You’re living abroad and dreaming of a life in the Netherlands – maybe for work, better opportunities, or simply because the Dutch lifestyle seems appealing. You’re not alone: most expats move here for professional and economic reasons, and to find a good balance between career and quality of life.

Before arriving, you probably already had a few ideas of what life in the Netherlands would be like. And once you settle in, you quickly discover even more typically Dutch habits and customs that make life here unique. In this article, I'll shed some light on 20 things that define the Dutch, sharing my perspective – from the clichés that happen to be true, to the ones that are slightly exaggerated, and those that turn out nothing like you expect. I’m sure you’ll recognise many of them!

1. Dutch people live in windmills
There are actually a few people who live inside a windmill, but it’s pretty expensive to reconstruct a windmill into a house. Most windmills you see today have been turned into museums or cultural heritage sites.

2. Dutch people wear wooden shoes
We did use to wear "klompen" – especially the farmers. Nowadays, there are still farmers in the countryside wearing them, but other than that it mainly serves as a cultural symbol and a great tourist souvenir …

3. Tulips come from the Netherlands
They actually don’t! They have become a national symbol, but they originate from Central Asia. We imported them and started growing/improving them, and are now one of the world’s biggest exporters of tulips and flower bulbs.

4. Dutch people smoke weed all the time
I’ve heard many of my students admitting that before coming here, they honestly thought everyone here likes weed and also smokes it all the time. It couldn’t be further from the truth! Most Dutch people don’t smoke and don’t even care about it. Yes, it’s more normalised here and we have coffeeshops, but you definitely don’t see them on every corner – you have to actually look for them to find them.

5. Dutch food is bad
I hear this from a lot of students, and I get it. We don’t really have a strong national cuisine, and our traditional dishes are quite simple, or just very unhealthy. Modern Dutch food has become more diverse because of the influence of different cultures. Personally, I love a good, traditional, no-strings-attached stamppot (made by my mother of course).

6. It always rains in the Netherlands
Pretty exaggerated. Although it rains often and the weather is very unpredictable, it really doesn’t rain as much as people claim. The Netherlands isn’t even in the top ten rainiest countries. Still, we seem to keep repeating it … and somehow strengthen our own stereotype.

7. Dutch people eat dinner at 6pm
Yes, we like to eat early! Although not necessarily at 6. 

8. Dutch people only eat bread with cheese
It doesn’t surprise people that we eat it – but it does surprise them that we consider it a full meal. A few slices of bread with cheese can literally be lunch for many Dutch people. Simple and straightforward!

9. Dutch people cycle everywhere
Yes, we cycle whenever we can – why wouldn’t we, if the country is so flat! In cities like Amsterdam, cycling is often faster than anything else. Even when the weather is shitty, most people still take the bike (raincoat or not).

10. Dutch people sit in circles at birthday parties
Isn’t that the gezelligste (and sometimes the most awkward) tradition? You sit in a circle, get stuck next to one person, and then you must talk to them. This tradition is still alive, especially with older generations or outside big cities. I have a feeling the younger generation is slowly doing it less – but it still exists.

11. Dutch people plan everything
Also true. If you want to meet a Dutch friend, don’t be surprised if you need to plan a few weeks ahead. Even the spontaneous things often become planned. You could see this as a turn-off, but it’s really built into our culture of structure and efficiency. Showing up unannounced? In cities, that’s usually a no-go. In villages or small towns, people tend to be more relaxed about it.

12. Dutch people always talk about the weather
So true! Ever since living abroad, I’ve noticed it even more. Whenever I call friends or family in the Netherlands, the first thing we talk about – without fail – is the weather. It’s like a national reflex.

13. Dutch people are very direct
I think we are. Some students tell me they love it, others struggle a bit more. But don’t confuse directness with rudeness. Although being direct can be rude, it usually comes from a place of honesty and wanting clear, practical communication. We’re not pleasers – we simply say it as we see or feel it, and we appreciate it if others do the same.

14. Dutch people are very modest
We are known for not really showing off. We don’t brag so much about money, status, career or success, and we usually don’t admire people who do. The classic Dutch saying “Doe normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg” (“Just behave normally, that’s crazy enough”) expresses this idea perfectly.

15. Dutch people are very open minded
The Netherlands is known worldwide for being open-minded and tolerant, and you can often feel that when you meet Dutch people. They’re usually very interested, curious and open to new ideas. Compared to our neighbouring countries, the general attitude is indeed less conservative. On a bigger scale I would say it’s more nuanced. Historically, we have been very welcoming to different cultures and religions, but in recent years there’s also a growing movement that is more focused on “Dutch identity”. Outside the bigger cities, you will usually find more of that.

16. Dutch people love discussions
I think this one is true! Whether it’s politics, news, or daily life – we are interested in different points of view and like to debate to come to consensus. We like everyone to participate equally in discussions, and we are taught and encouraged at an early age in school to ask (critical) questions.

17. Dutch people are thrifty
This stereotype likely comes from our Calvinist background and tradition of sober, practical living. We do love a good deal, and if something is for free, even better! You can see it as negative, but you can also see it as economical smartness.

