Free Dutch guides

Learn Dutch, one practical step at a time.

Short, clear guides for expats and international professionals learning Dutch in the Netherlands. No fluff, just the things that actually help you speak and understand more.

For expats

How to learn Dutch for work: a practical guide

Where to start, what to prioritise, and how to actually use Dutch at a Dutch workplace, even when everyone switches to English.

Grammar

De or het? How Dutch articles really work

The honest truth about de and het, the few reliable rules that do exist, and how to stop guessing.

Grammar

Dutch word order explained: the verb-second rule

The single most important rule in Dutch sentence building, plus questions and what happens in longer sentences.

Beginner

Essential Dutch greetings and polite phrases

The greetings, thank-yous and small-talk phrases you need from day one, and when to use jij versus u.

Grammar

The Dutch perfect tense: talking about the past

How to use hebben or zijn plus a participle, when to use each, and how to build the participle.

Grammar

Dutch modal verbs: moeten, mogen, kunnen, willen

The four verbs behind most polite requests, their forms, and the word-order rule that trips people up.

Beginner

Dutch numbers and telling the time

Numbers 0-1000, the units-before-tens quirk, and why half tien means 9:30, not 10:30.

Grammar

The 't kofschip rule: -t or -d?

The simple check that tells you whether a Dutch regular verb takes -t or -d in the past tense.

Exams

Dutch for the inburgering exam: where to start

What level you need, what the exam involves, and how to build the Dutch to pass it.

Getting started

How long does it take to learn Dutch?

Realistic timelines level by level, what speeds it up, and what slows it down.

Tips

Common Dutch mistakes English speakers make

Word order, de/het, false friends and more — with clear fixes for each.

Getting started

The best way to learn Dutch

A realistic step-by-step plan for beginners: what to prioritise and what to skip.

Pronunciation

Dutch pronunciation guide

The g, ui, ij, the Dutch r and vowel length — the tricky sounds, explained.

Grammar

Dutch present tense conjugation

The regular stem + t pattern plus zijn and hebben, with clear tables.

Everyday life

Dutch for parents: school & the schoolplein

School vocabulary, phrases for teachers and the playground, and the system in brief.