Indonesian Reading Practice: Intermediate
This page gives you two short, original Indonesian texts at intermediate level, each with the new words glossed and comprehension questions. Read first for the gist, then again slowly, checking the word list only when a sentence will not click.
Level: Intermediate. At this level the texts tell real stories with reasons and opinions, and the verbs carry prefixes like me- and ber-. Below are two original passages for intermediate learners, with the harder words explained and questions to check what you understood.
By the end of this page you can…
…read two intermediate Indonesian texts with prefixed verbs and connectors, work out new words from context, and answer comprehension questions.
How to use this page
- Read once for the gist. Do not stop at every word. What happens, and how does the person feel about it?
- Read again, slowly. Follow the connectors (karena, meskipun, tetapi) to see how ideas link.
- Check the word list under each text — only for words you could not guess.
- Read it aloud once, or play the audio sentences, so you hear the rhythm too.
- Answer the questions at the bottom without looking back, then check.
Reading 1: Pekerjaan baru di Bandung
Tiga bulan yang lalu, Rina pindah ke Bandung untuk pekerjaan baru. Pada awalnya dia tidak mengenal siapa pun dan merasa kesepian. Meskipun bahasa Indonesianya sudah cukup baik, dia takut membuat kesalahan saat berbicara dengan pelanggan.
Seorang rekan kerja bernama Dewi membantunya. Dewi menunjukkan tempat makan yang enak dan mengajaknya makan malam. “Kalau kamu butuh sesuatu, hubungi saya saja,” kata Dewi.
Lama-lama semuanya menjadi lebih mudah. Rina mengikuti kursus memasak dan berkenalan dengan orang-orang baru. Sekarang dia berkata, “Saya tidak menyesal pindah ke sini. Awalnya sulit, tetapi sekarang saya merasa seperti di rumah.” Tahun depan dia ingin menyewa rumah yang lebih besar karena adiknya akan datang berkunjung.
New words (Reading 1)
| Word | Meaning | Example from the text |
|---|---|---|
| pindah | to move, relocate | Rina pindah ke Bandung. |
| mengenal | to know (a person) | Dia tidak mengenal siapa pun. |
| meskipun | although | Meskipun bahasanya sudah baik… |
| rekan kerja | colleague | Seorang rekan kerja bernama Dewi. |
| menunjukkan | to show | Dewi menunjukkan tempat makan. |
| menyesal | to regret | Saya tidak menyesal pindah. |
| menyewa | to rent | …ingin menyewa rumah yang lebih besar. |
Reading 2: Pesan tentang akhir pekan
Halo Andi,
aku harus bercerita tentang akhir pekanku! Hari Sabtu aku mau pergi ke Yogyakarta naik kereta, tetapi keretanya terlambat dua jam. Awalnya aku kesal sekali karena aku ingin bertemu temanku di stasiun.
Untungnya dia menunggu. Meskipun waktu kami lebih sedikit, kami tetap melihat banyak hal. Kami berjalan-jalan di kota tua dan makan gudeg yang sangat enak. Kalau cuacanya lebih baik, kami pasti jalan-jalan ke taman juga.
Hari Minggu aku pulang pagi-pagi karena hari Senin aku harus bekerja. Lain kali aku akan naik kereta langsung saja. Kamu mau ikut tidak? Kita bisa merencanakan akhir pekan bersama.
Salam, Maya
New words (Reading 2)
| Word | Meaning | Example from the text |
|---|---|---|
| akhir pekan | weekend | …bercerita tentang akhir pekanku. |
| terlambat | late | Keretanya terlambat dua jam. |
| kesal | annoyed | Awalnya aku kesal sekali. |
| menunggu | to wait | Untungnya dia menunggu. |
| berjalan-jalan | to stroll around | Kami berjalan-jalan di kota tua. |
| gudeg | a Yogyakarta jackfruit dish | …makan gudeg yang sangat enak. |
| lain kali | next time | Lain kali aku naik kereta langsung. |
How to say it
Indonesian is read as written, with even vowels:
- ng / ngg: menunggu ≈ “muh-NUNG-gu” — the ngg is “ng” then a hard “g”.
- ny: menyesal ≈ “muh-NYUH-sal” — ny like the “ny” in “canyon”.
- e is often a short “uh” (schwa): kereta ≈ “k’-REH-ta”, pekan ≈ “PUH-kan”.
- Stress is light, usually on the second-to-last syllable: pelanggan ≈ “puh-LANG-gan”.
Example sentences
Listen to key sentences from the texts, then read them aloud.
- Tiga bulan yang lalu, Rina pindah ke Bandung.Three months ago, Rina moved to Bandung.time phrase marks the past
- Pada awalnya dia tidak mengenal siapa pun.At first she did not know anyone.
- Meskipun bahasanya sudah baik, dia takut membuat kesalahan.Although her language was already good, she was afraid of making mistakes.
- Dewi menunjukkan tempat makan yang enak.Dewi showed her good places to eat.root: tunjuk
- Saya tidak menyesal pindah ke sini.I do not regret moving here.
- Keretanya terlambat dua jam.The train was two hours late.
- Meskipun waktu kami lebih sedikit, kami tetap melihat banyak hal.Although we had less time, we still saw a lot.
- Kami berjalan-jalan di kota tua.We strolled around the old town.root: jalan
- Kita bisa merencanakan akhir pekan bersama.We can plan a weekend together.
Quick recap before you answer the questions.
Comprehension practice
Reading comprehension practice
Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.
Hint: root: bantu
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membantu — Dewi membantunya — a colleague helped her.
Hint: a Yogyakarta jackfruit dish
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gudeg — They ate very good gudeg.
5 Match each connector to its meaning.
- karena
- meskipun
- tetapi
- sehingga
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- karena → because
- meskipun → although
- tetapi → but
- sehingga → so that
These connectors carry the logic of an intermediate text.
6 Put Rina's story in order.
Show answer
pindah ke Bandung berkenalan dengan rekan kerja mengikuti kursus memasak tidak menyesal — Move, meet a colleague, take a course, feel no regret.
Quiz
Intermediate Indonesian reading quiz
8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.
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tiga bulan — She moved to Bandung three months ago.
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seorang rekan kerja bernama Dewi — A colleague called Dewi helped her a lot.
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menyewa rumah yang lebih besar — She wants to rent a bigger house because her sibling will visit.
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Keretanya terlambat — The train was two hours late while she wanted to meet her friend.
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although — meskipun = although.
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to stroll around — berjalan-jalan (root jalan) = to stroll / go around.
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membaca sekali untuk idenya — Read for the gist first; look up only blocking words.
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dengan kata seperti 'kemarin' dan 'besok' — Time words, not verb forms, show when something happens.
Next
- Build the grammar: Indonesian question words
- Easier first: Indonesian Reading Practice: Elementary
- New here? Start with Start Learning Indonesian Here
All Indonesian practice topics
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Practice
Beginner 1 topics · 1 ready
Elementary 2 topics · 2 ready
Intermediate 5 topics · 2 ready
- 04 Shadowing to Improve Indonesian Speaking
- 05 Indonesian Reading Practice: Intermediate You are here
- 06 How to Practise Indonesian Writing Coming soon
- 07 Indonesian me- Verb Practice Coming soon
- 08 Indonesian di-/ter- Passive Practice Coming soon