18. Dutch people are greedy
Personally, I don’t think we’re greedy – but I understand where this stereotype comes from. We like things fair and equal, which sometimes means splitting the bill to the exact cent or sending a Tikkie for just a few euros. I agree we can sometimes take this a bit too far and spoil the fun. I think there’s also a deeper cultural layer: a “make sure you have enough” mindset that sits somewhere in our collective memory.

19. All Dutch people are tall
Not all Dutch people are tall, of course. But yes – there's research showing that the Dutch are even the tallest nation in the world. With an average height of 183.78 cm for men (fun fact: 183 happens to be my height) and 170.36 cm for women. I’m pretty sure there must be tribes in Africa who are taller than us.

20. Dutch people have a perfect work-life balance
Many students who work or have worked here tell me this is true. That we don’t stress so much about work and don’t (have to) overwork so much. I do see many expats who overwork constantly. Because they work for an international company, or are so used to working a lot? Dutch people are very practical and efficient: working more doesn’t mean working better.

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog!

Don’t let the size of our small country fool you! Throughout history, the Netherlands had (and still has) a big influence on the global economy and trade - especially around the 1600s, where they ruled global commerce with the companies VOC (Dutch East India Company) and WIC (Dutch West India Company). Did you know that the VOC was the first company in the world to issue stocks? They were so powerful they even had their own army and navy!

This traveling and trading around the world also left its mark through language. In this article, I take a quick dip into some of the influences of the Dutch language in other languages worldwide. The Japanese bĩru, for example, comes from Dutch!

To give you some numbers: worldwide, there are around 24 million native Dutch speakers, with about 17 million in the Netherlands. Belgium has around 6.5 million, and Suriname 400,000. Dutch is also an official language in these countries, as well as in the Caribbean islands: Aruba, Curaçao (see photo) and Sint-Maarten. Dutch is one of the 40 most spoken languages worldwide, out of the 7,000 languages spoken globally!

Throughout history, the Dutch created trading posts that grew into colonies, and many Dutch people immigrated overseas. Linguistic studies have shown that 18,242 Dutch words made their way into 138 different languages, leading to 48,446 new borrowed words.

I thought it would be fun to give some examples, which I will order alphabetically by country. Sometimes the influence was not direct but indirect, through another country. For example, Finnish adopted the Dutch loanwords mainly through Swedish.

Some examples of loanwords derived from Dutch:

American English: waffle, cookie, beer, boss (wafel, koekje, bier, baas)
Brazilian: brote (biscuitje of cracker- van brood)
British English: yacht (jacht)
Chinese-Malay: kheskhèyen (gescheiden)
Danish: endivie (andijvie)
French: héberge, haïr (herberg, haten)
German: steuerbord, morast, seehund (stuurboord, moeras, zeehond)
Ghanaian: konõ (koning)
Indonesian: és, arbéi, nomor, mébel, hordéng, émosionil (ijs, aardbei, nummer, gordijn, emotioneel)
Japanese: bĩru, arukoru, dansu, mesu, ananasu (bier, alcohol, dans, mes, ananas)
Norwegian: kakerlak (kakkerlak)
Polish: hundekoja (hondenkooi)
Portuguese: bacalhau (kabeljauw - van bakeljauw)
Russian: škalik, šlagbon, magazin, ris, bírža (schaal, slagboom, winkel - van magazijn, beurs)
Spanish (South America): dique, duna, (dijk, duin)
Swedish: gevär (gevaar)
Tamil: pōñci (boontje)
Ukrainian: kófe (koffie)

South African (Afrikaans) has evolved from Dutch and is also called a daughter or sister language. ‘Hoe gaan dit?’, ‘Asseblief’
and ‘Baie Dankie’ are just a few examples that show the strong similarities. 

I hope you enjoyed reading this article, and discovering the Dutch words in your native language!



Resources:
- Atlas van de Nederlandse taal (2022). Publisher Lannoo. A comprehensive atlas of the Dutch language. 
- Nederlandse Taalunie at taalunie.org. Official website of the Dutch Language Union.

about common mistakes & false friends with English.

You're at a Dutch birthday party. Someone asks you how you are doing and you confidently say: “Ik ben goed.” They giggle and give you a funny look. Has this happend to you? Many English speakers learning Dutch fall into the same traps: translating English phrases too literally, or using words that seem obvious, but actually mean something very different. 

In this blog, I’ll explore some of the most common “pitch falls” made by English speakers learning Dutch, so you can avoid them! I’ve collected 10 phrases to watch out for and 10 false friends that don’t mean what you think. 

Phrase #1
🚫 Ik ben (niet) zeker.
This is not how we say that we’re sure or not sure in Dutch!
The correct form should be:
✅ Ik weet het (niet) zeker. (I (don’t) know it for sure).

Phrase #2
🚫 Ik ben goed.
This would translate to a sort of self-congratulatory: “I am great/a good person”. 
If you want to say you are doing well, the correct form is: 
✅ Het gaat goed. (It goes well).

Phrase #3
🚫 Ik ben fijn.
The word fijn in Dutch usually means something like “nice”, “lovely” or “pleasant.” It’s also used to describe very small particles of something, like fine sand. We don’t say about ourselves we are that. People are not fijn, so the English I’m fine is best translated as: 
✅ Ik ben oké. / Het gaat prima. 

