Learn Javanese
Learn Javanese fast with an app that gets you speaking in minutes. Build the confidence to chat with family, friends and people you meet across Java, the most populous island in Indonesia.
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Learn to speak Javanese like a local
Many people want to learn modern Javanese, also known as basa Jawa or bahasa Jawa, to connect with Javanese family, support work across Java or explore a historic language with a rich cultural tradition. Javanese is a major language of Indonesia, but finding engaging resources that focus on real spoken Javanese can be difficult.
uTalk is the solution. We’ll help you avoid:
- Confusing Javanese with Indonesian or Malay
- Relying on written resources that don’t help you learn how Javanese actually sounds
- Losing confidence because you have no way of assessing your Javanaese pronunciation
Learn Javanese online today and start joining in with everyday conversations.
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Three steps to learn Javanese fast
No classes to schedule. No confusing jargon. Just a clear path to learning Javanese.
Start in minutes
Subscribe now, download the app or open the web app. Choose Javanese and select your first category.
Get StartedPractise real phrases
Work through short lessons with native-speaker audio and memory-boosting games. Reviews focus on the words you find hardest, so you learn faster.
Speak like a local
Try your Javanese in real life. Beginners and more experienced learners can build practical spoken language and start enjoying real conversations across Java.
Why uTalk is the best Javanese learning app
uTalk helps you learn how to speak and recognise a wide variety of Javanese words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
Speak first
Practical content covering greetings, family, travel and everyday life. Everything you need to start speaking from day one.
Authentic speakers
Learn from real Javanese speakers, not computer voices. Hear the language exactly as it's spoken across Java and Bali.
Beginner friendly, fun and effective
Game-like practice builds your confidence and helps you explore the language at your own pace. Lessons are short, focused and based on real-life situations.
Learn Javanese online — Common phrases and audio
uTalk helps you learn how to speak and recognise key words and phrases. It's app-based, online and ready when you are.
Tulung kula didamelke kopi.
I’d like a coffee, please.
Halo.
Hello.
Inggih.
Yes.
Nggih matur nuwun.
Yes please.
Sampun.
No.
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Sampun.
No thanks.
Tulung.
Please.
Maturnuwun.
Thank you.
Maturnuwun sanget.
Thank you very much.
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Sami-sami.
You’re welcome.
Bir kalih gelas.
Two beers, please.
bis
bus
mobil
car
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taksi
taxi
sepur
train
stasiun sepur
railway station
lapangan terbang
airport
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hotel
hotel
paspor
passport
tilpun
telephone
Nuwun sewu.
Excuse me.
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Samenika jam pinten?
What time is it?
Saged dipunambali malih?
Can you repeat that please?
Kados pundi?
Please speak more slowly.
Kula boten ngertos.
I don’t understand.
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Nyuwun pangapunten.
Sorry.
Pakiwanipun sisih pundi?
Where are the toilets?
Pakiwanipun Tiyang Setri
Ladies’ Toilet
Pakiwanipun Tiyang Kakung
Gents’ Toilet
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Pantenepun wonten pundi?
Where is the beach?
Bankipun teng pundi?
Where is the bank?
Reginipun pinten?
How much does this cost?
kertu kredit
credit card
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ATM
cash machine
Sugeng tindak.
Goodbye.
parasetamol
paracetamol
kunci
keys
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peta
map
kiwa
left
tengen
right
siji
one
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loro
two
telu
three
Where is it spoken?
Indonesia
Number of speakers
98,000,000
Language family
Austronesian
Malayo-Polynesian
Javanese
Fun facts | Javanese
- Different words are used when speaking to older and younger people, and between people of different status. For example, 'to eat' can be 'mangan', 'nedha', 'nedhi' or 'dhahar' depending who is speaking to whom.
- A common way to scold someone in Javanese is to call him a 'bedhes' or 'monkey'!
- Javanese is the only Indonesian language spoken by a large number of people in a South American country. It is spoken by several thousand people in Suriname, next to Northern Brazil.
How our Javanese lessons work
Learning the Javanese language should feel manageable from the start. Begin with greetings and high-frequency words, then move into practical categories covering family and everyday phrases. All the translations and audio recordings were created by native Javanese speakers, so you can learn how the language is naturally spoken. Memory-boosting tests reinforce what you learn, and reviews adapt to focus on the words you find trickiest.
Pick a category and the app organises the content so you get quick wins early on. Start with greetings and high frequency words before moving on to family, food and essential phrases. You'll be practising and improving your pronunciation right from the start. You can even slow down the native speaker audio to help you focus on the finer details of their pronunciation. Work at your own pace, switch categories any time, learn online or offline, on mobile or desktop. If you have questions, contact support.
Javanese vs. Indonesian
Javanese and Indonesian are two of Indonesia's most widely spoken languages, but how closely related are they?
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Key points
- Javanese and Indonesian are distinct Austronesian languages that are not mutually intelligible, although they share some vocabulary.
- Javanese is a regional first language spoken mainly in Java, while Indonesian is the official national language used in education, government and public life.
- Many Javanese speakers are bilingual in both languages.
- In uTalk, Javanese is taught as its own language, separate from Indonesian, so you can focus on the version actually spoken across Java.
Javanese and its regional neighbours
- Javanese is widely spoken across Java, particularly at home and in informal settings.
