As a long-term Indonesian language teacher, I frequently encounter questions from my foreign beginner students regarding the importance of learning the formal or informal language first. To clarify, formal Indonesian refers to the standardized form of the language, while informal Indonesian encompasses the colloquial or everyday language spoken by ordinary Indonesians.

When it comes to whether foreigners should prioritize formal or informal Indonesian, I always recommend learning the natural version through authentic learning resources. The truth is, Indonesian speakers do not limit themselves to either formal or informal language exclusively; they seamlessly blend both into their everyday interactions. While formal Indonesian is commonly used consistently in written language and scripted speeches, spontaneous conversations among Indonesians invariably incorporate a mixture of both styles. 

In certain scenarios, formal Indonesian tends to take precedence, such as during interviews between politicians and news anchors. On the other hand, in the day-to-day interactions among regular Indonesians, informal language dominates the majority of the conversations. Nevertheless, in both cases, Indonesian seamlessly incorporates words from its counterpart version.

Rather than being concerned about formal and informal language, I have two suggestions for beginner students to avoid: direct translation and the use of 'kamu' (informal 'you'). I often notice that beginner students use expressions that sound rigid and unnatural to Indonesian speakers. For example, directly translating "have a nice day" as "semoga hari Anda menyenangkan" may not resonate well in Indonesian culture. Instead, we express well wishes based on the current activity, such as saying "selamat bekerja" (happy working) or "selamat belajar" (happy studying). We commonly use "sampai nanti ya" (see you later) as a casual farewell.

In my experience, many beginner students use the informal pronoun "kamu" to address all Indonesian people. However, in Indonesian culture, we reserve this pronoun for addressing close or younger friends. When speaking to older individuals or strangers, it is customary to use respectful forms of address such as "bapak" (sir), "ibu" (madam), or "kakak" (miss/mr). While the formal pronoun "Anda" (formal 'you') is not commonly used in everyday conversations, it is a better option if you are not yet accustomed to Indonesian customs.

Indonesians are friendly and appreciate foreigners making an effort to speak our language, so it is unlikely that you will encounter any issues. However, to show respect, it is best to avoid using "kamu" when addressing older individuals or strangers.

Now, the question is how to learn Indonesian naturally. At Jembatan Bahasa Indonesian Language School, my team and I have developed a method to address this. We have gathered authentic daily conversations, stories, movie clips, newspapers, and podcasts to create teaching materials that reflect the highest frequency of usage in Indonesian settings. We have organized these resources into topics, accompanied by grammar, vocabulary, and cultural notes, allowing foreign learners to understand the context and usage of different language expressions.

For those interested in learning English, we also offer English classes following the same teaching philosophy.

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Made Soma is the founder and director at Jembatan Bahasa. 

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