Dutch Language

Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands, spoken by practically everyone in the country. Nearly all Dutch people also have good command over one or more foreign languages. More than 90% of them are able to hold a conversation in English, over 70% in German, almost 30% in French and 5% in Spanish, so finding a language in which you can communicate with them should not be a problem. 

If you are learning Dutch and want to practice speaking the language with the locals, you may find them switching to English as soon as they detect that you are struggling with their language. Feel free to say that you wish to talk with them in Dutch (‘Ik wil graag Nederlands praten, zodat ik kan oefenen’ – I would like to speak in Dutch, so I can practice). Your effort will be appreciated and they will switch back to Dutch.

Praat Nederlands Met Me

To help encourage and remind Dutch people not to switch to English, grab one of our "Praat Nederlands met Me" (speak Dutch with me) pins at the VVV Leiden Tourist Information Office or at our monthly Meet&Mingles where you can also meet other internationals in the Leiden region.

Why learn Dutch?

At Taalthuis you can follow Dutch courses at different levels both online and face-to-face in a classroom.
Find additional information about Taalthuis here
The Academic Language Centre (ATC) is the language centre of Leiden University and offers language courses for all levels.
Read more about the services of the Academic Language Centre
The Square Mile (established 2002) is one of the market leaders for business language training in The Netherlands.
Read more about the services of The Square Mile

Many internationals struggle to learn and practice Dutch due to cost and lack of chances to practice outside of a class setting. Well, we've got you covered! What follows is a selection of free resources available online and in the Leiden region to learn and practice Dutch. Learning Dutch doesn't cost much!

The Academic Language Centre of Leiden University invites internationals who are going to live or are living in the Leiden region to participate in the free online course ‘Dutch & More’. In five online lessons, you will learn the basics of the Dutch language and you will get to know life in the city of Leiden and The Hague better. The online course is free and continuously available for all internationals. Students from Leiden University who complete the SPOC Dutch&More course will have a discount for the Dutch 1B course offered by the Academic Language Centre.

NOTE: the discount is available to students from Leiden University only.

Access the online course for free

BuZz Leiden

BuZz Leiden offers many different language courses and practice opportunities. These range from cheap Dutch lessons to small informal gatherings to practice.

B+C Taalhuis

The B + C library organises a weekly Taal café where you can improve your Dutch. A basic knowledge of Dutch is required.

Gilde Samenspraak

Gilde samenspraak is tailored towards immigrants whom struggle with their Dutch. The course is based on a buddy system. A basic knowledge of Dutch is required.

While joining language cafés and conversation groups is a great way to practice your spoken Dutch, there are also many ways to practice by yourself. Here is a list of resources in "easy Dutch" that is accessible to people who are learning the language. These resources are really useful for practicing alongside a language course.

NOS Journaal in Makkelijke Taal: a daily news bulletin from the public broadcaster NOS in simplified Dutch. The news bulletin has fewer subjects, a slower pace, and gives explanations of difficult terms.
Het Klokhuis: a children's TV show exploring a range of different factual topics. Many past episodes can be watched for free online.
Canon van Nederland: discover the history of the Netherlands via important artefacts and people. The Dutch level of each page can be adjusted.
Books from Uitgeverij Eenvoudig Communiceren use easier language to be accessible to beginners. Every book is ranked by level, so the more you learn the more you can read.
Dutch Listening Resources: find a list of freely available podcasts to train your Dutch on different topics.

This list is still in the making. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to submit them to sibilla@leideninternationalcentre.nl.

Have a look at our selection of useful websites and apps for people learning Dutch.

De/Het app
De/Het app

If you are learning Dutch you know that one of the hardest things is to remember whether a noun needs the article "de" or "het". This useful app is here to save the day. By typing in any Dutch word, you can find out the correct article! The app also includes a fun game to help you memorise the correct article for each word.
Zichtbaar Nederlands.nl
Zichtbaar Nederlands.nl

Do you struggle to understand Dutch grammar? This website makes your life easier by visually explaining Dutch grammar rules with clear and fun drawings.
The Dutch Online Academy
The Dutch Online Academy

A website with free Dutch grammar exercises, classified by level and topic.