Which websites should you bookmark while learning Dutch? Obviously no websites for absolute beginners, as you’ll quickly improve. The websites below are almost all in Dutch and from Belgium.
Most students know the obvious suspects: Duolingo, Dutchgrammar.org, all the YouTube channels and other popular apps or websites. But which ones haven’t you heard of?
Nedbox: even though it’s completely in Dutch, this little gem offers articles and videos to practice your comprehension skills. Choose a topic, choose a level (the little stars on top), choose to learn Dutch.
NederlandsOefenen: again completely in Dutch, the main point of this website is to put Dutch learners together. Groups a lot of activities like reading classes, language exchanges, group classes per region. Plus some inspiration and other tips.
Wablieft is a lovely initiative to make reading easy. Has a newspaper with easy articles and links to many books for foreigners while indicating the level of the book.
Even though the visual aspect and the navigation are… well, ready for improvement, Dutch with Ambition offers intermediate students many high-quality exercises. Click on the tabs on top, you’ll see options.
ZichtbaarNederlands makes grammar visual and I do refer many times to their explanations. Only one on this list with English version and from the Netherlands.
For experts, Taaladvies answers most of their questions. Only for advanced learners, mostly at C-level.
Since I’ve already published several Dutch courses for beginners, it was time for the next one. If you’ve followed the previous three ones, you’ll know exactly what you need to know to start this one… for intermediate students.
What do you get? With my total immersion approach, only Dutch is spoken, from the very first lesson on. I explain words using Dutch, facial expressions, dialogues, synonyms, a story to follow and so on. This will help you to directly thing in Dutch, an essential feature when learning new languages.
After each video, there’s a list of words as well as a test and MP3s to listen to, so you can practice wherever you like. And what’s different about this course? It’s for intermediate students and follows directly the previous ones.
How did I choose the content? Mostly based on questions of intermediate students, as well as tricky grammar points on that level, like ‘waarvoor’ and ‘daarvan’. Being a fan of ‘most common words’ lists, I put as many words I could from the 2000 most common words in the course. Here’s the promo video:
After a few months of writing, I’m happy to publish my latest book. It’s for advanced beginners who want to learn new words while reading stories in Dutch. You’ll also learn about Belgian (and Dutch) culture.
Almost no past tenses are used, so it’s for people who haven’t reached the intermediate level yet.
The book can be bought via Amazon or Bol.com (affiliate links).
Why is it ‘een goed antwoord’ and ‘de goede auto’? And why do we say in Dutch: ‘Dat is goed?’ Let’s learn when to add an e at the ending of Dutch adjectives.
Dutch grammar rules can be… complicating. But luckily, this rule is rather easy. So, when do you say goed and when do you add -e at the end of goed?
First, we only add an -e when the adjective is in front of a noun. For example: ‘interessante dingen.’ If you put the adjective at the end with a verb, it doesn’t take the -e: ‘Die dingen zijn interessant.’ So as in the first example ‘dat is goed.’
And what about two adjectives? They’ll both take an -e: ‘Dat zijn goede, interessante dingen.’
If the adjective is in front of the noun, there will be some specific cases where you won’t use the -e. And they are: if the noun has ‘het’ as an article and if the article before the adjective is undetermined.
Examples: – Een goed boek. (het boek, een is undertermined) – Een goede auto. (de auto) – Het goede boek (het boek, het is not undetermined)
And that’s it. Not sure whether to put an -e? Know that most nouns have de as an article, so your best bet would be to put an e. Also don’t forget the het changes into de in the plural, so your adjective will adapt accordingly: – De goede boeken. (het boek)
Another case where an -e is added, is ‘mine’, ‘yours’, etc… : – Dit is jouw boek, en dat is het mijne.
If you’re learning Dutch, try out my courses via the webshop!
Dutch grammar is… well, Dutch grammar. Always a good idea to know the rules, even though there are many exceptions. Some handbooks also include grammar as well as books to teach yourself. But in this post, we’ll cover books focusing primarily on the Dutch grammar. Disclaimer: I might get a small commission if you buy the book through the links. Stars (*) are based on my opinion.
