What is the most common question you will hear as a foreigner in the Netherlands? Yes, that oh-so common question about your nationality. As someone living abroad, you will have the advantage of having that as the perfect ice breaker to start some small talk: someone is bound to ask you where you’re from. 

This is your time to make a great impression and show your knowledge of the Dutch nationality vocabulary. What would you say about your nationality in Dutch? Saying Ik ben Frans (“I am French”) or Ik kom uit de Verenigde Staten (“I am from the United States”) may not be enough to keep the conversation going. 

This is where this guide may come in handy! By learning more vocabulary on nationalities, as well as the related questions and answers, you’ll be ready to impress with the perfect answer (and follow-up question) for the question: “What is your nationality?”, in Dutch.

Table of Contents

1. Top 20 Nationalities in the Netherlands
2. Conversations About Nationalities
3. Country, City, Nationality & Language
4. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. Top 20 Nationalities in the Netherlands

Dutch nouns for nationalities are actually quite easy, they are often written quite similar and for the feminine version you just have to add a ´se´. You’ll find as well that some of the countries and their nationalities in Dutch can be similar to their English equivalents. Furthermore, in Dutch nationality names, adjectives and country names are also written with a capital letter, just like in English! Easy, right?

Let’s have a look at a few examples:

Country’s name	Noun	Adjective
Brazilië (“Brazil”)	Braziliaans, Braziliaanse (Brazilian male version, feminine version)	Braziliaanse (Brazilian)
Italië (“Italy”)	Italiaans, Italiaanse (Italian male version, feminine version)	Italiaanse (Italian)
Mexico (“Mexico”)	Mexicaans, Mexicaanse (Mexican male version, feminine version)	Mexicaanse (Mexican)

Let’s see some examples of the adjectives:

• Het Braziliaanse eten. (“The Brazilian food.”)
• Het Braziliaanse volkslied. (“The Brazilian anthem.”)
• De Italiaanse vrouwen. (“The Italian women.”)
• De Mexicaanse man. (“The Mexican man.”) 
• Zij houdt erg van Mexicaanse muziek. (“She really loves Mexican music.”)

As you can see, in Dutch the country´s name, nationality and adjective all start with an uppercase letter.

So now let’s have a look at how this would look like for the 20th most common nationalities in the Netherlands.

Dutch demography statistics show that in 2020 about 4.22 million of the Dutch citizens are of non-Dutch origin and half of these are from six backgrounds alone: Turks (inc. Kurds), Moroccans (inc. Berbers), Indonesians (inc. Moluccans), Surinamese, Germans and Poles.

Let’s have a look at the numbers from 2019, and learn some useful Dutch words in the process!

%	English (Country)	Dutch (Country)	Dutch (Adjective)	Dutch (Nationality)
2.37	Turkey (inc. Kurds)	Turkije	Turks/e	Turk / Turkse
2.33	Morocco (incl. Berbers)	Marokko	Marokkaans/e	Marokkaan / Marokkaanse
2.08	Indonesia (incl. Moluccans)	Indonesië	Indonesisch/e	Indonesiër / Indonesische
2.05	Surinam	Suriname	Surinaams/e	Surinamer / Surinaamse
2.03	Germany	Duitsland	Duits/e	Duitser / Duitse
1.07	Poland	Polen	Pools/e	Pool / Poolse
0.9	Former Netherlands Antilles	Voormalige Nederlandse Antillen	Antilliaans/e	Antilliaan / Antilliaanse
0.69	Belgium	België	Belgisch/e	Belg / Belgische
0.57	Syria	Syrië	Syrisch/e	Syriër / Syrische
0.53	Former Soviet Union	Voormalige Sovjet Unie	–	–
0.53	Great Britain	Groot-Brittannië	Brits/e	Brit / Britse
0.51	Former Yugoslavia	Voormalig Joegoslavië	Joegoslavisch/e	Joegoslaaf / Joegoslavische
0.45	China	China	Chinees/Chinese	Chinees / Chinese
0.36	Irac	Irak	Irakees/e	Irakees / Irakese
0.33	Italy	Italië	Italiaans/e	Italiaan / Italiaanse
0.28	Afghanistan	Afghanistan	Afghaans/e	Afghaan / Afghaanse
0.28	India	India	Indisch/e	Indiër / Indische
0.27	France	Frankrijk	Frans/e	Fransman / Franse (or: Française)
0.27	Spain	Spanje	Spaans/e	Spanjaard / Spaanse
0.26	United States	Verenigde Staten	Amerikaans/e	Amerikaan / Amerikaanse

➜ Would you like to learn more countries and their nationalities in Dutch? Make sure to stop by our free World Countries and Nationalities vocabulary lists on DutchPod101.

Knowing these countries, it may also come in handy to get to know the names of the different continents in Dutch:

Europe	Europa	Europees/Europese
Asia	Azië	Aziatisch/e
Africa	Afrika	Afrikaans/e
America	Amerika	Amerikaans/e
Oceania	Oceanië	Oceanisch/e

When you need to be a little more specific, you can use cardinal directions:

North	Noord
South	Zuid
East	Oost
West	West

For example:

• Zuid-Amerika (“South America”)
• Oost-Europa (“Eastern Europe”)
• Zuidoost-Azië (“Southeast Asia”)
• Noord-Afrika (“North Africa”)

➜ Practice your pronunciation with our useful World Continents & Territories vocabulary list.

2. Conversations About Nationalities

When you meet someone new in a foreign country, you don’t know where the conversation might go. But they will surely ask you where you’re from.

➜ Are you applying for Dutch citizenship? Then it might also come in handy to be able to talk about your current nationality. This way you can explain your situation and get that Dutch passport.

When you meet a new person in the Netherlands, they might ask you: Waar kom je vandaan? This literally means “Where do you come from?”, but translates better to “Where are you from?” 

If you need to go a bit more formal, you can use U (“You”, formal): Waar komt u vandaan?

To answer, you just say Ik ben, which means “I am,” and then your nationality. So what would you say about your nationality in Dutch?

For example:

• Ik ben Amerikaans. (“I am American.”)
• Ik ben Duits. (“I am German.”)
• Ik ben Braziliaans. (“I am Brazilian.”)

As you can see, in this sentence structure you always take the male version, even if you’re female.

You could also answer with Ik kom uit Duitsland, which means “I come from Germany,”. In that case, in your reply you would have to change the nationality to the name of the country, so “I come from Netherlands.”

For example:

• Ik kom uit Frankrijk. (“I am from France.”)
• Ik kom uit Australië. (“I am from Australia.”)

To return the question you can simply say En jij? This means “And you?” 

Last but not least, they could also ask “What is your nationality?”, in Dutch. Saying Wat is jouw nationaliteit? Or asking Ben je [nationality]? (“Are you [nationality]?). So for example, Ben je Fins? (“Are you Finnish?”). To which you could reply:

• Ja, ik ben Fins. (“Yes, I am Finnish.”)
• Ja, ik kom uit Finland. (“Yes, I am from Finland.”)
• Nee, ik ben niet Fins. Ik ben Amerikaans. (“No I am not Finnish. I am American.”)

Or you can use a more advanced reply:

• Ik ben geboren in Finland, maar ik groeide op in Italië. (“I was born in Finland but I grew up in Italy.”)
• Ik ben Fins en Italiaans (“I’m Finnish and Italian.”)
• Ik ben Frans maar ik woon in Finland (“I’m French but I live in Finland.”)
• Ik ben Duits maar ik woon in Japan. (“I’m German but I live in Japan.”)
• Ik ben Braziliaans maar ik woon nu al twee jaar in Frankrijk. (“I’m Brazilian but I’ve been living in France for two years.”)

➜ For more ice-breakers and conversation starters, we have a free vocabulary list with the Top 15 questions you should know.

3. Country, City, Nationality & Language

You now know how to talk about countries and their nationalities in Dutch, let’s go back to our list and take it one step further.

Country in English	Country in Dutch	Major City	Nationality	Language
Turkey	Turkije	Ankara	Turk/se	Turks (“Turkish”)
Morocco	Marokko	Rabat	Marokkaan/se	Marokkaans (“Moroccan”)
Indonesia	Indonesië	Jakarta	Indonesiër/Indonesische	Indonesisch (“Indonesian”)
Surinam	Suriname	Paramaribo	Surinamer/Surinaamse	Surinaams (“Surinamese”)
Germany	Duitsland	Berlijn (“Berlin”)	Duitser/Duitse	Duits (“German”)
Poland	Polen	Warschau	Pool/se	Pools (“Polish”)
Belgium	België	Brussel	Belg/Belgische	Nederlands (“Dutch”), Frans (“French”) and Duits (“German”) Belgium has three official languages, however Belgian Dutch, Vlaams (“Flemish”), and Belgian French, Waals (“Walloon”), are mainly spoken there.
Syria	Syrië	Damascus	Syriër/Syrische	Arabisch (“Arabic”)
Great Britain	Groot-Brittannië	Londen (“London”)	Brit/se	Engels (“English”)
China	China	Beijing	Chinees/Chinese	Chinees (“Chinese”)
Iraq	Irak	Baghdad	Irakees/Irakese	Iraaks (“Iraqi”)
Italy	Italië	Rome	Italiaan/se	Italiaans (“Italian”)
Afghanistan	Afghanistan	Kabul	Afghaan/se	Dari
India	India	New Delhi	Indiër/Indische	Hindi
France	Frankrijk	Parijs (“Paris”)	Fransman/Franse (Française is also used for the feminine version)	Frans (“French”)
Spain	Spanje	Madrid	Spanjaard/Spaanse	Spaans (“Spanish”)
United States	Verenigde Staten	Washington	Amerikaan/se	Amerikaans (“American”)

You can combine all of that when you introduce yourself. Here’s what it could look like:

• Ik ben Spaans, ik ben geboren in Madrid maar ik woon nu in Parijs, Frankrijk.
  (“I am Spanish, I was born in Madrid but I now live in Paris, France.”)


• Ik ben Pools maar ik ben in Spanje opgegroeid.
  (“I’m Polish but I grew up in Spain.”)
  


• Ik ben Chinees, maar woon al een tijdje in Brussel.
  (“I’m Chinese but I’ve been living in Brussels for some time.”)
  


• Ik ben Indiaas en spreek nog niet zo goed Nederlands. Ik ben zes maanden geleden naar Nederland verhuisd.
  (“I’m Indian and I don’t speak Dutch very well yet. I moved to the Netherlands six months ago.”)
  


• Ik ben Turks en Marokkaans. Ik ben opgegroeid in Turkije maar spreek geen woord Marokkaans. (“I’m Turkish and Moroccan. I was raised in Turkey but I don’t speak a word of Moroccan.”)
  


• Ze is Amerikaanse, spreekt vloeiend Duits en houdt van de Duitse cultuur.
  (“She’s American, she speaks German fluently and she loves the German culture.”)

➜ Telling where you’re from and what language you speak is a great starting point. To go a bit further, you can check out our vocabulary list with 10 lines to introduce yourself in Dutch.

➜ And are you ready to end the conversation and say goodbye? Then use one of these most common ways to say goodbye in Dutch.

4. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you have learned everything about countries and their nationalities in Dutch. You also learned some simple as well as complex sentence structures that you can use to answer the popular question Waar kom je vandaan? You even know how to say  “What is your nationality?”, in Dutch.

Are there any other nationality related words you would like to learn? Where are you from yourself and what would you say about your nationality in Dutch?

Let’s start putting this Dutch nationality vocabulary in use with the help of DutchPod101’s vocabulary lists with audio recordings, and other free resources to boost your studies.

Would you like some special attention? Remember that we also offer a Premium PLUS service with personal one-on-one coaching: MyTeacher. Let your private teacher help you master this Dutch nationality vocabulary. You’ll receive personalized exercises, constructive feedback, and interactive assignments.

Happy learning on DutchPod101.com!

Are you having trouble making the leap from the beginner to the intermediate level? It can be challenging to go from using simple structures in the present tense to figuring out the more difficult structures you need for expressing complex ideas or subtle feelings. 

Don’t worry; help is near. Having access to an extensive set of intermediate Dutch phrases may be the final push that will help you make this leap. And once you’re on the other side, you’ll find a lot of satisfaction in improving your skills and tackling the more challenging aspects of the language. 

In this article, we’ll have a look at some of the most useful intermediate Dutch phrases and sentence structures. You’ll get practical phrases for a wide variety of situations: talking about past events, making plans for the future, explaining your reasons, and more. 

Let’s dive in.

Let’s master those intermediate Dutch phrases!

Table of Contents

1. Talking About Past Events
2. Making and Changing Plans
3. Explaining Your Reasons
4. Making Recommendations and Complaints
5. Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations
6. Dutch Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings
7. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. Talking About Past Events

When you’re at a beginner level, chances are that you will only use the present tense. But as you bridge the gap toward becoming an intermediate Dutch student, you’ll need to learn how to use the Dutch past tense to talk about past events and share your experiences. Let’s have a look at some useful intermediate Dutch phrases for talking about things that happened in the past. 

We hebben een geweldige tijd gehad.

We had a great time.

Literally: We have had a great time.

We hebben genoten van het feest gisteravond.

We enjoyed the party last night.

Dat was de ergste dag van mijn leven.

That was the worst day of my life.

Ik werk hier nu drie jaar.

I have been working here for three years now.

Literally: I work here three years now. This Dutch sentence uses the present tense because we’re talking about something that is still ongoing.

Vorig jaar reisde ik naar Argentinië.

Last year, I traveled to Argentina.

Ik had vroeger een hond die Billie heette.

I used to have a dog named Billie.

➜ Do you want a quick overview of Dutch tenses? Then have a look at our Beginner’s Guide to Dutch Verb Conjugation. It’s available for free on DutchPod101.com.

