Why do most Indonesian recipes not use teaspoon or tablespoon measurements? What's the difference between a red onion, white onion, Bombay onion or onion leaf? How much water should you add when cooking rice? These and other questions related to spicy label, in the world's largest archipelago are answered in this episode of All Things Indonesian.

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country and with the distance from west to east greater than that from the Pacific coast of the US to the Atlantic. And yet not many people have heard of Indonesia. The proverb “Tong kosong nyaring bunyinya”, which means "empty barrels make a loud noise" (those with no substance always boast the loudest), means that Indonesians believe we should not boast. Indonesia, which is the world's largest archipelago, harnesses its seafaring tradition in its language. For example the idiom “mati angin`’ ("dead wind") is used when somebody is helpless, as when sailing and there’s no wind, and there’s nothing you can do. Presented by Ati Kisjanto, teacher of Indonesian to diplomats for the last 10 years. 

This episode’s words and phrases:

1. budaya - culture

2. dalam - in/ inside/ deep

3. frasa - idioms

4. dan - and

5. peribahasa - proverbs

6. air - water

7. beriak - rippled/ has ripple

8. tanda - sign/ show

9. tak - not

10. tong - barrell 

11. kosong - empty

12. nyaring -  loud

13. bunyinya - its sound

14. ibarat - like

15. padi -  rice padi

16. makin - the more 

17. berisi - filled

18. merunduk - bowing 

19. harimau - tiger. 

20. mati - die/ died/ dead

21. karena - because

22. belangnya -  its stripes

23. silakan - please do 

24. mampir - stop by

25. di - at 

26. rumah - house 

27. saya - my

28. maaf- sorry/ apologies/ excuse me 

29. seadanya - as is

30. mulutmu - your mouth 

31. harimaumu - your tiger 

32. jarimu - your finger

33. nila - indigo coloring 

34. setitik - ah! Indeed

35. rusak - spoiled/ broken 

36. susu - milk 

37. sebelanga - the whole wok/ cooking pan

38. nasi - rice

39. sudah - already

40. menjadi - become 

41. bubur - porridge

42. seperti -  like

43. kacang - ground nut/ peanut 

44. lupa - forgotten

45. kulitnya - its shell 

46. ada - there is 

47. gading - ivory

48. yang - the one that 

49. retak - cracked

50. semut - ant

51. di - at 

52. seberang - on the other side/ across 

53. lautan - the ocean 

54. tampak - visible

55. gajah - elephant 

56. pelupuk mata - eyelid 

57. terlihat - visible

58. berat - heavy 

59. sama - equal/ together with

60. dipikul - carry 

61. ringan - light in weight

62. dijinjing-  carry

63. rotan - rattan

64. akar - root

65. pun - even 

66. jadi - will do 

67. bagai - like

68. katak - frog 

69. tempurung - coconut shell

70. dunia - the world 

71. tidak - not 

72. selebar - as wide as 

73. daun - leaf

74. kelor - moringa

If you want to know more about learning Indonesian and to see some videos, you can follow my Instagram, YouTube or Facebook page @AllThingsIndonesian.

In this episode we’ll discuss beliefs, taboos and superstitions in Indonesia. We often see them applied not only in daily life, but also in the commercial and professional worlds.

If you want to know more about learning Indonesian and to see some videos, you can follow my Instagram @AllThingsIndonesian.  And the transcripts of this podcast can be found on my Facebook page All Things Indonesian or you can request to [email protected]. The intro and outro theme music courtesy of @transistor.fm. 

This episode’s words and phrases:

Discussing Filler words, or expressions, that Indonesians sometime use to fill in the gaps in conversation, which most of the time do not add to the meaning of what we want to say.

This episode’s words and phrases:

1. ke lima - fifth

2. apa namanya? - what is it called?/ what was it again?

3. apa - what

4. nama - name

5. nya - his/ her/ its 

6. apa ya? - what yes? / what was it?  

7. ya - yes

8. saya lihat dia di pesta - I saw him at the party 

9. saya - I.

10. lihat - saw

11. dia - he/she/it

12. di - at

13. pesta - party

14. terus -  and then/ go on, tell me more

15. oh! - ah! 

16. oh iya - ah! Indeed

17. oh, begitu - ah! is that so? 

18. kapan - when. 

19. aduh! - ouch!  /oh no! / OMG! / oh wow! /oh dang! / oh shoot! / oops! / oh dear!

20. astaga! - oh wow! / oh no! / oh shoot! 

21. saya sudah berbicara terlalu lama! 

22. sudah - already/ have been 

23. berbicara - chatting 

24. terlalu lama - too long

If you want to know more about learning Indonesian and to see some videos, you can follow my Instagram @AllThingsIndonesian.  And the transcripts of this podcast can be found on my Facebook page All Things Indonesian or you can request to [email protected]. The intro and outro theme music courtesy of @transistor.fm. 

We'll learn what the annual "mudik" is all about, and how to say happy Easter and congratulate a birthday celebrant.

If you want to know more about learning Indonesian and to see some photos and videos, you can follow my Instagram @AllThingsIndonesian.  And the transcripts of this podcast can be found on my Facebook page All Things Indonesian. The intro and outro theme music courtesy of @transistor.fm.

New words and phrases

How to congratulate on special occasions in Indonesia and how people celebrate. 

New vocabulary and phrases:

(intro and outro theme music courtesy of @transistor.fm)

For transcript: please email [email protected]

In this episode, we will hear further on Small Talk, where the questions would go to "Are you married? (Sudah berkeluarga?/ Sudah kawin?) and one of the most aspirational Indonesian vocabulary "Belum" (Not yet).

New vocabulary and phrases:

1. Kita bertemu lagi di - We meet again on

2. Saya - I

3. Sudah berkeluarga? - Do you have a family already?

4. Sudah menikah? - Are you married? (formal)

5. Sudah kawin? - Are you married (informal)

6. Tidak -No

7. Iya - Ya

8. Makan pagi - Breakfast

9. KTP - ID card

10. Sudah - Already

11. Belum - Not yet

12. Pernah - Have been 

13. Pernah ke - Have been to

14. Sudah pernah ke - Already been to

15. Belum pernah - Not yet been

16. Belum pernah ke - Not yet been to

17. Bulan - Moon

(intro and outro theme music courtesy of @transistor.fm)

For transcript: please email [email protected]

On this first episode, we learn on how Indonesians greet after "How are you?" which will lead to a definite icebreaker.

New vocabulary and phrases:

1. Apa kabar?  - What’s the news?

2. Selamat datang - Welcome

3. Basa-basi - Small Talk

4. Bahas sana - Discussing that

5. Bahas sini - Discussing this

6. Baik - Good

7. Baik-baik saja - All is well

8. Kabar baik - The news is good/ Good news

9. Dari mana? - Where are you from?, What nationality are you?, Where did you grow up?, Where do you live?, Where did you just come from? , Where do you work?/ Whom do you work for?

10. Dari - From

11. Makan siang - Lunch

12. Kedutaan - Embassy

13. Mau ke mana? - Where are you going?

14. Mau ke kantor - Want to go to the office

15. Mau - Want

16. Kantor  - Office

17. Pulang - Return home

18.Terima kasih - Thank you

19. Sampai jumpa - Until we meet again

20. Daah (informal) - Bye

(intro and outro theme music courtesy of @transistor.fm)

For transcript: please email [email protected]