1. Klare Taal! and Klare Taal plus (4,5*) by Jenneke van der Toorn-Schutte + Nice presentation, clear, many good exercises – Not practical, price Audio: no Level: absolute and advanced beginners Language: Dutch only Paperbackprice: high-highest Format: only paperback Buy via Bol.com here or here. The plus version is for advanced beginners, also available on Amazon.
2. Dutch Grammar for Beginners (4,5*) by Alain de Raymond + Easy, practical, exercises, price – Layout Audio: no Level: beginners Language: English Paperbackprice: low Format: ebook and paperback Buy via Amazon.com.
3. Eenvoudige basisgrammatica NT2 (4,5*) by Jenneke van der Toorn-Schutte + Simple, many exercises, lists of words – Price, Dutch only Audio: no Level: beginners Language: Only Dutch Paperbackprice: high-highest Format: paperback Buy via Amazon.com or Bol.com.
4. Beter Nederlands: een inleiding (4*) by Dina Bouman-Noordermeer + Content, clear, exercises, price – Not popular, presentation Audio: no Level: advanced beginners, second book for intermediate Language: Dutch only Paperbackprice: low Format: only paperback Buy via Bol.com or Amazon. The book for intermediate students is also on Bol.com and Amazon.
5. Dutch Grammar Support (4*) by Marijke Huizinga and Yvonne Zevenbergen + Content, structure, price – Presentation, no translations for examples Audio: no Level: beginners and intermediate Language: English Paperback price: average Format: ebook and paperback Buy via Bol.com (here’s the ebook) or Amazon.
6. Dutch grammar you really need to know (3.5*) by Gerdi Quist and Dennis Strik + Right level, perfect reference book – Structure and presentation Audio: no Level: (absolute) beginners Language: English Paperback price: low Format: ebook and paperback Buy via Bol.com or Amazon.
Well-reviewed grammar books written by Jenneke Oosterhoff are Basic Dutch: A Grammar and Workbook (available on Amazon and Bol.com) and Intermediate Dutch: A Grammar and Workbook (available on Amazon and Bol.com). However, I can’t (yet) recommend them because I haven’t seen them yet.
Let’s review books teaching you Dutch without a teacher. Obviously, you can also learn a lot from classroom handbooks as well as from grammar books, especially if you’re at a higher level. But here, we’ll cover books primarily designed for people willing to learn the Dutch language on their own. Disclaimer: I might get a small commission if you buy the book through the links. Stars (*) are based on my opinion.
Teach Yourself: Complete Dutch (5*) by Gerdi Quist and Dennis Strik + Popular and useful, well-structured and practical – Outdated, no series Audio in Dutch from the Netherlands Level: (absolute) beginners Language: mostly English Paperbackprice: high Formats: ebook and paperback Buy via Amazon or via Bol.com
Dutch in three months (5*) by Jane Fenoulhet + Structure, dialogues, quality, price – Condensed, outdated, no series, price with CDs (Tip: get the audio for free via an app in the newer version) Audio in Dutch form the Netherlands Level: (absolute) beginners Language: mostly English Paperbackprice: lowest Formats: paperback Buy via Amazon (here’s with CDs) or via Bol.com (old version)
Learn Dutch: Speak, write and understand (4,5*) by Alain de Raymond + Easy, structure, price, exercises – Layout, only for absolute beginners Audio in Dutch from Belgium Level: absolute beginners Language: mostly English Price: lowest-low Format: ebook and paperback Buy via Amazon.com
Dutch for Dummies (4,5*) by Margreet Kwakernaak + Popular, fun and easy, cultural insights, pronunciation guide – Lack of structure, no exercises Audio in the Dutch from the Netherlands. Level: (absolute) beginners Language: mostly English Price: average Format: paperback Buy via Bol.com (2nd edition here) and via Amazon (alternative here)
300+ common Dutch language errors made by English speakers (4.5*) by Alain de Raymond + Useful, exercises, price – Presentation, structure Audio with Belgian accent Level: advanced beginners, intermediate Language: mostly English Price: lowest Format: ebook and paperback Buy via Bol.com or Amazon
Beyond the dictionary: A Guide to Correct Word Usage for the English-Speaking Student (4*) by Bruce Donaldson + Useful, clear examples, relevant – Presentation, old No audio Level: intermediate, expert Language: mostly English Price: average Format: paperback Buy via Bol.com or Amazon
Dutch with ease (4*) by Assimil + Fun, lots of content, phonetics – Presentation, price Audio with Dutch accent Level: (advanced) beginners Language: mostly English Price: average (without CDs), high-highest (with CDs) Format: paperback Buy with CDs via Bol.com or Amazon, or without CDs via Bol.com or Amazon.