2. Making and Changing Plans

Now that we have a better grasp of the past, let’s go to the future. For this, you’ll need to be able to manage the Dutch future tense. As you will gather from the following Dutch phrases for the intermediate level, there are many different ways to use this tense, and they’re all quite simple—so give them a go! Usually, mentioning the date of the event will be enough for the other person to understand you’re talking about the future; from that point on, whether you use the present or future tense is a matter of preference.

Be aware: The Dutch love to plan, so you may have to make plans in advance and avoid canceling at the last minute (as this is viewed as rude).

How do you make and change plans in Dutch? Let’s have a look!

Ik ben volgende week beschikbaar.

I am available next week.

Heb je dit weekend tijd?

Do you have time this weekend?

Wil je vanavond pizza eten?

Do you want to eat pizza tonight?

Mag ik mijn vriend/vriendin meenemen?

Can I bring my boyfriend/girlfriend?

Kunnen we het naar volgende week verplaatsen?

Can we move it to next week?

Zouden we een nieuwe afspraak kunnen maken?

Could we make a new appointment?

We hebben het er later over in onze bespreking.

We will talk about it later in our meeting.

➜ Do you want to learn more useful phrases for talking about your plans? Then have a look at our free vocabulary list Talking About Your Plans, which comes with audio recordings so you can practice your pronunciation.

3. Explaining Your Reasons

Another essential set of Dutch phrases for the intermediate level consists of those for explaining the reasons behind your actions. Describing your reasons is quite straightforward in Dutch; it only takes a few key words and structures to start talking about causes and consequences. See what we mean by taking a look at the useful intermediate Dutch phrases we’ve listed below. 

Ik eet geen eieren of vis want ik ben allergisch.

I don’t eat eggs or fish because I’m allergic.

Ik hou van deze muziek omdat ik er graag op dans.

I like this music because I like to dance to it.

Ik ben een beetje dronken, dus ik loop terug naar huis.

I am a bit drunk, so I’ll walk back home.

Omdat ik uitgeput was, sliep ik tot in de middag.

Because I was exhausted, I slept until noon.

Ik praat zachtjes want ik wil haar niet wakker maken.

I’m speaking softly because I don’t want to wake her up.

4. Making Recommendations and Complaints

One way to gain a deeper insight and understanding of people is to share our opinions and learn from each other’s experiences. Making recommendations or complaints is a great way to bond with people. Whether you want to recommend a great restaurant to your friends or discourage them from reading a boring book, the following intermediate Dutch phrases will help you get the message across. 

Je moet dit proberen. Het is de beste koffie die ik ooit heb gehad.

You should try this. It’s the best coffee I’ve ever had.

Dit is mijn favoriete restaurant.

This is my favorite restaurant.

Dit is de beste pizzeria van de stad.

This is the best pizza place in town.

Literally: This is the best pizza place of the city.

Ik heb echt genoten van deze film. Ik zou hem graag nog een keer zien.

I really enjoyed this movie. I would like to see it again.

Ik zou dit boek niet aanraden, ik vond het erg saai.

I would not recommend this book; I found it very boring.

➜ Do you want to learn more? Have a look at our vocabulary list Making Complaints in Dutch, which comes with useful audio recordings for pronunciation practice.

5. Reaction Phrases for Everyday Conversations

Get ready for everyday Dutch conversations by learning these useful intermediate Dutch phrases!

Are you interested in improving your Dutch conversation skills? In this section, we’ll teach you some short intermediate-level phrases for reacting to statements and expressing emotions like enthusiasm, curiosity, and disbelief. Being able to react fully (rather than just saying yes or no) is a great step forward in becoming more fluent in Dutch.

1 – Great!

A:
Ik vind de serie die je me hebt aangeraden heel erg leuk.
“I really love the series you recommended to me.”

B:
Wat leuk, ik ben blij dat je het leuk vindt!
“That’s great; I’m glad you like it!”

2 – Sorry.

A:
Ik heb een notenallergie.
“I have a nut allergy.”

B:
Oh, sorry, dat wist ik niet.
“Oh, sorry, I didn’t know.”

3 – I can’t believe it.

A:
Ik hou niet van kaas.
“I don’t like cheese.”

B:
Echt waar?
“Really?” [Formal/Casual]

B:
Meen je het?
“Are you serious?” [Formal/Casual]

B:
Maak je een grapje?
“Are you making a joke?” [Casual]

4 – That’s a shame.

A:
Ik kan vanavond niet komen.
“I can’t come tonight.”

B:
Ah, dat is jammer.
“Oh, that’s a shame.” [Formal/Casual]

B:
Ah, dat is balen!
“Ah, that sucks!” [Casual]

5 – Keep me posted!

A:
Ik weet nog niet of ik vanavond kan komen.
“I don’t know if I can come tonight.”

B:
Oké, hou me op de hoogte!
“Okay, keep me posted!”

6 – Thanks for coming!

A:
We hebben genoten van het feest gisteravond.
“We enjoyed the party last night.”

B:
Wat fijn, bedankt voor het komen!
“How nice, thanks for coming!”

➜ Do you need to improve your Dutch speaking skills? Have a look at our vocabulary list How to Improve Your Speaking Skills for some useful tips. You can also see our Using Small Talk Phrases list.

6. Dutch Etiquette Phrases for Social and Business Settings

What Dutch etiquette rules do you already know?

Last but not least, to really become an intermediate-level Dutch speaker, you should also know some Dutch etiquette phrases for social and business settings. Even though the Dutch aren’t the most polite people in the world, there is more to Dutch courtesy than just saying alstublieft (“please”) and bedankt (“thank you”). We do appreciate some etiquette, especially in the Dutch business culture. So, let’s have a look at some useful Dutch phrases for intermediate-level students who want to make a great impression in social and business settings.

Doe alsof je thuis bent.

Make yourself at home.

Literally: Do as if you are at home.

Laat het me weten als je vragen hebt.  [Casual]	Laat het me weten als u vragen heeft.  [Formal]
Please let me know if you have questions.

Goede reis!

Have a good trip!

Ik kijk er naar uit om van je te horen.  [Casual]	Ik kijk er naar uit van u te horen.  [Formal]
I look forward to hearing from you.

Leuk je te ontmoeten.  [Casual]	Aangenaam kennis te maken.  [Formal]
Nice to meet you.

Sorry dat ik je stoor.  [Casual]	Sorry dat ik u stoor.  [Formal]
I’m sorry to disturb you.
Literally: Sorry to disturb you.

Gezondheid.

Bless you.

Literally: Health. This is used when someone sneezes. When someone sneezes three times, some people may add morgen mooi weer (“good weather tomorrow”), but it’s old-fashioned and mostly used as a joke.

➜ Would you like to learn more about Dutch etiquette? You’re in luck! We have a complete guide [link] on what’s polite and what’s not in the Netherlands. It’s available for free on DutchPod101.com.

7. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you have learned more than thirty useful intermediate Dutch phrases covering different aspects of our daily lives. As a true intermediate Dutch speaker, you can now talk about past events, make and change plans, explain your reasons, make recommendations or complaints, react to everyday conversations, and even use those tricky Dutch etiquette phrases for social and business settings. 

Are there any other types of Dutch phrases for the intermediate level you would like to learn? Or some useful intermediate Dutch phrases on another topic? Feel free to share with us in the comments below!

Try to really practice all of the intermediate Dutch phrases from our list by following these steps:

• Read the sentence carefully and see if you can understand it.
• Try and translate it yourself with the words and grammar that you already know.
• Compare your results to the given translation (and to its literal translation, when needed).
• Once you understand the words and the grammatical structure, you can make some changes to the sentence to make it more personal or applicable to other situations.
• Once you’re comfortable enough, you could even try to rephrase it completely or make it more complex.

Yes, you are ready to master the Dutch intermediate level!

You can start mastering these Dutch phrases for intermediate learners with the help of DutchPod101.com. We offer audio and video lessons, vocabulary lists with audio recordings, and other free resources to boost your studies. With DutchPod101, you can really keep your Dutch learning fun and diverse.

Would you like some special attention? Remember that we also offer a Premium PLUS service with personal 1-on-1 coaching: MyTeacher. Let your private teacher help you with every aspect of the Dutch language, from the pronunciation of common phrases to the expansion of your intermediate Dutch vocabulary. You’ll receive personalized exercises, constructive feedback, and interactive assignments.

What are you waiting for? Sign up today!

How many Dutch phrases do you know? Does it ever feel like you don’t know enough Dutch to handle the different situations that pop up every day? 

It can be frustrating not being able to explain or express yourself due to having a limited vocabulary. But having access to an extensive set of basic Dutch phrases for beginners will surely help you feel more confident about using the Dutch language. 

Luckily, you don’t have to know everything. Learning even a few Dutch beginner phrases will be enough to help you manage yourself in everyday situations and speak with clarity. 

In this article, we’ll list essential Dutch phrases for beginners that will allow you to communicate in Dutch. We have included greetings, self-introductions, goodbyes, courtesy phrases, dining and shopping phrases, and phrases you can use to ask for help. By the time you reach the end, you’ll know the best Dutch beginner phrases for a wide variety of situations.

Let’s master these Dutch beginner phrases!

Table of Contents

1. Greetings, Self-introductions, and Goodbyes
2. Courtesy Phrases
3. Dining and Shopping Phrases
4. Asking for Help
5. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. Greetings, Self-introductions, and Goodbyes

First, to make a great first impression, it’s important to get your Dutch greetings right. There are different greetings for different situations, from formal gatherings to more casual social encounters. When in doubt, remember that Hallo (“Hello”) is always a great option as it works well in both formal and casual situations.

Hallo.  [Formal or casual]	Hoi. [Casual]
Hello.	Hi.

Goedemorgen.  [Formal or casual]

Good morning.

Goedenavond.  [Formal or casual]

Good evening.

Hallo meneer.  [Formal]

Hello, sir.

Goedemorgen mevrouw.  [Formal]

Good morning, madam.

→ Would you like to learn some more options or hear the pronunciation of the Dutch greetings above? Have a look at our vocabulary list Common Ways to Say Hello in the Netherlands.

Now that you have given your Dutch greeting, you may want to ask how they’re doing. Here are some basic Dutch phrases you could use:

Hoe gaat het met u?  [Formal]	Alles goed?  [Casual]
How are you?
Literally: How are you going?	Literally: Everything fine?

Goed, dank u.  [Formal]	Ja, alles prima.  [Casual]
I am good, thank you.	Yes, everything is fine.
Literally: Good, thank you.

Would you like to keep the conversation going? In case you don’t know the other person, you can use the following Dutch beginner phrases to begin introductions. 

Wat is uw naam?  [Formal]	Hoe heet je?  [Casual]
What’s your name?

Ik heet Mark.  [Formal or casual]

My name is Mark.

Ik ben Kim.  [Casual]

I am Kim.

Waar komt u vandaan?  [Formal]	Waar kom je vandaan?  [Casual]
Where are you from?

Waar woont u?  [Formal]	Waar woon je?  [Casual]
Where do you live?

Ik ben Duits.

I’m German.

Ik woon in Parijs.

I live in Paris.

Ik kom uit Argentinië.

I’m from Argentina.

→ Not sure what the Dutch name for your nationality or country is? You can find your nationality (along with its pronunciation) on this vocabulary list and the name of your country on this one.

Hoe oud bent u?  [Formal]	Hoe oud ben je?  [Casual]
How old are you?

Ik ben dertig jaar oud.

I’m thirty years old.

Aangenaam (kennis te maken).  [Formal or casual]

Nice to meet you.

Literally: Nice to get to know you. You can either say aangenaam by itself or use the whole phrase (aangenaam kennis te maken). Both versions are perfectly fine for formal situations; in more casual settings, it sounds better to just say aangenaam.

Leuk u te ontmoeten.  [Formal]	Leuk je te ontmoeten.  [Casual]
Nice to meet you.

Het was leuk u gesproken te hebben.  [Formal]	Het was leuk je gesproken te hebben. [Casual]
It was nice talking to you.

All good things must come to an end. Here are some beginner phrases in Dutch that are perfect for ending a conversation and saying goodbye.

How do you say goodbye in Dutch?

Dag!  [Formal or casual]

Bye.

Tot ziens.  [Formal or casual]

Goodbye.

Literally: Until seeing you.

Tot later!  [Casual]

See you later!

Literally: Until later.

Tot morgen.  [Casual]

See you tomorrow.

Literally: Until tomorrow.

Succes!  [Formal or casual]

Good luck.

Veel plezier!  [Casual]

Have fun!

→ Have a look at our vocabulary list Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye to discover many more options for saying goodbye in Dutch.
→ Would you like to learn more self-introduction sentences with useful audio recordings? See our list 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself and practice your Dutch pronunciation!

2. Courtesy Phrases

The Dutch might not be the politest people in the world, but there are certain manners that the Dutch highly appreciate. To give you a leg up in social settings, we have included a list of useful Dutch phrases for beginners that are considered polite and courteous in the Netherlands. Make sure to use these courtesy phrases whenever appropriate to leave a good impression on others. 

Excuseer me.  [Formal]	Sorry.  [Casual]
Excuse me.
This phrase is used to catch someone’s attention before asking for something, or to apologize in advance for an inconvenience. For example:  Excuseer me, weet u hoe laat het is? (“Excuse me, do you know the time?”) [Formal] Sorry, weet je hoe laat het is? (“Sorry, do you know the time?”) [Casual]

Alstublieft.  [Formal]	Alsjeblieft.  [Casual]
Please.
Literally: If it pleases you.

Bedankt.  [Formal or casual]

Thank you.

Dank u wel.  [Formal]	Dank je wel.  [Casual]
Thank you.

Graag gedaan.  [Formal or casual]

You’re welcome.

(Dat is) geen probleem.  [Casual]

That’s no problem.

