Indonesian Translation Services
Language History
The Indonesian language, also known as “Bahasa Indonesia” is one of two variations of standardised Malay. It is considered a member of the Austronesian language family, which also includes Tagalog, Māori, Samoan and more. From the 9th to the 14th century, Malay was the court language in the Strait of Malacca region. Travelers and traders began using this language and it started spreading throughout the Indonesian islands. Eventually, in the early 20th century, a standardised version of Malay was developed to unify the islands. This is what is known today as “Bahasa Indonesia”. Today, students learn Bahasa Indonesia in schools, but they are generally also native in the language of their island region.
Where is Indonesian Spoken?
According to Babbel, there are approximately 23 million Indonesian speakers around the world.
Indonesian is the official language of Indonesia. However, it is also spoken in many other countries around the world including the Netherlands, the Philippines, Singapore, Saudi Arabia, East Timor, and Australia and the U.S.
FACT
Did you know the word ‘thai’ means ‘free’ in the Thai language?
Did you know
Indonesian is the 9th most spoken language in the world. It is also a very popular southeast Asian language .
Are you looking for high-quality Indonesian translation services? Get in touch with Pangea Global! We’ll hook you up with one of our professional linguists who will provide you with accurate and reliable Indonesian localization services, copywriting, voice overs and more!
“Indonesian is a “polite language”. It derives from Malay, which happens to be famous for being the most polite language in the eastern region.”
False Friends in Indonesian and English
| Indonesian | Translation | Wrong Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Air | water | air |
| Rumah | house | room |
| Guru | teacher | guru |
| Karier | career | carrier |
False Friends in Indonesian and English
| Indonesian | English |
|---|---|
| Selamat Pagi | Good morning |
| Apa kabar? | How are you? |
| Selamat malam | Goodnight |
| Terima kasih | Thank you |
Population vs. Internet Penetration
Population
269,536,482
Internet users
2,000,000
Penetration
63.5%
Did you know
The Indonesian Official Dictionary is updated twice a year by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture! The last update in October 2019 added 1035 new entries, which included words adopted from regional languages, slang, and formalised loanwords.
Indonesian Translation Tips
- Sentences start with a subject, then a verb (also called a predicate), and finally, an object.
- There are four Indonesian verbs – (1) active transitive, (2) passive transitive, (3) active intransitive, (4) passive intransitive.
- Verbs do not change according to the tense. Past or future tense is usually demonstrated by adding words that signify the time.
- Indonesian does not make use of grammatical gender. Only a few words use natural gender such as “putri” meaning “daughter”, and “putra” meaning “son”.
Are you looking for professional Indonesian translation services? Get in touch with Pangea Global! We’ll hook you up with one of our professional linguists who will provide you with accurate and reliable Indonesian localization services, copywriting, voice overs and more!