- Many Javanese speakers also speak Indonesian, the national language, which is used in education, work and government.
- Indonesian is a standardised variety of Malay, a language spoken widely across Southeast Asia.
- Whether you have connections elsewhere in the region or simply want to explore further, uTalk also offers Indonesian and Malay.
“We help make learning Javanese easy.”
“We understand it can feel frustrating to search for Javanese resources and find only material teaching Indonesian instead. At uTalk, we believe every language matters, which is why we recorded native Javanese speakers, so you can learn the language exactly as it's spoken at home.”
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Richard Howeson
uTalk Founder
Why learners trust uTalk for Javanese
At uTalk, we are passionate about supporting languages that other apps often overlook. Our Javanese content is recorded by native speakers, so every lesson gives you audio you can trust. The app works for English speakers and for speakers of more than 140 other languages. Check our reviews and see how learners are turning daily practice into real progress.
Your Javanese language learning journey
Maybe you want to connect with Javanese-speaking family, support work across Java, or explore the most widely spoken regional language in Indonesian. Finding lessons that treat Javanese as a language in its own right, rather than as a version of Indonesian, can be hard.
Get StarteduTalk can help. Take your first proper look at Javanese with First Words like 'reginipun pinten?' (‘how much does this cost?’) and everyday greetings, then build everyday phrases you can use in real situations. You'll listen to native Javanese speakers, record yourself copying them and compare the two. Game-like practice makes it fun for beginners, while practical content helps more experienced learners fill gaps in their knowledge. Learn online or offline, follow a guided path or choose for yourself what to work on and when.
The outcome is simple. You'll speak Javanese with confidence and understand more of what people say around you. You'll use your new skills with family, friends and new connections across Java. uTalk fits your life.
Learn real-life categories in Javanese
Explore the Malayo-Polynesian language family
Javanese belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian branch of the Austronesian language family, a vast network stretching from Southeast Asia to the Pacific. If you're curious to compare words, sounds or everyday phrases across the family, check out: Fijian, Hawaiian, Ilocano, Malagasy, Malay, Maori, Cebuano (Bisaya) and Samoan.
These languages share deep historical roots, so learning Javanese can give you a useful head start exploring the wider Austronesian family.
Get StartedYour Javanese questions, answered
Do you offer live online classes or is it just an app?
uTalk is an app and online language learning software. Lessons are digital, short and practical. If you want a tutor, the app still helps you prepare for class and review between sessions.
Can I start as a beginner?
Yes. The course begins with basic greetings and everyday words and phrases and takes you to an A1–A2 level on the CEFR scale. Some of our topics even cover material you’d learn as you grow your skills to B1 or B2.
What application languages do you support? Can I learn without English?
Yes. uTalk works for speakers of more than 140 languages. Choose the one that suits you in Settings.
How is content selected and ordered?
Topics are based on real-life situations. You can select any category and the app suggests a smart learning order for beginners. You can change it at any time.
How does uTalk compare with YouTube lessons?
YouTube can be useful, but it’s hard to check pronunciation or get structured reviews. uTalk gives you native speaker audio, games that test tricky words more often and a clear path from basic to practical use.
Is Javanese the same as Indonesian?
No. Javanese and Indonesian are different languages, even though many Javanese speakers also speak Indonesian. Javanese has its own grammar, vocabulary and ways of expressing respect depending on the context and who you're speaking to.
Is Javanese related to Japanese?
No, despite the similar-sounding names. Javanese is an Austronesian language from Indonesia, while Japanese belongs to a completely separate language family. The two have no meaningful linguistic relationship.
How fast can I learn to speak Javanese?
Short, regular sessions work best. Many learners can start handling simple conversations after a few weeks of steady practice. Your progress depends on how often you use the app and how much you review.
Can I learn Javanese for free with uTalk?
Yes. Getting started with uTalk is easy, and you can cancel whenever you want. We want you to love uTalk, so we even offer a 28-Day Money Back Guarantee if you are not satisfied.
Where can I learn Javanese with uTalk?
We’re available on iOS, Android, web, Mac and PC. Get started now and you’ll be directed to download uTalk for your device.
Topics
- First Words
- Transport
- Restaurant
- Food and Drink
- Cooking
- Places
- Directions
- Illness
- Doctor
- Body
- Emergencies
- Social Phrases
- Leisure
- Likes and Dislikes
- Football Match Abroad
- Football Commentary
- Sports
- Shopping Words
- Fruit
- Vegetables
- Clothes
- Ingredients
- Home
- Bathroom
- Kitchen
- Tools
- Family
- Occupations
- Animals
- Animals' Bodies
- Farming
- Technology
- School
- Business
- Numbers up to Twenty
- Numbers up to Ten Million
- Essential Phrases
- Adjectives
- Prepositions
- Colours
- Countries
- Calendar
- Time
- Timetable
- Outdoors
- Holiday
- Skiing
- Camping
- Golf
- Sailing
- Driving
- Olympics
- Summer Olympics
- Winter Olympics
- Military Commands
- Military Peace Keeping
- Military Intelligence
- Accommodation
- Shopping Phrases
- Travelling
- Free Starter Words
- Disaster Relief - Volunteers
- Natural Disasters
Get by with basic greetings, words and phrases including 'hello', 'thank you' and 'I'd like a coffee please'.