Learning to speak a new language is exciting; learning to write a new language is even more exciting! It will open new worlds for you. So, dig into these tips and advice for learning how to master the Dutch alphabet easily - at DutchPod101 we make it easy, fun and relevant for you!
Starting anything from scratch can be challenging, especially if you learn how to write in a language completely different from your own. It is really like navigating through a territory that is completely unknown to you.
However, this need not be a big hurdle or a problem! At DutchPod101, we introduce you to Dutch writing in simple, easy-to-follow steps, and you can ask for advice or help anywhere along the way. It is important to master the Dutch alphabet completely from the start.
If you want to master the Dutch language and become fluent, get this Dutch eBook!
You need physical worksheets to practice on.
This eBook is a MUST-HAVE for all Dutch learning beginners!
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This is a must-have guide for absolute beginners
The Dutch writing systems uses the Alphabet. The alphabet we use in the Netherlands is based on the Latin alphabet. The oldest examples of written Dutch are mostly religious books. The monks in the monasteries were the only ones who could write.
Later there came people who had the job of writer and also the scientists needed to write. Like Joost van den Vondel and Antonie van Leeuwenhoek.
From the twelfth to the fourteenth century the writing depended which the region you lived in. For example the word “country,” in Dutch, land, in Amsterdam was always written with a ‘t’ and in Utrecht with a ‘d.’ The spelling was phonetic, meaning you write like you hear it.
The oldest texts were written by hand. So the books in libraries were worth a fortune. In the fifteenth century the art of printing was invented. Already in the year 1000, a way of printing had been invented. One whole page was printed at a time; this is called Blockprint. It took a lot of time to make the printblock. In the period 1450-1500 they started to print with separated letters. It was a great success. Through this bookprinting the unity of spelling was promoted.
Nowadays the Dutch alphabet, based on the Latin alphabet, counts twenty-six characters. Originally there were only twenty-three. The three missing letters were the j,u, and w.
There are some letter combinations you won’t find in English, such as ‘oe’ in the word boek, (”book.”) They sound the same but are spelled differently.
Another combo is ij and ei; they both sound like “y.”
The Dutch language has a relatively high proportion of doubled letters, both vowels and consonants, like oo in boom (”tree”) and uu in muur (”wall”) or ee in veel (”a lot.”)
An example of five consecutive doubled letters is voorraaddoos (”supply box”).
Dutch is a language that is spoken by about 20 million people, primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium. The Dutch alphabet contains the same 26 letters as the English alphabet. However, the pronunciation of Dutch letters will need to be practiced before you will be able to pronounce words properly. The more you learn about the pronunciation of each individual letter, the more you will understand about the language as a whole.
| Upper Case | Lower Case | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| A | a | a |
| B | b | be |
| C | c | ce |
| D | d | de |
| E | e | e |
| F | f | ef |
| G | g | ge |
| H | h | ha |
| I | i | i |
| J | j | je |
| K | k | ka |
| L | l | el |
| M | m | em |
| N | n | en |
| O | o | o |
| P | p | pe |
| Q | q | ku |
| R | r | er |
| S | s | es |
| T | t | te |
| U | u | u |
| V | v | ve |
| W | w | we |
| X | x | iks |
| Y | y | y |
| Z | z | zet |
The Dutch language is closely related to both German and English. Many linguists describe the language as sharing characteristics between German and English. For instance, Dutch has the same word order in main clauses as the German language does, which is subject-verb-object. It also has the same word order in subordinate clauses as the German language, which is subject-object-verb. However, like English, Dutch no longer uses the grammatical case system that is used in the German language.
Dutch accents can, at first, be a challenge for English speakers. You may find that Dutch writing isn’t so difficult since you will be familiar with the letters used. Pronunciation is another story altogether. Some letters such as “W” have a unique sound that you will need to become familiar with. However, by listening to the correct pronunciation of individual letters, you will be able to sharpen your speaking skills. Listening to Dutch podcast lessons is a great way to improve your pronunciation of Dutch letters, words and sentences.
In time, you will be able to use what you’ve learned in your
With time and perseverance, you will be able to comprehend, read and pronounce Dutch words with greater ease. Your potential to learn Dutch will increase by practicing daily using a variety of learning tools. Reading, listening to, and pronouncing letters, words and sentences will ensure that you pick up the language as quickly as possible.
A language’s alphabet is its building blocks. Trying to learn how to write in Dutch without first learning its alphabet is a bit like trying to build a brick house without touching the individual bricks! It is impossible to do a good job that way. So don’t believe language schools and methods that try to teach you otherwise. You will regret it later.
Also, once you start recognizing symbols and words, you will be encouraged by your own progress and motivated to learn even faster. Even just learning the basics of the alphabet will allow you to start recognizing simple Dutch words, and it will feel great!
Furthermore, knowing the alphabet even helps with pronunciation, as learning the individual letters of any language will start uncovering nuances and intricacies that are not always apparent when you’re simply listening to the words.
