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.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 6 seconds You may know the words boss, cookie, yacht, and brandy. These words have one thing in common. They all originate from Dutch words. Baas, koekje, jacht, and brandewijn, which means burned wine, a 17th century term. Welcome at the University of Groningen, one of the oldest universities in the Netherlands. My name is Wim Tomassen. I’m a senior English lecturer at the Language Centre of Groningen University. I’d like to welcome you to our free online introductory Dutch course. Dutch is the language spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname. In this course, you will learn Dutch up to a lower beginner’s level, meaning you should be able to understand some Dutch and use some elementary phrases and expressions.

Skip to 1 minute and 6 seconds We hope we will soon be able to say, welkom aan boord– welcome on board– and that you will have a pleasant course.

What topics will you cover?

Reading and listening to dialogues about work, study, hobbies, eating, drinking, living, weather and the time
Understanding the grammar around the conjugation of verbs, word order,personal pronouns, adjectives, modal verbs and making questions
Writing and speaking assignments including introducing oneself and speaking about eating and living
Introduction to Dutch culture

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

12 Aug 2024
18 Nov 2024

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Apply basic Dutch vocabulary and grammar in a range of everyday situations
Produce short written statements in Dutch about every day life
Discuss simple concepts, situations and needs in Dutch

Who is the course for?

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.

What do people say about this course?

"Perfect course! Everything is clear, easy to understand. I'm enjoying!"

Min Dai

Who will you learn with?

Birgit, Jeroen and Margriet (Lead educators)

Lead educators Introduction to Dutch
Senior lecturers at University of Groningen Language Centre.

Who developed the course?

University of Groningen

The University of Groningen is a research university with a global outlook, deeply rooted in Groningen, in the north of the Netherlands.

Learning on FutureLearn

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Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

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