[With Audio] Key Points of Indonesian Pronunciation Explained! Introducing the Latest Recommended Free Learning Methods

Jan. 26, 2026

[With Audio] Key Points of Indonesian Pronunciation Explained! Introducing the Latest Recommended Free Learning Methods


How should I study Indonesian pronunciation?
cat

Have you ever felt lost while studying Indonesian, wondering "How should I practice my pronunciation?"

  • Even when reading textbooks, I can't understand the correct pronunciation from text alone...
  • I don't know any native speakers, and I don't have time to attend a language school...

Many people likely share these concerns.

But don't worry!

By reading this article, you will immediately understand the key points of Indonesian pronunciation!

Since you can also listen to the pronunciation of the Indonesian alphabet and words, why not use this article as a reference for your studies when you want to know how Indonesian sounds?

[Free] Recommended AI Reading Site for Learning Indonesian Pronunciation

Ondoku

Are you having trouble learning Indonesian pronunciation?

In that case, Ondoku is recommended!

Ondoku is an AI service that can synthesize speech for free from Indonesian text.

Since it can be used directly from the website, there is no need to install an app, and you can use it easily right away.

With Ondoku, you can have Indonesian text read aloud with native pronunciation!

You can learn subtle pronunciation differences that are hard to grasp through text alone by listening to the actual pronunciation.

What's more, Ondoku is free!

You can read up to 5,000 characters for free, so why not try using Ondoku to help with your Indonesian pronunciation studies?

[Audio Included] Explaining Indonesian Alphabet Pronunciation!

dog
I want to know the key points of Indonesian pronunciation!

When learning Indonesian pronunciation, the most important thing is memorizing the correct sounds.

Indonesian pronunciation is said to be relatively easy for Japanese speakers to acquire.

However, once you actually start studying, you may find it difficult because there are sounds that don't exist in Japanese or the relationship between letters and pronunciation is complex.

In such cases, it is recommended to actually listen to the Indonesian pronunciation.

First, let's introduce the pronunciation of the Indonesian alphabet using audio created with Ondoku.

Alphabet Audio Pronunciation Point
A Similar to Japanese "a". Open mouth vertically.
B Japanese "ba" row.
C "Cha" row sound (detailed later).
D Japanese "da" row.
E Has two types of pronunciation (detailed later).
F Pronounced with lower lip and upper teeth.
G Always pronounced as a voiced sound.
H Japanese "ha" row.
I Similar to Japanese "i".
J Japanese "ja" row (detailed later).
K Japanese "ka" row.
L Place the tip of the tongue against the upper gums.
M Japanese "ma" row.
N Japanese "na" row.
O Pronounce with rounded lips.
P Japanese "pa" row.
Q Used only in loanwords.
R Pronounced with a trilled tongue.
S Japanese "sa" row.
T Japanese "ta" row.
U Pronounce with protruding lips.
V Same pronunciation as F (detailed later).
W Japanese "wa" row.
X Used only in loanwords.
Y Japanese "ya" row.
Z Japanese "za" row.

Indonesian Vowels: The Key is the Two Types of "e"! Check Pronunciation with Audio

The key is the pronunciation of e

Next, let's introduce the pronunciation points in Indonesian that you should definitely remember!

The first hurdle in learning Indonesian is the pronunciation of "e".

In fact, the Indonesian "e" has two pronunciation patterns.

1. Clear "e" (é)

This is almost the same sound as the Japanese "e".

2. Vague "e" (ə)

This is the difficult point.

It is a sound that does not exist in Japanese and is called the "pepet".

The trick to pronunciation is "releasing tension".

The key is to leave your mouth half-open and emit a neutral sound that sounds like neither "u" nor "e" when you lightly exhale.

Listening to the actual sound is the best way to learn the pronunciation!

Let's use Ondoku to compare words that actually use these two types of "e".

Examples of Words Using the Vowel "é"

Word Audio Meaning
bela to protect, to defend
pesta party

Examples of Words Using the Vowel "e" (Pepet)

Word Audio Meaning
semua all
kemarin yesterday

What are the Key Points of Indonesian Diphthongs (ai, au, oi)? Check with Audio

Indonesian has three diphthongs: "ai", "au", and "oi".

The trick to pronunciation is not to cut corners midway!

In Japanese, "ai" can often become vague, but in Indonesian, you must clearly pronounce both vowels until the very end.

Let's actually compare the audio created with Ondoku.

Examples of Words Using the Diphthong "ai"

Word Audio Meaning
ramai crowded, lively
damai peaceful

Examples of Words Using the Diphthong "au"

Word Audio Meaning
atau or
pisau knife

Examples of Words Using the Diphthong "oi"

Word Audio Meaning
toilet toilet
boikot boycott

Which Indonesian Consonants Require Special Attention?

Which Indonesian consonants require special attention?

Next, we will explain the pronunciations that Japanese speakers should be particularly careful about when learning Indonesian.

Note that the Indonesian Consonants "c" and "j" Differ from English

When learning Indonesian, the consonants that require special attention are "c" and "j".

Do not use the English reading for "c" and "j".

If you read the Indonesian "c" as "s" or "k" like in English, you will not be understood at all.

Let's compare the audio actually created with Ondoku.

