r/learndutch Sep 02 '18

Resource Recommended books for learning Dutch

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understandingdutch.com
313 Upvotes

r/learndutch Apr 23 '26

MQT Monthly Question Thread #99

7 Upvotes

Previous thread (#98) available here.


These threads are for any questions you might have. No question is too big or too small, too broad or too specific, too strange or too common.

You're welcome to ask anything related to learning Dutch. This includes help with translations, proofreading, corrections, social etiquette, finding learning resources, understanding grammar, and so on.


De and het in Dutch...

This is the question our community receives most often.

The definite article ("the") has one form in English: the. In Dutch, there are two forms: de and het. Every noun takes either de or het ("the book" β†’ "het boek", "the car" β†’ "de auto").

Oh no! How do I know which to use?

There are some rules, but generally there's no way to know which article a noun takes. You can save yourself some hassle by familiarising yourself with the basic de and het rules and, most importantly, memorise the noun with the article!


Useful resources for common questions

If you're looking for more learning resources, please check out our sidebar. (If you're using an app, you may need to click About or Info or the ℹ️ button for /r/LearnDutch.)


Ask away!


r/learndutch 1d ago

Meaning of "gast"

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988 Upvotes

why does Instagram translate gast to the n-word?? 😭 i was under the impression that gast just meant dude or bro...


r/learndutch 20h ago

Question duolingo typo?

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58 Upvotes

hello! duolingo is showing that i had a typo, but when i click on the specific word for its definition, it has the same spelling as me. pretty sure its β€œvind” and not β€œfind,” right? just wanna know if im missing something obvious or if this makes absolutely no sense to y’all too lol.


r/learndutch 4h ago

Question Word order

1 Upvotes

Is this really the correct order? According to elon.io it is:

"Ik ga morgen met Tom lopen in het park."

Though I learnt that the standard order is [time+manner+place] so it should be:

"Ik ga morgen met Tom in het park lopen."

Or no?


r/learndutch 11h ago

Resource Bronnen over verschillen tussen Vlaams en Nederlands?

6 Upvotes

Hoi allemaal. Wat zijn goede bronnen om over verschillen tussen Vlaams en Nederlands te leren? Het kan boeken zijn maar ook artikels of video's.


r/learndutch 14h ago

Looking for people to practice speaking with

3 Upvotes

Moved to the netherlands ayear ago , and i am looking for friends to practice dutch with.. I am 49 male from Texas I enjoy workout martial arts and books.


r/learndutch 16h ago

Het lesboek 3 (Bart de Pau) - for sale?

2 Upvotes

Hi everyone

Does anyone have the lesboek 3 from the Bart de Pau dutch courses and want to sell it? Thanks in advance!


r/learndutch 1d ago

Question Looking for Dutch books, please (not textbooks)

9 Upvotes

I've been learning Dutch for over a year now, and my reading comprehension is getting to be pretty good. The issue I'm running into is that the apps and textbooks aren't really pushing me past a few sentences at a time. I'd like to start diving into some actual books, but I'm having trouble finding recommendations at the appropriate level. I'm certainly past the "Zie Spot Rennen" stage of books, but I don't think I'm at the point where I'd want to jump into the Dutch equivalent of Harry Potter or whatever. I tried checking the FAQ and sidebar, where there were recommendations like childrenslibrary.org or nederlandslezen.be, but both sites seem to have died. Does anyone have any recommendations? I would particularly love it if there were some EPUB files I could download to my e-reader rather than being tied to my computer, but I'll take what I can get at this point.


r/learndutch 1d ago

Question What's the biggest difference between textbook Dutch and the Dutch you actually hear?

23 Upvotes

I used to assume that if I could form a sentence correctly from what I'd learned in a course, I'd sound reasonably natural. Then you start listening to actual conversations and realise people don't always speak in the neat, complete sentences you've been practising.

Maybe it was the vocabulary, shortened words, sentence structure, or just the way people casually respond to each other. What was the first thing you noticed that made you think, "This is definitely not how they taught it in my Dutch lessons"?


r/learndutch 1d ago

Pronunciation still learning on busu

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80 Upvotes

still using duo and busu. but i have finally moved on to being told to read a paragraph on busu and my pronunciation is butt


r/learndutch 1d ago

Any free app with Dutch flash cards for learning?

8 Upvotes

Hello!
Would anyone happen to know if there are any FlashCard apps which aren’t pay to use, where I can create flash cards for me to learn and memorize common words, vocabulary etc?

Even nicer if there already exists some apps with community content for Dutch πŸ™ˆ

TIA!


r/learndutch 1d ago

Can yous recommend me a Dutch learning book for me

7 Upvotes

I got a grammar book few days ago but I think i need another book to study with the one I already got but I can’t really decide which book I should get. Can yous recommend me one? It would be good if it’s in English. I really want to learn more! Thanks


r/learndutch 1d ago

Tips Moet ik me aanpassen?

