Introduction to Dutch

University of Groningen via FutureLearn

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Details

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Provider

FutureLearn
Pricing

Free Online Course (Audit)
Languages

Dutch
Certificate

$54.00 Certificate Available
Duration & workload

3 weeks, 3 hours a week
Sessions

On-Demand
Level

Beginner

A Best Course of All Time

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Overview

Are you planning to visit, or work or study in the Netherlands soon? This free online course is perfect if you have little or no prior knowledge of Dutch, but would like to master the fundamentals in order to survive life in the Low Countries.

Learn basic Dutch

The course will run over three weeks, helping you to:

introduce yourself and get to know other learners
talk about your family, friends, work and study
and experience life in the Netherlands.

Speak, write and understand useful Dutch

During the course, you will learn Dutch phrases, greetings, vocabulary, numbers, spelling and grammar. Being able to understand the language will make everyday activities, such as shopping or going out to a restaurant, much more enjoyable.

By the end of the course, you will be able to recognise familiar words and phrases about yourself and your family. You will be taught to use simple sentences to describe where you live and the people you know.

Finally, you will be able to write short texts such as an email or fill in forms with personal details. The main focus will be on receptive skills such as reading and listening.

Learn with the University of Groningen Language Centre

The course will be taught in English by lecturers of Dutch and English from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

So, if you would like to get a taste of Dutch - and join the 23 million people who speak the language in the Netherlands, Flanders, Suriname and many other countries - join the course now.

This course has been ranked as one of the best online courses of all time by online course aggregator class central.

This course is aimed at people with no prior knowledge of the Dutch language, who have a strong interest in learning languages. It will give you a taste of language skills that will help you to survive in Dutch-speaking countries. The main focus will be on receptive skills like reading and listening. It will be taught in English.

Syllabus

Introducing yourself

Getting started
Introduction to Week 1
Introduce yourself
Language focus: grammar explanation
Counting
The alphabet
Summary of Week 1
Introducing the Dutch

Talking about family, work and study

Introducing the topic: talking about family, work and study
Say more about yourself
Language focus: grammar explanation
The time
Greeting someone
Summary of Week 2
Introducing the Dutch

Living in the Netherlands

Introducing the topic: living in The Netherlands
Living in the Netherlands
Language focus: grammar explanation
Making a suggestion
Paying
Summary of Week 3
Introducing the Dutch

Reviews

4.9 rating, based on 302 Class Central reviews

Start your review of Introduction to Dutch

Inma De La Torre @Inma

I started this course after being for a few months learning Dutch using Duolingo. One of the main issues I had trouble with was getting explanations for grammar and how things should work when constructing sentences. The majority of those explanatio…

I started this course after being for a few months learning Dutch using Duolingo. One of the main issues I had trouble with was getting explanations for grammar and how things should work when constructing sentences. The majority of those explanations have been included in the course and adding Quizlet to practice makes it a very good course if you are trying to get a good introduction to Dutch.

I do believe that combining this course with Duolingo makes it even better and I will continue working with both Quizlet and Duolingo to improve my language skills.

My only concern is that you are going to need more than the 3 hours per week to study if you want to learn the material. But that is only a small issue.

Overall, I think the course is great and would recommend to anyone aiming to get a good introduction to Dutch.
Alathea

I enjoyed the course and I certainly gained a lot from it. Each week of the course starts with a couple of dialogues which bring in the vocabulary and grammar which will be studied during the week. At the end of the week you listen to the same dial…

I enjoyed the course and I certainly gained a lot from it. Each week of the course starts with a couple of dialogues which bring in the vocabulary and grammar which will be studied during the week. At the end of the week you listen to the same dialogues again, and realise how much you have learnt, which is encouraging.

Input from the course team was good.

A couple of things stopped me giving this course five stars:

1. Three weeks makes for a very short introduction. In particular I felt that the course could have benefited from some units explicitly dealing with pronunciation, as in FutureLearn's Introduction to Norwegian (which is spread over four weeks). Simply repeating four short phrases in the "Listen and repeat" units did not seem adequate.

2. There are short, and very easy, tests in the course itself, but the course team have also created a series of exercises on Quizlet. Unfortunately Quizlet only recognises one correct answer for any question, which is too restricted for effective language learning. In the first two weeks I didn't find this to be a problem, but in the third week, as the questions became more complicated, I found it very frustrating to be marked wrong because I had typed "je/jij - u mag" instead of "jij/je - u mag", or "hij - ze/zij - het" instead of "hij - zij/ze - het". In the end I was spending more time trying to remember exactly what answers Quizlet wanted than focussing on vocabulary and grammar. If Duolingo can accept multiple correct answers, why can't Quizlet?
Anonymous

I just finished this course, and having already studied Dutch for a few months I found the course very interesting, although as to be expected a little bit easy. There are a few things I like about the course, there's plenty of audio and listening m…

