Indonesian is the national language of Indonesia, and more than 250 million people speak it, most of them as a second language. Many apps offer beginner lessons, but only a few give you Indonesian to read and listen to once the lessons feel easy.
Here are the apps and services that teach Indonesian, grouped by what they help you do. You can start with one and add another when you need it.
Custom Lessons Made for You
Bubblegum
Bubblegum suits learners who want Indonesian built around their own lives. Tell Poppy, your AI tutor, what you want to learn. She writes lessons for your level and helps you understand the words and grammar. You can read and listen, and ask her about anything that is unclear. News and stories give you more Indonesian to read about music, food, family, and other things you care about.
The trade-off is that Bubblegum does not replace real Indonesian voices. For recorded speakers, Pimsleur and Mango are the better fit, and for conversation, try the apps in Learn With People.
- Read Indonesian lessons for free.
- Lessons fit your level, interests, and goals.
- Read and listen to news and stories in Indonesian about things you care about.
- Ask Poppy about a sentence while you read.
- Regenerative Review™ brings saved words back in new lessons, so you review them by reading instead of using flashcards.
- Lesson audio uses AI voices, not recordings of Indonesian speakers.
- You cannot import your own books or articles.
- The free plan includes one new custom lesson each day.
- Regenerative Review™
Mobile
Follow an Indonesian Course
If you want someone to choose what comes next, start here. These apps give you an ordered path through Indonesian words and sentences.
Duolingo
Duolingo has an Indonesian course for English speakers. It is a good way to start with words and sentences, and many learners add other material once the lessons feel easy.
- Quick lessons that teach reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
- The course is free.
MobileWeb
Memrise
Memrise has an Indonesian course written by linguists. You choose the situations you want to prepare for, and the app teaches the words you need.
- More than 200 videos of native Indonesian speakers.
- Lessons grouped by topics such as travel and food.
MobileWeb
LingoDeer
LingoDeer has an Indonesian course for English speakers that goes from beginner to intermediate level. It suits learners who want grammar built into the lessons.
- Every Indonesian word and sentence is voiced by native speakers.
- The course covers vocabulary, sentence patterns, and grammar.
MobileWeb
Ling
Ling suits beginners who want short, game-like lessons. Flashcards help you review the words you have learned.
- Native speaker voices and short games.
- Dialogs where you choose the best reply in a real situation.
- Flashcards
Mobile
Mango Languages
Mango Languages builds its Indonesian lessons around everyday conversations. Check your local library first, since many libraries include Mango.
- Lessons open with a conversation between native speakers.
- Color-coded grammar notes and culture notes.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Practice Speaking and Listening
Pimsleur
Pimsleur suits learners who want to start speaking before they read much. You hear a prompt, answer aloud, and then hear the answer.
- 30-minute audio lessons where you answer out loud.
- Flash cards, quizzes, and offline access in the app.
MobileWeb
Build Vocabulary
Drops
Drops teaches Indonesian words through quick games, and review tools help you practice the words you have learned.
- More than 2,000 Indonesian words, taught with pictures.
- Audio from native speakers.
Mobile
uTalk
uTalk helps you learn words through games, and you can start with the topics you need first.
- More than 2,500 words and phrases across more than 60 topics.
- Compare your pronunciation with native speakers.
MobileWeb
Clozemaster
Clozemaster helps you learn Indonesian words in context, one sentence at a time.
- Sentence lists grouped by topics such as education and driving.
- Each sentence comes with an English translation and audio.
MobileWeb
Read and Listen to Indonesian
LingQ
LingQ suits learners who want to read and listen to real Indonesian. You can choose lessons from its library or add something you found yourself.
- Read and listen to Indonesian lessons at different levels, and save the words you do not know.
- Import your own videos and books.
- Flashcards
MobileWeb
Learn With People
Choose a tutor if you want teaching and correction. Choose a language exchange if you want a practice partner and are happy to help with English in return.
italki
italki has Indonesian tutors who teach everything from casual conversation to test preparation. Some are certified to teach Indonesian to foreign speakers.
- Choose an Indonesian tutor and book lessons around your schedule.
- Get feedback while you speak.
