How to Learn Dutch (with Pictures)

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

Although many Dutch people are fluent in foreign languages (especially English, German and French), learning their language will give you access to the heart, mind and culture of the Dutch, both in the Netherlands and around the world. Dutch is not an easy language to learn, as it contains many sounds and constructions that are different from other languages. Either way, these challenges make learning Dutch even more rewarding. Go to the first step to begin your journey towards learning this language.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: About the Dutch

Step 1. Understand the development of the Dutch language

Dutch is included among the West Germanic languages, closely related to the other languages in this category, including German, English and West Frisian.

• Dutch originally developed from the Southern Franconian dialect of Low Germanic. However, modern Dutch has moved away from German origins, not having followed the evolution of the consonants of High Germanic and having eliminated the umlaut from its own punctuation.
• Furthermore, Dutch has almost completely abandoned the original grammatical cases and has leveled up much of its morphology.
• On the other hand, the Dutch vocabulary is primarily originally Germanic (although it contains words of Romance origin) and uses the same syntactic order (SVO in many formulas, and SOV in subordinates).

Step 2. Find out where Dutch is spoken

Dutch is the primary language of around 20 million people, mostly in the Netherlands and Belgium. It is the second language spoken by approximately 5 million other people.

• In addition to the Netherlands and Belgium, Dutch is also used in parts of northern France, Germany, Suriname and Indonesia, and is the official language of the Netherlands Antilles (Caribbean).
• The Dutch dialects spoken in Belgium are collectively known as "Flemish". Flemish differs from traditional Dutch in pronunciation, vocabulary and intonation.
• The Afrikaans language - spoken in South Africa and Namibia by around 10 million people - derives from Dutch and the 2 languages are considered to be mutually understandable.

Step 3. Start with the alphabet and pronunciation

As you approach the study of any language, the alphabet is a great place to start.

• TO (ah) B. (bay) C. (say) D. (day) AND (ay) F. (eff) G. (khay) H. (hah) THE (and and) J (yay) K. (kah) L (ell) M. (emm) No. (enn) OR (Oh) P. (pay) Q (kew) R. (air) S. (ess) T. (tay) U (ew) V. (fay) W (vay) X (eeks) Y (ee-grek) Z (zed).
• However, as far as actual pronunciation is concerned, Dutch has many sounds unrelated to Italian and therefore can be difficult to learn. The only letters with the same pronunciation are the consonants s, f, h, b, d, z, L, m,, ngThe letters p, t, k are formed in the same way, but are not aspirated (that is, there is no puff of air when pronounced).

• The best way to learn the pronunciation of some of the more unusual consonants and vowels is to listen to them and repeat them. The following summary is not exhaustive, but it will be helpful to get you started:

  • Vowels: to (sounds like "ah" in "calm", but shorter), And (sounds like "eh" in "bed"), the (sounds like "hee" in "book"), or (sounds "ow" in "I'll go", but with the lips in a circle), oe (sounds like "u" in "you" but shorter), u (sounds like "a" in "tree", or "ou" in "name") e y (sounds like the "i" in "fin" or "ii" in "sii", but shorter).
  • Consonants: some particular consonants of Dutch are ch, sch And g which all produce a guttural sound in the throat (almost like the Spanish "j"). There r Dutch can be rolled or guttural, while the j it is read as the "i" in "hyena".

  

  Step 4. Study the genders of Dutch nouns

  Dutch classifies nouns into 2 genders - common (de words) or neuter (het words). It is much less complicated than the German, who has 3.

  • It can be difficult to identify the gender of a word from its composition. Hence, it's best to memorize the kind of specific words as you learn them.
  • The common gender is actually a promiscuous form of masculine and feminine, now out of use. Consequently, about 2/3 of the names belong to this genus.
  • Therefore, a good technique is to simply learn all the neutral names. Thus all other nouns will almost certainly be common.
  • You can recognize neutral names by learning a set of rules. For example, all diminutives (ending in je) and the infinitives used as nouns are neuter. This also applies to words ending in - um, - aat, - sel And - isme, and for most words starting with ge-, well- And ver-. Even colors, cardinal points and metals are always neutral.

  

  Step 5. Learn some of the most common verbs in the present tense

  As you progress through your Dutch study, it would be nice to memorize the present form of some of the most commonly used verbs, which are useful for starting sentence construction.

  • Zijn:

    present of the verb "to be"; it reads "zayn".

    • Ik ben:

      I am (reads "ik ben")

    • Jij / u bent:

      you are (reads "yay / we bent")

    • Hij / zij / het is:

      he / she / it is (reads hay / zay / ut is)

    • Wij zijn:

      we are (reads "vay zayn")

    • Jullie zijn:

      you are (reads "yew-lee zayn")

    • Zij zijn:

      they are (reads "zay zayn")

  • Hebben:

    present of the verb "to have", we read "heh-buhn".

