Dutch for beginners

However, having said that, you can't learn a language by osmosis and the implanted Dutch chip hasn't been invented yet! In the beginning therefore, there will be a certain amount of basic grammatical learning to do and however tedious that might seem for the busy professional, it's the only way to make good progress later. Just as an example, the verbs 'To be' and 'To have' are so essential, they have to be learned by heart but your Dutch learning experience becomes so much more enjoyable once you have done just that and have started to apply them in your language use.

If you're a complete beginner, Dutch can sound a bit like a nasty throat condition and that is because many of the sounds are totally different to those of your own language. After you have mastered the sounds, you will find that the rest is a matter of learning and practice. Therefore the course for beginners always begins with Sounds.
After that, the aim is to concentrate on becoming familiar with common Dutch words and phrases you will encounter in everyday life.

It's quite an achievement to walk into a shop and buy something without the shopkeeper reverting to English. In the big cities, most people speak English and will quickly identify you as a foreigner and try to help you out by speaking English, (or German, or French, or Spanish). Historically, the Dutch are traders and quickly learned that speaking foreign languages helps make money - they're masters at it, so you can be proud of yourself if you can have a short conversation solely in Dutch. As a beginner, that is your challenge and we will help you achieve effective communication in everyday situations.

Of course, it's not only knowing what to say that's the problem; it's knowing what's being said to you and that's usually the point when communication breaks down. We will help you learn to listen carefully - you'll be surprised how little you need to be able to recognise to get by in most situations.

Below is a list of subjects that we concentrate on with beginners:-
Sounds
To be
To have
Greeting people
Shops
Moving house
Repairs
Doctors & hospitals
Television
Dutch customs and etiquette
Money & banks
Transportation & travel
Socialising and sport