Bintang Bahasa logo Bob Saja is a simple dialogue introducing you to Indonesian, or Bahasa Indonesia. Phrases are repeated in a natural manner to help students learn naturally and intuitively. If you'd like more information, more sample stories and the audio, or you want a teacher, simply send us an email.

Bob Saja (Just Bob) (Play with new pop-out player that stays in view as you scroll down reading the dialogue.)


Listen to the audio while you read the story.
Andy (and you) meet Bob at Bintang Bahasa:
(notice that definitions are provided for every new word, and try holding your mouse over the words in the dialogue.)

Welcome to Bintang Bahasa.  B:  Selamat datang di Bintang Bahasa. selamat datang: welcome
To where?  u:  Di mana? di: at
To Bintang Bahasa.  B:  Di Bintang Bahasa. mana: where
Where's that?  u:  Di mana itu? ke: to
Here.  B:  Di sini. itu: that
Bintang Bahasa is here.    Bintang Bahasa (ada) di sini. sini: here
This is Bintang Bahasa.    Ini Bintang Bahasa. ini: this
Oh, yeah?  u:  Oh, iya? iya: yes, yeah
Yes! This is Bintang Bahasa!  B:  Iya! Ini Bintang Bahasa! 
…uhh… Who are you?  u:  …uhh… Kamu siapa? kamu: you
Me? I'm Bob.  B:  Saya? Saya Bob. siapa: who
Bob?  u:  Bob? saya: I, me, my
Yes, Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob. 
Bob who?  u:  Bob siapa? 
Just Bob.  B:  Bob saja. saja: just, only
Just Bob?  u:  Bob Saja? 
Yes, just Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob saja. oke: ok, okay
Ok, Just Bob.  u:  Oke, Mister Saja… mister: Mr.
No, no. Bob. Just Bob.  B:  Nggak, nggak. Bob. Bob saja. nggak, tidak: no
Yeah, that's what I said, Just Bob.  u:  Iya, saya bilang Mister Saja. bilang: say, said
But my name is just Bob.  B:  Tapi nama saya Bob saja. tapi: but
Just Bob?  u:  Bob Saja? nama: name
Yes, just Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob saja. 
Ok, Just Bob.  u:  Oke, Mister Saja… 
No, no. Bob. Just Bob.  B:  Nggak, nggak. Bob. Bob saja. 
Just Bob?  u:  Bob Saja? 
Yes, just Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob saja. 
Ok, Just.  u:  Oke, Saja. 
No, my name is Bob.  B:  Nggak, nama saya Bob. 
Bob?  u:  Bob? 
Yes, Bob. Just Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob. Bob saja. 
Just Bob?  u:  Bob Saja? 
Yes, just Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob saja. 
Where am I?  u:  Saya di mana? 
At Bintang Bahasa.  B:  Di Bintang Bahasa. 
And… where's Bintang Bahasa?  u:  Dan… Bintang Bahasa di mana? dan: and
Here.  B:  Di sini. 
This is Bintang Bahasa.    Ini Bintang Bahasa. 
And your name is…?  u:  Dan nama kamu…? 
Bob.  B:  Bob. 
Just Bob?  u:  Bob Saja? 
Yeah, just Bob.  B:  Iya, Bob saja. 
And this is Bintang Bahasa?  u:  Dan di sini Bintang Bahasa? 
Correct.  B:  Betul. betul: correct
Ok… I'm at Bintang Bahasa and you're Just Bob.  u:  Oke… saya ada di Bintang Bahasa dan kamu Bob Saja. ada: is, are
   (to be)
Correct.  B:  Betul. 
Where are you from?    Kamu dari mana? dari: from
Me?  u:  Saya? 
Yes, you.  B:  Iya, kamu. 
I'm from Australia.  u:  Saya dari Australia. 
Ahh!! Australia.  B:  Ahh!! Australia. 
What's your name?    Nama kamu siapa? 
My name?  u:  Nama saya? 
Yes, your name. What’s your name?  B:  Iya, nama kamu. Nama kamu siapa? 
My name's Andy.  u:  Nama saya Andy. 
Hi Andy, welcome to Bintang Bahasa.  B:  Hai Andy, selamat datang di Bintang Bahasa. bagus: good
Hi…. Bob?  u:  Hai…. Bob? mari: come (on)
Good!  B:  Bagus! kita: we
Come… let's have a look.    Mari… kita lihat. lihat: look, see

So... that gives you a feeling for how we start learning. The student is quickly introduced to 10-20 words and they're repeated many times but in a natural manner where the idea is 'clear'. For more difficult languages, like Japanese and Russian, we take an even slower pace, but the same method will have your reading the alphabet in no time.

The key is to immediately begin developing a feel for the rhythm of the new language. Get your ear and mouth working first, and you will begin absorbing the grammar naturally, without realizing it, and when you start to study the grammar, you'll be amazed at how much you already 'know' or at least have a sense of.

Try a quick vocabulary check to see what you remembered. Match the correct English word to the Bahasa word.

 siapa
   where  who  I, me, my 		 
 mana
   where  who  I, me, my 		 
 saya
   where  who  I, me, my 		 
 saja
   you, your  here  just 		 
 sini
   you, your  here  just 		 
 kamu
   you, your  here  just 		 

     
(Put your mouse over the Bahasa word to see the answer.)   
If you're interested in reading more about why our methods work so well, please check out our philosophy of learning languages. Otherwise, continue with the story of Bob Saja or try some exercises with this dialogue.

Exercises: (choose the missing word)
di / ke    mana / sini    kamu / saya    siapa / mana   
di, ke, dari    sini, sana, mana   
sini, sana, mana, siapa, apa   

There are many other stories, dialogues and lessons which focus on a basic vocabulary of about 50 words. Progress at your own speed, and when you're ready, move on to some of the other more advanced material... and enjoy!

Return to :   Index of Bahasa Material     Bintang Bahasa home

Vocabulary Exercises:
Notice that the vocabulary exercises, like everything else, is set up to help students progress in very, very small steps. Doing such results in something more like a ramp which you can ride up very quickly versus struggling up giant steps that you can barely reach with your finger tips while standing on your tip-toes.

An immense amount of time is 'wasted' trying to do exercises that are 'too difficult'. You should try and do all the exercises quickly; seconds for each question; allowing your intuitive answer to come out, and to quickly see what you know and what you don't know. Taking a lot of time to get the wrong answer anyway is just that, 'wasted' time.

The next step from the format shown on the left, is to try and give the bahasa word from the given English word. Some students will progress very quickly to this level, others will take longer. It doesn't matter, just go at your own pace.

e.g.  there      Vocabulary practice.

Also try our 10 words a day section.      Go to top of page.