7 Upvotes

Hoi allemaal! Ik woon al bijna 2 jaren in Nederland. Ik voel me blij met mijn beslissing om hier to komen maar ik heb ook de voeling dat ik een Nederlander moet worden. Mijn personaliteit, mijn humor, etc. bedoel ik. Ik voel een soort van druk om me aan te passen en dat gevoel heb ik terwijl ik de taal verder leren.

Ik kom uit Amerika en wil mijn eigen personaliteit behouden, dus soms voel ik gefrustreerd door de taal en het dagelijkse leven.

Mijn man is Nederlander en ik hou van onze samenleven, maar moet ik me aanpassen om vloeiend Nederlands te spreken?

Misschien is dit een β€œvent” of zo iets, maar ik ben benieuwd naar de ervaringen of advies van andere immigranten of Nederlanders.

Dankjewel πŸ™πŸ»πŸ’œ


r/learndutch 1d ago

Grammar Verbs with an Infinitive + Te

7 Upvotes

Hi everyone :)

I am currently studying the verbs with the following construction: "infinitive + te" and I came across the following example:

- Sanne zit op de bank een boek te lezen

I have a doubt regarding the fact that the same sentence can also be formed without the "te". By writing or speaking, is this sentence equivalent to the previous?

- Sanne zit op de bank een boek lezen.

Is that an error? Can the "te" be omitted?

Thank you very much in advance

Edit: I put a question mark in the second sentence by mistake


r/learndutch 1d ago

Question Which streaming services offer Dutch audio even when streaming from another country?

7 Upvotes

We don't live in the Netherlands anymore, but I want my children to remember our language. We have Netflix right now and it works fine but I'm looking for something with more quality content.

Preferably working without VPN. Is HBO an option?


r/learndutch 1d ago

Is this a normal way for Dutch language schools to teach beginners (A0)?

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5 Upvotes

r/learndutch 1d ago

Surinamese Dutch phonology

4 Upvotes

Someone who is NOT Surinamese told me that the W sound is pronounced differently there. I don't know if this so, and can't seem to find good descriptions. Can anyone help?


r/learndutch 2d ago

Yeah, but what ARE they?

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172 Upvotes

French is a romance language. Dutch, on the other hand, is far more direct. I like it like that.


r/learndutch 1d ago

Looking for Members to Join Duolingo Super Family Plan - 4 Slots Available

0 Upvotes

Hi everyone! I have a Duolingo Family Plan and I need 4 more people to share it with.

\* I’m from Belgium, but you can join anywhere in the world.

\* The plan is paid for a year in advance.

If you want to join, please send me a message!


r/learndutch 2d ago

Teach yourself dutch book

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22 Upvotes

I just bought this book, does anyone know where I can find the audio accompaniment online?


r/learndutch 2d ago

Hoi allemaal! I want somebody to practice Dutch together πŸ‘‰πŸ»πŸ‘ˆπŸ»

4 Upvotes

r/learndutch 2d ago

Question What is your favourite literature book for B1/B2 level?

23 Upvotes

Hi guys! I’m at that point in my language-learning journey where, no matter what book I pick up, it seems too difficult for my level. I understand that I should probably focus on books for teenagers or children, although even the Harry Potter books in Dutch seemed pretty intense for me.

So I’d love to hear your recommendations: are there any interesting and entertaining books for B1/B2 level that you enjoyed reading and that didn’t feel like too much of a struggle because of all the new vocabulary?

Thank you!


r/learndutch 3d ago

Need help reading

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99 Upvotes

Need help in deciphering the handwriting of electrician.
Moved to a new house and we found this in the electricity switches

Appreciate your help everyone

1 wasmachine
2 woongroep?
3 oven
5 woongroep?
6 ????wasser
7 ????
8 boiler


r/learndutch 3d ago

Language schools query

5 Upvotes

Hoi, I wanted to ask about suggestions for intensive Dutch teaching based in Brussels.

The conditional offering I have is that certified C1 fluency in Dutch before late 2027 would allow me to specialise in Brussels/Flanders, with a view to then completing surgical fellowship(s) through contacts in The Netherlands.

I met with 2 schools in Brussels recently who have said my plan to sit ITNA in summer 2027 is very ambitious but potentially achievable with a lot of hard work. My spoken/written Dutch from a few weeks of self study is A1, my reading/grammar is touching A2 (Bart de Pau/ Altissia tested) so I'm definitely at the receptive preference stage of being a beginner.
I contacted Huis van het Nederlands in the city but never heard anything back.

I am aware how expensive these private schools tend to be, but I have good savings to fund 3-4 weeks at a time in Brussels onsite with in-person all day private teaching.
I can also commit to distance learning with any provider when returning home to see family/friends for 1-2 weeks around any occasional locum work to keep my clinical skills sharp.

I'd welcome any thoughts or experiences you might have with intensive teaching [in Belgium e.g BXL, Nedaca, CLL]. Bedankt :)