Dutch language

LEARN DUTCH VOCABULARY:

• Essentials (greetings and frequently used basic words)
• Basic phrases (introduce yourself, ask for directions, ask for help, and more)
• Days of the week, months and seasons
• More coming soon

About the Dutch language

Dutch is a West-Germanic language spoken by about 24 million people. That makes it the third most widely spoken Germanic language after German and English. It is an official language in the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname.

In the Netherlands, 17 million people have Dutch as their first language. It is the only official language countrywide (West Frisian is recognised as a second official language in Friesland).

In Belgium, Dutch is one of the three official languages, alongside French and German. 59% of the Belgian population speaks it as their first language (6.5 million), concentrated in the Flanders region. Flemish is a language variety of the Dutch language. The dialects and accents in Flanders can differ greatly by region.

Reasons to learn Dutch

There are various reasons why you might want to learn Dutch. With 24 million native speakers, Dutch is one of the most important languages in Northwestern Europe. Moreover, it is spoken in both the Netherlands and Belgium. By being able to speak the language, you get a deeper connection to the cultures of these countries. In addition, you will have access to Dutch literature and new parts of the internet. If you already speak some English, learning Dutch will be easier. If you also speak German, that is an even bigger advantage. One last good reason to learn Dutch: it is an interesting language and it is fun to speak!