If, despite your best efforts, you make a mistake and want to apologize for it, you can keep it simple:

Sorry.  [Formal or casual]

Sorry.

Het spijt me.  [Formal or casual]

I’m sorry.

Neem me niet kwalijk.  [Formal]

Excuse me.

Use these simple Dutch beginner phrases when you’re sorry.

→ A simple sorry might not be enough if you really messed up. In this case, you might want to consult our Common Ways to Say Sorry vocabulary list.

3. Dining and Shopping Phrases

As you travel through the Netherlands, you’ll surely enjoy the country’s dining culture and the many shopping places we have. Even though the staff in shops, bars, and restaurants will surely speak English, wouldn’t it be nice to practice your Dutch?

Do you plan on dining out a lot? Learning these common Dutch phrases for beginners will help you order food, ask for the bill, and more. 

Ik heb honger.

I am hungry.

Mag ik de menukaart zien?

Can I see the menu?

Ik wil graag twee koffie, alstublieft.

I’d like two coffees, please.

De rekening, alstublieft.

The bill, please.

Ik wil graag contant betalen.	Ik wil graag pinnen.
I would like to pay in cash.	I would like to pay by card.
These phrases will also come in handy for discussing payment options with the cashier at a store.

We willen graag splitsen.

We would like to split the bill.

When you’re with friends (or even a date) in a bar or restaurant, it’s quite common in the Netherlands to split the bill, or “go Dutch.” In this case, you would just ask the staff if you could each pay your own part.

→ You’ll find many more restaurant phrases in our vocabulary list Useful Phrases for Ordering Food. It even contains recorded examples to help you practice your pronunciation!

Now that you’ve quieted your hunger or thirst in a nice Dutch café or restaurant, it’s time to do some shopping. Here are a few beginner phrases in Dutch that will help you shop like there’s no tomorrow:

Waar is de paskamer?

Where is the changing room?

Ik wil graag deze broek passen.

I’d like to try on these pants.

Hoeveel kost dit?

How much is this?

Ik wil graag deze jas kopen.

I’d like to buy this jacket.

Verkoopt u postzegels?

Do you sell postage stamps?

→ Do you need more shopping words? Make sure to stop by our Shopping vocabulary list.

Let’s go shopping with these useful Dutch beginner phrases.

4. Asking for Help

Since you’re reading these basic Dutch phrases for beginners, chances are you’re not fluent yet. This means there will likely be times when you get a little lost and confused. This is perfectly fine, as long as you can explain the situation and move on. The following Dutch beginner phrases will help you do just that, even when you’re dealing with that pesky language barrier! 

1 – Lost in Translation

Are you worried about listening comprehension issues during your visit? While the easiest option would be to switch to English, you should try to stick with Dutch as this will help improve your Dutch language skills. 

Ik spreek niet zo goed Nederlands.

I don’t speak Dutch very well.

Ik begrijp u niet.  [Formal]	Ik begrijp je niet.  [Casual]
I don’t understand you.

Hoe zeg je “dog” in het Nederlands?

How do you say “dog” in Dutch?

Kunt u dat herhalen?  [Formal]	Kun je dat herhalen?  [Casual]
Could you repeat that, please?

Ik versta u als u langzaam praat.  [Formal]	Ik versta je als je langzaam praat.  [Casual]
I understand you if you speak slowly.

And if you really can’t save yourself in Dutch, then you could always say:

Spreekt u Engels?  [Formal]	Spreek je Engels?  [Casual]
Do you speak English?

2 – Asking for Directions

Besides being lost in translation, you might also really get lost when traveling in the Netherlands. When you’re stranded in the middle of a strange Dutch city or you don’t know where the nearest restroom is, you’ll definitely need to know these Dutch beginner phrases for asking directions.

Sorry, waar zijn de toiletten?

Excuse me, where are the toilets?

Waar is het centraal station?

Where is the central station?

Ik ben op zoek naar de Damstraat.

I am looking for the Damstraat.

Hoe kan ik daar komen?

How can I get there?

3 – Getting Out of Trouble

Did you get into trouble in the Netherlands or find yourself in a situation that you really don’t understand? Then these simple beginner phrases might come in handy.

Ik weet het niet.

I don’t know.

Wat is dat?

What’s that?

Wat gebeurt er?

What’s happening?

Het is oké.

That’s okay.

Het maak niet uit.

It doesn’t matter.

Maak je geen zorgen.  [Formal or casual]	Maak je niet druk.  [Casual]
Don’t worry.

→ Did someone go too far? Then have a look at our vocabulary list, Dutch Phrases to Use When You’re Angry.

5. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

These Dutch beginner phrases will surely help you improve your Dutch and start conversing!

In this guide, you’ve learned many phrases in Dutch for beginners: greetings, self-introductions, goodbyes, courtesy phrases, and even phrases for shopping, dining, and getting help.

Can you think of any more basic Dutch phrases you might need to know? 

You can start practicing and rehearsing these phrases right away by checking out the free vocabulary lists on DutchPod101.com. Each list contains a recorded pronunciation of the words and phrases it covers, making them perfect for getting your pronunciation just right! In addition, we provide a variety of free resources and audio/video lessons for learners at every level. With DutchPod101, you can really keep your Dutch learning fun and diverse. 

Would you like some special attention? Remember that we also offer a Premium PLUS service with personal 1-on-1 coaching: MyTeacher. Let your private teacher help you with Dutch vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and much more. You’ll receive personalized exercises, constructive feedback, and interactive assignments.

Happy learning on DutchPod101.com!

Have you been studying Dutch for a while and feel confident in your ability to conquer more advanced Dutch words? It sure takes a lot of dedication and brainpower to master these words, but once you pull it off, you’ll find that there’s nothing as rewarding as having fluent conversations with your Dutch-speaking friends, colleagues, or classmates. 

In this article, we’ll list a wide variety of advanced Dutch vocabulary words. This includes everything from general advanced words to more nuanced terms for the academic, business, medical, and legal spheres. In addition, we’ll introduce you to more sophisticated alternatives to common words that will help you ace your Dutch language exam. 

With this advanced Dutch wordlist, you’ll be able to express yourself better, understand more advanced conversations, and slowly but surely perfect your Dutch.

Let’s refine your Dutch vocabulary!

Table of Contents

1. General Advanced Dutch Words
2. Academic Words
3. Advanced Business Words
4. Advanced Medical Words
5. Advanced Legal Words
6. Alternative Words for Acing a Dutch Language Exam
7. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. General Advanced Dutch Words

These are advanced verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and linking words that you could use in a variety of situations. They allow you to express yourself in a sophisticated manner and relay your ideas with greater clarity.

1  – Verbs

Argumenteren	De leerlingen argumenteren tegen elkaar in het debat.
To argue	The students argue against each other in the debate.

Besteden	Ik besteed een groot deel van mijn budget aan marketing.
To spend / To pay	I spend a lot of my budget on marketing.

Bevatten	Sinaasappelen bevatten veel vitamine C.
To contain / To have	Oranges contain lots of vitamin C.

Discussiëren	We zouden hier de hele dag over kunnen discussiëren.
To debate	We could debate this all day.

Fluisteren	Hij fluisterde in mijn oor.
To whisper	He whispered in my ear.

Leiden tot	De crisis in de huizenmarkt leidde tot vele problemen.
To lead to	The crisis in the housing market led to many problems.

Verantwoordelijkheid nemen	Ik neem verantwoordelijkheid voor de risico´s van deze missie.
To take responsibility	I take responsibility for the risks of this mission.

Verkrijgen	Ik moet een visum verkrijgen om naar Rusland te reizen.
To obtain / To acquire	I need to obtain a visa to travel to Russia.

Verzamelen	Wij zijn data aan het verzamelen.
To collect / To gather	We are collecting data.

2 – Adjectives

Feilloos	Haar kleding is altijd feilloos gestyled.
Flawless	Her clothes are always flawlessly styled.

Gedetailleerd	Hij schreef een gedetailleerd rapport.
Detailed	He wrote a detailed report.

Geschikt	We zoeken een geschikte oplossing.
Suitable / Adequate	We’re looking for an adequate solution.

Onaanvaardbaar	Deze resultaten zijn onaanvaardbaar!
Unacceptable	These results are unacceptable!

Onwaarschijnlijk	Dit lijkt erg onwaarschijnlijk.
Unlikely	This seems very unlikely.

Raadselachtig	De film is erg raadselachtig.
Puzzling / Mysterious	This movie is very puzzling.

Redelijk	Dit is een redelijke oplossing.
Reasonable	This is a reasonable solution.

Subtiel	Een subtiele mix van knoflook en basilicum
Subtle	A subtle blend of garlic and basil

Voortreffelijk	Het eten was voortreffelijk!
Excellent / Outstanding	The food was excellent!

Willekeurig	Er is een willekeurige selectie gemaakt.
Random	A random selection has been made.

3 – Adverbs

Absoluut	Het heeft absoluut geen zin.
Absolutely	It is absolutely pointless.

Abrupt	We zijn abrupt weg gegaan.
Abruptly	We left abruptly.

Briljant	Hij sloeg die bal briljant weg.
Brilliantly	He hit that ball brilliantly.

Gematigd	Hij praat altijd erg gematigd over dat onderwerp.
Moderately	He always talks very moderately about that subject.

Letterlijk	Hij heeft dat letterlijk gezegd.
Literally	He said that literally.

Natuurlijk	Het winnen van de wedstrijd maakte me natuurlijk blij.
Naturally	Winning the game naturally made me happy.

Precies	Het is precies andersom.
Precisely	It is precisely the other way around.

Zeker	Ze is zeker erg populair.
Certainly / Definitely	She’s certainly very popular.

4 – Linking Words

Hoewel	Hoewel mijn oma oud is, is ze nog steeds erg actief.
Although	Although my grandma is old, she is still very active.

Desondanks	Het regende, maar desondanks gingen we wandelen.
Nevertheless	It was raining, but nevertheless, we went for a walk.

Niettemin	Het is moeilijk, maar niettemin moeten we het proberen.
Nevertheless / Nonetheless	It is difficult, but we must try nonetheless.

Ondanks	Ondanks haar vermoeidheid, is ze toch maar gaan fietsen.
Despite	Despite her fatigue, she went cycling anyway.

Ongeacht	Ongeacht wat u ook doet, u zult tot de juiste beslissing komen.
Whatever / No matter what	Whatever you do, you’ll come to the right decision.

Tenzij	Laten we beginnen, tenzij je wilt wachten.
Unless	Let’s start, unless you want to wait.

Terwijl	De prijzen stijgen terwijl de kwaliteit daalt.
While / As	Prices are increasing while the quality is going down.

Wat betreft	Wat uw rol betreft, we praten er morgen over.
As for	As for your role, we’ll talk about it tomorrow.

Zodra	Zodra u klaar bent, kunnen we beginnen.
As soon as	As soon as you’re ready, we can start.

How about these general advanced Dutch words? Did you already know some of them?

2. Academic Words

The next set of advanced Dutch vocabulary we’ll cover consists of words you would hear, read, or use in an academic setting. You’ll find these words especially useful if you plan to study in the Netherlands! 

Aanleiding	Haar slechte prestatie was de aanleiding voor haar ontslag.
Reason / Cause	Her poor performance was the reason for her dismissal.

Abstract	De ideeën van de professor waren tamelijk abstract.
Abstract	The professor’s ideas were quite abstract.

Analyseren	Als je wilt weten wat de kenmerken van een verhaal zijn, moet je het eerst analyseren.
To analyze	If you want to know the characteristics of a story, you have to analyze it first.

Chronologisch	Ik heb het verhaal in chronologische volgorde verteld.
Chronological	I have told the story in chronological order.

Citeren	Hij citeert enkele beroemde filosofen in zijn essay.
To quote / To cite	He quotes some famous philosophers in his essay.

Consequent	Bij het opvoeden van kinderen moet je consequent zijn.
Consistent	You have to be consistent when raising children.

Correlatie	Er bestaat een duidelijke correlatie tussen deze twee factoren.
Correlation	There is a clear correlation between these two factors.

Cyclus	Deze cyclus herhaalt zich elk jaar.
Cycle	This cycle repeats itself every year.

Dilemma	Europa staat duidelijk voor een dilemma.
Dilemma	Europe clearly faces a dilemma.

Diversiteit	In Nederland is er een grote diversiteit aan vogels.
Diversity	There is a great diversity of birds in the Netherlands.

Eficiënt	Als je efficiënt wilt studeren, moet je je leren focussen.
Efficiently	If you want to study efficiently, you have to learn to focus.

Empathie	Hij is erg egoïstisch en voelt weinig empathie voor anderen.
Empathy	He is very selfish and has little empathy for others.

Facultatief	De deelname aan de cursus Spaans voor beginners is facultatief.
Optional	Participation in the Spanish for Beginners course is optional.

Fenomeen	Het toenemende gebruik van smartphones is een universeel fenomeen.
Phenomenon	The increasing use of smartphones is a universal phenomenon.

Fictief	Dit is een fictief verhaal, het is niet echt gebeurd.
Fictional	This is a fictional story; it didn’t actually happen.

Generaliseren	Hij generaliseert veel als hij over zijn studenten praat.
Generalize	He generalizes a lot when he talks about his students.

Hiërarchie	In dit bedrijf is er nog veel hiërarchie.
Hierarchy	There is still a lot of hierarchy in this company.

Hypothese	Volgens onze hypothese heeft dit fenomeen verregaande gevolgen.
Hypothesis	According to our hypothesis, this phenomenon has far-reaching consequences.

Interpreteren	De opmerking kon op verschillende manieren geïnterpreteerd worden.
Interpret	The remark could be interpreted in different ways.

Nuanceren	Kun je die vraag nog wat nuanceren?
To nuance	Can you nuance that question a bit?

Objectief	De beslissing van de minister was gebaseerd op objectieve criteria.
Objective	The minister’s decision was based on objective criteria.

