Do you know? There are only a few percentages of expats that believe to speak their “new home’s language” at a satisfying level. And it’s not all, part of them confess to not speaking the local language at all.
It could sound weird but learning a new language is not simple, it requires time, effort, skills, and organization. As an interracial couple, we know this topic very well and we have some suggestions that may help. Learning the local language will not only make living abroad easier, but it could also unleash many opportunities and make your life easier and more mindful.
#1 Start easy
Watch movies and tv shows using Indonesian subtitles:
Start to get familiar with the sounds of this new language in the easiest way possible., turn on your computer and start watching everything using Indonesian subtitles. If you want to make it more challenging, choose one of your favorite series or movie, one of those you know the lines almost by memory, and switch the sound in Indonesian, maybe setting then the subtitles with your own language. In the beginning, nothing will make sense, but slowly, unconsciously, will become a starting point for building fluency over time.
#2 Use a Phrase Book
Improve your own vocabulary by using a logic app.
What is a Phrase Book? Usually, it is not a full, complete dictionary, but a selection of the most common words and sentences used during normal conversations, often categorized by logic sectors.
The awesome part is that by using a phrase book, it will be easy to start memorizing words and getting used to them.
We’ve ended up recently into a very well-done application for whoever is wishing to learn bits of Indonesian from English, Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese: POCKET PHRASE BOOK
Completely free, it works offline, has more than 2000 terms, has been written by locals, and offers even a huge list of traditional food with its recipes. Being installed on your phone, you can easily carry it around on every occasion.
Learn some words each day – commit to memorizing a certain number of words each day it will help to speed up your learning process and to make huge improvements in a short time.
#3 Don't be shy
Jump without regrets into some conversations with locals
There is nothing better than immersing yourself into random conversations, from daily topics until complex matters. It will help to consolidate and improve your language skills. Surely at the beginning there will be tons of misunderstandings and mispronunciations, but it is awesome how much your skills will improve over a couple of weeks speaking a language every day.
Being able to speak Indonesian will help you build more meaningful relationships with locals. They will feel free to communicate with you and they will result much more inclusive with you. This may allow you to gain extra confidence and opportunities. Most importantly, speaking their language allows you to build trust and show a commitment to your new friends.
#4 Seek professional teachers
Get advanced and explore all the secrets of the Indonesian language.
If you are aiming to learn the Indonesian language deeper or professionally, using a private tutor can be the most rewarding experience, and undoubtedly an efficient and enjoyable solution.
The courses should take into consideration your learning skills, confidence, numbers of secondary languages, time commitment, and personal motivations.
If you are learning Indonesian from scratch and want to become fluent, it is very important that your tutor helps you to explore the language in its complexity. Understanding the core patterns of Indonesian grammar will make your learning easy, enjoyable, and interesting, rather than difficult.
We found a lot of relevant and cheap classes on Fiverr, have a look if it can help.
Matteo & Milia
About the Autors: Matteo, digital nomad. Milia, pharmacist. Happily married, living in Bali, often traveling around.