Indonesian Language Classes at Columbia University

Indonesian is more than a national language. It is emerging as a strategic language of Asia. First declared at the Youth Congress in 1928 and enshrined in the 1945 Constitution (UUD 1945), it was originally chosen as a unifying tool to bridge hundreds of local languages and cultures across the archipelago. Today, it has grown far beyond its national role, serving as a key medium in politics, commerce, education, and culture throughout Southeast Asia. With Indonesia’s rising economic and geopolitical influence, proficiency in Indonesian offers learners a unique opportunity to engage with one of the region’s fastest-growing markets, connect with millions of people, and gain insights into a society that is shaping the future of Asia.

What Makes Indonesian Accessible

Indonesian is remarkably approachable for learners. Verbs do not change for tense or subject, word order is straightforward, and prepositions are simple to recognize. Politeness is conveyed through pronouns and intonation rather than complex forms, and the language avoids gender distinctions. These features make Indonesian practical for learners at any stage.

How the Classes Work

Our classes emphasize communication from day one. Lessons are thematic and interactive, focusing on speaking rather than rote memorization. Role plays, discussions, and project-based activities allow students to practice the language in real-life contexts. The learning activities emphasize skill integration, consisting of literacy, comprehension, conversation, and production, supported by targeted feedback.

Course Levels

Elementary Indonesian
Designed for learners with little or no prior experience, this level builds confidence in daily communication and introduces simple sentence structures. Students learn basic verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and connectors, exploring themes such as personal interests, daily routines, and family life. By the end of the course, learners can handle basic two-way conversations and narrate simple personal experiences.

Intermediate Indonesian
For learners with foundational knowledge, this level focuses on fluency in longer discussions, complex sentence structures, and clear reasoning. Students practice conjunctions, active and passive constructions, and cause-effect patterns, engaging with themes such as education, the environment, and social issues. The goal is to strengthen both accuracy and flexibility in communication.

What Students Gain

Learners progress steadily toward confident, practical use of Indonesian. Many achieve effective conversation skills quickly, while also developing abilities that support travel, research, professional collaboration, and deeper engagement with Indonesia’s society and culture.

Taking courses in Indonesian will allow you to fulfill the language requirement at Columbia.

Please check the Columbia Directory of Classes for the latest information. Search for “Indonesian.”