Another year has almost passed us by, as we get ready to move into 2017. While many are saying that 2016 was a pretty awful year, it was a good year for learning about Indonesian language and culture. I was fortunate enough to spend most of the year doing just that on the beautiful island of Bali. We’ve shared a lot about Indonesia throughout the year, from vocabulary lists, to grammar tips, to cultural insights and travel tales. Here are some of our best language posts from the year:

Language

Tentang Indonesia (About Indonesia)

New to the language and culture of Indonesia? If so, there’s no better place to start than this post about Indonesia. Learn about the country, its government, culture, language, weather and more and start building up your Indonesian vocabulary.

Introductions and Greetings

For beginners of any language, learning how to make introductions and greet people is one of the first things you’ll want to do. This post will help you do just that, and you can follow this video for more practice:

Kenangan Masa Kecil Saya (Memories of My Childhood)

Looking back on your childhood and telling stories is a great way to practice your language skills. This post features a short reading on childhood memories, as well as a useful vocabulary list and some questions for you to practice answering.

Giving a Speech in Indonesian

While I was studying in the Darmasiswa Program in Bali this year, I was asked by my teachers to deliver a speech at the end of semester ceremony. I was confident in my basic speaking abilities, but I wasn’t quite sure I was ready to give a speech in Indonesian. After many hours of preparing and practicing, I was able to deliver a speech and get some laughs in the process. You can read the whole text in Indonesian and English in the post, and check it out in this short video:

The Many Uses of Enak

The word enak is quite versatile. It not only means “tasty” or “delicious” when talking about food, but you can also use it to describe your feelings, your health, and your level of comfort. Learn all about the many uses of enak in this great post.

Kampung Halaman Saya (My Hometown)

This short reading lesson introduces my hometown of Detroit. Read all about the Kota Mobil in Indonesian, and then try to talk/write about your hometown for more practice.

Summer Olympics in Indonesian

The eyes of the world were on Rio in the summer of 2016 to watch the Olympic games. Read this post to learn the names of Summer Olympic sports in Indonesian.

Words to Describe Facial Expressions

Just as in English, there are many words in Indonesian to describe facial expressions. You’ll also learn lots of Indonesian words for first impressions, which are largely based on the person’s facial expression.

Job Titles in Indonesian

In honor of Hari Burhu (Labor Day), I put together this post with 30 common job titles in Indonesian. If you don’t see your job on the list, leave a comment and add the Indonesian translation so we can keep it going!

Rumah Saya (My Home)

Learn Indonesian words for the rooms of the house and furniture in this post about my home. This gives you a look at my first apartment in Bali, situated in a local neighborhood about a 15-minute motor bike ride to campus in Denpasar.

Using Ber- to Talk About Yourself

The prefix ber- is very common in Indonesian, and something you’ll want to get started using as soon as you start studying. This helpful post teaches you how to use ber- to talk about yourself. In addition to the grammar lesson, there’s a short reading and an accompanying vocabulary list.

Hobi Saya (My Hobbies)

What are your hobbies? Do you enjoy cooking? Our blogger Ani sure does, and she wrote about it for you in this great reading post. Practice the reading, study the vocabulary, and then try to write an essay about your hobbies in Indonesian.

The Legend of Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot is one of the most famous temples in Bali, and there’s a fascinating legend behind it. Get the story in Indonesian along with an English translation and some comprehension questions. You can also take a short video tour of the temple:

Those posts will keep you busy for a while! Bookmark them and you can go back to study them whenever you want. Also, be sure you’re learning a new Indonesian word every day – that’s a great New Year’s Resolution! Next up, we’ll have our best posts related to culture and travel.

We’ve also got a list of our best culture & travel posts of the year if you’re interested!