Pragmatisch	De doorgewinterde politicus neemt altijd erg pragmatische beslissingen.
Pragmatic	The seasoned politician always makes very pragmatic decisions.

Synoniem	Ik ken geen synoniem voor dat woord.
Synonym	I don’t know a synonym for that word.

Urgentie	Gezien de urgentie van het probleem moeten we direct handelen.
Urgency	Given the urgency of the problem, we must act immediately.

Variëren	Om de kinderen geïnteresseerd te houden, moet u uw lesmethoden variëren.
To vary	To keep the children interested, you have to vary your teaching methods.

Are you ready to master these academic Dutch words?

3. Advanced Business Words

As you approach the advanced level in Dutch, you might be considering a job or career in the Netherlands. The following words will give you a leg up in the Dutch business world, whatever direction your dreams take you. 

Winstgevend	Mijn bedrijf is niet meer winstgevend.
Profitable	My company is not profitable anymore.

Afdeling	Ik werk op de marketingafdeling.
Department / Division	I work in the marketing division.

Hoofdkantoor	Dit is het hoofdkantoor van Heineken.
Head office	This is the Heineken head office.

Uitbesteding	Door uitbesteding kunnen we kosten besparen.
Outsourcing	Outsourcing allows us to cut costs.

Ontslag	Ontslag werd overwogen.
Dismissal / Resignation	Dismissal was considered.

Activa	Ze hebben activa om met hun schulden te dealen.
Assets	They have assets to deal with their debts.

Aandelen	De gepresenteerde aandelen worden beoordeeld.
Stocks	The submitted stocks will be evaluated.

Aandeelhouder	Ik ben de enige aandeelhouder van mijn eigen bedrijf.
Shareholder	I’m the only shareholder of my own company.

Rentetarief	De rentetarieven dalen elk jaar.
Interest rate	Interest rates are decreasing every year.

Personeelszaken	Personeelszaken zorgt voor uw contract.
Human resources	Human resources are taking care of your contract.

Omzet	De omzet is gestaag gestegen.
Turnover / Revenue	Revenues have steadily increased.

Fondsen	We moeten fondsen vrijmaken.
Funds	We have to release funds.

Dochteronderneming	Wij zijn een dochteronderneming van dat bedrijf.
Subsidiary	We are a subsidiary of that company.

Tarief	U vindt mijn tarief op mijn website.
Rate	You’ll find my rate on my website.

Loonstrook	Ik heb mijn loonstrook nog niet ontvangen.
Payslip	I haven’t received my payslip yet.

Samenwerkingsverband	Ze heeft net een samenwerkingsverband getekend met ons bedrijf.
Partnership	She’s just signed a partnership with our company.

Arbeidsmarkt	Vrouwen worden vaak gediscrimineerd op de arbeidsmarkt.
Labor market	Women are often discriminated against in the labor market.

Vergoeden	Deze opdracht wordt goed vergoed.
To compensate / To pay	This assignment is well compensated.

Solliciteren	Ik solliciteer voor een nieuwe baan.
To apply	I’m applying for a new job.

Filiaal	We hebben een filiaal in Rotterdam.
Branch	We have a branch in Rotterdam.

Boekhouding	Ik ben voor een vereenvoudigde boekhouding.
Accounting	I vote for simplified accounting.

Failliet gaan	Mijn bedrijf is failliet gegaan.
To go bankrupt	My company has gone bankrupt.

Zakenreis	Ze gaat op zakenreis.
Business trip	She’s leaving for a business trip.

Vast contract

Permanent contract

Tijdelijk contract

Temporary contract

Let’s master the Dutch business world with these advanced Dutch words.

→ Are you working in the Netherlands? Then these vocabulary lists might come in handy: Essential Vocabulary and Phrases for Preparing a Presentation and Phrases for Doing Business Successfully.

→ Do you want to apply for a job in the Netherlands? Then have a look at these useful vocabulary lists with audio recordings to perfect your Dutch pronunciation: Words and Phrases for Writing Your Resume and Words and Phrases for HR and the Recruitment Process.

4. Advanced Medical Words

Whether you’re studying medicine in the Netherlands, pursuing a job in the medical field, or sitting in the ER, these advanced Dutch words will help you out in a pinch. 

Behandeling	Ik probeer een experimentele behandeling.
Treatment	I’m trying an experimental treatment.

Goedaardig	Dit syndroom is goedaardig.
Benign	This syndrome is benign.

Desinfecteren	Je moet de wond desinfecteren.
To disinfect	You have to disinfect the wound.

Besmettelijk	Dit virus is zeer besmettelijk.
Contagious	This virus is highly contagious.

Immuun	Ik ben niet immuun voor die ziekte.
Immune	I am not immune to that disease.

Allergie	Allergie voor dit product is zeer ongebruikelijk.
Allergy	Allergy to this product is very unusual.

Bloeddruk	Hij zal uw bloeddruk meten.
Blood pressure	He will measure your blood pressure.

Breuk	Ik heb een dubbele heupbreuk.
Fracture	I have a double hip fracture.

Röntgenfoto	Je hebt een röntgenfoto nodig.
X-ray	You’re going to need an X-ray.

Gips	Ik draag sinds januari gips.
Cast	I’ve been wearing a cast since January.

Hartaanval	Hij stierf na een hartaanval.
Heart attack	He died after suffering a heart attack.

Immuunsysteem	Mijn immuunsysteem was verzwakt.
Immune system	My immune system was weakened.

Bloeding	We moeten de bloeding stoppen.
Bleeding	We have to stop the bleeding.

Vaccineren	Ze willen de hele bevolking vaccineren.
To vaccinate	They want to vaccinate the whole population.

Recept	U kunt dit medicijn niet zonder recept kopen.
Prescription	You can’t buy this medication without a prescription.

Bijwerking	Er is geen bijwerking bekend.
Side effect	There is no known side effect.

Bloedonderzoek	U moet een bloedonderzoek ondergaan.
Blood test	You have to do a blood test.

Griep	Ik kreeg vorig jaar griep.
Flu	I got the flu last year.

Jeuk	Ik begin jeuk te krijgen.
Itch	I’m starting to feel an itch.

Menstruatie	Dit is een middel tegen pijnlijke menstruatie.
Menstruation	This is a remedy for painful menstruation.

Nek	Het slachtoffer heeft een gebroken nek.
Neck	The victim has a broken neck.

Buik	Ik heb buikpijn.
Stomach	I have a stomachache.

Wervelkolom	De wervelkolom is delicaat.
Spine	The spine is delicate.

Ribben	Mijn ribben doen pijn.
Ribs	My ribs hurt.

Longen	Hij ademt slecht want hij heeft last van zijn longen.
Lungs	He’s breathing badly because he has lung problems.

These advanced Dutch medical words will help you feel more comfortable when going to the doctor in the Netherlands.

→ There are so many complicated medical words that it would take days to list them all! For more phrases with recorded examples, head over to these vocabulary lists: Medicine and Medical Treatments, Words and Phrases for Talking About Injuries, and Useful Phrases for Talking to Your Doctor.

5. Advanced Legal Words

Learning these advanced legal words will aid your law studies, allow you to engage in more complex conversations, or maybe even help you work out an unfortunate misunderstanding. 

Conform	Het bedrijf handelt conform de wetgeving.
In accordance with	The company acts in accordance with the law.

Erkende	Ik ben een erkende vertegenwoordiger van de regering.
Authorized / Accredited	I’m an accredited representative of the government.

Strafblad	Ik heb geen strafblad.
Criminal record	I don’t have a criminal record.

Hoger beroep	De beslissing werd door de rechter in hoger beroep genomen.
Appeal	The decision was made by the judge on appeal.

Juridisch advies	We hebben juridisch advies nodig.
Legal counsel	We need legal counsel.

Gerechtelijk	Dit is een gerechtelijke zaak.
Judicial	This is a judicial case.

Schriftelijk bewijs	Schriftelijk bewijs van adres
Written proof	Written proof of address

Dagvaarden	Ze dagvaardde de getuige.
To summon	She summoned the witness.

Wettelijke vertegenwoordiger	Ik ben de wettelijke vertegenwoordiger van dit bedrijf.
Legal representative	I’m the legal representative of this company.

Aangetekende brief	Ik heb het document per aangetekende brief verzonden.
Registered letter	I have sent the document in a registered letter.

Geschil	U heeft twee dagen de tijd om een geschil te openen.
Dispute / Litigation	You have two days to open a dispute.

Huiszoekingsbevel	Ik kom terug met een huiszoekingsbevel.
Search warrant	I will come back with a search warrant.

Vertegenwoordiger	We zullen een vertegenwoordiger aanwijzen.
Representative	We will appoint a representative.

Notaris	Het document is gecertificeerd door een notaris.
Notary	The document is certified by a notary.

Paraferen	Je moet dit contract paraferen.
To initial (a document)	I need you to initial this contract.

Clausule	Hij heeft alle clausules van het contract gelezen.
Clause	He read all the clauses of the contract.

Rechtszaak	Er is een rechtszaak aangespannen tegen het bedrijf.
Lawsuit	A lawsuit was filed against the company.

Officier van justitie	De officier van justitie wil met u praten.
Public prosecutor	The prosecutor wants to talk to you.

Eisen	Ik eis het recht om deze beslissing te nemen.
To claim	I claim the right to make this decision.

Onwettig	Deze handel is in dat land volledig onwettig.
Illegitimate	This trade is completely illegitimate in that country.

Illegaal	De goederen die hij in bezit heeft gekregen, zijn illegaal.
Illegal	The goods he came into possession of are illegal.

Aanvaller	Zijn aanvaller was lang en blond.
Assailant	His assailant was tall and blond.

Corruptie	Corruptie is een misdaad.
Corruption	Corruption is a crime.

Inbraak	De inbraak vond plaats in de nacht van 17 op 18 juni.
Burglary	The burglary took place on the night of June 17 to June 18.

Chanteren	Ze hebben me gechanteerd voor vertrouwelijke informatie.
To blackmail	They blackmailed me for confidential information.

Which advanced Dutch legal words are most useful to you?

6. Alternative Words for Acing a Dutch Language Exam

Do you want to take a Dutch language proficiency test? In the Netherlands, there are two official language proficiency tests: the NT2 Dutch as a Second Language State Exam (Staatsexamen NT2) and the Dutch as a Foreign Language Certificate (Certificaat Nederlands als Vreemde Taal, CNaVT). 

→ Are you interested in taking the NT2 Dutch State Exam? Then have a look at our guide with useful information, tips, and tricks. It will definitely help you prepare for this common Dutch language exam.

One way to do well on a Dutch language proficiency test is to show that you have a diverse vocabulary. It also helps to prove that you’re able to express yourself with subtlety instead of relying on the same (simple) terms.

In the final leg of this advanced Dutch word list, you’ll find simple verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, followed by their more sophisticated alternatives and an example sentence. The first column is the simple word, and the second is the alternative you might want to use.

1 – Alternative Verbs

Beginnen	Aanvangen	Voordat de werkzaamheden kunnen aanvangen, moet dit eerst in orde worden gemaakt.
To start	To commence	Before the work can start, this must be arranged first.

Doorgaan (met)	Hervatten	We kunnen de vergadering hervatten.
To continue	To resume	We can resume the meeting.

Laten zien	Tonen	In deze nieuwe campagne toont het bedrijf de nieuwe modellen.
To show	To show	In this new campaign, the company is showing the new models.

Kopen	Aanschaffen	We willen graag een nieuwe auto aanschaffen.
To buy	To acquire	We would like to buy a new car.

Hebben	Bezitten	Ik bezit een huis in Amsterdam en een huis in Frankrijk.
To have	To own	I own a house in Amsterdam and a house in France.

Zeggen	Beweren	Ze beweert dat ze niets weet.
To say	To claim	She claims she doesn’t know anything.

2 – Alternative Adjectives

Essentieel	Noodzakelijk	Het is noodzakelijk om nu te investeren.
Essential	Essential	It is essential to invest right now.

Handig	Gunstig	Het nieuwe systeem is erg gunstig.
Convenient	Convenient	The new system is very convenient.

Verschillend	Divers	De oceaan kent een rijk en divers ecosysteem.
Different	Diverse	The ocean has a rich and diverse ecosystem.

Makkelijk	Eenvoudig	Je zult zien dat het erg eenvoudig is.
Easy	Easy / Simple	You’ll see that it’s very easy.

3 – Alternative Adverbs

Echt	Werkelijk	Wat zij beweert is werkelijk niet waar.
Really	Really	What she claims is really not true.

Zonder problemen	Probleemloos	Het evenement verliep probleemloos.
Easily	Smoothly	The event went smoothly.

Nu	Onmiddellijk	Kom onmiddellijk naar mijn kantoor!
Now	Immediately	Come to my office immediately!

Vanaf nu	Voortaan	Ik wil dat jij mij voortaan altijd op de hoogte stelt van nieuwe aankopen.
From now on	From now on	From now on, I want you to always keep me informed of new purchases.

Voor	Voorafgaand	Voorafgaand aan het tekenen van het contract, wil ik het huis nog een keer zien.
Before	Prior	Prior to signing the contract, I want to see the house again.

Vroeger	Voorheen	Voorheen was het product niet in winkels verkrijgbaar.
Before	Previously	Previously, the product was not available in stores.

Which alternative Dutch word will you use on your language exam?

7. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you have seen over 150 of the most useful advanced Dutch words in a range of categories. You’ve even been able to discover some alternative Dutch words that will help you ace your Dutch language exam. You might already have known some of them, but now you have them all conveniently gathered in this advanced Dutch wordlist.

Are there any advanced words or categories you think we should’ve included? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll gladly get back to you. 

Ready to start using these 150+ advanced Dutch words? DutchPod101.com hosts a range of vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources to boost your studies.

