How to learn Dutch?

First of all: why would you learn Dutch?

Dutch is spoken by over 24 million people globally, primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium. This means that roughly 5-6% of the population of the European Union speaks Dutch. If you know that with the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp 2 out of the 3 biggest EU ports are located in in the Benelux, the question should be: why would you not learn Dutch?

Ok, ok, but is Dutch not super hard to learn?

Dutch is not harder than any other language to learn, but it has of course some particular difficulties.

• Pronunciation: Dutch features unique guttural sounds and compound words. It also has a lot of combinend sounds, such as the ones listed below:
  • "ij" / "ei" 
  • "ou" / "au" 
  • "eu" 
  • "ui"
  • "oe"
  • "ie"
• Accents and dialects: Dutch has 17+ dialects spread over 2 countries. Each dialect has other words, accents, etc... That is some good fun, as even native speakers do not always understand each other! You need a teacher who knows the particular dialect of the region where you live if you want to fully integrate. Just for fun, here we list you all the versions of the word potato or "aardappel" in Dutch:
  • Aardappel – Standard Dutch
  • Patat – Used in the Randstad (e.g., Amsterdam, The Hague)
  • Pieper – Common in Gelderland, Overijssel, and parts of the North
  • Kriel – Used in West Flanders and refers to small potatoes
  • Erdappel – Limburgish and some southern dialects (influenced by German Erdapfel)
  • Bolster – Brabant and parts of Zeeland
  • Knol – Older Dutch word, still used in some areas
  • Tuffel – Dialects in Groningen and Drenthe (similar to German Kartoffel)
  • Poeper – Some dialects in Friesland
  • Platte – Used in some parts of West Flanders
• Grammar: Luckily, grammar is not that complex. Adjectives and verb conjugations are relatively less complicated then for example German or Spanish. Other aspects could then be a bit harder to master, like the word order, articles and knowing when to use de or het, and the use of "Er".
• Word order: This is a fun one, and it can get a bit complicated for foreigners. The word order differs from most languages, while being the most similar to German.
• Vocabulary: Just like German, the Dutch like combining words and making long words. Like for example: Tafeltennistafelverhuurbedrijf which is mainly just a combination of words, but you will need to master this ;). Luckily, Dutch shares a lot of words with English and German and even with Latin languages. If you master any of those, you have a good starting advantage.

Are there any Dutch certificates?

Yes there are! The Nederlandse Taalunie is responsible for the diffusion of Dutch, and also the NT2 exam and CNaVT (Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal) in Belgium provide guidelines on what grammar and vocabulary to study on what level.

We structured those guidelines in our learning materials and during your conversation classes with any of our teachers, you study exactly what you should know for the preparation of any of those exams, in accordance with the cross-country guidelines of the Nederlandse Taalunie.

Can you provide me with some survival phrases in Dutch?

Yes, use these phrases to contact a personal teacher:

• Goedemorgen: Good morning
• Alstublieft: Please
• Dank je: Thank you
• Sorry: Sorry
• Hoeveel kost het? How much does it cost?
• Ik spreek geen Nederlands: I don’t speak Dutch
• Kunt u het herhalen alstublieft?: Could you repeat please?
• Ik wil les elke maandag: I want to have classes every Monday.
• Ik heb een flexibel lesrooster: I have a flexible class schedule.

What is the best method to learn Dutch?

There are several ways to practise Dutch.

Platforms to find a teacher

There are several matching platforms to find a teacher. The advantage is full flexibility, while the course structure and learning outcomes might be unclear.

Local schools

Local schools might be a good option of you are flexible and can commit to a fixed time schedule. 

Distance courses

Distance courses traditionally send you course materials which you can practise with a remote teacher. You can email or text message your teacher while he or she will provide you with corrections.

Learning apps

While learning apps are a great way to pass your time while sitting on the bus, generally they only serve to practise and do not replace a solid course structure.

Why Choose coLanguage for Dutch?

We combine the best of all methods.

• Expert Teachers: Verified professionals with years of teaching experience, to practise conversation.
• Structured learning materials: Our materials are available to all students of our conversation classes and are structured according to NT2 guidelines. They are more complete then most learning apps and distance learning courses.
• Flexible Scheduling: Choose between group or individual classes and schedule classes whenever you want.

Start Learning Dutch Today

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