Indonesian Learning Resources — The Best Tools, Apps, Books and Classes for Australians
Indonesian may be the world's most underrated language for English-speaking learners — genuinely accessible, enormously practical for Australians, and increasingly well-resourced for self-study. The combination of Indonesia's geographic and economic importance to Australia, the language's inherent accessibility, and the growing catalogue of quality learning resources makes Indonesian one of the most rewarding language choices an Australian learner can make.
This guide curates the best Indonesian learning resources available to Australian learners, organised by category, with honest assessments of what each resource does well and who it's suited for.
Textbooks and Structured Learning
Indonesian: An Essential Grammar
Published by Routledge and authored by David Moeljadi (with contributions from the Indonesian language studies team at the Australian National University), this is the most comprehensive and authoritative Indonesian grammar reference available in English. It covers formal Indonesian grammar thoroughly from basics through advanced structures, with excellent coverage of the affixation system. It's primarily a reference rather than a self-study course, but every serious Indonesian learner benefits from having it on their shelf for consultation as they progress through their studies.
Colloquial Indonesian (Routledge Colloquials Series)
The Routledge Colloquial Indonesian course, authored by Stuart Robson, is an excellent structured beginner-to-intermediate course with accompanying audio. It covers practical, conversational Indonesian while acknowledging the gap between formal and colloquial registers — an important feature that many Indonesian resources overlook. The audio component is essential for pronunciation practice. This is one of the best self-contained structured courses available for independent learners.
Indonesian in Three Months (Teach Yourself / DK)
A compact, practical introduction to Indonesian suitable for complete beginners, particularly those preparing for a Bali holiday or short-term travel. Less comprehensive than the Routledge options but very accessible and practically oriented — a good choice for learners who want quick survival proficiency rather than deep grammatical understanding.
Practical Indonesian Grammar (Periplus)
Published by Periplus (an Indonesian publisher with strong Australian distribution), this grammar guide is concise, practical, and well-suited to learners who want a compact grammar reference rather than a comprehensive academic treatment. Available in many Australian bookshops with Indonesian/Asian sections and online.
BIPA Materials (Indonesian Government)
The Indonesian government's BIPA (Bahasa Indonesia untuk Penutur Asing — Indonesian for Foreign Speakers) program produces structured materials at six proficiency levels. These are used by Indonesian language schools and cultural centres globally and represent the official proficiency framework for Indonesian as a foreign language. BIPA materials are available through Indonesian cultural centres (Balai Bahasa) in Australia and online through the Indonesian government's educational resources.
Apps for Indonesian Learning
Duolingo Indonesian
Duolingo offers an Indonesian course that covers Hangul — wait, that's Korean. Duolingo's Indonesian course covers basic vocabulary, simple grammar, and common phrases in a gamified format. It's one of the most accessible entry points for complete beginners and is particularly good for building a daily study habit and getting comfortable with Indonesian sounds and basic sentence patterns. Like Duolingo in other languages, it's insufficient alone for serious progress but works well as a supplement and habit-builder.
Pimsleur Indonesian
Pimsleur's Indonesian course (30 lessons across Level 1) is among the best audio-based Indonesian learning resources available. The spaced repetition audio format builds spoken Indonesian and pronunciation from day one, making it particularly valuable for commuters and learners with limited screen time. The pronunciation guidance in Pimsleur is excellent — Indonesian pronunciation taught correctly from the beginning saves significant correction effort later.
Babbel Indonesian
Babbel offers a well-structured Indonesian course with a strong focus on practical conversation skills. The lessons are short (10–15 minutes), topic-focused, and include speech recognition for pronunciation practice. Babbel's Indonesian course is considered one of the better app-based options specifically for Indonesian, more substantive than Duolingo's offering for this particular language.
Anki for Indonesian Vocabulary
Anki's shared deck library includes multiple Indonesian vocabulary decks including frequency-based word lists, BIPA level vocabulary, and travel-focused vocabulary sets. Building or downloading an Anki deck and reviewing daily provides the vocabulary spaced repetition that no single app adequately replaces. Indonesian Anki decks are less numerous than those for Japanese or Korean but sufficient for core vocabulary study at all levels.
Online Courses and Platforms
Say It Indonesian (YouTube)
Say It Indonesian is a popular YouTube channel run by Indonesian native speakers teaching Indonesian through clear, well-structured video lessons. The channel covers grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural notes at beginner and intermediate levels. Free, high-quality, and highly recommended as a supplement to any structured course or textbook.