Phrase #4
🚫 Ik ben warm/koud.
If you are feeling hot or cold we use the verb hebben: “I have it warm/cold.” 
✅ Ik heb het warm/koud.

Phrase #5
🚫 Ik weet (niet).
Do you know the correct way to say this? I know!
✅ Ik weet het (niet).

Phrase #6
🚫 Ik begrijp (niet).
Again, the little het needs to be there!
✅ Ik begrijp het (niet).

Phrase #7
🚫 Ik zoek voor werk.
In Dutch, we don’t look for but look to something (zoeken + naar).
The correct form should be:
✅ Ik zoek naar werk. 
Although Dutch natives usually say:
✅ Ik zoek werk or Ik ben op zoek naar werk.

Phrase # 8
🚫 Het is klaar.
Okay, we could say this - it would mean that something is ready, like: Het eten is klaar! (The food is ready!)
If you want to say that something makes sense or is clear, we say: 
✅ Het is duidelijk. 

Phrase #9
🚫 Ik denk zo.
This is literally translated from the English I think so, but the correct form is: 
✅ Ik denk het wel. 

Phrase #10
🚫 Ik woon voor 2 jaar in Nederland.
Please leave out the voor. You could optionally replace it with al (“already”) 
✅ Ik woon (al) 2 jaar in Nederland. 

How many oopsies have you made with any of the phrases above? Don’t worry, now you know!

Let’s continue and take a closer look at some false friends - words that are written (almost) exactly the same but mean something completely different! Did you know any of the examples listed below? English is on the left, Dutch on the right - with translations and examples.

The holidays are approaching, and in this article I will share with you 12 fun and mostly outdoor activities to try this summer in the Netherlands. I chose lots of walking options, plus a few other typical Dutch things we Dutch people like to do. I hope you enjoy! I’m wishing you a great summer!

1. NS Wandeling. If you don’t have a car but do have an OV-chipkaart, you can easily take the train and find walking routes that start and end at a train station.

2. Fancy more city walks and learning about history? Walk The City is an app available in four languages. Choose from many cities in the Netherlands and get guided along the most important historical sites. Another interesting app, specifically about the story of the Netherlands, is the Podwalk ‘Het verhaal van Nederland’ (also available as an online documentary series at NPO).

3. When the tide is low, you can actually walk between -or to- one of the Wadden Islands in the north of the country. This is called Wadlopen, and you’ll find all the information here.

4. A recent trend is walking barefoot, and throughout the Netherlands there are actual barefoot-only paths! It’s a bit silly (since of course you can walk other paths barefoot too), but at least on these routes people won’t give you strange looks.

5. Walk and get lost in a maze - not just for children! There’s a big one outdoors in Ruurlo, Gelderland (the biggest hedge maze in Europe). If it’s rainy you can check out the Doloris Maze in either Tilburg or Utrecht (very Alice in Wonderland).

6. If you like animals but don’t have dogs to walk with, you can take a walk with alpacas or visit farms where you can hug cows. Available on different farms throughout the Netherlands for example: KnuffelKoe enzo near Utrecht.

7. Every year there is a very popular 4-day walking event in Nijmegen called the Nijmeegse Vierdaagse, held this year from 15 to 18 July. If walking isn’t your thing, just being there to support (or party) is also part of the experience!

8. Walk around outdoor museums such as Archeon, the Zuiderzeemuseum, or the Openluchtmuseum, and experience how life in the Netherlands used to be.

I was pondering this question some days ago.

As a passionate teacher myself, I always strive to be the best teacher I can possibly be. Finding the best ways to transfer the information to each student. They don’t all learn in the same way and they all have their own strengths and weaknesses. 

You might remember your favourite teacher(s). Why did you like him/her so much? Was it the personality? The passion they had for their subject? Did you get better grades with the teacher you most liked? And was that because of them, or just because you understood the content well? Did they help you understand things better just because you liked them so much…?

When we like someone, we energetically open ourselves up more to connect and exchange information. I believe it helps the students learning process a lot, but there are more things involved that make up a good teacher (in my opinion):

• Is the teacher able to transfer the information in a way that you understand it? This could be through talks, texts, audio, visuals, social or more hands-on learning. There are different techniques for transferring information.

• Does the teacher have the will and desire to empower you and make you succeed?

• Does the teacher have patience and understanding that not everyone is a quick learner, and some are even lazy too, or incredibly forgetful? And they don’t judge them for that?

• Is the teacher knowledgeable in the subject they are teaching?

• In groups, does the teacher find the right balance in giving everyone the attention and guidance they need?

• Is the teacher open to questions and feedback, and do they listen to what the students need to succeed?

• Does the teacher push sometimes, and is strict with correcting mistakes, because that is how we learn?

• Does the teacher not do that too much, and gives praise and encouraging words too, to get the students motivated?

• Does the teacher do his/her best to keep the students engaged by creating dynamic, structured and interesting classes?

