DLC Deep Dive – Build close friendships, in Dutch!

Imagine you have a new group of friends that you do all kinds of fun activities with, where it is the ‘new normal’ to speak Dutch together. A group of friends, a mix of native speakers and Dutch learners, all focused on the common goal of building friendships and practicing Dutch together. Dutch practice becomes a natural, fun part of your daily life, integrated with your social activities.

This is the goal of the DLC Deep Dive. Unlike our regular community events – where you see different people every week – you spend time with a fixed group in a series of weekly events, allowing you to go beyond ‘Where are you from?’ and ‘How long have you lived here?’, and really make deeper connections by getting to know each other a little better every week.

And unlike a Dutch course – this series will have ‘real’ native speakers. Not teachers, but Dutch native participants who love to make a new circle of friends from all over the world. We will also provide practical tips & guidance to the native speakers to be the best Dutch conversation partner. As a Dutch native, you’ll learn new skills too!

💡 Perfect for: Dutch learners and native speakers who want to build a circle of friends in and around The Hague, enjoy doing things together and can commit to meeting regularly.

Why you’ll love it

• 👥 The same familiar faces – Meet the same group throughout the programme, giving you time to build on conversations and get comfortable with each other.
• 🎲 Different activities together – Discover who’s a creative thinker, a brilliant teammate or the person who always makes you laugh.
• 🗣️ Dutch in real situations – Practise while cooking, playing, chatting and exploring, with encouragement from your host and fellow participants.
• 🧡 Room for deeper conversations – Share stories and discover what you have in common, at a pace that feels comfortable for you.
• 🌳 Beyond the café – Spend time together around The Hague and help shape outings with the group.

How it works

You sign up for the whole programme with one group of participants. We meet on a regular weekday evening, with occasional weekend activities too.

Your DLC host helps everyone get involved, introduces the activities and supports the group along the way. We’ll start with easy ways to get to know each other and practical tips for speaking Dutch together. As everyone becomes more familiar, there will be more space for your own ideas.

We’ll also have a group WhatsApp chat to stay in touch and make plans between sessions.

📅 Regular dates: Thursdays 19:30 – 21:30 at Jan 14, Jan 21, Jan 28, Feb 4, Feb 11, Feb 18, Feb 25, March 1. During the two-week Christmas break, you can optionally attend our regular community events such as the Christmas dinner.
🌞 Weekend activities: Saturday 11:00 – 13:00 at Jan 30, Sunday 13:00 – 15:00 at Feb 14.
🥂Reunion: Thursday May 13, 19:30 – 21:30
👥 Group size: 12 – 40, about 10-25% native speakers. All ages welcome, but most will be between 20 – 45 y/o.
📍 Location: Dutch Language Café, Herengracht 13A, The Hague, plus outings in the area.

Please check the full schedule before signing up. Seeing each other regularly is an important part of the Deep Dive, so we ask you to plan to attend all (or at least most) of the sessions. Of course, sometimes illness or life gets in the way, and if you miss one or two sessions, that’s no issue, but it works best if everyone intends to attend all sessions together.

What will we do?

• 🎉 A welcome session with games, introductions and tips for speaking Dutch together.
• 🧩 A personal pub quiz, where the questions are about people in the group!
• 🎨 A creative afternoon to make something and chat.
• 🎲 Board games and team challenges.
• 🌳 A day out together, such as a walk, beach visit or bouldering.
• 💬 Our very own language exchange
• 🍲 A potluck dinner with food to share and questions that take the conversation a little deeper.
• 🎤 A chance to share a talent, hobby or story.
• 🍻 A The Hague bar crawl
• 🥳 A closing celebration with favourite moments and plans to meet again.

Participants are encouraged to organize activities amongst themselves as well. Have an idea but don’t know how to organise it? We’ll help you get started!

Dutch level

For this first Deep Dive, we recommend pre-intermediate (~A2) level or above. You already know some Dutch and are willing to give speaking a go, even when you need time to find the words. Extraverted/confident beginners (A1) are also welcome, just be up for a challenge. If you’re complete beginner and struggle with the very basics, we recommend to follow our Basics 1/Basics 2 course first.

We’ll speak Dutch as much as possible and help each other along. Mistakes are welcome! Your host will share ways to keep a conversation going in a comfortable pace.

Doubt about your level? E-mail us!

Native speakers welcome! 🇳🇱

Want to meet new people and build friendships in an international group? Join us!

You’ll take part in all the activities and help make Dutch the shared language of the group. We’ll give you practical tips for speaking clearly, explaining things simply and encouraging learners. No teaching experience needed, just patience, curiosity and a willingness to get to know people. 🧡

It’s an amazing programme to develop yourself, step out of your comfort zone, learn more about speaking Dutch to Dutch learners, and build a new circle of friends.

As a native speaker you get a discount to the entry as an appreciation for your help with the language.

What to bring

An open mind and a willingness to join in! We’ll let you know in advance if an activity needs anything extra, such as food for the potluck or suitable clothing for an outing.

Cost

Your registration covers the full programme of 8 evening sessions, 2 weekend sessions, 1 renuion, and ongoing guidance by our hosts. Non-members also get 3 months of free Enthusiast membership*. Members instead get a discount equivalent to 3 months of their membership plus a bit extra as a thank you for ongoing support.

• Non-members, Dutch learner: €395
• Non-members, Dutch native: €195
• Member, Dutch learner: Basic membership €325, Standard membership €295, Enthusiast membership €249
• Member, Dutch native: Standard membership €149, Enthusiast membership €95

Included: Attendance to events & basic snacks.
Additional costs: Drinks are not included and available at the bar. For the potluck dinner, expect to bring food, and for the pub crawl, to purchase some drinks.

* You get a code for free membership in your e-mail, which you can activate at any time before, during or after the program. Keep in mind this is a real membership, so after 3 months it converts to a paid membership unless you cancel or downgrade. The membership costs €0.50 to activate.

Join the Deep Dive

Ready to get to know your future familiar faces? Check the dates and book your place below. We’re looking forward to getting to know you! 🧡