Indonesian Pod 101
IndonesianPod101 (part of the Innovative Language Learning network that includes JapanesePod101 and KoreanClass101) offers audio and video lessons across all levels, with transcripts, vocabulary lists, and grammar notes. A subscription provides full access; significant free content is available. The podcast format is ideal for commute-based study.
iTalki Indonesian Tutors
iTalki connects learners with Indonesian native speaker tutors and professional teachers for one-on-one online lessons. Indonesian tutors on iTalki tend to be among the most affordable on the platform — Indonesia's cost of living makes hourly rates very competitive, and quality tutors are readily available for AUD $8–$20 per hour. Given that speaking practice is the most under-resourced aspect of most self-study Indonesian learners' programs, regular iTalki sessions are one of the highest-value investments an intermediate learner can make. Many Indonesian tutors are also happy to conduct lessons partially or entirely in Indonesian once you have a foundation, providing immersive conversation practice.
Coursera and edX Indonesian Courses
Several university-level Indonesian courses are available on Coursera and edX, including programs from Indonesian universities aimed at foreign learners. The quality varies, but the best offerings provide structured instruction at no cost (audit mode) with the option to pay for certificates if desired.
Indonesian Classes in Australia
University Indonesian Programs
Several Australian universities offer Indonesian language study — the Australian National University has historically been the leading centre for Indonesian studies in Australia, with programs in language, culture, politics, and society. The University of Melbourne, University of Sydney, University of Western Australia, and Monash University also offer Indonesian language programs. ANU's Indonesian program in particular benefits from the university's deep institutional connections to Indonesia and produces some of Australia's finest Indonesian speakers. For learners near Canberra, ANU's community Indonesian programs are worth investigating.
Indonesian Consulate and Cultural Programmes
The Indonesian Consulates-General in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, along with the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, occasionally offer Indonesian language programs and cultural events. The Indonesian Language and Culture Promotion Agency (Badan Pengembangan dan Pembinaan Bahasa) runs BIPA programs through Indonesian government institutions internationally.
Community Indonesian Classes
Indonesian community organisations in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, and other cities with Indonesian-Australian communities sometimes offer Indonesian language classes. The Indonesian community in Australia, while smaller than the Chinese or Indian communities, is well-organised and welcoming to Australians interested in Indonesian culture and language. Local Indonesian restaurants, cultural events, and community organisations are good starting points for connecting with Indonesian speakers and language learning opportunities.
High School and TAFE Indonesian
Indonesian has been taught in Australian schools longer than almost any other Asian language, and Indonesian programs continue at secondary school level across all states. For adults interested in formal coursework, some TAFE institutions offer Indonesian language courses. The HSC in NSW and VCE in Victoria both include Indonesian as an examination language at beginner, continuers, and background speaker levels.
Authentic Indonesian Content for Immersion
Netflix: Netflix Australia carries a growing catalogue of Indonesian films and series, including Indonesian horror films (a globally acclaimed genre), the "The Raid" action series, locally produced drama series, and documentary content. Indonesian content on Netflix is subtitled in English and often in Indonesian — using Indonesian subtitles while watching Indonesian content provides powerful reading and listening practice simultaneously.
YouTube: Indonesian YouTube is enormous and covers every conceivable topic. Indonesian cooking channels (Indonesian cuisine is deeply rich and varied), travel vlogs exploring Indonesian islands beyond Bali, comedy channels, music performances, and news commentary all provide authentic listening exposure. Subscribe to Indonesian channels on topics you already enjoy — the algorithm will surface more.
Indonesian News: Kompas.com, Detik.com, and Tribunnews.com are Indonesia's major online news sources and provide excellent reading practice for intermediate and advanced learners. Kompas in particular has been publishing for over 50 years and maintains high journalistic standards in formal Indonesian. BBC Indonesia (bbc.com/indonesia) provides BBC news content in Indonesian — familiar international news topics help you follow the content while developing Indonesian reading ability.
Indonesian Film: Indonesian cinema has produced internationally acclaimed films across multiple genres. Beyond "The Raid" franchise, notable Indonesian films include "Laskar Pelangi" (Rainbow Troops), "Ada Apa Dengan Cinta?" (What's Up with Love?), and the work of directors Garin Nugroho and Riri Riza. Indonesian films provide authentic language exposure and extraordinary windows into Indonesian culture, society, and landscape.
