Full immersion Bahasa Indonesia language course at UvA Talen

Last month, UvA Talen organised a two-week inTense language course in Bahasa Indonesia in the heart of Amsterdam.

Bahasa Indonesia for professional use

During the course, the student quickly acquired a strong foundation in understanding and speaking Bahasa Indonesia before being sent to Indonesia for their work.

A varied programme, with grammar, culture and plays on words

The student and teacher worked hard together in a quiet and comfortable classroom, with the occasional Indonesian snack as a reward. More theoretical aspects of grammar and word exercises were interspersed each day with useful little facts designed to getter a better understanding of the language and culture in a short time. For example, the teacher explained that people in Indonesia love to make plays on words and to ask personal questions early in a conversation. According to the teacher, fun is an important key to learning and she made sure there was a lot of fun, as you could hear from the laughter coming from the classroom. The hard work and enthusiasm of both teacher and student led to an excellent result. As a complete beginner in the language, the student achieved a splendid A1 level by the end of the two weeks.

Language comes to life in the Tropenmuseum

To put the newly acquired knowledge into practice, half way through the course, the teacher and the student paid a visit to the Tropenmuseum where a permanent exhibition on the rich culture of Southeast Asia and 350 years of the Dutch in Indonesia can be seen. On the short walk to the museum, just a stone’s throw from the UvA Talen office, they practised giving directions and naming colours and objects that they passed. The student was even able to give an explanation in Bahasa Indonesia on a special exhibition of work by artist Marina Abramović. Near the end of the course, they went to a small Indonesian eatery – known as a warung – where the student was able to order their own food and even chat briefly with the other diners.

Want to get to grips with a language or improve your proficiency in a very short time?

UvA Talen inTense offers language courses for students who want to make rapid progress in language learning. Our inTense courses are available in no fewer than twelve languages and are completely tailored to your personal needs and interests. The inTense courses are offered in three different forms. Have we piqued your interest? Then click here to see our inTense programmes