Most of these points go hand in hand. For example: you can be as knowledgeable as you want, but if you cannot transmit the information well, you are doomed to fail. I had a teacher like that in high school. What a genius he was, but socially he had no skills and because of that he was not able to keep the students engaged. 

And how about looks? Does it matter what a teacher looks like? It helps when a person has an open, inviting, kind and trustworthy appearance. Of course we prefer to look at somebody who is decent, who dresses ok, who doesn’t have a bad breath (another teacher I used to have….didn’t help at all ….)

When I was teaching English in Vietnam, I had a huge advantage among other teachers, because I was blond and tall. I looked very American. I looked like the perfect role model they had for a teacher. A little bit sad to say it was like this, but I was happy either way to get the job and have the opportunity to prove myself as a starting teacher.

My point with this article?

A great teacher helps to create great students. What is a good teacher for 1 person isn’t necessarily good for another. When we see a knowledgeable person, who has passion for what he/she is doing, that energy is attractive, that energy is contagious and I believe that is what we look for in a teacher as students. 

In the end, the teacher is there to serve as a guide. They can show you where to find the water and how to drink it, but they’re not the ones who can drink it for you! Even with the best teacher, it is YOU who will decide if you will become successful at learning or not.

Happy learnings everyone!

If you’ve missed last month’s article, where I talk about the role of the teacher and what makes a teacher a good teacher, you can read it here. Now, let’s look at the role of the student!

The word student comes from the Latin word studeo which means ‘I study’ or ‘I’m eager for’. The term student refers to someone who is dedicated to or eager for knowledge. 

So, are you a student, really? Do you have dedication and eagerness to learn?If you are a student of Dutch (or of anything else) you might as well play your role well, right?

In my eyes, a good student is someone who:

• has a desire and a willingness to learn and gain knowledge.

• pays attention during class.

• actively engages with the class activities. 

• makes notes.

• does the homework (or studies in their own way).

• has respect for the teacher and fellow students.

• (with groups) works well together with others.

• strives to improve themselves. 

• is very aware of and okay with making mistakes, because that is part of the learning process. 

• allows themselves to also enjoy the journey (did you know we learn better when we enjoy something?)

In my career of almost 7 years of being a teacher, I have gained so much experience about teaching, students and different types of students, that I also have a list of different types of students. I had so much fun creating this! Which one(s) are you? And no judgements on either one of them!

The perfect example who marks all the items listed above. 

The one who always knows everything.

The one who never knows anything.

The attention seeker.

The one who can’t stop talking. 

The hidden one you never hear.

The surprising one that suddenly shows they are much smarter than you thought.

The one you wonder why they are even there.

The Houdini that suddenly disappears after a few classes.

The multitasker who is doing different things at the same time. 

The good-mood bringer.

The one who is (too) easily bored.


And I'm sure there must be more types out there!

Is “correct” pronunciation important? Is there even such thing as “correct” pronunciation? In this blog I will question both, and I'll dive deeper into some important pronunciation rules in Dutch. Keep reading until the end - with 5 great tips to help you master your Dutch pronunciation. Enjoy!

A little bit about language acquisition in general…
When learning a new language, four aspects are needed for full acquisition: the ability to listen and comprehend the language, the ability to speak and make yourself understood, and the ability to read and write. Listening and speaking often go hand in hand (as part of verbal communication), just as reading and writing do (= written communication).

Grammar, rules, and structures are often a big part of language lessons. Although not 100% necessary, it's often very useful if you understand the underlying 'mathematics'. For a lot of us, this is how we learn well and how we have been taught to learn well. There are others who learn better intuitively, simply by practicing a lot. When it comes to pronunciation, it can be acquired by learning the sounds and letter combination rules. But in my experience, it often develops naturally with lots of exposure to listening and through regular speaking practice.

How important is pronunciation?
How important is “correct” pronunciation? What does “correct” pronunciation even mean? It is one thing to pronounce a word so that we are correctly understood. It is another thing to sound exactly like a native speaker. Within a single country, there are always different variations of sounds and dialects. Even among people in the same area! You could argue that every person has a slightly different way of pronouncing words and sounding overall...

Sometimes students express to me feeling insecure about their pronunciation. I always tell them not to worry too much about that - having a bit of an accent is natural and part of the process. Especially if your native language sounds very different, you'll likely always have an accent. Besides that, after a certain age, achieving native-like fluency is nearly impossible, and that's okay! Even in the Netherlands, Dutch is spoken in many variations - and all of them are still Dutch. In my opinion, the most important thing is that people can understand you.

Variations in the Netherlands
Have you travelled by train through the Netherlands? Maybe from Amsterdam to Groningen, or from Utrecht to Limburg? You will encounter some interesting differences in the way people sound! As you can see on the map below, there are many different dialects in the Netherlands with many small different variations. I am choosing to stick it to three major ones for now, the vowel sound variations, the [g]-sound and the [r]-sound.

Vowel sounds variations - For example, the word schaap (sheep) has multiple regional pronunciations: scheep, schiep, scheup, schoap and schaep. The same goes for the colour green: groen, gruun, greun, gruin, grien en green. And there are many more words with vowel sound variations.