The Indonesian Learning Community
The r/learnbahasa subreddit, while smaller than Korean or Japanese learning communities, is active and helpful. The "Learning Indonesian" Facebook group has thousands of members including many native Indonesian speakers happy to help. HelloTalk and Tandem connect you with Indonesian native speakers for language exchange — Indonesian users on these platforms are plentiful and generally enthusiastic about helping foreign learners. Given Indonesia's enormous population and growing internet penetration, finding Indonesian conversation partners online has never been easier.
Building Your Indonesian Study System
A practical Indonesian study system for Australian adult learners might look like: one structured course or textbook (Routledge Colloquial Indonesian or Pimsleur for audio-focused learners), daily Anki vocabulary reviews (15–20 minutes), weekly iTalki conversation sessions (even fortnightly makes a meaningful difference), and regular authentic Indonesian content consumption matched to your interests. This balanced system develops all four language skills — reading, writing, listening, and speaking — in parallel, which produces faster overall progress than focusing on a single skill. Indonesian rewards consistent effort with rapid visible progress — more quickly than almost any other Asian language an Australian might choose to study. Start today: "Selamat belajar!" — happy studying!
Indonesian Language Certifications
Unlike Japanese (JLPT) and Korean (TOPIK), Indonesian does not have a single dominant internationally recognised proficiency test in widespread use outside Indonesia. The BIPA framework (Bahasa Indonesia untuk Penutur Asing) provides a six-level proficiency structure (A1–C2 equivalent) used by Indonesian language programs globally, and the BIPA test administered by Indonesian government institutions provides official certification within this framework. The Uji Kemahiran Berbahasa Indonesia (UKBI) — the Test of Indonesian Language Proficiency — is Indonesia's national language proficiency test, primarily aimed at native speakers and students within the Indonesian education system, but increasingly used to certify foreign learners in professional and academic contexts. For Australian learners seeking formal certification, contacting the Indonesian Consulate-General in Sydney or Melbourne or the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra for information on available certification pathways is the best starting point. For most practical purposes — employment, further study, community connection — demonstrating real Indonesian conversational ability in interviews and interactions is more valuable than formal test certification, since Indonesian language testing infrastructure outside Indonesia remains less developed than for East Asian languages.
Indonesian Media Deep Dive
Building an Indonesian media diet gives your learning purpose and direction. For news and current affairs: Kompas.com (kompas.com) is Indonesia's most respected print-to-digital news organisation with excellent written Indonesian and broad coverage. Detik.com is Indonesia's highest-traffic news site with more informal language and popular culture coverage. BBC Indonesia (bbc.com/indonesia) provides international news in clear, standard Indonesian — familiar topics help you follow content while developing language ability. CNN Indonesia offers broadcast-quality Indonesian news video. Tempo.co provides investigative journalism in excellent formal Indonesian. For entertainment: Netflix Indonesia's catalogue grows steadily and includes acclaimed local productions. Trans7, RCTI, SCTV, and MNCTV are Indonesia's major free-to-air channels with content available streaming online — variety shows, news, and drama series in natural spoken Indonesian. For music: Spotify and YouTube Music provide access to Indonesian music across all genres — from dangdut (the most distinctly Indonesian popular music form) to Indonesian indie rock (Sheila On 7, Mocca, Fourtwnty), pop (Raisa, Isyana Sarasvati, Tulus), and hip-hop (Rich Brian, who is Indonesian-Australian, along with Homicide and local Jakarta rap). Engaging with Indonesian music provides authentic listening exposure while connecting you to contemporary Indonesian culture in an enjoyable and sustainable way.
The Australia-Indonesia Relationship: Why Indonesian Matters Now More Than Ever
The strategic importance of Indonesian language skills for Australians has never been greater, and it will only grow in coming decades. Indonesia is projected to become the world's fourth largest economy by 2050 — a transformation driven by its young, increasingly educated, and technologically connected population of over 270 million. The bilateral relationship between Australia and Indonesia, while sometimes complex, is underpinned by deep economic interdependence, significant security cooperation, and growing cultural exchange. Australian government agencies — DFAT, ASIO, the ADF, Austrade — consistently identify Indonesian language and regional expertise as skills in critical national shortage. Australian businesses with Indonesian connections consistently report that Indonesian-speaking staff provide competitive advantages in client relationships, market understanding, and operational effectiveness that transcend what translators and interpreters can provide. And for individual Australians — whether in business, government, NGOs, academia, tourism, or creative industries — Indonesian language skills open doors to one of the most economically dynamic, culturally extraordinary, and geographically proximate regions on earth. Start learning today, and join the minority of Australians who can truly engage with Australia's most important neighbour in its own language.