Many language experts recommend immersion as the fastest way to become fluent in Dutch; move to the Netherlands, live with a host family and have every interaction in Dutch.
The Foreign Language Institute recommends a total of 24-30 weeks or 600-750 hours of Dutch language learning to reach fluency. Tobian Language School personally recommends 20 – 30 lessons for A2 level with a minimum of 2 weekly lessons.
The US Department of State classifies Dutch as an easy language for English speakers to learn. This is because the languages share similarities. But while it might be similar, there are some aspects that many English speakers struggle with when they learn Dutch, such as pronunciation and sentence structures.
C1 – Speaking
You can express yourself fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. You can use language flexibly and effectively for social and professional purposes. You can formulate ideas and opinions with precision and relate your contribution skillfully to those of other speakers.
Can you learn Dutch with Duolingo? Yes, there is a Dutch course available on Duolingo. The Duolingo app is a good way to learn the basics of Dutch, but you'll never become conversational or fluent by using Duolingo.
Learn to speak Dutch in just three months with this practical and comprehensive self-study language course. Whether you're a complete beginner or wanting to refresh your knowledge, Hugo: Dutch in Three Months will have you speaking Dutch fluently in just 12 weeks.
If you want to say hi in Dutch, you would simply say “hoi”. The more formal hello is “hallo”. Regional varieties of “hi” include “heuj”, “alo” and “huijj” but sticking to “hoi” or “hallo” is generally all you need.
You can definitely learn to speak great Dutch by yourself. However, if you've never done it before then you'll also be learning how to teach yourself at the same time! Get exposure to the language, listen, read about grammar, ask for feedback and practise as much as you can!
One of the first things that you may find difficult is the specific order of a sentence. If the order of a sentence does not make sense to you, then, of course, you will not get anywhere. Dutch people love saying that the Dutch language does not have any rules.
Dutch grammar is easier than German
One of the biggest differences between Dutch and German is in the definite articles. In German there are three, whereas Dutch has two.
Tricky Pronunciation. Many new learners find Dutch hard to pronounce. Even the most fluent foreign Dutch-speakers struggle with this, as the language has the weirdest combinations of letters. For example, there are consonant combinations like: nk, sch, ng, and nk.
Learning Dutch opens a new world
You'll do fine in English here, but all Dutch conversations will pass you by; a whole new world opens when you understand and speak a bit of Dutch. People will appreciate your effort, and making friends and contacts will be far easier.
Level B2: Flexible language use
At the B2 level, you learn lots of new words that will help you express yourself, like synonyms or words you've known for a while and use frequently, such as “leuk”, “goed”, “lekker” and “lief”. With your new vocabulary, you can now describe someone beyond simply: “hij is aardig”.
Do I Need to Learn Dutch Before Moving? The Dutch language requirement is not technically obligatory, as many companies and businesses in the Netherlands offer opportunities for English-speaking expats.
When you're sorry and you mean it, you would use a form of the verb “to be sorry,” or spitjen. To say “I'm sorry,” you would conjugate this as het spijt me. Here's how that sounds in a sentence: Sorry, het spijt me.
Flirting in the Netherlands
Dutch guys are known for being pretty direct and not shy of going Dutch. Be warned, you may have to open the doors yourself, ask or fish for compliments and pay for your own dinner. The good thing is, you know sooner when a guy is really honestly interested instead of just being romantic.
Mokum, without Aleph, is still commonly used as a nickname in the Netherlands for the city of Amsterdam. The nickname was first considered to be bargoens, a form of Dutch slang, but in the 20th century it lost its negative sound and is now used by Amsterdammers as a nickname for their city in a sentimental context.
The common greeting in the Netherlands is a handshake along with a nod of the head. This form of address is usually short. Among friends and family, it is common to greet one another by kissing on alternating cheeks three times.
B1 is often seen as the hard one. You think you're familiar with Dutch and now it turns out that there is much more to the language: the past tense, the future tense, the passive, idioms, formal language, irregularities and the dreaded "er".
English students frequently say to me that Dutch is the easiest language to learn. It makes sense because Dutch is part of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of languages, just like English. And if you compare it to another language of that family, German, it's much easier.
It's also the official language of several countries, including Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Both Dutch and German have their challenges, but Dutch is generally considered easier to learn than German. However, your decision should ultimately be based on your goals and interests.