Get confident using basic Dutch, without a grammar book!

Our method

If you think about Dutch classes, you might think about grammar books, worksheets, lots of homework and a teacher in front of the class giving assignments and explaining things about the language.

Well, this is actually an outdated way of teaching. 

Recent research shows that there is actually a much better way of teaching, that achieves better results, in shorter time, and that is more fun and more motivating for students. This method is called ‘teaching with comprehensible input’.

It works like this: during the class, y the teacher will mostly be speaking, and you will be listening. The teacher will speak in such a simple and clear way, that you will understand everything that is being said. Slowly, the teacher will introduce new words and different sentence structures. 

Over time, your brain will naturally pick up the language, just like how kids learn!

The teacher will always make it interesting and engaging, for example by co-creating funny stories together with the class, incorporating movement or drawings, playing games, and so on. We do encourage you to speak Dutch during the lessons, but only when it comes naturally, and never forced. We always create a safe atmosphere where everyone feels comfortable.

This way of teaching has many benefits over traditional teaching: you’ll acquire more language in less time and have more fun at the same time!

Which level?

We offer our Basics course in two levels:

• Basics 1 is best for people who are completely new to the language or want to start from the very basics.
• Basics 2 is best for people who already know a bit of Dutch, but struggle to make more complex sentences.

Examples of what will you learn in basics 1: Hoe gaat het? Mijn naam is … Ik wil koffie Vandaag is het zondag Waar woon jij? If understanding these Dutch sentences is a challenge, Basics 1 is good for you!

Examples of what you will learn in basics 2: Wij hebben dertien weken vakantie. Ik ga met de trein naar mijn werk, en jij? Zij leest een interessant en makkelijk boek. Vorige maand was het herfst. Ik ben nat, omdat het regent. If the sentences from Basics 1 are too easy, but these sentences are challenging for you, Basics 2 is good for you!

Does this all sound too easy for you? You might be ready for our Speaking Skills course.

Stil not sure if this course is right for you? Book a trial lesson!

Practical details

Location:
Our courses will either take place in our café, Herengracht 13A, 2511EG, The Hague (right next to The Hague Central Station) or in our new, alternative location: Always Summer, Prins Hendrikstraat 124, 2518HX, Den Haag (in the cozy Zeeheldenkwartier). Check your location when signing up.

Dates & Times:
The courses consist of 8 weekly sessions, with one backup week in case of reschedules by the teacher. See the sign up form for a list of available dates.

Materials:
No worries, we provide all materials needed for the program.

Homework:
There is no mandatory homework, however, depending on your level and learning style, you will need about 2 to 4 hours of ‘Dutch input’ after each session to be ready for ‘speaking skills’ after Basics 1 and Basics 2.

We provide you with a range of recommended self-study options through our self-study guide, such as books, apps, videos, recommended community events and practical tips to learn Dutch in your daily life. It is up to you to choose what suits you best.

We also provide you with fun ways to keep you motivated, such as our ‘bingo card’ with fun challenges to do at home.

For those who really want to know more about grammar, we provide a discount code to Dutchies To Be’s Dutch For Beginners course upon registration for this course.

Community access
The course comes with two months of community membership so you can try our beginner community events to use what you learned and to practice to get confident with speaking. The community events are optional and at different times throughout the week (see the community event calendar). Please look for the blue events, that are suitable for beginners. You teacher can recommend to you which events would be good for you.

The details: Upon registration you will receive a discount code that makes your first two months of membership free, except for €0.50 activation costs. Your membership will then continue automatically, so don’t forget to cancel if you only want to use your two months of free membership. You can of course also try our events without activating a membership by paying the event entry fees.

Group size
We work with SMALL FOCUSED GROUPS of between 4 and 8 students.

English
Some parts of the course will be in English (introductions and more complex explanations), so a basic English level of participants is assumed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What about grammar? Don’t you need to study grammar to learn a language?

During the course, we focus on acquiring grammar naturally through extensive comprehensible input. Over time, correct grammar will feel instinctive, without knowing the exact rules. This approach is more effective than memorizing complex grammar rules, which can hinder your ability to speak fluently in real conversations, as in real conversations you don’t have time to think about these rules, you just have to speak!

We are not the only ones who believe this is an effective way to learn. Research supports learning through comprehensible input. If you want to read more about it, see for example this page.

We encourage you to experience our method firsthand. If you still feel the need to study grammar, we provide a discount code to the ‘Dutchies to Be Premium Beginners Course’ where basic grammar is explained.

What happens if I miss a session?

We recommend to be available for most sessions for maximum results. However, if you miss one or two sessions, you can still get a lot of value out of the course. Missed sessions are in principle non refundable. However, if you miss a session, contact us and we will look for solutions. Usually you can retake a session in another group, or alternatively, you can join an extra community event instead.

I’ve finished the course, now what?

If you are finished with Basics 1, the next step is Basics 2. If you are finished with that, you’ve mastered enough of the basics to start focusing on speaking with confidence! The next step is then the Speaking Skills course.

Costs

Price: 275 euro.
15% discount for members

Includes:
✔ Eight in-class sessions of 1 hour and 30 minutes in small groups of max 8 students
✔ Self-study guide
✔ Two months of community membership (for €0.50).
✔ One planned visit to a community event with your group

Meet your teacher

Sign up here!