The [g] sound - This is most commonly pronounced as a hard sound in the back of the throat (with extreme hard sound in cities like The Hague and Rotterdam), but in the southern provinces of the Netherlands and in Belgium you'll find a softer sound, with sometimes an even almost disappearing [g]-sound in Limburg.

The [r] sound - The pronunciation of r varies significantly. The three main variations are: 

1. The rolling ‘r’ - Like in Spanisch (perro). It is most commonly found in the northern provinces (Friesland, Groningen, Drenthe) and parts of Brabant and Limburg.

2. The guttural ‘r’ - Similar to the French rouge, pronounced further back in the throat. It is often spoken in Zuid-Holland, Noord-Brabant, and cities like The Hague and Rotterdam.

3. The “Gooische r” - like the English red, found mainly in the Randstad (Amsterdam, Haarlem, Utrecht).

As with all letters, the pronunciation of r also varies depending on where it appears in a word (beginning, middle, or end) and the surrounding sounds/letters. If you dive deep into the mechanics of language, it can get quite complex!

On the Sprekende kaart: https://projecten.meertens.knaw.nl//sprekende_kaart/svg/ you can see and explore different dialects in the Netherlands and from cities like Amsterdam, Haarlem, Rotterdam en Nijmegen! You can listen to short audios at each dot. Maybe don't try to understand what they're actually talking about, even I didn't understand it very well most of the time!

Dutch pronunciation rules
So how about Dutch? What is most important in sounding like a Dutchie? I will be referring here to some characteristics that apply to Standard Dutch - the Dutch used in the media, by authorities and how it's taught in schools. Again, it is not really possible to give a complete closed system when it comes to pronunciation rules in Dutch. Even among the Standard Dutch there are slight variations. Nevertheless, I am happy to give you 8 important and interesting aspects when it comes to “correct” Dutch pronunciation:

1. The five diphthongs: eu; ei/ij; oe; ui; au/ou. These are vowel pairs that together form distinct sounds and are very characteristic of Standard Dutch.
- Some examples: neus (nose), meisje (girl), ijs (ice), boek (book), buiten (outside), auto (car) and vrouw (woman). Keep in mind that those sounds might vary slightly according to the region or dialect.

2. Long vs. Short vowels - In Standard Dutch, each vowel has a long/open sounding version and a short/closed sounding version. This applies to all the vowels: a, e, i, o and u. 

For example: zoon-zonen (son-sons) vs zon-zonnen (sun-suns). The words zoon-zonen are pronounced with a long/open sounding /o/ (in singular form as well as in plural form). The words zon-zonnen are pronounced with a short/closed sounding /o/. As you can see, if mispronounced, you might end up saying something completely different (although context will help understanding).

Other examples that might cause confusion when pronounced incorrectly (with each example the first words having the short/closed sounding vowel and the second the long/open sounding vowel):
- Bom-bommen (bomb-bombs) vs. boom-bomen (tree-trees)
- Vis (fish) and vies (dirty)
- Man-mannen (man-men) vs. maan-manen (moon-moons)
- Pen-pennen (pen-pens) and peen-penen (carrot - carrots) (wortel also means carrot)
- Mand-manden (basket-baskets) and maand-maanden (month-months)
-Schol-schollen (plaice-plaices) and school-scholen (school-schools)

3. The schwa sound - This is an uh-like sound, usually the letter e, and often found in e endings.
- Examples (the schwa sound is underlined): lekker, gezellig, studenten, je, we, ze, biertje etcetera. The schwa sound is always unemphasized.

4. The nasal [ng] sound - Found in words like: koning, longen, jongen, zangeres, langzaam. This is exactly the same sound as the English ng in king. 

5. Foreign words - Borrowed from either English (weekend, email, manager, feedback, team), French (aubergine, horloge, bureau, crème) and German (föhn, überhaupt, schnitzel). They keep their original pronunciation.

6. Consonant clusters [sch] and [schr] - They sound like /sg/ and /sr/ and are found in words like: school, geschikt, schoonmaken and schrijven, geschrokken.

7. The different pronunciations of “ch” - The ch combination can be pronounced in multiple ways:
-Like a hard /g/: licht, chemie, chaos.
-Like /sj/: chef, chirurg, chocolade, parachute. 
-Like /tsj/: coach, sandwich, chillen, chipkaart.
-Like /k/: Christelijk, latte machiato.

8. The silent n at the end of words - In many verb and noun endings, the final n is barely pronounced after a schwa sound. 
- Examples: lopen, eten, kunnen, rennen, winkelen, studenten.

In formal speech (of the king and queen for example) words are generally more clearly articulated, including the 'n' at the end of words.

Tips for practice
Are you learning Dutch and want to perfect your pronunciation? Great!
Here are 5 tips that might help:

1. Focus on the most important sounds: the diphthongs and the long/short sounding vowels (nr. 1 & 2 in the list above). See how this Klaplied covers both in a funny way.

2. Watch videos on Youtube:
   - These short videos give you excellent practice per sound/letter: Uitspraak van het Nederlands by University of Groningen Language Centre.
   -These longer series in English on Dutch Pronunciation by Fluent Forever are also great.