Completely mastering the Dutch alphabet, no matter how long it takes, will give you an excellent head start in learning how to write and read the language. It will offer you a solid foundation on which to build the other language skills, so set a goal to learn the alphabet so well that you’re able to recite it in your sleep!
Read on for helpful tips and secrets to learning the Dutch alphabet quickly and effectively.
If you want to master the Dutch language and become fluent, get this Dutch eBook!
You need physical worksheets to practice on.
This eBook is a MUST-HAVE for all Dutch learning beginners!
Download your Free Dutch practice sheets PDF today and learn the Dutch language in no time!
This is a must-have guide for absolute beginners
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Let’s now take a closer look at how studying Dutch lessons in PDF format can help you reach your dream in up to half the time of normal video or audio lessons!
Learning Dutch through PDF lessons can dramatically reduce your data use. Once a lesson or tool is downloaded, you can then access it offline via your computer or smartphone any time or place regardless of Internet access. And once you’ve download the Dutch lessons in PDF format, you can actually access them faster than logging in and trying to do so via a live site. So not only will learning Dutch using PDF lessons save minutes on your data plan—it will save you some significant time as well as the lessons add up!
Sometimes, a tiny smartphone screen just isn’t adequate, especially when you are trying to learn something new. The great thing about PDF lessons, tools or files is that they can be quickly printed and taken anywhere after you download them. In fact, printing out Dutch lessons in PDF format can actually save you time when compared to going through the material on a smartphone with a small screen—even with the extra printing time!
Studying video or audio lessons online is a great way to learn a language because students can play and rewind sections as many times as needed until the lesson is mastered. But when you review the same Dutch lessons again in PDF format, an incredible thing happens: your retention dramatically improves! Thanks to Time Spaced Repetition, seeing the information again in written format helps reinforce the information in your mind and improves both retention and recall. The benefits of learning Dutch using PDF lessons quickly add up to significant time savings for you, your data plan, and your dream of learning a new language!
Learning to read and write is a must for all beginners. Although you get video lessons on how to write in Dutch at DutchPod101, you’ll still need physical worksheets to practice on. That’s why you’re getting this printable tutorial PDFs as a gift.
With a language, like with anything you have to learn from scratch, having a few mnemonic devices handy are key to learning it fast. A mnemonic device is basically any method or technique that helps you to retain or commit something to memory more easily.
Here are a few mnemonic devices to memorize the Dutch alphabet so you can speed up learning how to write in Dutch.
Can you still remember your childhood alphabet song in your own language? The best way to commit it to memory so you can recite it is still your mom or first teacher’s way - with music, a song and/or a poem! Find a recording and learn to sing the song, or recite the poem along as best as you can. Ask your DutchPod101 teacher to help you understand exactly what you are singing or saying, and soon you’ll have reciting the alphabet under your belt! Repeat it out loud as often as possible.
However, you still need to learn how to write it.
Remember when you were young and learning to write for the first time? You didn’t start with words or sentences; you started with letters, one at a time!
Decide on tackling only a few letters each week, and then don’t move on from these till you are completely familiar with them. Don’t take on too many at once, or you may become discouraged. Also, remember to ask your teacher at DutchPod101 if you have questions!
Learn to incidentally spot the letters in books, road signs (If you’re living in the country), magazines, on TV, anywhere you encounter written Dutch. Remember to write them out!
Make it a goal to write out your week’s letters at least once a day, and commit to this goal. You can also do it every time you have a free moment. Get yourself a special notebook for this purpose that you can carry with you anywhere you go. Sitting on the train or bus? Waiting for someone somewhere? Whip out your notebook and write the Dutch alphabet, or the letters you are learning. Aim for about 20 repetitions, while silently saying the letter in your head as you write it out. This way, you will soon be able to form and write words all by yourself! Exciting, isn’t it?
Writing something down with a pen also seems to engrave it in the brain in a way that nothing else does. As an added benefit, it gives you the satisfaction of seeing a new language in your own writing!
Once you’ve mastered the whole alphabet, commit to writing it out in its entirety at least once a day, for at least one month. More repetitions are obviously better.
Research has shown that the more senses and actions we use to learn something, the quicker the new information sticks in the memory and becomes habitual. To apply this principle while learning the Dutch alphabet, write out huge letters by tracing them in the soil, or with chalk on the floor. Now, while saying the letter out loud, walk on the lines you have just traced. In this way, you ‘write’ the letter by moving your whole body!
Having fun just makes it even easier to learn something, so why not ‘write’ the letters out with dance steps while moving to your favorite Dutch music!
This is a simple trick that seems silly, but you’ll be surprised how quickly you will commit intricate letters to memory this way. It really works!
This technique would involve saying the Dutch letter out loud, and then thinking of a word in your own language that sounds the same as the letter. That would then create a phonic association that should make it easier for you to remember the letter. Better even if the association is something you can draw or picture.
If the script of the new alphabet is very different from your own, look at it closely, and see if you can find an image that the letter reminds you of
Try to write words from your own language in Dutch, and ask your friendly DutchPod101 teachers for feedback! Or post them on the forum and see if anyone can read them. You will be so pleased with yourself when you start writing words that are readable and recognizable by native speakers.
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