Do Indonesians Speak English?

What a weird question… Indonesians speak Indonesian, but some Indonesians do speak English. How many Indonesians speak English is difficult to say however, perhaps 10% of Indonesians can speak English reasonably well, in fact some can speak fluently. The question should have been re-worded to ask, ‘Do Indonesians want to speak English?’

Maybe we should ask the question, is it possible for all Indonesians to be able to speak English? The answer is yes. However, in the current Indonesian education system, it is perhaps na?ve to expect most Indonesians to speak or understand English reasonably well. So let’s except that right now, most Indonesians, or at least, many Indonesians would like to speak English well, but simply don’t have the opportunity or the money to do so, or more likely, simply don’t believe it is possible. I want to tell you it’s absolutely possible.

So here are some simple and free ways for you to learn English and become fluent in writing and speaking the English language.

One, if you have a TV you can learn English. Indonesian TV stations such as Trans 7 show English films in the evenings with Indonesian interpretations underneath. Although some of these interpretations may not be strictly accurate, it is at least a way to start the process of learning English. The secret is to start, the secret is to change the way you think.

Two, simply go online and download a PDF of a book, fiction or non-fiction, and then use platforms or search engines such as Google to translate words you don’t understand. Here is a key thing to remember when you are doing this. Don’t try to understand every word, try to understand the general meaning of a sentence or sentences. If you try and translate every single word, it’ll be very confusing (pusing). Why is this? Simply put, the reason why it’s confusing is for example, if I attempted to directly translate each bahasa (Indonesian) word and phrase, or short sentences into English, it just wouldn’t make sense. For example (and I often use this example), how about the phrase ngak, apa apa. Let’s translate those three words into English shall we? Result, no, what, what! Now how on earth as an English speaker am I supposed to know what ‘no, what, what’ means? Many of us know it means ‘it doesn’t matter’.

So, can you see where I am coming from here? We cannot directly translate words and understand the meaning in English, or in any other language. As an English speaker, we do the same thing… we use phrasal verbs such as ‘let’s hang out’ tonight shall we? So, are we going to hang ourselves outside somewhere? It’s ridiculous. So the only way to learn English or any language, is not to translate directly from the words, but understand the meaning behind the words.

Three, try talk to other Indonesians who also want to learn English as there are lots of Indonesian’s who would love to learn English. Sometimes when I’m teaching in a bank, a business, or an office, I encourage the students to allocate one hour, one morning, one afternoon, or one whole day every week… just talking English with each other. You’ll be surprised how quickly you will start to learn English, and it’s fun.

Four, try talk to English native speakers, you would be surprised how many English speakers would be happy to chat with you for a couple of minutes, especially if you meet them here in Indonesia, such as in a café, in a restaurant, or in a warung (small shop)… in a street somewhere.

Five, try and find websites which offer you the ability to make a friend, penfriend, or people you can just write to. Use Facebook, LinkedIn and other platforms… these are all ways in which you can connect and begin a relationship with a stranger and make a new friend. How about Quora, here you can find articles in English, you can comment, you can upvote, and even better… follow the writer. If you follow the writer, you can send a message directly. Do you know something… On Quora or LinkedIn, I reply to every reader who comments on one of my articles… I reply to everybody who sends me a message to me directly. [email protected] Some of my followers chat to me on platforms such as WhatsApp, some of my followers have registered for one of my 617 online English fluency programs, and they are learning to become fluent in English very quickly.

Six, if you are really serious about becoming fluent in English, then stop learning English and start thinking in English. I have a program which can help Indonesians become fluent in English in only 37 days. Here’s the good news, it’s free for all those readers who are followers, or who want to follow me, or just email me. All you have to do is contact me, message me, email me… whatever, and I will send it to you… it’s that simple.

Right now, I have students of all ages who are simply learning English. They are learning to become fluent in English by registering in an online English fluency program. I have one girl who is six and an old lady who is 74. It doesn’t matter where you come from, how poor you are, or how old you are, if you want to connect with the outside world, if you want to be able to read an article, a letter, a newspaper, anything online… then that is the way to go. Simply put, you can’t blame the education system in Indonesia, you can’t blame your background, you can’t blame your parents or your teachers, and you can’t blame the government… it’s entirely up to you. You have control, you can determine your own future, you don’t have to accept the limitations of your past, or where you are now, rather the internet can allow you the opportunity and freedom to become fluent in English. It really depends on how serious you are, it’s your life, it’s your future, so take possession of your future and do something.[email protected]

Many Indonesians who contacted me last year, and even in 2017, have become fluent in English and guess what… they have started their own online businesses. I know of three Indonesians who are teaching Australians how to speak Indonesian… some Australian universities even offer programs and courses in Indonesian. I know of other students who had learned English with me, who now buy and sell products online, they have their own online money-maker, or they have their own online shop. Why not? Before I became a teacher, I was an international business consultant for 21 years, and let me tell you something… starting a business today using the power of the internet and technology is much easier now than it was for your father and grandfather. If you are working for company, if you’re an employee… is that how you really want to work for the rest of your life?

You can start an online business quietly and slowly for almost nothing, you can test ideas, you can test simple products, you can get started somehow, and you can find something that someone wants. When you get your first sale, you have just become independent, you’ve just become a businessperson, you’ve taken control of your life, you taken control of your income, you alone can now control what happens for the rest of your life. Yet, I can hear you say… “yes, but I can start an online business with Indonesians, so I don’t need to learn English. Yes, you are indeed correct. But how about this… if you offer your products or services to the world, do you know how cheap Indonesian products and labour is compared to Australia, the US and Europe? Many Indonesian service and product prices are way lower than in the US, Europe, Australia and other countries, so why limit yourself to Indonesia? When you can write and speak in English, you can trade anywhere, with anybody, at any time… the whole world is your oyster and the whole world is your market. Don’t believe me? Try it, what will it cost you? Just time. [email protected]

So, let’s summarise shall we. Can Indonesians speak English? Not really… maybe just a few out of a population of 260 million. All over the world, many economists believe that your country will be the world’s fifth largest economy in 11 years from now. So, what about you, do you want to become left behind, or do you want to become a player in the future of your beautiful country?

Here’s my challenge. Stop saying you’re too shy to speak English, stop complaining that your English is no good. I’ve heard that a zillion times… it’s old news.

You can you can change this situation right now, not tomorrow… change it today.

Make a decision to become fluent in English, make a decision to open your life so that you can communicate with beautiful people, all having different cultures and different beliefs, and some of these people would love to talk to you, write to you, be friends with you, and hang out online with you. So, here’s the bottom line…

Do you get bored sometimes? I’ve just given you the answer.

Want to become your own boss? I’ve just given you the answer.

Want a start making money? I’ve just given you the answer.

Here’s something I truly believe…

Ordinary people do ordinary things.

Extraordinary people do extraordinary things.

The difference?

It’s not about IQ, it’s not about ability, it’s not about how smart you are…

It’s about the way you think, it’s about your mindset.

Become an inventor.

Invent the world you see inside.

If you’re not happy about the world you see inside yourself, then change it.

Re-invent yourself.

I would love to hear what you think, I would love to hear what you say, I would love to be your friend; after all, we are brothers and sisters, right?

So, let’s get started, I’m right here…

[email protected]