3. Practice active listening. When you listen to audio, or people, practice active listening. This means actively paying attention to the speech and sounds, and maybe even repeating it (softly) to yourself - you can do this very well in the online classroom while muted. 

4. Use apps with AI that help you correct your pronunciation, for example Talkpal.

5. Study Dutch with this book: Beter Nederlands Spreken that has its main focus on speaking. It covers pronunciation, vocabulary and also some grammar.

I hope you found this information interesting and useful! There's much more to explore when it comes to Dutch pronunciation, sounds and speech. For example, where to place emphasis in a word or sentence, and how some words put together sound like one. I might expand on any of these topics in more detail in a future blog. Stay tuned!

What is your reason for wanting to learn a new language? Do you have a strong motivation, or are you lacking it? 

Did you know that a strong 'Why' will get you anywhere? Having a strong 'Why' is the driving force behind everything you want to achieve in your life.

Below, I have listed 6 amazing benefits of acquiring a new language. I hope they will inspire you!

1. It brings connection and understanding. You will feel more connected to your new environment and better understand the country's history and culture. Language is not just a tool for communication; it also reflects a society's customs, beliefs, and values. 

2. It's learning a new skill. It trains the muscles in your brain, increases neuronal connections, and thus makes you smarter! 

3. It makes you feel more at home. Moving to a new country can be challenging. Speaking and understanding the language makes it much easier to feel at home. 

4. It empowers you in your day-to-day life. Being able to ask for help, reading menus in restaurants, buy things, and handle various (official) situations with ease. 

5. You learn to express yourself in a new way and thereby discover a new aspect of yourself. Every language has its own unique flavor that you get to experience and play with. If you're unfamiliar with this idea, start noticing how you express yourself a little differently in another language. You might, for example, find yourself sounding a bit more passionate in Italian or somewhat more direct and straightforward in Dutch. ;-) 

6. If it's your partner's natives lanuage, you get to know them on a deeper level. You will also be able to feel more integrated into their family, as you can communicate with their relatives. 

So, if you don't yet have a strong reason for learning, now is the time to create one. A solid reason will give your learning journey a strong foundation and help you stay on track when you find yourself losing motivation along the way. 

If you discover that your 'Why' isn't as strong as you initially thought, don't worry! Simply find a better one, or let go of the idea completely that this is something you should - or want to - do right now.

Nowadays, the energy of fear is so ingrained in most of our lives that we might not even be aware of it. We may think it is just part of life, or simply don’t really see it for what it is. Take a look at your life right now. Really see, sense into your life and energy field. You’ll probably find some fear there.

You could also call it stress. It’s a similar energy. A very disempowering, low-frequency energy, that can stop us easily from living a joyful life, going for what we really desire, and stepping into our power.

Did you know that fear has absolutely no positive effect, and just puts us in a low-frequency state? And that we don’t need fear to protect us?

You might argue, but what about lions and tigers? Our natural instinct for danger?

Well, you see, the act of watching out for danger, in this case, is useful. But it is not fear that protects us. It is common sense that does that. It is not fear that helps us in a dangerous situation. It is awareness. It is intelligence. It is wisdom. It is the right reaction. It is the right response.

Walking fearlessly over the edge of a cliff doesn’t mean you have more chances of falling off. Your knowing, that if you DO fall off that edge (with the rules of this planet in place), that would mean you could die. So better watch your steps.

If there is a poisonous snake suddenly coming out of the bushes. Your body will react and jump aside to protect you. You don’t need fear for that.

In our modern life today, most of us will probably not experience fear of snakes or falling off cliffs. But we experience fears of so many other things! Afraid of speaking our truth. Afraid to be seen. Afraid of what others might think of us. Afraid of failure. Afraid to get sick. Afraid to go for what we really want in life. And the list goes on.

We can (and we should!) process those fears.

As the laws of this universe work, the law of attraction: what you vibrate is what you will attract. If we look at these laws, being fearful would mean attracting more of that. 

So why are we afraid? Why do we experience fear and stress? Is it natural? Is it needed?

It is not, and we absolutely don’t need it in our lives.

It is a choice.

Do we choose to let these low vibrations affect us? Or do we choose to inform ourselves and actively work on processing and releasing them?

Fear and stress are not part of our natural state. Fear is being widely spread around the world right now through media and other technologies. In order to keep us at a low frequency vibration. In that way we are easier to control and manipulate.

Whatever the reasons are. I assume you are reading this because you like the idea of living a life without fear and stress. Even if you might think right now that that is impossible, because stress is part of the game. I can tell you again, it is not!

So what game are you going to play?

Processing and removing the fear, will remove the low frequency energy bundle. Suddenly a ‘scary’ situation is still that same situation, only not with the energy of fear attached to it. You will be able to see more clearly, act from a place of trust, truth and clarity. You can make better choices that put you in a state of alignment, expansion and joy, instead of stress and contraction.

The more fear that is resolved through processing it, the higher our own vibration becomes and the more expansive our awareness becomes. 

Want to know how to do it?

I will share with you two tools.The first one, is a (free!) fear-processing exercise by Inelia Benz. If you don’t like the word fear, you can use the word stress instead. You can also process any other low frequency energies, such as anger or frustration, using the same method. You can find and download the fear processing exercise here. You can find and download the stress relief exercise here. 