77 puntjes op de I (4*) by Emily Palmer + Useful, exercises, good complement to handbooks – Not popular, no solutions to exercises, difficult Dutch Audio with accent from the Netherlands Level: intermediate Language: Dutch only Price: average Format: paperback Buy via Bol.com or Amazon
Dutch for Self-study (4*) by Hinke Van Kampen & Ruud Stumpel + Quality, exercises, explanations, comprehensive – Presentation Audio in Dutch from the Netherlands Level: (absolute) beginners Language: instructions in English Price: average Format: paperback Buy via Bol.com or via Amazon.
Colloquial Dutch (4*) by Bruce Donaldson + Relevant, many wordlists, cultural references – Presentation, price Audio in Dutch from the Netherlands Level: (absolute) beginners Language: English Price: high Format: paperback Buy via Bol.com or via Amazon.
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.
VTMGO: 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.
It’s time to learn while having fun
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.
When do you use de, and when do you use het as an article? That’s one of the most frequent questions beginning Dutch students ask. De and het in Dutch are both used to translate the English ‘the.’ So let’s take a look at how you can find out.
First of all, there are rules. The two main ones are: nouns in the plural always take de as an article, e.g. het boek, de boeken. And the other rule: nouns with a diminutive take het as an article: for example de tafel, het tafeltje (the little table). And what about nouns with a diminutive in the plural? They take de: de tafeltjes.
Other interesting rules: you can make verbs nouns, as in the verb ‘to make’, it would be ‘the making.’ In Dutch, it’s ‘maken’ and the verb nouns ‘het maken.’ And, you’ve guessed it: these verb nouns take het as an article. Also, nouns referring to people usually take ‘de.’
There are many more rules. But for every rule, there’s an exception – it’s Dutch after all. Let’s see some of those rules. Words ending with -ing, -ij, -el, -er, -ie and -heid take de as an article. Well, usually. So… does it make sense to learn these endings by heart?
Unfortunately not so much. But here’s an important tip to you: most nouns take de as an article. So you can make a list of het-words, or you can simply watch this video below with the 100 most common het-nouns.
Another piece of advice. If you hear someone using a word you regularly use, and it isn’t what you expected, write it down. Make a list of those words you typically struggle with. Also, feel free to get one email a day with an exercise to practise your articles here or to download this app to practice with flashcards.
And a little hint: in my online courses, I always add the article next to the word. See you there!
Dutch word order is a headache to many of my Dutch students. What about this sentence:
Wrong, right? In the beautiful Dutch language, that’s just ‘normal’ word order:
So, let’s learn more about this sentence and basic Dutch word order. If you prefer video to walk you through this, here it is. The examples in the video are the same as the ones from this article:
Let’s start easy: most sentences are just like English sentences: a subject (who or what is doing the action in the sentence) and a verb.
What about questions? Questions will put the verb first, and then the subject… It’s called inversion. Plus, don’t use a ‘do’ to ask a question.
Luckily, if you add some words at the end of these sentences, it’s just like in English, so relax.