Would you like some special attention? Remember that we also offer a Premium PLUS service with personal 1-on-1 coaching: MyTeacher. Let your private teacher help you master everything on this Dutch advanced wordlist, and then some. You’ll receive personalized exercises, constructive feedback, and interactive assignments.

Happy learning on DutchPod101.com!

Does the thought of having a telephone conversation in Dutch make you feel nervous? It’s normal to feel this way about making or receiving a phone call in another language. There are even people who suffer from “phone anxiety” or “phone phobia.” These people already feel nervous about making a phone call in their own language, let alone in another language.

One way you can get rid of those nerves is to pick up some Dutch phone call phrases. At the very least, this will help you feel more in control of the situation and allow you to navigate those inevitable phone calls during your stay in the Netherlands. 

In this article, you’ll learn how to answer the phone in Dutch and carry a basic phone conversation. We’ll be covering everything from key vocabulary terms to the different parts of a phone call—greetings and introductions, giving the reason for your call, transferring the line, leaving a message, handling connection issues, and ending the conversation.

Once you’re done reading this article, you’ll be able to make that Dutch phone call with confidence!

Let’s make that Dutch phone call with confidence!

Table of Contents

1. Phone Vocabulary
2. Greeting
3. Checking
4. Transferring
5. Stating Your Reason for the Call
6. Experiencing Phone Call Problems
7. Leaving a Message
8. Ending
9. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn Better Dutch

1. Phone Vocabulary

Before we look at specific phrases for a telephone conversation in Dutch, let’s first go over some phone-related vocabulary. Learning these useful words will help you feel more comfortable when talking on the phone or when discussing phone calls in general.

This short vocabulary list includes everything you need, from hardware terms to related verbs.

Telefoon

Phone

Mobiele telefoon Mobieltje

Mobile phone

Batterij

Battery

Oplader

Charger

SMS SMS-bericht

Text message

Scherm

Screen

Oproep

Call

Telefoonnummer Nummer

Phone number

Bellen

To call

Terugbellen

To call back

Nummer intoetsen	To dial
You could also say nummer draaien, literally meaning “spin the number.” This term dates back to the old rotary phones.

Opnemen

To pick up

Ophangen

To hang up

Bericht achterlaten

To leave a message

Opladen

To charge

2. Greeting

Every phone call starts with a greeting of some sort; it’s just basic phone etiquette. However, the greeting used may differ between the caller and the receiver. 

Another factor that could influence the greeting is the expected formality level. You would respond to a professional phone call more formally than you would a phone call with friends. 

Let’s have a look.

Which Dutch greetings do you already know?

1 – Calling

Hallo.	Hello.
Hallo is the most common way to start a Dutch phone conversation, perfect for both casual and more formal situations.

Hoi.	Hi.
Hoi is another great phone call greeting, though it’s a bit more casual. So you can definitely use it with friends and family members, but watch out at work. Saying this to close colleagues shouldn’t be an issue, but choose one of the other greetings if you’re going for a more formal and professional vibe.

Goedemorgen. Goedemiddag. Goedenavond.	Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening.
Want to go formal? Then these greetings are perfect for you. You say goedemorgen until 12 p.m., goedemiddag until 5 p.m., and goedenavond until 12 a.m. Do you want to use this greeting in a more casual setting? Then you can greet the receiver with goedemorgen when calling in the morning, as this one is commonly used in both formal and casual Dutch conversations.

If you’re the one calling and would like to introduce yourself directly after the greeting, then you can use one of these phrases:

• Hallo, u spreekt met David de Vries. (“Hello, you are speaking to David de Vries.”) [More formal]
• Hoi, met David. (“Hi, with David.”) [More casual]
  • You can also just say Met David, without the greeting.

Would you like to introduce yourself further? Then have a look at these 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself.

2 – Answering

Hallo?	Hello?
The interrogative Hallo? is a very typical way to pick up the phone in Dutch.

Hoi?	Hi?
Like when calling, you can answer with a simple Hoi? in more casual settings.

Ja?

Yes?

Should you say your name when you answer the phone? This is up to you! However, it’s common in the Netherlands to say your name when picking up a landline telephone, or when you receive a call from an unknown number on your mobile phone. If you like to introduce yourself when answering your phone, you can use the same introduction phrases as when you’re calling.

→ There are many different ways to greet someone on the phone in Dutch. You’ll find lots of ideas on our list titled Common Ways to Say Hello.

3. Checking

When making a call or answering the phone in Dutch, you might need to ensure you’re speaking to the right person or inquire about who’s calling. Below are phrases you can use for these situations, respectively. 

1 – Calling

Imagine you’ve called someone and they’ve greeted you, but they have not yet introduced themselves. Now, you have to check to see if you’ve reached the right person or office. 

One simple way to do this is to use the person’s name:

• David? [Casual, only using their first name]
• Meneer De Vries? (“Mr. de Vries?) [Formal, only using their last name – Male]
• Mevrouw De Vries? (“Ms. de Vries?”) [Formal, only using their last name – Female]

Want to go a bit further? Here are a couple of other options:

Spreek ik met David?

Am I speaking with David?

Is dit het kantoor van meneer De Vries?

Is this the office of Mr. de Vries?

Once you know you’re at the right place, you should introduce yourself (assuming you haven’t done so already). You can use one of the introduction phrases mentioned earlier.

2 – Answering

If you don’t know who’s calling you and they haven’t introduced themselves yet, you’ll probably want to inquire about that:

Met wie spreek ik? [Formal]

Who am I speaking to?

Wie heb ik aan de lijn? [Casual]	Who is calling?
It literally means, “Who do I have on the line?”

4. Transferring

Learn how to transfer that Dutch phone call like a pro.

1 – Calling

If you’ve reached the secretary or main desk of a company, the next step is for you to be transferred to the right person or service. Below, you’ll find a variety of useful Dutch phone phrases for both formal and informal situations. 

Kan ik Cathy spreken? [Casual]

Can I talk to Cathy?

Ik zou graag met Cathy willen spreken. [Formal]

I would like to speak to Cathy.

Ik ben op zoek naar mevrouw De Vries. [Formal]

I’m trying to reach Ms. de Vries.

Ik probeer David te pakken te krijgen. [Casual]

I’m trying to reach David.

Kunt u mij doorverbinden met de klantenservice?

Could you transfer me to customer service?

2 – Answering

Met wie spreek ik?	Whom am I speaking to?
This phrase can be used for answering your phone, though it’s also typically used to ask on behalf of the person to whom you’ll transfer the caller.

Blijf aan de lijn, alstublieft.

Hold the line, please.

Een momentje, alstublieft.  Een moment geduld, alstublieft.

One moment, please. One moment of patience, please.

Ik verbind u/je nu door.

I am putting you through now.

Hij/Zij is nu niet beschikbaar.

He/She is not available right now.

Kan ik een bericht aannemen?

Can I take a message?

Ik zal vragen of hij/zij u/jou terug kan bellen.

I can ask him/her to call you back.

Mag ik uw/jouw naam en telefoonnummer noteren?

Can I take your name and number?

5. Stating Your Reason for the Call

You could be calling for any number of reasons, whether you just want a casual Dutch phone conversation with a friend or need to make a more professional call. Whatever it may be, we’ll cover a few different reasons you can give during your next telephone conversation in Dutch.

Ik bel je om te horen hoe het met je gaat.

I’m calling to check on you.

U/Je had me gebeld.

You called.

Ik bel u/je terug naar aanleiding van uw/je voicemail bericht.

I’m calling you back in response to your voicemail message.

Ik zou graag een afspraak willen maken.

I would like to make an appointment.

→ After you’ve stated your reason(s) for the call, would you like to make some small talk? Then have a look at our Using Small Talk Phrases vocabulary list.

6. Experiencing Phone Call Problems

What should you do when you experience problems during your Dutch phone conversation?

Even though we use smartphones nowadays and making phone calls is easier than ever before, we still experience issues from time to time: bad connections, dialing the wrong number, running out of battery…

Here are some Dutch phone phrases to help you handle these kinds of situations:

Ik begrijp je niet. [Casual] Ik begrijp u niet goed. [Formal]

I don’t understand you. I don’t understand you very well.

Ik versta u/je niet.

I can’t hear you.

De verbinding is slecht.

The connection is bad.

Kun je dat nog een keer zeggen? [Casual] Kunt u dat herhalen? [Formal]

Can you say that again? Could you repeat that?

De verbinding werd verbroken.

The line got cut off.

Mijn batterij is bijna op.

My battery’s almost dead.

U heeft het verkeerde nummer gebeld.

You’ve dialed the wrong number.

Sorry, verkeerd verbonden.

I’m sorry, I’ve dialed the wrong number.

7. Leaving a Message

You’re trying to reach someone but keep getting their voicemail… What will you do? You could hang up or you could summon the courage to leave a message. So, how does one leave a good voicemail? 

First, here’s a taste of what you might hear upon reaching the voicemail: 

Hallo, dit is het antwoordapparaat van Bruno. Ik kan de telefoon nu niet opnemen, maar u kunt na de piep een bericht achterlaten.

Hi, this is Bruno’s answering machine. I can’t answer the phone right now, but you can leave a message after the beep.

A way to respond to this might be:

Hoi Bruno, met Anna. Ik wil je even spreken. Kun je me terugbellen? Mijn nummer is 06-936 5657.

Hi Bruno, this is Anna. I would like to talk to you. Could you call me back? My number is 06-936 5657.

→ Do you need to state your phone number in Dutch? Then have a look at our Numbers vocabulary list to get the right word and pronunciation of each number. Good luck!

8. Ending

How do you say goodbye in Dutch on the phone?

Ending the call is probably the easiest part of a telephone conversation in Dutch, as you can use one of the goodbye phrases you already know. It’s just a quick formality that only gets a bit more complicated in professional contexts.

Dag. [Formal]

Goodbye.

Doei! [Casual]

Bye!

Tot ziens. [Formal]

Goodbye.

Tot later. [Casual]

See you later.

Fijne dag.

Have a good day.

Bedankt voor het bellen.

Thank you for calling.

Je bent erg behulpzaam geweest. Dank je.

You’ve been very helpful. Thank you.

→ For more options, be sure to check out our vocabulary list The Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye.
→ For more useful phone call phrases, check out this vocabulary list with recorded examples you can use to practice your pronunciation.

9. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn Better Dutch

In this guide, you’ve learned a variety of practical Dutch phone call phrases for both casual and professional contexts. You’re now better prepared to handle every component of a phone conversation, from the initial introductions to saying goodbye. 

Did we forget any important phrases you’d like to learn? 

DutchPod101 has much more to offer, such as our numerous vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources. You’ll also enjoy a wealth of audio and video lessons hosted by native Dutch speakers; each lesson teaches practical language information and introduces you to Dutch culture. We make it fun and easy to boost your Dutch, whether you’re an absolute beginner or an advanced learner looking to take your skills up a notch.

Want more? DutchPod101 also has a special service for our Premium PLUS members: MyTeacher. Let your own private teacher help you practice Dutch grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation through personalized exercises, fun assignments, and useful recorded audio samples. With the help of an expert teacher, you’ll learn these Dutch phone call phrases—and countless other facets of the language—in no time!

Do you have a Dutch girlfriend or boyfriend, or has an attractive Dutchie caught your eye? Then learning how to express your feelings in the Dutch language is the first step you should take toward creating a new relationship or strengthening the bond between you and your lover.

Of course, there are the basics. For example…

How do you say “I love you,” in Dutch? That’s Ik hou van jou. And how about “my love”? That could be mijn lieverd or mijn liefje. 

The Dutch may not be the most expressive people when it comes to love, but they do have their own ways of confessing their feelings and revealing their love to someone. With the right words, you’ll come a long way in your relationship—but try not to be too dramatic or clingy. The Dutch are very down-to-earth, and they view excessive romanticism as a mark of desperation. 

Learn to talk about love in Dutch with this useful guide from DutchPod101.com. We’ve provided a variety of Dutch love phrases for every phase of your romantic relationship, from confessing your affection and falling in love all the way to getting married and starting a family. And if that’s still not enough, we’ll even introduce you to some Dutch endearment terms and must-know Dutch love quotes. 

Let’s get to it!

Impress your Dutch love with these Dutch romantic phrases.

Table of Contents

1. First Contact: Dutch Pick-up Lines and More
2. Take it to the Next Level: How Do You Say “I Love You,” in Dutch?
3. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
4. Dutch Endearment Terms: “My Love” in Dutch and More
5. Must-know Dutch Love Quotes
6. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. First Contact: Dutch Pick-up Lines and More

You’re in a bar and you spot some nice Dutchie you’d like to get to know…but how do you make first contact? While the Dutch value a direct approach in all things, it’s still important to know how to start the conversation. Have a look at these Dutch pick-up lines and other useful Dutch love phrases for when you’ve just met someone.

Kom je hier vaker? Ik ken je ergens van.

“Do you come here often?” “I think I’ve seen you before.”

Hoe heet je?

“What’s your name?”

→ What more can you say? Have a look at these 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself.

Wil je dansen? Wil je met me dansen?

“Do you want to dance?” “Do you want to dance with me?”

Wil je wat drinken? Ik betaal dit rondje.	“Can I buy you a drink?” “Let me get this round.”
In the Netherlands, it’s not customary that the man pays for everything. Rather, it’s quite common for couples to “go Dutch” and split the bill. However, when you meet someone new, offering a drink can be a good way to show your interest. While it’s less common for a girl to buy a guy a drink, this is definitely an option as well.

Heb je een vriend? Heb je een vriendin?	“Do you have a boyfriend?” “Do you have a girlfriend?”
The Dutch are direct, so they’re used to non-subtle ways of asking if someone is single. You could also ask: Ben je single? (“Are you single?”)

