Instant Indonesian: How to express 1,000 different ideas with just 100 key words and phrases! (Instant Phrasebook Series) [Paperback]

Stuart Robson Dr. (Author), Julian Millie (Author)

Book Description

Series: Instant Phrasebook Series | Publication Date: July 15, 2004

Do you want to learn simple Indonesian quickly? Are you visiting Indonesia and need a handy and accurate guide for easy communication? If so, this is the phrase book for you. Instant Indonesian allows you to quickly and easily meet people, go shopping, travel, ask for directions, order food and drinks, and much more!Instant Indonesian is part of an exciting new series of phrase books that provides readers with a basic level of language teaching and the necessary skills to form their own sentences according to specific circumstances, perfect for business travelers and tourists.

Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing; Bilingual edition (July 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804833710
• ISBN-13: 978-0804833714
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #144,974 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Education & Reference > Dictionaries & Thesauruses > Foreign Language > Bahasa Malay
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Southeast Asian
  • #23 in Books > Education & Reference > Foreign Languages > Instruction > Southeast Asian

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Guide to Bahasa Indonesia, December 15, 2005

By 

Thomas J. Leiby (Washington, D.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Instant Indonesian: How to express 1,000 different ideas with just 100 key words and phrases! (Instant Phrasebook Series) (Paperback)

Do not let this phrasebook's diminuitive size fool you; it most certainly packs a whallop! The phrasebook is broken into ten segments, with each segment containing ten vocabulary words and their different uses. At the end of each segment is a brief treatment of a particular aspect of Indonesian culture and life.

For example, the first segment concerns itself with simple Indonesian words, such as "selamat" (a word used in greetings), "ibu" (mother) and "sudah" (already). For each vocabulary word, several sentences are provided to give the reader an idea of the different contexts that are available. At the end of the first segment is an informational section on the eating and drinking habits of Indonesians.

Indeed, this phrasebook is by no means a comprehensive guide to the Indonesian language, but it is extremely useful in providing anyone planning to undertake a trip to Indonesia a better grasp of their surroundings. From an individual who has lived and traveled extensively in Indonesia, I strongly recommend this phrasebook.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Concise useful book to have around, February 24, 2007

By 

H. Perera (Australia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Instant Indonesian: How to express 1,000 different ideas with just 100 key words and phrases! (Instant Phrasebook Series) (Paperback)

The usefulness of this book really is in its compactness. It's easy to carry and allows a traveller to express basic concepts easily. It is not a guide to learning the language in depth but rather, could be used as an aid to such a guide. It really is more suitable for travellers to Indonesia who would like to express basic ideas in the local language simply.

The book is divided into sections covering different topics. These include eating and drinking, social etiquette, times and sessions, personal pronouns, religion and culture, social chatting, social relations and family, Indonesian names and verb prefixes.

While the information presented is limited, what is there is enough to help you out in difficult situations while travelling. However, I found it hard to intuitively find the section I require quickly without resorting to the contents or index page. I resorted to sticking post it notes at the start of each section and labelling them with the chapter topic so I could find what I needed fast while I am waiting in queues, conversing with service people, etc. This proved successful.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent start in learning a language, January 21, 2005

By 

G. Bashaw (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Instant Indonesian: How to express 1,000 different ideas with just 100 key words and phrases! (Instant Phrasebook Series) (Paperback)

Most language courses promise the world but this little inexpensive jem actuallly lives up to its promise. The vocabulary is concise and well-explained. The author succeeds in linking the lessons to each other as the book proceeds. While not a comprehensive grammar to Bahasa Indonesia, it does serve as a great start in learning the language.