I use this exercise on a daily basis, and got so skilled at it, I can easily apply it when something comes up in my field. It is super effective!

The second tool I will share with you, is an online, self-paced course, called Fearless by Neurological Networks. It teaches you how to reset your brain’s fear centre and rewire the neurological pathways of panic, PTSD, anxiety, and fear. You work with things like breath, look at fear structures, and use circuit technique and Challenge Cards to resolve the fears.

You can read more about this course here. Use the code MOOIMAR for a discount at checkout.

So, no more excuses. You have the tools now. Just go ahead and use them. Go empower yourself, and start living a fear and stress-free life. A life of expansion and joy/light/love!

I’ve received numerous requests, and I’m excited to finally share a compiled list of over 20 tips to enhance your Dutch language skills outside the classroom. These tips cover various ideas, from websites and apps to other engaging platforms. I personally examined or tested most of them, while I've received positive feedback from various students about the others.

My aim is to get you more active learning Dutch OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM. Language acquisition is a process, and the best results come when you expose yourself daily to the language, even if it’s just for 10 minutes. Plus, enjoying the learning process tends to lead to even better results, at least in my experience.

I hope you find these ideas both useful and interesting. If you have additional tips not listed here, please share them in the comments! Enjoy!

Let’s Start with the Best Online Dictionary: Context Reverso

My personal favourite for an online dictionary is Context Reverso. It provides various translations along with numerous example sentences. While I occasionally use Google Translate to check my writing, remember that language is nuanced, and words have different meanings in different contexts. Always use your discernment alongside translation tools. 

Moving on to three excellent language learning apps you can download on your phone. The first one is Duolingo. I find the range of content and vocabulary sometimes a bit surprising. However, I’ve come across numerous students who use it and express great satisfaction with its effectiveness. Personally, I’m a fan of Memrise; it puts a strong emphasis on speaking and integrating the language into daily use. Memrise features short videos, practice in various scenarios, and interactions with AI. Another app that consistently receives excellent reviews from my students is Babbel. Babbel, too, focuses on conversation and provides diverse lessons covering different topics.

A very trendy way to practice and improve your Dutch skills could be using ChatGPT! For example, you can upload vocabulary lists and have AI create exercises to test your knowledge. Or, ask about anything else you'd like to practice.

All of these apps offer both free and paid content, with prices varying. Keep an eye out for discounts that may be available. 

Building Vocabulary: An Essential Aspect in Language Learning

Growing vocabulary can be a hurdle for any language learner, and consistent practice is key. My personal favourite for vocabulary building is Drops. It offers a dynamic and entertaining method for learning words, incorporating various elements to keep you engaged. 

Another popular choice is Quizlet, widely used by both teachers and students. You can create your own flashcards or utilise pre-made ones. It includes pronunciation (by Google) and allows you to add pictures. Though creating your own flashcards takes a bit more effort, consider it part of the learning process.

For a cost-free option, check out 50languages, focusing on vocabulary practice. It’s available on their website or through the app. While entirely free, you can opt for an ad-free experience by purchasing a language for 3 euros or all 50 for 11 euros. Each vocabulary topic features word pictures, written and spoken forms, and self-testing capabilities.

If you prefer not to spend on apps or are looking for a more personalised approach, why not start crafting your own vocabulary list? While it demands a tad more discipline, it’s an effective method.

Immerse Yourself in Dutch with Podcasts and Music

Looking to immerse yourself in a foreign language while on the go or during travel? Tune in to podcasts or music! Here are my top picks for podcasts for learning Dutch, typically requiring a B1 level or higher for optimal understanding:

1. Een beetje Nederlands

Enhance your listening skills with these short, 15-minute episodes. Robin, the host, speaks in slow Dutch on various topics related to the Netherlands, history and culture. Transcripts are available on their website and you can expect a new episode every two weeks.

2. 5 minuten Nederlands

In just 5 minutes, Caroline, a Dutch language teacher at the university, shares her experiences or discusses Dutch language and culture. Although she no longer produces new episodes, you have a total of 750 minutes to explore through 150 existing episodes.

3. Nieuws in makkelijk Nederlands
For news enthusiasts, this podcast delivers weekly updates in easy Dutch, summarising the latest happenings with a review of the previous week. Each episode concludes with a brief exercise.

If you’re into music, create a playlist with your favourite Dutch songs. Check out Taalhuis NL, curated by Una Bergin, a music enthusiast, singer and Dutch teacher at Taalhuis Amsterdam. This playlist, featuring various genres, is an excellent starting point for your musical Dutch language journey. 

Watch, Read, and Play: Explore Websites and Online Platforms

Net in Nederland offers diverse content about the Netherlands, designed especially for expats. If you enjoy informative videos, explore Het Klokhuis for educational content of your interest, or watch Het Jeugdjournaal for news in simple Dutch.

Turn your social media time into a fun way to practice Dutch! You can check out these profiles of Kim and Bart, and there are tons more out there. 