Het was leuk met jou.I k zou het leuk vinden om je nog een keer te zien.

“I had a great time with you.” “I’d like to see you again.”

Zullen we nog eens afspreken?  Zullen we binnenkort wat drinken?	“Shall we meet another time?” “Shall we have a drink soon?”
In the Netherlands, a common first date is to have drinks together at a bar at night. Going for dinner is far less common, as it can be viewed as awkward if you don’t know the other person very well.

Are you ready to invite someone on a date in Dutch?

Mag ik je telefoonnummer? Mag ik je mijn telefoonnummer geven?	“Can I get your phone number?” “Can I give you my number?”
It’s more common to ask for someone’s phone number than to ask if you may give your number to someone, and both men and women can do so. That said, giving your phone number to someone might be seen as more courteous. If your potential date is interested, they will either return the favor right away or call you later.

→ Now that you’ve made your move, you’ll want to know the Most Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date.
→ Did someone ask you out on a date, but you’re not interested? Find out how to politely decline with these Ways to Reject an Invitation.

2. Take it to the Next Level: How Do You Say “I Love You,” in Dutch?

You went on that first date and many more. You’re in love and ready to take it to the next level. So, what’s “I love you,” in Dutch? And what else can you say to really win their affections? Here are several romantic Dutch phrases you can use to express your feelings.  

Ik vind je leuk.	“I like you.”
As mentioned before, the Dutch are not very expressive about their love. Saying this phrase to someone you’ve only just met may be seen as too fast or forward. It’s more common to express this after you’ve seen the other person several times.

Ik mis je.

“I miss you.”

Ik heb zin om je weer te zien.

“I look forward to seeing you again.”

Ik denk aan jou.

“I’m thinking about you.”

Ik ben gek op jou.

“I’m crazy about you.”

Je bent zo mooi.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Ik ben verliefd op jou.

“I am in love with you.”

Wil je verkering met mij? Wil je een relatie met mij? Zullen we het officieel maken?

“Do you want to be in a relationship with me?” “Do you want to be in a relationship with me?” “Shall we make it official?”

Verkering is another word used to refer to a romantic relationship. Although it’s a common word, it might be perceived as a bit childish. If you’d prefer to stay on the safe side, use the word relatie (“relationship”). It has the same meaning, but it’s a more neutral word. If you’ve been dating your Dutchie for a while but the relationship has not become “official” yet, then you might want to use the last option.

Ik houd van jou. Ik houd zielsveel van jou.	“I love you.” “I love you with heart and soul.”
Fun fact: Dutch people often use the phrase Ik hou van jou, with the d dropped from houd. Although the spelling is officially wrong, it’s a very common way to write the phrase. Where does this habit come from? The d might have been dropped simply because it’s not pronounced when the word is spoken.

Ready to write some love letters in Dutch?

→ Are you looking for some other romantic Dutch phrases to declare your undying love? Our list of Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day might be just what you need.

3. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More

You’ve expressed your feelings successfully, it’s been reciprocated, and you’re officially in a happy relationship. Are you ready to take it one step further? Here are all the Dutch love phrases you need to steer your relationship toward the future you want. We’ve gathered key phrases for expressing true love in Dutch, meeting the parents, moving in together, getting married, and even having a baby. 

Wij zijn voor elkaar bestemd. Jij bent de liefde van mijn leven. Ik kan niet zonder jou.	“We are made for each other.” “You are the love of my life.” “I can’t live without you.”
These romantic Dutch phrases are not used very often, so make sure you only say them in the right setting and that they come from the heart. The Dutch don’t take words like these lightly.

Ik wil graag dat je mijn ouders ontmoet.	“I would like for you to meet my parents.”
As the Dutch move out of their parents’ place at a relatively young age and often move to another city when going to study, meeting the parents is a big deal in Dutch culture.

Wil je met mij samenwonen?

“Would you like to move in together?”

Wil je met me trouwen?

“Do you want to marry me?”

Pop the question in Dutch.

Ik wil graag een kindje met jou.

“I would like to have a baby with you.”

4. Dutch Endearment Terms: “My Love” in Dutch and More

What’s next, then? You’ll need some Dutch endearment terms to express your love each and every day. In the Netherlands, it’s very common to use endearment terms when talking to the people you love, whether it be your partner or your friends and family.

Lieverd Schatje Liefje Dropje Lekker ding Knapperd	“Dear” “Cutie” “Little dear” “Sweetie” “Delicious thing” “Beautiful”
These are just some popular options, but there are many more! The same endearment terms also come in a lot of different forms and shapes, such as: lieffie, droppie, schatteke, knappie. It’s all a matter of preference, and many Dutch couples also use personal pet names.

What Dutch endearment term would you use?

5. Must-know Dutch Love Quotes

As you might have expected from the not-so-romantic Dutch, there is no overload of romantic love quotes in the Dutch language. And the quotes that do exist tend to have a down-to-earth undertone. That said, here are the most popular quotes about love in Dutch:

Dutch	De liefde kan niet van één kant komen.
Literally	“Love cannot come from one side.”
Equivalent	It takes two to tango.
This is one of the down-to-earth Dutch love quotes that’s quite popular in the Netherlands. It shows the Dutch attitude about love, which is that love should come from both sides: If you want to make it work, both parties will have to contribute.

Dutch	De liefde van een man gaat door de maag.
Literally	“A man’s love goes through the stomach.”
This humorous Dutch love quote may also say something about their not-so-romantic nature. This is a very popular Dutch quote, and it even has its own song. It can also be used for women, children, or even for animals. People may even say it about their own cat: De liefde van een kat gaat door de maag. (“The love of a cat goes through the stomach.”)

Dutch	Ongelukkig in het spel, gelukkig in de liefde.
Literally	“Unlucky in the game, happy in love.”
Equivalent	Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.
This love quote in Dutch is nearly identical to its English counterpart. Those who always lose in gambling often have a happy love life, and vice-versa.   What do you think about that? Is it true for you?

Dutch	Oude liefde roest niet.
Literally	“Old love does not rust.”
This beautiful Dutch quote, with an identical English counterpart, also has its own song from the famous Dutch 80s band VOF De Kunst. They sing: Oude liefde roest niet, maar verdwijnt net zoals jij. (“Old love does not rust, but disappears just like you.”)

→ Find more love inspiration in our free vocabulary list of quotes on Love. Or go for those bittersweet Break-Up quotes.

6. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

You’re ready to find some Dutch love!

In this article, you learned how to say “I love you,” in Dutch and many more useful Dutch love phrases. You’re now prepared to get your flirt on, express your love, and even take it a step further with a solid marriage proposal. You also know what endearment terms to use for your Dutch lieverd (“dear”) and have some old Dutch love quotes to fall back on when you want to spice things up. 

Did we forget any important Dutch love phrases you know? What’s your favorite romantic Dutch phrase or endearment term?

There’s still a lot more to learn, and nothing will make your Dutch lover swoon more than mastering their native tongue. Make sure to explore DutchPod101.com and take advantage of our numerous vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other useful free resources to boost your Dutch studies.

Would you like some 1-on-1 coaching? Then consider upgrading to a Premium PLUS subscription, which will give you access to our MyTeacher service. Here, you can learn more about Dutch love and life with your own private teacher and really master the Dutch language. Through personalized feedback and pronunciation advice, you’ll catch on in no time.  

Do you have a Dutch girlfriend or boyfriend, or has an attractive Dutchie caught your eye? Then learning how to express your feelings in the Dutch language is the first step you should take toward creating a new relationship or strengthening the bond between you and your lover.

Of course, there are the basics. For example…

How do you say “I love you,” in Dutch? That’s Ik hou van jou. And how about “my love”? That could be mijn lieverd or mijn liefje. 

The Dutch may not be the most expressive people when it comes to love, but they do have their own ways of confessing their feelings and revealing their love to someone. With the right words, you’ll come a long way in your relationship—but try not to be too dramatic or clingy. The Dutch are very down-to-earth, and they view excessive romanticism as a mark of desperation. 

Learn to talk about love in Dutch with this useful guide from DutchPod101.com. We’ve provided a variety of Dutch love phrases for every phase of your romantic relationship, from confessing your affection and falling in love all the way to getting married and starting a family. And if that’s still not enough, we’ll even introduce you to some Dutch endearment terms and must-know Dutch love quotes. 

Let’s get to it!

Impress your Dutch love with these Dutch romantic phrases.

Table of Contents

1. First Contact: Dutch Pick-up Lines and More
2. Take it to the Next Level: How Do You Say “I Love You,” in Dutch?
3. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More
4. Dutch Endearment Terms: “My Love” in Dutch and More
5. Must-know Dutch Love Quotes
6. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. First Contact: Dutch Pick-up Lines and More

You’re in a bar and you spot some nice Dutchie you’d like to get to know…but how do you make first contact? While the Dutch value a direct approach in all things, it’s still important to know how to start the conversation. Have a look at these Dutch pick-up lines and other useful Dutch love phrases for when you’ve just met someone.

Kom je hier vaker? Ik ken je ergens van.

“Do you come here often?” “I think I’ve seen you before.”

Hoe heet je?

“What’s your name?”

→ What more can you say? Have a look at these 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself.

Wil je dansen? Wil je met me dansen?

“Do you want to dance?” “Do you want to dance with me?”

Wil je wat drinken? Ik betaal dit rondje.	“Can I buy you a drink?” “Let me get this round.”
In the Netherlands, it’s not customary that the man pays for everything. Rather, it’s quite common for couples to “go Dutch” and split the bill. However, when you meet someone new, offering a drink can be a good way to show your interest. While it’s less common for a girl to buy a guy a drink, this is definitely an option as well.

Heb je een vriend? Heb je een vriendin?	“Do you have a boyfriend?” “Do you have a girlfriend?”
The Dutch are direct, so they’re used to non-subtle ways of asking if someone is single. You could also ask: Ben je single? (“Are you single?”)

Het was leuk met jou.I k zou het leuk vinden om je nog een keer te zien.

“I had a great time with you.” “I’d like to see you again.”

Zullen we nog eens afspreken?  Zullen we binnenkort wat drinken?	“Shall we meet another time?” “Shall we have a drink soon?”
In the Netherlands, a common first date is to have drinks together at a bar at night. Going for dinner is far less common, as it can be viewed as awkward if you don’t know the other person very well.

Are you ready to invite someone on a date in Dutch?

Mag ik je telefoonnummer? Mag ik je mijn telefoonnummer geven?	“Can I get your phone number?” “Can I give you my number?”
It’s more common to ask for someone’s phone number than to ask if you may give your number to someone, and both men and women can do so. That said, giving your phone number to someone might be seen as more courteous. If your potential date is interested, they will either return the favor right away or call you later.

→ Now that you’ve made your move, you’ll want to know the Most Common Phrases You’ll Need for a Date.
→ Did someone ask you out on a date, but you’re not interested? Find out how to politely decline with these Ways to Reject an Invitation.

2. Take it to the Next Level: How Do You Say “I Love You,” in Dutch?

You went on that first date and many more. You’re in love and ready to take it to the next level. So, what’s “I love you,” in Dutch? And what else can you say to really win their affections? Here are several romantic Dutch phrases you can use to express your feelings.  

Ik vind je leuk.	“I like you.”
As mentioned before, the Dutch are not very expressive about their love. Saying this phrase to someone you’ve only just met may be seen as too fast or forward. It’s more common to express this after you’ve seen the other person several times.

Ik mis je.

“I miss you.”

Ik heb zin om je weer te zien.

“I look forward to seeing you again.”

Ik denk aan jou.

“I’m thinking about you.”

Ik ben gek op jou.

“I’m crazy about you.”

Je bent zo mooi.

“You’re so beautiful.”

Ik ben verliefd op jou.

“I am in love with you.”

Wil je verkering met mij? Wil je een relatie met mij? Zullen we het officieel maken?

“Do you want to be in a relationship with me?” “Do you want to be in a relationship with me?” “Shall we make it official?”

Verkering is another word used to refer to a romantic relationship. Although it’s a common word, it might be perceived as a bit childish. If you’d prefer to stay on the safe side, use the word relatie (“relationship”). It has the same meaning, but it’s a more neutral word. If you’ve been dating your Dutchie for a while but the relationship has not become “official” yet, then you might want to use the last option.

Ik houd van jou. Ik houd zielsveel van jou.	“I love you.” “I love you with heart and soul.”
Fun fact: Dutch people often use the phrase Ik hou van jou, with the d dropped from houd. Although the spelling is officially wrong, it’s a very common way to write the phrase. Where does this habit come from? The d might have been dropped simply because it’s not pronounced when the word is spoken.

Ready to write some love letters in Dutch?

→ Are you looking for some other romantic Dutch phrases to declare your undying love? Our list of Love Phrases for Valentine’s Day might be just what you need.

3. Take it One Step Further: “Will You Marry Me?” and More

You’ve expressed your feelings successfully, it’s been reciprocated, and you’re officially in a happy relationship. Are you ready to take it one step further? Here are all the Dutch love phrases you need to steer your relationship toward the future you want. We’ve gathered key phrases for expressing true love in Dutch, meeting the parents, moving in together, getting married, and even having a baby. 

Wij zijn voor elkaar bestemd. Jij bent de liefde van mijn leven. Ik kan niet zonder jou.	“We are made for each other.” “You are the love of my life.” “I can’t live without you.”
These romantic Dutch phrases are not used very often, so make sure you only say them in the right setting and that they come from the heart. The Dutch don’t take words like these lightly.

Ik wil graag dat je mijn ouders ontmoet.	“I would like for you to meet my parents.”
As the Dutch move out of their parents’ place at a relatively young age and often move to another city when going to study, meeting the parents is a big deal in Dutch culture.

Wil je met mij samenwonen?

“Would you like to move in together?”

Wil je met me trouwen?

“Do you want to marry me?”

Pop the question in Dutch.

