa Indonesia and Bahasa Melayu. Both share the same language root, Malayo-Polynesian, and are hence mutually intelligible to some extent.

Neither is a dialect; both are distinct languages. Despite this, they are similar and closer than Spanish and Portuguese are.

The grammar is almost the same. Yet, vocabularies, pronunciation, accents, dialects, and the source of loanwords vary greatly.

For example, Indonesia is a former Dutch colony, so it has more Dutch influence. In contrast, Malaysia is a former British territory, so Bahasa Melayu borrows from English.

Local languages are also more critical in Indonesia than in Malaysia.

So, suppose you know Bahasa Indonesia. If so, you will speak the Bahasa variant in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand, and the Philippines. Of course, not entirely, but it will do the job just fine.

To summarize, the Indonesian language reaches about 300 million people in Southeast Asia.

5. It is relatively easy to learn

According to research by FSI (Foreign Service Institute), Indonesian is one of the easiest languages to learn. It is in category II in language difficulty.

This means that achieving fluency requires 36 weeks (900 hours). This doesn’t include self-study; it only provides classroom education, so double the time to 1800 hours.

Indonesian is an easy language to learn compared to other East Asian languages like Mandarin, Japanese, Thai, and Korean.

It is one of the few Asian languages that use the Latin alphabet, making it easier than languages based on tonal variations and pictographic scripts.

Bahasa Indonesia is not a tonal language. You say it exactly like it’s written, so it’s pretty phonetic. There are no special characters and tricky intonations.

The sentence arrangement is simple: SVO (Subject—Verb—Object). As in English, there are many prefixes and suffixes.

The language is gender-neutral. No conjugations, plural forms, pronouns, case inflections, or tenses exist. The grammar rules are likewise easy to follow.

It comprises vocabulary borrowed from Sanskrit, Dutch, English, Chinese, and Arabic. It also borrowed words from regional languages, such as Javanese.

You will recognize many words and phrases if you already know one of these languages.

As with any language, there are some challenging aspects as well.

For example, several local dialects exist, varying by region and social status. It isn’t easy to obtain all the varieties. Furthermore, the additional suffixes and particles make it somewhat complex and time-consuming.

After a few months of intensive learning, you will still talk easily. To reach your goal, you just need some motivation and a proper study plan.

Where to learn Indonesian?

Several educational institutions worldwide offer Indonesian courses. You can enroll in regular face-to-face programs.

For instance, JNU, a premier Indian university, offers a one-year certificate of proficiency (COP) and a one-year diploma of proficiency (DOP) in Indonesian.

The Republic of Indonesia Embassy in Delhi and other cities conducts many short-term Bahasa Indonesia classes. The good news is that all non-native learners can take the courses at no cost.

You can save time by taking offline or online private lessons at your home or office from private tutors. There are also online language teaching websites; you can find one in local classified ads.

Register for online courses or learn through some of the best language apps.

You can also self-study by using books, audio lessons, podcasts, YouTube videos, and online resources.

Final Words

There are many compelling reasons to learn Bahasa Indonesia.

There are a few more reasons, such as improving your brainpower, better understanding Indonesia, and enjoying movies and music in their original form.

It is also fun to learn, and you will make new friends, too.

This is a unique ability that helps you stand out from the crowd. Because it is less common, this makes your C.V. look more impressive.

If you wish to study a Southeast Asian language, the evidence says you must learn it now.

Do you plan to learn Indonesian? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.