Are you willing to learn Dutch with films and series? Great idea. It will not only help your listening skills, but also improve your vocabulary. Here are some tips to learn with series and films. Also, you can switch on Dutch subtitles on your TV with teletekst (888). But let’s focus on websites you can find Dutch films – with Dutch subtitles -on.
VTM GO: free
Number one is the Flemish commercial broadcaster. You can watch live television on several channels. But if you hit the ‘film’ button, you’ll find many films. Some of them are in Dutch, look for ‘Vlaamse films.’ You’ll also find many series and other programmes to watch. Don’t forget to hit the subtitle button on the right below. And what’s the cost? You’ll only need to make an account. Which is completely for free. There are some ads though. Check out how it looks in the video below.
NPO start: free (+ paid option)
Via the Dutch public broadcaster called NPO, you can watch films even without making an account. Click on the ‘direct naar’ and through on ‘films’ or ‘series.’ There are many films available, even with a category for Dutch speaking films. Click on the settings on the right, below, to turn on the subtitles. Unfortunately, some films are only available in the evening to avoid kids from watching them. There’s a paid option to see more films and avoid ads.
VRT NU: free
Via this link, you’ll get access to the different categories from the Flemish public broadcaster. You’ll only need an account to see the many films and series – plus all the other programmes of the broadcaster. However, it’s a bit hard to find the Dutch films. On a positive note, I couldn’t see any adverts.
Netflix: paid
Netflix is an obvious choice to watch films, both for Dutch films and series and Belgian ones. Especially if you already have a subscription, for which you have to pay. Change the language in the settings in your profile. Even watching English films with Dutch subtitles might help. Also check this app: it will show subtitles in two languages, both in your language and Dutch (or other languages). There’s also a pop-up dictionary.
YouTube: free (+ paid option)
Due to people uploading films without having the necessary rights, YouTube takes down many films. However, there are always a few Dutch films available, as well as some Belgian ones. Same so for series. Subtitles? Sometimes there are, sometimes there aren’t. You can switch on automatic subtitles, but they are of a lesser quality. The paid YouTube library offers many films but isn’t easy to navigate.
