Face to Face Indonesian Language Classes

Welcome to Melbourne's longest-running classes in Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian language) for adults!

As part of our mission to promote friendship between Indonesia and Australia, AIAV has been running weekly language classes for more than 50 years! Our teachers have a wealth of experience and are passionate about helping you to learn the language and explore the culture of Indonesia. So ...
Ayo, ikutlah! (Come on, let's get started!)

When: Weekly on Thursday evenings from 6.30 to 8.30 pm (with a 15-minute break) during school terms (see dates)

Where: Multicultural Hub, 506 Elizabeth St, Melbourne (opposite the Queen Victoria Market), rooms to be advised

Levels: Introductory, Intermediate 1 & 2, and Advanced classes are available each term.

Content: Introductory and Intermediate classes use the textbook but this is also supplemented with other activities and materials including  media articles, films, poetry and songs.  The Advanced class does not use a textbook as their studies are based more around topics.

Levels

Take this quick online quiz to get an idea of which level is most appropriate for you.

We will do our best to put you in the most appropriate class, but feel free to speak to your teacher if you think you should move up or down a level.

Introductory

Teacher:  Pak Paul Van Wessem

If you want to learn some basic Indonesian before going on a trip, want to start learning the language with a view to becoming fluent, or need to brush the rust off the bahasa you learnt back in high school, then this level is for you! 

Textbook:  Indonesian Grammar in Context 1.

Some of the topics covered include:

• The Indonesian alphabet and pronunciation.
• Common greetings.
• Introducing yourself (Kenalkan).
• Terms of address.
• Pronouns.
• Numbers.
• Family.
• Parts of the body and illnesses.
• Asking and telling the time (Jam berapa?)
• Shopping (Di pasar)
• Lost belongings.

Intermediate 1

Teacher:  Bu Lily Djajamihardja

Welcome to Intermediate 1!  By now you have the fundamentals under control and you are able to have conversations in Indonesian on a range of basic topics.  Now you can broaden your vocabulary and add more complexity, as well as learning more about life in Indonesia.  Instruction is increasingly in Indonesian with explanation in English as required.

Textbook: Indonesian Grammar in Context 2.

Some of the topics include:

• Travelling to Bali.
• Balinese culture, including upacara potong gigi.
• Jakarta, Indonesia's capital city.
• More about forming me- verbs.
• Using -nya to comment on a topic.
• Nouns with the pe- prefix.
• Talking about body parts and clothing.
• Using sesudah and sebelum to refer to time.
• Transitive and intransitive verbs.
• Describing experiences.
• Using pernah to talk about places you've been and things you've seen.
• Using yang to mean 'the one who ..."
• Shopping Centres.
• Using the passive voice, including di-.  

Intermediate 2

Teacher:  Pak Bede Haradine

This class builds on Intermediate 1, so you will add to your growing knowledge of Indonesian words, idioms and constructions.  You will be reading, writing and speaking in more complex sentences and learning more about Indonesia along the way.  Instruction is generally in Indonesian.

Textbook:  Indonesian Gammar in Context 3.

Some of the topics include:

• The important events of Ramadan and Lebaran
• Pulang kampung (returning to the hometown)
• Tana Toraja in Sulawesi
• Orangutan rehabilitation in Kalimantan

• Connecting ideas using kalau and sebaiknya

• Connecting ideas using sesudah, sebelum, tetapi, karena and jadi 

• Giving advice

• Qualifying statements using sebenarnya 

• Expressing a conclusion using kalau begitu

• Describing the frequency of events using selalu, sering, biasanya and jarang

• Verbs with the suffix -kan

• Comparisons using lebih . . . dari(pada), paling, se- and tidak se-

• Talking about when you were young

• Using yang lalu, lagi, nanti and yang akan datang to describe sequences of events

• Using doubled adverbs such as cepat-cepat

• Forming adverbs formed with dengan + adjective

• More with -kan verbs!

Advanced 

Teacher:  Ibu Nani Pollard

Welcome to the 'big league'! The Advanced class is for people who already have a good standard of Indonesian and wish to maintain or improve on it. It's assumed that you already have a broad vocabulary and are familiar with the points of grammar listed above in Elementary and Intermediate levels. However, more advanced aspects of grammar are included as revision at this level. Classes are conducted in Indonesian.

No textbook is used in the Advanced class as materials are developed by the teacher. Each term covers a number of topics, which may include Indonesian current affairs, political, social and economic issues, films, short stories, poetry and popular music, with discussion in Indonesian. Print and video material is provided by the teacher. Teachers may be rotated through the class each term to provide a range of voices and perspectives.