Ik wil graag een kindje met jou.

“I would like to have a baby with you.”

4. Dutch Endearment Terms: “My Love” in Dutch and More

What’s next, then? You’ll need some Dutch endearment terms to express your love each and every day. In the Netherlands, it’s very common to use endearment terms when talking to the people you love, whether it be your partner or your friends and family.

Lieverd Schatje Liefje Dropje Lekker ding Knapperd	“Dear” “Cutie” “Little dear” “Sweetie” “Delicious thing” “Beautiful”
These are just some popular options, but there are many more! The same endearment terms also come in a lot of different forms and shapes, such as: lieffie, droppie, schatteke, knappie. It’s all a matter of preference, and many Dutch couples also use personal pet names.

What Dutch endearment term would you use?

5. Must-know Dutch Love Quotes

As you might have expected from the not-so-romantic Dutch, there is no overload of romantic love quotes in the Dutch language. And the quotes that do exist tend to have a down-to-earth undertone. That said, here are the most popular quotes about love in Dutch:

Dutch	De liefde kan niet van één kant komen.
Literally	“Love cannot come from one side.”
Equivalent	It takes two to tango.
This is one of the down-to-earth Dutch love quotes that’s quite popular in the Netherlands. It shows the Dutch attitude about love, which is that love should come from both sides: If you want to make it work, both parties will have to contribute.

Dutch	De liefde van een man gaat door de maag.
Literally	“A man’s love goes through the stomach.”
This humorous Dutch love quote may also say something about their not-so-romantic nature. This is a very popular Dutch quote, and it even has its own song. It can also be used for women, children, or even for animals. People may even say it about their own cat: De liefde van een kat gaat door de maag. (“The love of a cat goes through the stomach.”)

Dutch	Ongelukkig in het spel, gelukkig in de liefde.
Literally	“Unlucky in the game, happy in love.”
Equivalent	Lucky at cards, unlucky in love.
This love quote in Dutch is nearly identical to its English counterpart. Those who always lose in gambling often have a happy love life, and vice-versa.   What do you think about that? Is it true for you?

Dutch	Oude liefde roest niet.
Literally	“Old love does not rust.”
This beautiful Dutch quote, with an identical English counterpart, also has its own song from the famous Dutch 80s band VOF De Kunst. They sing: Oude liefde roest niet, maar verdwijnt net zoals jij. (“Old love does not rust, but disappears just like you.”)

→ Find more love inspiration in our free vocabulary list of quotes on Love. Or go for those bittersweet Break-Up quotes.

6. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

You’re ready to find some Dutch love!

In this article, you learned how to say “I love you,” in Dutch and many more useful Dutch love phrases. You’re now prepared to get your flirt on, express your love, and even take it a step further with a solid marriage proposal. You also know what endearment terms to use for your Dutch lieverd (“dear”) and have some old Dutch love quotes to fall back on when you want to spice things up. 

Did we forget any important Dutch love phrases you know? What’s your favorite romantic Dutch phrase or endearment term?

There’s still a lot more to learn, and nothing will make your Dutch lover swoon more than mastering their native tongue. Make sure to explore DutchPod101.com and take advantage of our numerous vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other useful free resources to boost your Dutch studies.

Would you like some 1-on-1 coaching? Then consider upgrading to a Premium PLUS subscription, which will give you access to our MyTeacher service. Here, you can learn more about Dutch love and life with your own private teacher and really master the Dutch language. Through personalized feedback and pronunciation advice, you’ll catch on in no time.  

The word nee (“no”) is crucial in any language. It allows you to express your desires, clarify things, and even talk about your experiences. Saying no may sometimes be viewed as rude, insensitive, or socially disruptive, but it’s simply a necessary part of life and of society. 

Luckily, the Dutch are quite direct and are not afraid of using some true Dutch negations. While we may sometimes sugarcoat things, honesty and the Dutch directness triumph over being vague or fake.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about negation in the Dutch language: 

• The basic Dutch negation rules
• Common negative words with lots of examples 
• Negative questions and their matching negative answers

Ready? Let’s go!

Table of Contents

1. The Basics of Dutch Negation – Using Niet (“Not”)
2. Some Important Negation Rules
3. More Negative Words
4. Negative Questions
5. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. The Basics of Dutch Negation – Using Niet (“Not”)

How to say no in Dutch…

A. When to use niet

The most basic way to make a Dutch sentence negative is to simply add the word niet (“not”). For example:

• Ik ben niet moe. (“I am not tired.”)
• Hij woont niet hier. (“He doesn’t live here.”)
• Wij werken niet. (“We don’t work.”)
• Ik werk in Amsterdam, niet in Rotterdam. (“I work in Amsterdam, not in Rotterdam.”)

Because this word is so crucial to negation in Dutch grammar, it’s important that you know exactly when to use it. The Dutch use the word niet in the following cases:

• To negate any element that is not a noun, such as verbs, adjectives, or thoughts.  
  • Verbs: Ik fiets niet. (“I don’t cycle.”)
  • Adjectives: Zij is niet oud. (“She is not old.”)
  • Thoughts: Ik denk niet dat ik mooi ben. (“I don’t think I am beautiful.”)

• To negate nouns that are preceded by a definite article or a possessive pronoun.
  • Definite article: Zij is niet de burgemeester van Amsterdam. (“She is not the mayor of Amsterdam.”)
  • Possessive pronoun: Dat is niet mijn auto. (“That’s not my car.”) 

So you now know when to use niet, but where does it go in a sentence? 

B. How to use niet 

Do you know where to place the word niet?

The position of niet in a sentence depends on what you’re negating. 

In case of an adverb or adjective, niet is put right in front of it:

• Adverb: Zijn auto is niet snel. (“His car isn’t fast.”) 
• Adjective: Mijn kat is niet dik. (“My cat isn’t fat.”) 

→ Come up with more examples using these 50 Most Common Adjectives.

In most other cases, the word niet comes after the middle part of the sentence, where you usually find the time, manner, and place:

• Time: Zij was vorige week niet op werk. (“She was not at work last week.”)
• Manner: Ik kon door het drukke verkeer niet op tijd op het werk komen. (“I could not get to work on time because of the busy traffic.”)

However, regarding the “place” of the sentence, the situation is a bit different. The word niet usually comes before it when the place indicates a direction:

• Place [direction]: Wij gaan niet naar Breda. (“We are not going to Breda.”)

However, if you want to stress that something isn’t (or will not be done) a certain way, but rather another way, then you have to put niet in front of the time, manner, and place:

• Ik rijd niet met jou naar huis vandaag, maar met hem. (“I’m not driving home with you today, but with him.”)

These cases also relate to the fact that the word niet always goes before a preposition:

• Ik kom niet uit Frankrijk. (“I am not from France.”)
• Zij woont niet in Rotterdam. (“She doesn’t live in Rotterdam.”)

2. Some Important Negation Rules

Learn how to say no in Dutch with these important Dutch negation rules.

A. Negation with the word geen (“none”)

Another common way to make a negative sentence in Dutch is to use the word geen (“none”). Here are a couple of situations where you would use this Dutch negation word:

• When negating a noun that would have needed the word een (“a” / “an”) in a positive sentence. 
  • Zij heeft geen baan. (“She doesn’t have a job.”)

• When negating plural and uncountable nouns that do not have an article in front of them.
  • Ik heb geen boeken bij me. (“I don’t have any books with me.”)

Geen is always connected to a noun. And as you can see, it always comes before the noun.

→ Think of more examples with these 50 Most Common Nouns.

B. How to use the verbs “to be” and “to have” in negative forms

Two of the most essential verbs in Dutch are zijn (“to be”) and hebben (“to have”). Unfortunately, both of these verbs are irregular. This makes it imperative to learn not only their conjugations, but also how they work in the context of a negative sentence. 

Let’s have a look at them in the present simple tense:

Subject	Hebben conjugation Dutch (“to have”)	Zijn conjugation Dutch (“to be”)
Ik (“I”)	heb (“have”)	ben (“am”)
Jij, u (“You” casual, “you” formal)	hebt (“have”)	bent (“are”)
Hij, zij, het (“He,” “she,” “it”)	heeft (“has”)	is (“is”)
Wij (“We”)	hebben (“have”)	zijn (“are”)
Jullie (“You” plural)	hebben (“have”)	zijn (“are”)
Zij (“They”)	hebben (“have”)	zijn (“are”)

Let’s start with some examples of sentences using the verb hebben in negative form: 

• Ik heb geen auto. (“I don’t have a car.”)
• Wij hebben geen haast. (“We are not in a hurry.”) 
• Zij heeft geen kwade bedoelingen. (“She has no bad intentions.”)

As you may have noticed, when using the verb hebben, we use the negation word geen. This is logical, as hebben is mostly used when talking about possessions (and therefore nouns).

Now have a look at some Dutch negations with the verb zijn: 

• Ik ben niet moe. (“I am not tired.”)
• Zij is niet jarig. (“It’s not her birthday.”)
• Wij zijn niet naar Frankrijk op vakantie gegaan. (“We did not go on holiday to France.”)

As you can see, we use niet when negating this verb. This is because zijn is mostly used to describe something about one’s identity, feelings, or situation. Therefore, prepositions, adjectives, and adverbs are often used in these sentences.

C. Negative Dutch expressions

You now know the basic Dutch negation rules. Let’s now go over some essential negative statements that will come in handy when traveling in the Netherlands.

Nederlands (“Dutch”)	Engels (“English”)
Ik heb geen tijd.	“I don’t have time.”
Ik weet het niet.	“I don’t know.”
Ik begrijp het/je niet.	“I don’t understand it/you.”
Ik heb geen pen.	“I don’t have a pen.”
Ik vind het niet leuk.	“I don’t like it.”
Ik heb geen idee.	“I have no idea.”
Ik heb geen zin.	“I do not feel like it.”
Ik weet niet waar ik ben.	“I don’t know where I am.”
Ik ben het niet met je eens.	“I don’t agree with you.”
Geen probleem.	“No problem.”
Het maakt niet uit.	“It doesn’t matter.”

→ Would you like to be able to make a negative Dutch sentence when you’re angry? Then also have a look at these Dutch Phrases to Use When You’re Angry.

→ Or are you rather feeling sad? Learn the Top 21 Words for Negative Emotions.

3. More Negative Words

Below is a table of the most useful words and phrases for performing negation in the Dutch language. For your convenience, we’ve provided a couple of examples for each word.

Feel strong using these Dutch negation words.

Nooit (“Never”)	Jij bent nooit op tijd. (“You are never on time.”) Ik heb jou nooit leuk gevonden. (“I have never liked you”)
Niemand (“Nobody”)	Niemand weet mijn geheim. (“Nobody knows my secret.”) Hij heeft vandaag niemand gezien. (“He hasn’t seen anyone today.”)
Niets (“Nothing”)	Zij heeft niets gepland voor deze zomer. (“She has nothing planned for this summer.”) Ik heb zondag helemaal niets gedaan. (“I have done nothing this Sunday.”)
Nog niet (“Not yet”)	Ik ben nog niet klaar. (“I am not ready yet.”) Hij is nog niet afgestudeerd. (“He hasn’t graduated yet.”) Nog niet is used to make a negative sentence nicer and not so abrupt. For example, if someone asks:  Is de bakkerij open?(“Is the bakery open?”) You could say: Nee, de bakkerij is niet open. (“No, the bakery isn’t open.”) But that would be quite abrupt. It’s nicer to say:  Nee, de bakkerij is nog niet open. (“No, the bakery isn’t open yet.”)
Nergens (“Nowhere”)	Ik kan nergens zo lekker eten als in dit restaurant. (“Nowhere can I eat better than in this restaurant.”) Hij gaat nergens naartoe. (“He is going nowhere.”)
Niet meer (“Not anymore”)	Hij werkt niet meer bij mij op kantoor. (“He no longer works at my office.”) Ik ben niet meer verliefd op jou. (“I am no longer in love with you.”)
Niet eens (“Not even”)	Hij komt niet eens naar mijn feestje! (“He doesn’t even come to my party!”) Ik ben niet eens uit geweest zaterdagavond. (“I didn’t even go out on Saturday night.”)
Niet altijd (“Not always”)	Ik ben niet altijd aan het werken. (“I am not always working.”) Onze kat is niet altijd even aardig. (“Our cat is not always that nice.”)
Noch … noch … (“Neither … nor …”)	Noch ik noch mijn vader houden van bier drinken. (“Neither I nor my dad like to drink beer.”) Ik eet noch vlees noch vis. (“I don’t eat meat nor fish.”)

→ Oops, have you been too negative? Make it up with these Top 15 Compliments.

4. Negative Questions

Do you know how to make a question negative in Dutch? Below, you’ll find information on how to do this for both open-ended and closed-ended questions! 

A. Negative Open Questions

An open question starts with an interrogative word (who, what, where, how, etc.). These questions require at least a simple sentence as a reply; you can’t just answer with “yes” or “no.”

There’s a special structure used for questions like this. The question word comes first, the conjugated verb second, and the subject third: 

Question word + Verb + Subject + Niet

Let’s have a look at two simple examples:

• Waarom lach je niet? (“Why don’t you laugh?”)
• Wie gaat er niet? (“Who’s not going?”)

Got it? Then let’s move on to some more complex negative questions and their possible negative replies. 

Wat (“What”)	Wat ga jij morgen niet doen? (“What aren’t you going to do tomorrow?”)	Ik ga morgen niet bij mijn ouders op bezoek. (“I’m not going to visit my parents tomorrow.”)
Waarom (“Why”)	Waarom is je vriendin niet bij jou? (“Why is your girlfriend not here?”)	Mijn vriendin is niet hier want ze is op vakantie. (“My girlfriend is not here because she is on holiday.”)
Waar (“Where”)	Waar ben jij nog nooit geweest? (“Where have you never been to?”)	Ik ben nog nooit in Marokko geweest. (“I have never been to Morocco.”)
Wie (“Who”)	Wie wil jij niet meer zien? (“Who don’t you want to see anymore?”)	Ik wil mijn ex vriendje Pieter echt nooit meer zien. (“I never want to see my ex boyfriend Pieter again.”)