Examples of Words Using the Consonant "c"

Word Audio Meaning
cuaca weather
cantik beautiful

Examples of Words Using the Consonant "j"

Word Audio Meaning
juga ...too, also
jadi so, to become

In Indonesian, the Consonants "f" and "v" Have the Same Pronunciation

Another point where Indonesian differs from English is that the consonants "f" and "v" are pronounced the same.

The pronunciation of the consonant "v" is exactly the same as "f", using the lower lip and upper teeth.

However, which consonant ("v" or "f") is used depends on the word, so you need to memorize them one by one.

Examples of Words Using the Consonant "f"

Word Audio Meaning
foto photo
fakta fact

Examples of Words Using the Consonant "v"

Word Audio Meaning
variasi variation
aktivitas activity

The alphabet list, vowels, and consonant audio clips introduced so far were all created using the AI reading service Ondoku.

By utilizing the latest AI services, you can easily create audio files from Indonesian text and use them to study pronunciation and listening.

Why not start learning Indonesian pronunciation with Ondoku?

[Free] Ondoku is Recommended for Learning Indonesian Pronunciation!

Learning Indonesian is so difficult!
cat

For someone like you, Ondoku is highly recommended!

Ondoku

Ondoku is an AI service that can read Indonesian text aloud with native pronunciation.

  • Check the pronunciation of Indonesian words with audio
  • Create Indonesian listening and shadowing materials

You can use it for a wide range of Indonesian language learning activities.

What's more, Ondoku is free!

You can read up to 5,000 characters for free, so why not try using Ondoku to start your Indonesian pronunciation studies?

[Free] Explaining Recommended Methods for Learning Indonesian Pronunciation!

dog
I want to know the recommended methods for learning Indonesian!

If you want to learn Indonesian pronunciation, shadowing is recommended!

Using the latest AI speech synthesis services, you can easily start shadowing.

Why is Shadowing Recommended for Learning Indonesian?

Why is shadowing recommended for learning Indonesian?

Shadowing is a practice method where you pronounce the same content while following along with the audio.

It is called shadowing because you follow the audio like a shadow.

The key to shadowing practice is using high-quality audio materials.

By using an AI speech synthesis service, you can freely generate audio for the phrases and sentences you want to learn and use them for your studies.

The latest AI services also allow you to adjust the playback speed, so even beginners can start shadowing practice without overextending themselves.

[Free] How to Create Indonesian Shadowing Audio with Ondoku

Now, let's explain the process of shadowing using the AI reading service Ondoku!

First, open the Ondoku site.

Ondoku

Paste the Indonesian text onto the top page.

Paste Indonesian text

Select "Indonesia (Indonesia)" from the language options.

Select language

Choose the type of voice to be used for the reading, such as female or male.

Choose voice type

You can listen to samples of Ondoku's Indonesian voices in this article, so please take a look!

With Ondoku, you can also adjust the reading speed and voice pitch.

Speed and pitch settings

It's recommended to try synthesizing the speech with the default settings first, and if it's too fast, lower the reading speed and generate it again.

Now you're ready.

Ready

Press "Read aloud" to synthesize the speech.

Speech synthesis will be completed in just a few seconds.

The screen will change, and the audio will play.

Reading complete

You can start your shadowing practice right away.

Also, by pressing "Download," you can download the MP3 file to your smartphone or PC.

You can play the MP3 file on an audio player app to make your shadowing practice even more convenient.

Let's Practice Pronunciation with Shadowing!

Now your materials are ready!

Let's actually start practicing your pronunciation with shadowing!

At first, while listening to the audio generated by Ondoku, look at the text displayed on the screen and pronounce it together.

Once you get used to it, hide the text and practice with just the audio.

If the audio is too fast, simply lower the reading speed in Ondoku and generate the audio again.

For more details about shadowing, please see this article.

When starting shadowing, it's recommended to begin with things you feel you can handle, such as short phrases or text from a textbook.

Shadowing is ideal for getting correct Indonesian pronunciation into your system.

Why not try using the AI reading service Ondoku for free and start shadowing?

Why Not Enjoy Learning Indonesian Pronunciation More?

In this article, we introduced key points to watch out for and learning methods for Indonesian pronunciation!

The key to learning Indonesian is to continue while having fun.

For practicing Indonesian pronunciation, listening, and shadowing, it is recommended to create materials using an AI reading service.

By using your favorite texts, you can enjoy learning Indonesian even more.

Why not use Ondoku to help you learn Indonesian pronunciation?

■ AI voice synthesis software "Ondoku"

"Ondoku" is an online text-to-speech tool that can be used with no initial costs.

  • Supports approximately 50 languages, including Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, French, and German
  • Available from both PC and smartphone
  • Suitable for business, education, entertainment, etc.
  • No installation required, can be used immediately from your browser
  • Supports reading from images

To use it, simply enter text or upload a file on the site. A natural-sounding audio file will be generated within seconds. You can use voice synthesis up to 5,000 characters for free, so please give it a try.

Text-to-speech software "Ondoku" can read out 5000 characters every month with AI voice for free. You can easily download MP3s and commercial use is also possible. If you sign up for free, you can convert up to 5,000 characters per month for free from text to speech. Try Ondoku now.
HP: ondoku3.com
Email: ondoku3.com@gmail.com
Related posts

"Ondoku" is a Text-to-Speech service that anyone can use for free without installation. If you register for free, you can get up to 5000 characters for free each month. Register now for free