By: Indonesianlanguage.net

Which one is more important? Learning Indonesian slang language or learning formal Indonesian language? I bet that almost 99.99% of Indonesian language schools teach you only the formal Indonesian language. And as a result, most learners still find difficulty understanding the Indonesian slang language which is mostly used among the locals daily.

So the question is now: “How important is it to learn Indonesian slang?” Most learners find it necessary to learn the Indonesian slang language since it is the key to communicating with the locals. However it is strongly suggested to learn the Indonesian formal first prior to learning Indonesian slang.

It is because it is much easier to learn Indonesian slang if you have mastered the formal Indonesian language first. By learning the formal Indonesian language, you will learn not only how to form sentences in Indonesian, but also how to communicate by using formal language. Because the Indonesian slang does not differ much from the formal one, it will be much easier to learn the Indonesian slang once the learners have mastered the formal language.

Indonesian Slang Characteristics

Indonesian Slang

Most sentence formation in Indonesian slang does not follow the pattern mostly used in formal Indonesian language. Many words in Indonesian slang also derive from formal Indonesian words. However there are also some words in Indonesian slang which are totally different from the original words in formal Indonesian language.

Indonesian language is a developing language, meaning that new vocabularies are always added almost each time. Therefore the best way to keep up with it is by communicating a lot with Indonesian native speakers. Watching Indonesian soap operas and movies can also help the learners improve their Indonesian slang vocabularies very easily.

“Do I have to learn Indonesian slang?” Some learners might ask. Well, of course you can still communicate with the locals around you simply by using the formal Indonesian language. They will certainly understand you fully. However sometimes you might find difficulty understanding what the locals talk about when they are speaking in Indonesian slang language.

Although some particular Indonesian slang vocabularies are only used in some particular areas, and are rarely used in other areas, you might still find it necessary to know a few Indonesian slang vocabularies, particularly if you intend to stay in a particular area for quite a long time.

Below are some examples of Indonesian slang words which are mostly used in daily conversation.

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• Learn Indonesian Colloquial
• Tips on Learning Indonesian