Let’s add some more words, at the end of these sentences.
Remember the inversion? The verb and the subject are ‘inverted.’ Used with questions, but also when you start a sentence with one or more words, typically time and place. Note the verbs and subjects are inverted:
You can’t have both time and place at the beginning of the sentence. Words like of course, actually and others also will use inversion.
Let’s talk about modal verbs like ‘must’, ‘want’ and others. An example:
Same as in English, but if you add more words, it will be in front of the second verb. Notice the word tomorrow is in front of to work. Put these words there.
Again, if you put something first in the sentence, inversion will happen.
Same so for questions. Note the second verb stays at the end.
The verbs remain at the end if you add a place here.
Actually, one could put place and time at the end.
But this does not apply to objects (what is being done, in this case the shopping) in sentences. You can’t put the shopping at the end in the following sentence.
It’s always ok to put everything in front of the second verb. So take the habit to put them there.
Second verbs can also be past participles.
So, if there are other words, put them in front of the second verb.
Let’s start with the negative, which is also explained in my grammar book for beginners – and has exercises! The ‘not’ is at the end, unlike in English. Don’t use ‘don’t.’
Same so for questions:
Note ‘geen’ is used in front of undetermined nouns.
But what about if you use modal verbs? Which one goes at the end, niet or the second verb? The second verb.
Same so for the past tense.
If you’re into the negative, check out this video:
Recap: subject + verb is the normal sentence structure, inversion switches verb and subject (with questions and if you put time/place/something else in front), put second verbs at the end and niet just in front of them.
Let’s start with subordinate clauses, the sentence that isn’t the main sentence. Note in Dutch, there’s always a word introducing that sentence (called a conjunction), unlike in English:
Take a look at the next sentence:
The verb goes at the end! This is called the catapult or the ‘bijzin’, which means sub-clause in Dutch. Note the verb always goes at the end in sub-clauses:
What about sub-clauses with second verbs, like modal verbs? And questions? Both verbs go at the end:
The negative can be put in both the main clause and the sub-clause:
A bit of a recap: with 2 verbs, both go at the end of the sentence in a sub-ordinate clause, also with questions.
If you start a sentence with a question, inversion will be used in the second sentence. Note the main sentence will keep the first verb at the start of the sentence, and the second one at the end.
Let’s get back at the sentence of the beginning. Tomorrow is with inversion, that is with catapult so both verbs go at the end, in between om and te there’s the rest of the words, while uses the catapult too:
Great! Take a look at my book for intermediate Dutch Grammar to do some exercises!
Are you looking for a Dutch course for beginners? Perfect! I’ve just published my brand new course: Learn Dutch in Dutch 3: the 1000 most used words. It follows the two first courses made for absolute beginners (here’s number one and here’s number two).
So how are you going to learn the Dutch language with my courses? The courses are completely in Dutch to guarantee total immersion. An example: in the first video you’re going to learn ‘hello’ while you see me waving and the word ‘hallo’ is written on the board. Bit by bit, basic words are added.
Why only Dutch? In my experience, the more time I spend on translation, the less time and energy I spend on practicing. If you can find a solution in the language you’re learning, use that solution. Start by learning ‘how do you say X’ in the language you’re learning, so every time you ask ‘how do you say X’ you’re already practising your new language. So that’s why all the videos, quizzes and MP3s are completely in Dutch.
MP3s? Yes, each part starts with a video – totally in Dutch, of course. The video is followed by a script of all the new words and a text including all those new words. Downloadable MP3s are added to help you pronounce the new words. A quiz is at the end of each part testing your progress – completely in Dutch, that is. Of course, if something isn’t clear I’ll answer all your questions.
So what’s this new course? It follows the first two and teaches you the 1000 most used words in the Dutch language with over 7 hours of video, over 100 MP3s and over 50 quizzes. The 1000 most used words are the ones natives use over and over again. What’s the point of learning ‘elephant’ as a beginner? Indeed, no point at all.
