Meet Rani and Alex. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to greet someone, ask about a journey, describe simple weather, and recognize useful words for moving around town.
ReadWriteListenSpeak
Greet someone politely
Ask “How was your flight?”
Count to 20
Say where you want to go
How to use the audio: press a dark-blue speaker button. Your browser will use an Indonesian voice when one is available. Listen once, read along, then repeat.
Reading · Character introduction
Meet Rani and Alex
These two friends will return in every chapter. Rani comes from Malang in East Java. Alex has just arrived for a school exchange.
Rani Pratama
Age: 16 · From: Malang, East Java
Halo. Nama saya Rani. Saya berasal dari kota Malang di Jawa Timur. Saya sedang menjemput teman saya, Alex, di bandara.
Hello. My name is Rani. I come from a city called Malang in East Java. I am meeting my friend Alex at the airport.
Alex Morgan
Age: 16 · From: Canada
Hai. Nama saya Alex. Saya pergi ke Indonesia untuk bertemu dengan teman saya, Rani.
Hi. My name is Alex. I am travelling to Indonesia to meet my friend Rani.
Name note: Indonesian naming traditions are very diverse. Some people have one name; others have two or more. Do not assume that the final word is always a family surname. Asking “What should I call you?” is thoughtful anywhere.
Listen and notice
Listen to each complete introduction. Notice how Saya berasal dari… tells where someone comes from, while Saya pergi ke… tells where someone is going.
Saya berasal dari kota Malang. I come from the city of Malang.
Saya pergi ke Indonesia. I am going to Indonesia.
Reading · Dialogue
At the arrivals hall
Read once for meaning. Then use the buttons to hear each line and read it again aloud.
Rani
Halo, Alex! Selamat datang di Indonesia!
Hi, Alex! Welcome to Indonesia!
Alex
Halo, Rani! Terima kasih.
Hi, Rani! Thank you.
Rani
Bagaimana penerbanganmu?
How was your flight?
Alex
Penerbangannya panjang, tetapi baik.
The flight was long, but good.
Rani
Apakah kamu lelah?
Are you tired?
Alex
Sedikit. Bagaimana cuaca hari ini?
A little. How is the weather today?
Rani
Hari ini panas dan cerah.
Today it is hot and sunny.
Alex
Bagus! Ayo kita pergi.
Great! Let’s go.
Notice: Indonesian does not use a separate word for “is” in Hari ini panas (“Today [it is] hot”). This makes many beginner sentences pleasantly direct.
Writing · Guided practice
On the way into town
Rani and Alex are now leaving the airport. Listen to each line, then complete their conversation using the word bank. Use each answer once.
Rani: Apakah kamu siap untuk pergi? Are you ready to go?
Alex: Ya. Kita akan naik taksi atau bus? Yes. Are we taking a taxi or a bus?
Rani: Kita akan naik taksi ke hotelmu. We will take a taxi to your hotel.
Alex: Oke. Berapa ongkos taksinya? Okay. How much will the taxi cost?
Rani: Ongkosnya dua ratus ribu rupiah. The price will be 200,000 rupiah.
Alex: Apakah itu mahal? Is that expensive?
Rani: Tidak, itu murah. Ikuti saya! No, it is cheap. Follow me!
Write answers on paper, or print this chapter. The faint words are an answer key: select the line on screen if you need a hint.
Writing · Build your own dialogue
Choose the next stop
Alex wants to stop before going to the hotel. Complete each sentence. More than one answer may be correct.
☕kafecafé
🏨hotelhotel
🚌halte busbus stop
🏙️pusat kotacity centre
Alex: Saya mau pergi ke I want to go to ________.
Rani: Baik. Kita naik Okay. We will take ________.
Alex: Apakah tempat itu ? Is that place ________?
Rani: Tempat itu That place is ________.
A useful ending: -mu means “your”
-mu is attached directly to the end of a noun. For example, hotel + mu = hotelmu, meaning “your hotel.” It does not attach to an entire sentence—only to the word that belongs to “you.”
namamu your name
temanmu your friend
rumahmu your house
tasmu your bag
bukumu your book
Listening · Eight useful sentences
Listen, match, repeat
Meet Mrs. Lestari
Mrs. Lestari is your listening teacher. Hear each sentence in her voice, read along, and repeat it aloud.
1
Selamat datang di Indonesia!
Welcome to Indonesia!
2
Bagaimana penerbanganmu?
How was your flight?
3
Saya sedikit lelah.
I am a little tired.
4
Bagaimana cuaca hari ini?
How is the weather today?
5
Hari ini panas dan cerah.
Today it is hot and sunny.
6
Di mana halte bus?
Where is the bus stop?
7
Saya mau pergi ke hotel.
I want to go to the hotel.
8
Apakah pusat kota jauh?
Is the city centre far?
Speaking · Your turn
Airport role-play
Work with a partner. Student A is the local friend; Student B has just arrived. Switch roles after one round.
Student A · Local friend
1. Welcome your friend.
2. Ask about the flight.
3. Ask if they are tired.
4. Describe today’s weather.
5. Suggest a taxi or bus.
Student B · New arrival
1. Say hello and thank you.
2. Describe the flight.
3. Say how you feel.
4. Ask about the weather.
5. Ask if the hotel is far.
Numbers 1–20 · Angka 1–20
Indonesian numbers follow a clear pattern. From 12 to 19, add belas. Twenty is dua puluh.
1satu
2dua
3tiga
4empat
5lima
6enam
7tujuh
8delapan
9sembilan
10sepuluh
11sebelas
12dua belas
13tiga belas
14empat belas
15lima belas
16enam belas
17tujuh belas
18delapan belas
19sembilan belas
20dua puluh
Pattern check: 21 will be dua puluh satu—literally “two tens, one.”
Review · Vocabulary
Chapter 1 Word Bank
Press any button, listen, and repeat. Star the words you want to practise again tomorrow.
1halohello
2terima kasihthank you
3bagaimanahow
4panjanglong
5lelahtired
6cuacaweather
7panashot
8hujanrain
9pergito go
10taksitaxi
11halte busbus stop
12pusat kotacity centre
13jauhfar
14saya mauI want
15siapready
16ongkosfare / cost
17rupiahIndonesian currency
18murahcheap
19selamat datangwelcome
20senang bertemu denganmunice to meet you
21penerbanganflight
22baikgood / fine
23sedikita little
24hari initoday
25cerahsunny / bright
26ayolet’s go
27bandaraairport
28busbus
29hotelhotel
30dekatnear
31di manawhere
32apakahquestion marker
33hotelmuyour hotel
34dua ratus ributwo hundred thousand
35mahalexpensive
36ikuti sayafollow me
Can-do check: I can greet a friend, ask about a flight, describe the weather, say where I want to go, and ask whether a place is far.
Next chapter idea: food, drinks, and ordering at a café—continuing Rani and Alex’s first day.
