How to pronounce Indonesian
Say it like in-doh-NEE-zhun. Indonesian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NEE).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce Indonesian. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- in
- doh
- NEE
- zhun
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Indonesian pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- inGive this part a little weight. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- dohKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "o" in go.
- NEESay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- zhunKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of Indonesian
American and British speakers say Indonesian in essentially the same way: /ˌɪndoʊˈniʒən/ in the US and /ˌɪndəˈniːʒən/ in the UK.
British respelling: in-duh-NEE-zhun.
What does Indonesian mean?
- a native or inhabitant of Indonesia
- the dialect of Malay used as the national language of the Republic of Indonesia or of Malaysia
- of or relating to or characteristic of Indonesia or its people or languages
Words that rhyme with Indonesian
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of Indonesian.
Questions about saying Indonesian
How do you pronounce Indonesian?
Say in-doh-NEE-zhun. The American pronunciation is /ˌɪndoʊˈniʒən/. In British English it is /ˌɪndəˈniːʒən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in Indonesian?
Indonesian has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the third one (NEE). Broken into parts: in · doh · NEE · zhun.
Do Americans and Brits say Indonesian the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˌɪndoʊˈniʒən/ and the British form is /ˌɪndəˈniːʒən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.