I just finished this course, and having already studied Dutch for a few months I found the course very interesting, although as to be expected a little bit easy. There are a few things I like about the course, there's plenty of audio and listening materials / exercises, and more importantly - with transcripts. First they introduce the language, then the transcript and then finally teach you the meaning. In my opinion it's a really good way to learn pronunciation and get used to how the language sounds. It's only a 3 week course, and I'd prefer it to be a bit longer, but for beginners to language study or to Dutch it's perfect to dip into and get started. They touch on a number of topics during the course (including the dreaded grammar - which is explained very clearly), and there's some repetition of material, so you can get a good ground knowledge of the basics. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Dutch, or even just wants to try an online language learning course.
Sal Pal

So, I have finished this course, and here are my thoughts about it. I try my best to be as objective as possible. - How is the course material-wise? Quality and material wise, it is a really good course. Its content is balanced. Not too shallow or…

So, I have finished this course, and here are my thoughts about it. I try my best to be as objective as possible.

- How is the course material-wise? Quality and material wise, it is a really good course. Its content is balanced. Not too shallow or too grammatical.

- Is it an absolute-beginner friendly? It is kind of beginner-friendly; if you want to enjoy the course while studying it, you should be somewhat familiar with the Dutch language already. If you are a total beginner, you probably need over 4 hours/week to have a good understanding of the Dutch language when you have finished the course.

- How should I prepare myself for the course? Since you cannot start the course whenever you want to, you can use Duolingo and/or Busuu. Complete Duolingo's Dutch course Section 1 and/or Busuu level A1 till Chapter 15. This way you can enjoy this course while studying it, and you will need fewer hours to finish the course.

One important note on using the above-mentioned apps: do not, I repeat, DO NOT play with the apps!!! Study it, take small notes, pay attention to language structure, memorize vocabulary, etc. DO NOT just click, click, click on the right option and go to the next part.
Anonymous

The Introduction to Dutch Course, has been the best language course I've taken so far. Even though Dutch has different spelling, pronunciation and also some completely different words to my second language, Afrikaans, one could still easily understand what was being taught to us.
The teachers has been amazingly hands-on at answering and explaining various questions asked in the comments, by students from all over the globe.

This course is definitely a must, as I can guarantee anyone who partakes in it, will walk away with an exciting new language to add to their list of achievements.

To all the teachers , who partook in creating such and amazing course...
Dank je wel!
Anonymous

One of the best online courses of all time.

This course allows you to get to a beginner to early intermediate level of dutch, around A2, and gets you ready to for going to B1 next.

It's great for anyone who is interested in learning dutch, whether you are a beginner or have already been learning for a little bit. Since a lot of online apps and courses don't really provide an extensive introduction to the grammar, this course makes everything easier. Highly reccomend!
Anonymous

The course is really well designed, and enable you to have a look at the basics of the Dutch language. There are a lot of audio samples, as well as videos, in order to help you get accustomed with the oral language. On top of that, you can find a few rules of grammar and syntax, and you are always invited to write and speak in between the different notions studied. It's a really good way to get started in the language!
Anonymous

This was a great course. It is very well put together and has something for every style of learning. I went into it never having studied Dutch previously and found it was quite easy to understand and make progress. Plus side: So many options to exp…

This was a great course. It is very well put together and has something for every style of learning. I went into it never having studied Dutch previously and found it was quite easy to understand and make progress.

Plus side: So many options to expand your knowledge and build on what you have learnt. Listening exercises, reading exercises, quizzes, listen and repeat are all built in. There are links to extracurricular material on quizlet to help practice and to Dutch grammar sites. Plus there were opportunities to use padlet and soundcloud. Something for everyone.
The Educators are very upfront about why they are providing the course and what they are discussing and what they wish students to do. They also take the time to reply to student questions and comments, which is fantastic.

Drawbacks: The course goes for three weeks (with five to complete it in.) Three hours a week is the bare minimum and will pretty much only cover reading the page and marking it complete. For someone trying to do this on Saturday morning it was a bit of a struggle to finish it all in time. You will need more time to get the most out of this course. Also, the educators are only around for the first three weeks to reply to questions. Some of the sample dialogue could benefit from updating and refilming to reflect 2021 values. Some of the links to videos on YouTube, especially the one introducing the university, were not well received by students.