If you’re into reading or want to boost your reading skills, explore Lingua. The platform provides shorts texts for reading and listening, ranging from A1 to B2 level, offering both free and paid options. 

For visual learners keen on understanding grammar through drawings in Dutch or English, Zichtbaarnederlands is a great resource. They even have a book. Personally, I adore this platform and use it regularly in class. If you want to look at pronunciation more in depth, these videos can be helpful. A great and simple web application for verb conjugation in Dutch is Slovo.

If you’re eager to enhance your spelling, head to Beterspellen. Sign up with your email to receive four multiple-choice questions daily in your inbox. While it’s not specifically designed for second language learners, don’t let that discourage you. There might be some unfamiliar vocabulary, but it’s worth a shot.

If you enjoy movies or series, look up ‘Dutch Movies’ or ‘Dutch Series’ on Netflix or other platforms. Choose ones that catch your interest. I would recommend watching without English subtitles (if that is even available), to enhance your learning. This might be challenging, especially for beginners, but you can pick up bits along the way!

To wrap up, here are some other fun ideas:

• Hang out at a local Taalcafé or join a language exchange, either offline or online. You can just browse for 'language exchange' or 'language café' in your neighbourhood.
• Explore Dutch recipes; free folders are available at various supermarkets like Allerhande from Albert Heijn. 
• Attend Dutch events - exhibitions, lectures, yoga classes, theatre, or sports games. Even if you don’t understand everything, it’s a dive into the Dutch language world. 
• Play games. Preferably with lots of words and/or texts. For example: Woord en beeld. You could also take a look in a toy store.
• Visit the library. Grab a coffee and some Dutch apple pie, and chill out with a fun Dutch children’s book, magazine, or other book designed for second language acquisition. Libraries here in the Netherlands often also have cool language events for newcomers to join in.

Play - verb (ENJOY)
To spend time doing something enjoyable or amusing.
Play - noun (ENJOYMENT)
Activity that is not serious but done for enjoyment.

Not long ago, I listened to a very interesting podcast by Dr. Tom Cowan in conversation with Michael Mendizza. In the episode, they explore the difference between ‘schooling’ and education and the “conditioning” of children as opposed to helping educate them.

They argue (and I agree), what we think is learning is actually conditioning, and most school systems are largely based on this conditioning. Conditioning the mind to not think critically for ourselves.

What particularly interested me in this episode, however, was the importance they point towards play, and the role which play has in the way children learn. In reference to an earlier interview with Mendizza, Joseph Chilton Pearce says the following about the relation between play and learning:

“You cannot have real learning with a child unless they are playing. Real playing is how real learning takes place. Children learn by absorbing their universe, their environment, their world. Becoming it: through play.”

He also talks about different kinds of play. Imitative play (age 1-4), imaginative play with a lot of intuitive thinking (age 4-7) and ‘making things’ as play (age 7-11) when the child really likes to create things in the physical world such as making cookies or art.

Why I am writing about this?

I find it super interesting, because playing is exactly what I aim for when teaching children and ‘structure’ the classes. I want us to explore different aspects of the Dutch language together in a playful way.

All the lessons are different, as each child is different and likes different things. From my side it involves a lot of improvisation, flexibility and creativity, which I love! New ideas and variations on (existing) games and exercises just naturally unfold when I prepare activities for each child, or during our lessons.

And the best part: to see amazing results and get wonderful feedback from the parents. How great it is to see their children having fun while also noticing progression in their language development.

Let’s be honest, don’t we all agree?
That things we really enjoy are so much easier to become good at?

In-joy learning.

See us in class!

If you are interested in listening to the full podcast by Dr. Tom Cowan and Michael Mendizza you can do that here. If you want to watch the video specifically about play, with Joseph Chilton Pearce, you can do that here.

Mooi and mar.

Let me explain.

Mooi is a Dutch word. It means ‘beautiful’, ‘nice’ or ‘pretty’ and can be used either as an adjective or adverb.

'Het is mooi weer!' - The weather is nice!
'Je ziet er mooi uit.' - You look pretty.
'Wat een mooie tuin!' - What a beautiful garden!
'Zij kan heel mooi tekenen.' - She can draw very beautifully.

How to pronounce it?

The Dutch [oo] is pronounced as the letter [o] in the English alphabet. The [ooi] in ‘mooi’ sounds like [oy] as in Roy. If you pronounce ‘mooi’ with the [oo] sounding like ‘book’, you will make it sound as if you say ‘moe’ (meaning ‘tired’ in Dutch).

Mar refers to my first name(s). Maria and Marleen.

Some of you know me as Marleen. Some of you know me as Maria. So what actually is my name?
Let me get rid of the confusion once and for all!

When I was born, my parents gave me two first names: Maria and Helena. My full name therefore is Maria Helena van Gurp. They chose to call me Marleen. It’s like a nickname and you could see it as the two combined.

When I started traveling, I discovered that Maria is a lot easier for everyone to understand and pronounce. I sort of have a double personality: Marleen in the Netherlands, Maria outside the Netherlands. And that is still how I (kind of) use it! You can call me either way.

I find Mooimar an excellent and creative name for my website. It represents me and what I stand for: creating more joy, love & beauty into this world.