MobileWeb
Preply
Preply lists 533 Indonesian tutors. Book a one-on-one online class with a tutor who fits your level and goals.
- Compare tutors by profile, reviews, and intro video.
- Find tutors who teach beginners or kids.
MobileWeb
HelloTalk
HelloTalk connects you with Indonesian speakers who want to practice your language too. Start with messages, then try voice notes.
- Chat with native Indonesian speakers by text, voice, and video.
- Join live voice rooms and get corrections on your posts.
- Your partners are language learners, not trained teachers.
Mobile
Tandem
Tandem lists Indonesian among its languages and has a language exchange page for Indonesia. Agree with your partner on how to split time between your two languages.
- Practice with messages, audio messages, and video calls.
- Share your goals and interests so Tandem can match you with partners.
- It can take a few tries to find a partner who matches your interests and time.
MobileWeb
Free Resources for Learning Indonesian
Indonesia's Language Agency runs BIPA Daring, a free site for learners. BIPA stands for Bahasa Indonesia bagi Penutur Asing, which means Indonesian for foreign speakers. The site has teaching materials, videos, and audio. KBBI Daring is the official Indonesian dictionary, and it is free online. Its definitions are in Indonesian, so it suits learners past the beginner level.
For news in Indonesian, try Kompas, detikcom, or BBC News Indonesia. If you want to study in Indonesia, Darmasiswa is a government scholarship for foreign students to study Indonesian language and culture.
Learn Indonesian in Your Language
These counts cover menu-language choices, including script variants. Other apps’ counts and full lists come from their iPhone listings. Lesson explanations and other platforms may differ.
| App | Supported Display Languages | Full List |
|---|---|---|
| Bubblegum | 74 | Full list
|
| Duolingo | 32 | Full list |
| Memrise | 22 | Full list |
| LingoDeer | 15 | Full list |
| Ling | 67 | Full list |
| Mango Languages | 2 | Full list |
| Pimsleur | 3 | Full list |
| Drops | 16 | Full list |
| uTalk | 1 | Full list |
| Clozemaster | 37 | Full list |
| LingQ | 17 | Full list |
| italki | 19 | Full list |
| Preply | 19 | Full list |
| HelloTalk | 16 | Full list |
| Tandem | 14 | Full list |
Other Apps We Looked At (6)
- GlossikaAudio sentence training for Indonesian, with levels from A1 to C1 and more than 5,000 words and sentences.
- TalkpalAn AI chat tutor with an Indonesian page, where you practice conversation and get speech feedback.
- ReadlangClick any word in Indonesian text to see what it means, then review your saved words with flashcards. Its library includes Indonesian texts shared by other learners.
- IndonesianPod101Audio and video lessons from absolute beginner to advanced, with free lessons every week and a lesson library sorted by level.
- Learning Indonesian podcastA free entry-level course in short episodes on grammar and vocabulary, taught by native Indonesian and English speakers.
- Learn Indonesian Online podcastA podcast in Indonesian about language, culture, and everyday life, made for listening practice from beginner to advanced.
Common Questions
Which Indonesian app should a beginner choose?
Start with Duolingo if you want a free way to begin, or Mango if your library offers it. Add Pimsleur if you want to speak from the start. Bubblegum suits learners who want lessons around their own interests. Indonesian uses the Latin alphabet, so you do not need to learn a new script first.
Can I learn Indonesian for free?
Yes. Duolingo's Indonesian course is free, and many libraries give free access to Mango. The BIPA Daring site from Indonesia's Language Agency has free materials, videos, and audio. Bubblegum's lesson library is free to read too.
Is Bubblegum free?
Yes. You can read the free lesson library and ask Poppy for one new custom lesson each day on iPhone and Android. Become a Bubblegum Pro for unlimited custom lessons and to support our team.
Sources
- The 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia, Article 36
- Indonesian language (speaker estimates from Ethnologue)
- Bubblegum
- Duolingo
- Memrise
- LingoDeer
- Ling
- Mango Languages
- Pimsleur
- Drops
- uTalk
- Clozemaster
- LingQ
- italki
- Preply
- HelloTalk
- Tandem
Checked on October 4, 2026 against each app's own pages.