B. Negative Closed Questions

Another common type of question Dutch people use is the closed question; these are the questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Questions like these have a different word order, with the verb coming first:

Verb + Subject + Niet

For example:

• Kom je niet? (“Aren’t you coming?”)
• Werkt hij niet? (“Doesn’t he work?”)

As you can see here, the subject and verb are inverted to create yes-or-no questions. 

Remember that when jij or je (“you”) follows the verb, the -t at the end of the verb is dropped:

• Ga je morgen niet naar school? (“Are you not going to school tomorrow?”)
  • Instead of: Je gaat morgen niet naar school. (“You are not going to school tomorrow.”)

• Heb je vandaag niet met je oma gepraat? (“Didn’t you talk to your grandmother today?”)
  • Instead of: Je hebt vandaag niet met je oma gepraat. (“You didn’t talk with your grandmother today.”)

The answer for these questions is simple: Nee. (“No.”)

→ For more Dutch question examples, don’t forget to have a look at our list of the Top 25 Questions You Need to Know on DutchPod101.com.

5. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

You now know How to say no in Dutch.

In this guide, you’ve learned all about Dutch negations, from the basics of negation in Dutch to more advanced rules. You’ve also picked up a few useful words for negation and have a better idea of how to use them. 

Do you already have a favorite Dutch negation word or negative sentence? Or do you still feel like you need some help with the Dutch negation rules?

If you’re feeling stuck, remember that DutchPod101 also has tons of vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources to help you master this and many other parts of the Dutch language.

Would you like to practice with your own private teacher? Then make use of Premium PLUS MyTeacher service and get personal one-on-one coaching. Through interactive exercises, pronunciation advice, and personalized feedback, you’ll really master those Dutch negative sentences and questions! 

Start saying no in Dutch like a native with DutchPod101!

How long does it take to learn Dutch? 

This is one of the most frequently asked questions from aspiring Dutch learners, but it has no definite answer. It depends on many things, such as your native language, educational background, experience with languages, exposure, and motivation. It also depends on what “learning Dutch” means to you: Are you hoping to achieve a beginner, intermediate, or advanced level? These are all different goals with different timeframes. But whatever level you wish to achieve, there are some great tools you can use to learn Dutch faster.

In this article, you’ll learn how to realistically estimate how long it will take to learn Dutch, depending on your background and the proficiency level you have in mind. Then, we’ll give you some useful strategies you can employ to really master this language.

How long does it take to learn Dutch?

Table of Contents

1. The Many Factors Involved
2. From Beginner to Advanced
3. Dutch Learning Strategies to Help You Learn Faster
4. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn Dutch Faster

1. The Many Factors Involved

There are a few factors involved in determining how long it takes to learn the Dutch language. Because these things will impact your learning progress, you should take them into consideration as you plan your course of study. 

Your Native Language vs. Dutch

Knowing a language with similar roots as Dutch will make it easier and quicker for you to learn this language. If you’re reading this article, it means your English level is already really strong, and this is great news for your Dutch learning! 

Dutch is very similar to English and German, as these three languages are all part of the Indo-European family of languages and belong to the Germanic branch. This makes it much easier for English- and German-speakers to pick up the language, compared to speakers of other languages. (And lucky for you, Dutch won’t make you put up with difficult grammar like that found in German!)

So if you speak one of these languages, even if it’s not your native language, it will give you a headstart in your Dutch learning process. 

Your Language Learning Experience 

Have you ever learned another language before? If you already speak a foreign language, this knowledge and experience will help you a lot when learning a third language. 

Your brain is accustomed to the challenges of language learning and you already know how to study a language. You’re familiar with the best ways to memorize vocabulary, practice your conversation skills, and understand those tricky tenses. Languages have a certain logic to them, and the more languages you learn, the more you start to understand how their grammar and structure work in general. 

For these reasons, bilinguals often find it easier to learn a third language. If this is the case for you, you’ll probably save yourself quite a lot of time when learning Dutch.

Your Motivation

Why do you want to learn Dutch? 

Do you just want to learn another language? Are you going to work in the Netherlands? Are you planning to study in this country? Or are you dating a nice Dutchie?

Whatever your reason may be, this motivation will impact your level of commitment and the amount of time you’re willing to invest in learning Dutch. Your motivation will also help you continue your studies and convince you not to stop, even when things get difficult. If you have a strong motivation, you’ll have a strong will to work hard and learn fast.

Have you already found your motivation to learn Dutch?

Your Approach

Your learning method plays a key role in how fast you’ll make progress. For a good learning method, it’s often advisable to combine different learning techniques, such as taking online Dutch lessons, finding a language exchange partner to help you practice your conversation skills, and listening to Dutch music or movies to train your listening skills. And of course, how successful your learning method is also depends on how much time you’re willing to invest in your studies.

Don’t worry about this yet, though. We’ll discuss some useful Dutch learning strategies in a few moments!

2. From Beginner to Advanced

Now, for the main topic at hand: How long does it take to learn Dutch as an English speaker?

According to FSI (Foreign Service Institute), an American government institution in charge of foreign language teaching to American diplomats and officials, it takes English speakers around 24 weeks of intensive classroom study to reach a general professional proficiency in Dutch. 

However, be aware that this is based on the FSI approach. This is a very intensive study routine where students are taught in small classes of around 6 students, spend 6 hours daily with a teacher, and do 2 hours of self-study each day. In other words, it takes around 600 classroom hours for a student to be able to work professionally with the language.

Let’s see what this means for the different Dutch proficiency levels. 

We’ll use the CEFR system (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). This classification shows one’s proficiency level in a foreign language on a six-point scale, from A1 for beginners to C2 for those who have mastered a language. In this article, we’ll focus only on the A1 / B1 / C1 levels (not the second level for each), as these are a good reflection of what it takes to achieve the beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels. 

→ Speaking of which, if you’re interested in doing a Dutch language exam, we have a complete guide to help you successfully pass these tests.

1 – Beginner Level

Do you want to reach the Dutch beginner level?

Let’s start with the beginner level, A1.

★ How long does it take to reach A1? Around 80-100 hours.

At this level, you can: Understand and use everyday expressions as well as simple statements about practical needs. Introduce yourself and others. Ask and answer questions about personal matters. Use the present tense and the right word order in simple affirmative sentences and questions. Have basic conversations if the other person is talking slowly and articulates clearly.

To be able to do this, you need to build a foundation to start understanding how the language works. This means studying things like:

• Word order
• Present tense
• Basic conjugation

Vocabulary is also important, but in this beginning phase, your focus will be on building lots of different sentences using few words. Don’t clutter your brain yet with too much vocabulary. With some basic nouns, verbs, and adjectives, you’ll be able to have basic conversations. 

Try to practice your pronunciation from the beginning, as this will prevent you from making the same mistakes when you’re improving your Dutch in the next stages. Listen to a lot of Dutch music to become familiar with the pronunciation, practice your speaking skills with others, and record yourself so you can listen to your own pronunciation and find things to improve.

At the beginner level, flashcards will come in handy. You can use them to remember words, simple phrases, useful questions, or conjugated verbs—basically anything you want or need. 

→ Also have a look at the DutchPod101 Absolute Beginner lesson pathway. This is the perfect pathway for learning the Dutch basics, containing 25 lessons (about 5.5 hours of material) that cover topics ranging from self-introductions to writing a postcard.

2 – Intermediate Level

B1 is the intermediate level.

★ How long does it take to reach B1? Around 350 to 400 hours.

At this level, you can: Understand and communicate in common everyday situations, such as at work or school. Handle most daily interactions when traveling in the Netherlands or through Flanders. Write simple Dutch texts about familiar topics or subjects you’re interested in. Talk about events, experiences, dreams, expectations, and desires. You’re also able to express your opinions, reasons, and plans.

To reach B1, you have to pass through the beginner level (A1) and the lower-intermediate level (A2). So there’s quite some ground to cover! 

As you progress toward this stage, you’ll be learning more about Dutch-language patterns, structures, and vocabulary. This is also the level where you’ll start learning new tenses and new types of words, such as adverbs. You’ll start to understand the pronouns better, which will allow you to make smoother sentences. Using all of this new knowledge, you’ll be able to get into more details when speaking or writing Dutch. 

If you’re not studying Dutch at school or university, this would be a good time to start some lessons with a teacher at a language school. Alternatively, you could try to find some affordable online coaching to make sure you’re on the right track.

→ Have a look at the DutchPod101 Lower Intermediate lessons to break out of the beginner level and pass through to the intermediate level. In only 25 lessons (around 4.5 hours), you’ll notice some improvement.

3 – Advanced Level

So, how long does it take to learn Dutch fluently? C1 is the advanced level.

Ready to achieve the advanced level?

★ How long does it take to reach C1? Around 850 to 900 hours.

At this level, you can: Understand long texts and their implicit meaning, humor, and wit. Speak spontaneously and fluently without searching for your words too much. Use the language flexibly and efficiently at home, work, or school. Express your opinion on complex topics in a clear and structured manner. Write clear, well-structured, and detailed texts about complex subjects.

Now you know how long it takes to learn Dutch fluently. You have to pass through the A1, A2, B1, and B2 levels. It’s double the time and effort of the intermediate level, but it’s worth it!

When you reach this stage, you’ll have expanded your vocabulary greatly, you understand the tenses, and you’re able to write and speak Dutch at a high level. You feel confident as you (almost) fully understand the language and you can discuss the most complex topics in Dutch.

To reach such a level of proficiency, you can, of course, use language classes or online teachers. However, try to really immerse yourself in the language as well. Read Dutch books, watch Dutch TV or movies, listen to music in Dutch, and try to find a native speaker you can talk with on a regular basis. 

This all helps, but at the end of the day, the best way to improve your Dutch to an advanced level is to live in the country or to spend a few months there.

→ Have a look at our official curated pathway for Level 5, the best tool to help you become an advanced Dutch learner. These 50 lessons (around 2 hours) will help you go from fully intermediate to an advanced learner.

3. Dutch Learning Strategies to Help You Learn Faster

As we mentioned before, how long it takes to learn Dutch fluently depends on your exposure to the language, how much time and effort you put into it, and the strategies you use.

With the right strategies, you’ll be able to learn Dutch faster and more effectively! 

1 – Make Use of Online Classes

Wondering how to learn Dutch online? We hear you! 

With online classes, you can learn Dutch anywhere and anytime you want. There are online classes for every level and they’re more affordable than private lessons or language schools. They’re also the most flexible option, as you can adapt them to your schedule. 

There are many websites you can choose from. Some are entirely free, while others have a mixture of free resources and paid resources with advanced services. Try to choose a website where you can track your progress and work over time; this way, you can really be aware of your improvement.

Be efficient and learn where and when you can.

→ Check out DutchPod101 to see what online lessons we offer. Even without a paid subscription, you can access a lot of free content, including vocabulary lists, a YouTube channel, and countless lessons for students at every level.

2 – Make Learning Dutch Fun

Try to make learning Dutch as enjoyable as possible—learning a new language shouldn’t be boring.

Of course there are some boring parts, such as grammar rules or those endless lists of verb conjugations, but try to mix it up with some entertaining learning tools. For example, you might enjoy watching a Dutch TV show with subtitles, or listening to Dutch music and trying to translate or understand the lyrics. Studying this way will make you more inclined to continue your Dutch studies! 

→ The Netherlands has some great Dutch TV shows and series for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced students. We recommend giving them a try!

3 – Practice is Key

To really learn a language, you have to practice it a lot. So try speaking, reading, writing, and listening in Dutch as much as you can. It’s okay to make mistakes, and you don’t even need that many words or an extensive knowledge of complicated grammar rules to express yourself.

Try to put everything you learn into practice, as this is truly the only way to improve your Dutch. Really immerse yourself in the language through TV series, books, music, or even podcasts. Start writing Dutch stories and talk to every Dutch person you meet. You can do it!

4 – Use Word Lists to Build Up a Solid Vocabulary

Are you struggling to practice the language because you feel like you don’t have a solid vocabulary yet? Then use vocabulary word lists to expand your personal word bank. You can choose a topic you find interesting and learn words related to that topic. DutchPod101 has vocabulary lists on many topics, such as love, family, animals, work, and more.

You may even want to set yourself some vocabulary learning goals. For example, to memorize one or two vocabulary lists a week, or one new word a day. 

5 – Create a Study Schedule and Set Some Goals

When learning a new language, structure is key. Language learning is a big task, and there’s so much to learn. Therefore, it’s very important that you create a clear study schedule and set some goals. This will give you the motivation to continue and not give up. With every goal you achieve, you know you’re improving and you’ll be motivated to continue with your other goals. A study schedule gives you the consistency needed to achieve them.

How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn Dutch Faster

In this guide, you learned that the time it takes to learn Dutch depends on certain factors, such as the level of proficiency you want to reach and the Dutch learning strategies you employ. We also gave you pointers on how to learn Dutch effectively at each stage. 

Did we forget any important language learning tips? Do you already feel motivated to start learning Dutch? 

Make sure to explore DutchPod101.com, as we have plenty of free resources to help you learn Dutch quickly and efficiently. Our vocabulary lists are another great way to improve your knowledge of Dutch words and their pronunciation. 

Remember that you can also use our Premium PLUS service, MyTeacher, to get personal one-on-one coaching with a private teacher who will help you master the Dutch language even faster. He or she will give you interesting exercises, useful recorded audio samples, and personalized feedback so that you can become fluent in Dutch before you know it.

Happy learning on DutchPod101.com!