However, these are minor issues and I'm still going to give this course 5 stars. I really enjoyed it.
Ammar Aldoais

This course is really useful. It helped me to understand and learn the most commonly used phrases in Dutch as well as some important grammar. Furthermore I learned some aspects of Dutch culture.
Anonymous

Very helpful and detailed. Now I am able to have a small talk with locals with more confidence. Thanks, University of Groningen. :)
Anonymous

Good introduction to the Dutch language. The course was easy to follow and had a lot of practical exercises.
Anonymous

Very good introduction to the Dutch language. Clear and precise explanations. Keep up the good work.
Reham Basheer @RehamBasheer

it has been a great introductory course, where you learn the key basics of daily life conversations in dutch, as well as a well amount of much needed vocabulary. there are very useful grammar lessons there , explaining how to order your sentences in different situations , how to ask questions , and how to make new suggestions. by the end of the course you become able to introduce yourself, talk about yourself, your family, and your life too very simply.
Anonymous

I have been very impressed with this course particularly as it was the first that I have studied through a MOOC. I thought the course content was well structured and pitched at the appropriate level for an adult learner. The lecturers were caring an…

I have been very impressed with this course particularly as it was the first that I have studied through a MOOC. I thought the course content was well structured and pitched at the appropriate level for an adult learner. The lecturers were caring and keen to help us all to learn. The overriding impression that I have come away with is that the course was full of integrity - this does not seem so evident when I look at other advertised online language courses. There is now an incentive for many of us to go on and continue our university studies perhaps in Groningen.

I am pleased to have completed the course and feel confident enough to have a basic conversation in Dutch. I had a slight advantage having studied beginner's German (nearly 30 years ago!) and honestly believe that learning Dutch has also helped me improve my understanding of the German language especially in relation to word order and vocabulary.

Many thanks to the lecturers and support staff involved in creating this wonderful course. I feel somewhat sad that I cannot go on to do week 4, week 5 etc - perhaps there is enough value for the University of Groningen to consider a follow-on course.
Michael Hammer

I really liked this course. I lived in the Netherlands for the summer several years ago, but never tried to learn Dutch. That's been bugging me ever since, especially because I still watch football with a Dutch broadcast all the time, even though I…

I really liked this course. I lived in the Netherlands for the summer several years ago, but never tried to learn Dutch. That's been bugging me ever since, especially because I still watch football with a Dutch broadcast all the time, even though I can't understand it. I started learning Dutch with Duolingo in late December and enrolled in this course in late February. It's been a great help! My favorite part of the course are the Quizlet quizzes, which are the closest thing you are going to get to having a person read you flash cards and ask you the meanings of words and phrases. The Quizlet Gravity game is also fun. Besides that, the videos going over the rules of the language are a great complement to Duolingo, which doesn't provide anything like that. The mock conversations with other Dutch learners are also extremely helpful because they are much easier to comprehend than listening to regular native speakers who speak quicker with thicker accents. Would recommend, and I hope there is a level two somewhere!
Anonymous

Having just begun my Dutch learning experience I found the course very interesting, and a lot harder than expected. There are a few things I like about the course, there's plenty of audio and listening materials / exercises, and more importantly - w…

Having just begun my Dutch learning experience I found the course very interesting, and a lot harder than expected. There are a few things I like about the course, there's plenty of audio and listening materials / exercises, and more importantly - with transcripts. First they introduce the language, then the transcript and then finally teach you the meaning. I found this to be a great way to learn pronunciation and get used to how the language sounds. It's only a 3 week course, and I'd prefer it to be a bit longer, but for beginners to language study or to Dutch it's perfect to dip into and get started. They touch on a number of topics during the course (including the dreaded grammar - which is explained very clearly), and there's some repetition of material, so you can get a good ground knowledge of the basics. I recommend it to anyone who is interested in Dutch, or even just wants to try an online language learning course.
Roman Nikitchenko

Course is really basic (A1) but has clear nice structure and is really high quality one. I have started it year ago then had no time and returned to finish and confirm my 'natural progress'. Now I understand every phrase and find everything really c…

Course is really basic (A1) but has clear nice structure and is really high quality one. I have started it year ago then had no time and returned to finish and confirm my 'natural progress'. Now I understand every phrase and find everything really clear. Videos, audios, transcripts are just fantastic. Grammar explanations are not so detailed but remember, this is just introduction so this is fair.
Just be warned that if you really are following course as an absolute beginner I would recommend at least 8 hours per week or even more. There are more than 300 words and phrases involved so 3 hours per week are definitely not enough. I do recommend to do all quizzes including external ones. This makes a bit competition and allows your progress estimation more clean way.
Anonymous

I enjoyed "Introduction to Dutch" very much and am happy to recommend it to anyone who is planning to visit the Netherlands for work or pleasure or to anyone who wants to sample Dutch before signing up for a longer program of study. The three-week course does a good job introducing vocabulary and basic grammar and with structured listening exercises and drills helps participants achieve decent novice-level proficiency. Instructional videos are short and easy to follow, and during the session instructors are on hand to answer questions and correct errors. I had great fun and would love to take another course of the same caliber.
Anonymous

Basic but weel developed material. The learning process is smooth, the teachers and lessons quite clear. Is even entertaining.
Anonymous

This is a free introductory Dutch for beginners course. You watch video dialogues (listen and watch) and then repeat the dialogue in reading and writing. The videos about grammar are very easy to understand and pedagogical. Good quizzes in the course as well as external exercises on Quizlet. You are encouraged to engage with other participants and the course supervisors by writing comments. I think the course could be of interest for beginners at all levels. Highly recommended.