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Dutch tips, grammar and exam help
Clear explanations in English for complete beginners and anyone preparing for the inburgeringsexamen. New articles every week.
Luisteren exam: how to practise Dutch listening for free
The A2 listening exam is 45 minutes on a computer. Why listening feels harder than reading, the question-first method, and free practice that works.
Jij, u or jullie? Which Dutch “you” to use and when
Dutch makes you choose between u, jij and jullie every time you say you. The grammar, the verb endings, and the social rules nobody writes down.
KNM exam: the themes that come up and how to prepare
KNM takes 45 minutes on a computer and tests how Dutch society works, not your grammar. The themes, the logic behind the right answers, and how to prepare.
Hebben or zijn? Choosing the right helper in the past tense
Ik heb gewerkt, but ik ben gegaan. Use hebben by default and zijn for movement to a destination or a change of state, plus the verbs that take both.
Inburgeringsexamen Schrijven: what you actually have to write
Forty minutes, four tasks, and the only part of the exam you do with pen and paper. What the tasks look like, a model answer, and the mistakes that cost points.
Dutch birthdays, borrels and the circle: what to expect
The circle, congratulating the whole family, cake instead of dinner, and what a borrel actually is. Dutch social customs explained, with the words to use.
Dutch sentence structure: why the verb moves to the end
Dutch sentence structure in three rules: the verb second, extra verbs to the end, and the verb last after omdat and dat. With a cheat sheet and examples.
Inburgeringsexamen Lezen: how to prepare for the reading exam
The A2 reading exam is 65 minutes on a computer. Here is what the texts look like, the question-first method that saves time, and a four-week plan.
How to start learning Dutch: a realistic first month
A four-week plan for complete beginners in the Netherlands: what to learn first, what to skip, and how twenty minutes a day beats long weekend sessions.
De or het? The Dutch article rules that actually help
There is no single rule for de and het, but two rules never fail and a few patterns cover most nouns. Here is what to learn, and what to guess.
Not sure where to start?
Try a free exercise to see how you are doing, or follow a complete course from your first words to A2.