    • Ik heb:

      I have (reads "ik hep")

    • Jij / u hebt:

      you have (reads "yay / ew hept")

    • Hij / zij / het heeft:

      he / she / it has (reads "hay / zay / ut hayft")

    • Wij hebben:

      we have (reads vay heh-buhn )

    • Jullie hebben:

      you have (reads "yew-lee heh-buhn")

    • Zij hebben:

      they have (reads "zay heh-buhn")

    Part 2 of 3: Common Words and Phrases

    

    Step 1. Learn to count

    Counting is important in any language, so start learning the numbers 1 to 20 in Dutch.

    • Een:

      one (reads "ain")

    • Twee:

      two (reads "tway")

    • Drie:

      three (read "dree")

    • Vier:

      four (read "veer")

    • Vijf:

      five (read "vayf")

    • Zes:

      six (reads "zehs")

    • Zeven:

      seven (read "zay-vuhn")

    • Acht:

      eight (reads "ahgt")

    • Negen:

      nine (read "nay-guhn")

    • Tien:

      ten (reads "teen")

    • Elf:

      eleven (reads "elf")

    • Twaalf:

      twelve (read "twahlf")

    • Dertien:

      thirteen (reads "dehr-teen")

    • Veertien:

      fourteen (reads "vayr-teen")

    • Vijftien:

      fifteen (reads "vayf-teen")

    • Zestien:

      sixteen (reads "zehs-teen")

    • Zeventien:

      seventeen (reads "zay-vuhn-teen")

    • Achttien:

      eighteen (reads "ahgt-teen")

    • Negentien:

      nineteen (reads "nay-guhn-teen")

    • Twintig:

      twenty (reads "twin-tuhg")

    

    Step 2. Learn the days and months

    Other useful words to start are the days of the week and the months of the year.

    • Days of the week:

      • Monday = Maandag (reads "mahn-dahg")
      • Tuesday = Dinsdag (reads "dinss-dahg")
      • Wednesday = Woensdag (reads "woons-dahg")
      • Thursday = Donderdag (reads "don-duhr-dahg")
      • Friday = Vrijdag (reads "vray-dahg")
      • Saturday = Zaterdag (reads "zah-tuhr-dahg")
      • Sunday = Zondag (reads "zon-dahg")

    • Months of the year:

      • January = Januari (reads "jahn-uu-ar-ree"),
      • February = Februari (reads "fay-bruu-ah-ree"),
      • March = Maart (read "mahrt"),
      • April = April (reads "ah-pril"),
      • May = Mei (reads "may"),
      • June = Juni (reads "yuu-nee"),
      • July = Juli (reads "yuu-lee"),
      • August = Augustus (reads "ow-ghus-tus"),
      • September = September (reads "sep-tem-buhr"),
      • October = Oktober (reads "ock-tow-buhr"),
      • November = November (reads "no-vem-buhr"),
      • December = December (reads "day-sem-buhr").

      

      Step 3. Learn the colors

      Your Dutch descriptions will come out enriched.

      • Red = rood (reads "rowt")
      • Orange = oranje (reads "oh-rahn-yuh")
      • Yellow = geel (reads "ghayl")
      • Green = groen (reads "ghroon")
      • Blue = blauw (reads "blaw")
      • Purple = paars (reads "pahrs") or purper (reads "puhr-puhr")
      • Pink = roze (reads "row-zah")
      • White = wit (reads "whit")
      • Black = zwart (reads "zwahrt")
      • Brown = bruin (reads "bruyn")
      • Gray = grijs (reads "grays")
      • Silver = zilver (reads "zil-fer")
      • Gold = goud (reads "howt")

      

      Step 4. Learn some useful words

      Adding a few keywords to your vocabulary can make a difference in your language skills.

      • Hello = Hallo (reads "hah-low")
      • Goodbye = Tot ziens (reads "toht seens")
      • Please = Alstublieft (reads "ahl-stuu-bleeft")
      • Thanks = Dank u well (formal, read "dahnk-ew-vehl") or dank je wel (informal, read "dahnk-yuh-vehl")
      • Yes = Ja (reads "yah")
      • No = Nee (reads "nay")
      • Help = Help (reads "hehlp")
      • Now = No. (reads "nuu")
      • After = Later (reads "lah-tuhr")
      • today = Vandaag (reads "vahn-dahg")
      • Tomorrow = Morgen (reads "more-ghun")
      • yesterday = "'gisteren"' (reads "ghis-teren")
      • Left = Links (reads "links")
      • Right = Rechts (reads "reghts")
      • Straight = Rechtdoor (reads "regh-dore")

      

      Step 5. Learn some useful phrases

      Now is the time to move on to some useful daily phrases to help you navigate the most common social interactions.

      • How are you? = Hoe maakt u het?

        (formal, it reads "hoo mahkt uu hut") or Hoe gaat het?

        (informal, it reads "hoo gaht hut?")

