There are lots of different reasons why you might already be learning Dutch, or why you’re thinking about taking up the language.
Whether you’re new to learning a foreign language or have near fluency in Dutch, one of the most reassuring things to know is that learning Dutch will allow you to communicate with a community of around 20 million native speakers worldwide. That's a huge pool of potential people to speak with!
In addition, you'll also find Dutch helpful to learn as a language if you're planning on heading over to the Netherlands, whether that's for study, business, or leisure purposes.
Happily, if you know that Dutch is a language you'd like to learn, there are a lot of different learning resources available to people looking to learn Dutch. For instance:
- There are a wide variety of websites that offer lessons to help people improve their Dutch;
- Lots of language learning apps now have Dutch courses as part of their offering; and
- There are also ways to learn Dutch offline, whether that’s through a personal tutor or through a group workshop.
Another way that some people find useful to learn Dutch is to regularly listen to podcasts either related to learning Dutch or life in the Netherlands. Podcasts are a great learning tool, not least because they don't take much time to listen to, and you can listen to podcasts on the go. So whether you want to listen to a podcast at home, or fancy passing the time while you're on public transport, you can easily tune in and listen to a podcast or two.
Find Dutch language courses you can take online.
Learn Dutch Online With These Podcasts
There are many different ways you can improve your understanding or appreciation of the Dutch language through the help of Dutch podcasts. Below are just ten podcasts that Dutch learners may find helpful as they progress through their language learning journey.
DutchPod101.com
This is considered one of the best podcasts you can tune into if you want to improve your understanding of Dutch.
With lessons available for beginners through to advanced speakers, it’s also a great resource to use regardless of your ability level. The podcasts aim to help you improve your knowledge of Dutch, and resources are also provided when it comes to learning vocabulary and revising key topics that were taught during lessons.
What’s more, free lessons are available every week, so you don’t have to spend a fortune to improve your proficiency level!
One Minute Dutch
Brought to you by Radio Lingua, One Minute Dutch is a short series of ten podcasts that teach you the very basics of the Dutch language.
Over the course of the podcasts you should learn how to say a variety of words and phrases in Dutch, ranging from:
- Basic greetings such as hello and goodbye; to
- Learning how to introduce yourself and count from one to ten.
Although this podcast is not likely to be of much help to anyone who has any prior experience learning Dutch, if you are completely new to the language this could be a good way to ease yourself into learning some common words and phrases, and hopefully will encourage you to learn more about the language once you’ve finished the last podcast.
Laura speaks Dutch
The last Laura Speaks Dutch podcast was released over nine years ago, but that doesn’t mean that the lessons within the podcasts aren’t still helpful to those learning the Dutch language.
There are over 50 podcasts in total, which all cover a range of different topics. What’s more, the podcasts generally seem to sit between the 10 to 20-minute mark, meaning that it’s not a huge time commitment to listen to a podcast or two daily.
Zeg Het In Het Nederlands (Say It In Dutch)
This podcast relatively new compared to some of the others on this list, as it only launched back in March 2018. However, Zeg het in het Nederlands is a podcast aimed at Dutch learners, where Dutch is spoken a bit slower than you’d ordinarily hear to help Dutch learners understand the podcast more fully.
The podcasts aren’t too long, usually under 20 minutes, which makes it a great resource to practice your Dutch listening skills either:
- While you’re on the go; or
- If you’re short on time.
You can also learn Dutch and have fun with these Dutch learning online games.
SBS Dutch
SBS has a wonderful range of radio programmes in different languages, and as part of that offering is the SBS Radio Dutch programme. It offers a variety of different short stories that are spoken in Dutch, with most episodes coming in at 5 to 15 minutes long – perfect for a quick catch up on the latest Dutch news, and a good way to practice your listening skills.
To Speak Dutch
This podcast series by Frank van Rooijen ended back in 2012, but the lessons within each podcast can still be of help to anyone learning Dutch. While the podcasts cover topics such as learning useful phrases that you might use during your travels to the Netherlands or when speaking to a Dutch native speaker, other topics are covered as well, such as:
- Counting;
- Verb conjugation; and
- Asking for and giving directions, among other things.
The podcasts can be found on iTunes.
Echt Gebeurd
Perhaps a podcast for the more advanced Dutch learner, Echt Gebeurd has a series of podcasts in which people tell particularly funny or unique stories that actually happened. While a lot of the podcasts are short and sweet, coming in around ten minutes in length, others are slightly longer, coming closer to 20 minutes.
If you’re looking for a way to practice your Dutch listening skills, then this podcast can be a great help, particularly if you’re time constrained.
Dutch News
This is an English-speaking podcast that provides a round-up of the latest news in the Netherlands. The podcasts are a little longer than others in this list, with many coming in at over thirty minutes, but if you’re looking for a resource to keep up to date with Dutch news then you could give this podcast a go.
Here In Holland
Here in Holland is a podcast by Andy Clark about life in the Netherlands. It’s an English-speaking podcast, so while it may not be a great podcast to use when it comes to learning the Dutch language, it is a useful resource for anyone wanting to know about what life in the Netherlands is like, particularly if you’re not from the Netherlands yourself.
Actual Fluency
The final podcast on this list is a bit different, as it isn’t specifically designed for Dutch speakers or Dutch learners.
Instead, this podcast is aimed at anyone learning a language, who wants to keep abreast of topics within the wider world of learning languages, and who may also be looking for some inspiration when it comes to learning a language of their choice.
There are over 100 podcasts on offer, which can be accessed through iTunes, Sticher, or Actual Fluency’s website. So if you’re finding it difficult to stay motivated when learning Dutch, it might be worth tuning into a podcast or two to see whether you’re inspired to continue your learning journey.
Check out some Dutch lessons London that you can take online.
Find The Best Way To Learn Dutch For You
Podcasts can be a great way to learn Dutch. For example, if you’re a beginner, then regularly listening to a Dutch podcast aimed at beginners can help teach you basic words and phrases, as well as how to count in Dutch and how to conjugate basic verbs.
Even if you’re an intermediate or advanced Dutch speaker, there is still a lot that Dutch podcasts can offer. Namely, listening to the news in Dutch, or listening to a podcast in Dutch, can be a great way to practise your listening skills, and may even teach you a new noun or verb along the way.
Of course, if you do ever find yourself getting stuck when learning Dutch, or would like some extra help when it comes to a particular Dutch grammatical topic or how to pronounce certain words, you could also look at getting your own Dutch tutor, through a site such as Superprof.
A Dutch tutor can give you the motivation you need to continue to improve your proficiency in Dutch, and can also be a great way to practise your Dutch speaking skills, especially if your tutor is a native Dutch speaker. So whether you're concerned about how best to learn Dutch grammar, or want some additional suggestions as to how to improve your range of Dutch vocabulary, a tutor could help you improve your understanding of Dutch.
By entering your postcode, you’ll be able to see which Dutch tutors are available for either in-person or remote tuition near to you.
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