      • Well, thanks = Goed, dank u (formal, it reads "goot dahnk uu") o Goed, dank je (reads "goot dahnk yuh")
      • Pleased to meet you = Aangenaam kennis te maken (reads "ahn-guh-nahm keh-nis tuh mah-kun")
      • I don't speak Dutch very well = Ik spreek niet goed Nederlands (reads "ick sprayk neet goot nay-dur-lahnts)

      • Do you speak English? = Spreekt u Engels?

        (reads "spraykt uu eng-uls")

      • I don't understand = Ik begrijp het niet (reads "ick buh-grayp hut neet")
      • Please = Graag gedaan (reads "grahg guh-dahn")

      • How much? = Hoeveel kost dit?

        (reads "hoo-vale kost dit")

      Part 3 of 3: Speak Fluently

      

      Step 1. Get your language study supplies

      Go to the library, bookstore or on the internet to see what's available. Many language publishing houses have a large selection of books, audio materials and computer programs for learning Dutch.

      • You will also want to find a good bilingual dictionary - one of the best for Dutch is published by "Van Dale" and is available in various combinations: Dutch-Italian, Dutch-English, Dutch-Spanish…
      • Over time, you should slowly fill your shelves with children's books (to start), puzzle magazines, documentary books, novels, poetry collections, magazines … Reading is an invaluable tool for improving your language skills, as well as expose yourself to learning pure Dutch. When you reach this level, you should also get a mono-language dictionary and one of the synonyms and antonyms in Dutch.

      

      Step 2. Listen to as much Dutch music as possible

      It might be tricky without knowing Dutch or living in a Dutch-speaking country, but you can start with YouTube and other audio materials and then move on to listening to the conversations in Dutch. It is important to get an idea of the language - listen to the sounds, cadence and fluency.

      

      Step 3. Sign up for a language course or hire a private tutor

      If there is a Dutch or Belgian cultural center and / or community from the Netherlands in your area, inquire about any language lessons or private teachers available.

      Classes with native speakers can give you a deeper insight into the language, as well as teach you cultural elements not found in books

      

      Step 4. Speak Dutch with Dutch native speakers

      By practicing you will improve. Don't be afraid to make mistakes, that's how you learn.

      • If a Dutchman answers you in English, he continues to speak Dutch. Start with a handful of words and gradually build them up.
      • To get used to Dutch, start changing the language in the settings of your computer and the social networks you use (Twitter, Facebook…). You have to immerse yourself in the language to think in that language.

      

      Step 5. Visit a Dutch-speaking country and immerse yourself

      Dutch is not as widely used or studied as German, Japanese, Spanish, so it may be difficult to hone your language skills without moving to, for example, the Netherlands. Both the latter and Flanders offer cultural exchange programs and intensive Dutch learning for foreigners through universities, schools and private entities.

      

      Step 6. Be open and receptive

      The best way to absorb a language and a culture is to open all your senses to it.

      • To speak Dutch, you need to think in Dutch and be Dutch. At the same time, don't let stereotypes affect your expectations, impressions and mental states when visiting the Netherlands or Flanders.
      • It's not just about tulips, marijuana, wooden clogs, cheese, bicycles, Van Gogh and liberalism.

      Advice

      • The Dutch and Flemish have migrant communities all over the world, especially in these countries: Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, USA, France, Caribbean, Chile, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, Turkey and Japan - lots of potential interlocutors to practice with!
      • Many Dutch words have spread beyond borders, particularly regarding nautical / marine activities, a legacy left by the great Dutch merchant tradition.
      • Flemish (Vlaams) is the Belgian variety of Dutch spoken in Flanders, but it is not a separate language from Dutch. Both the Dutch and the Flemish read, speak and write in the exact same language, with minimal lexical, dialect, grammatical and pronunciation differences, as happens for some Italian dialects.
      • When you speak it fluently, you will be able to watch a famous TV show called Tien voor Taal in which Dutch and Flemings compete in various Dutch knowledge games, from spelling contests to cryptograms.
      • A very famous and Dutch speaking actress was Audrey Hepburn (1929 - 1993). He lived in the Netherlands during World War II, and his first film appearance was in a 1948 educational series entitled Nederlands in Zeven Lessen (The Dutch in 7 Lessons).
      • Dutch is an official language in the Netherlands, Belgium (Flanders), Suriname, Aruba, Curaçao and Saint Maarten, in three international institutions (European Union, Benelux and the Union of South American States) and is a language of minority in northwestern France (French Flanders).
      • Dutch is a West Germanic language, closely related to Afrikaans and Low Germanic, and more loosely related to Frisian, English, North German and Yiddish.

      Warnings

      • Don't be offended if at first the Dutch respond in English when you try to speak to them in their language. They simply want to make sure you understand them without language barriers. Remember that they really appreciate your attempt to learn their language.
      • Keep in mind that it is more common to use formal expressions in Flanders than in the Netherlands, where they are used mainly with older people. However, while you are learning, it is safer to stick to formal expressions so as not to risk offending anyone.