Learning Dutch can be tricky. Albert Both from Talencoach offers some helpful ideas to take your Dutch to the next level, fast!
Have you been learning Dutch for a while and wondering how you could speak it for real? Too many people erroneously believe that if you just study and study and if you do lots of homework, then one day, miraculously, you’ll speak Dutch. Well, why not speed the process up?
Here are some ideas that can help you speak real Dutch, but there is a catch… You need to be willing to accept some new ideas, even if they seem counter-intuitive at first.
Be curious
Let’s start with the most important thing that you need if you want to speak Dutch for real. It is not rigid study and iron discipline. There is some great news, however, now that you have continued to read. It means that you could have it! What do I mean by it? Well, a magical thing called curiosity!
Here is a great secret that most people overlook: How you feel while you learn and speak Dutch makes all the difference. If you feel intrigued in a positive way, then all of a sudden, you’ll feel much more motivated to discover and thus learn new things. You acquire new talents and skills almost effortlessly. Once you are curious, it does not matter if you feel a bit tired every now and then… it is all about excitement now!
Not just a language
You must have noticed that Dutch culture is different. Although it can be confronting at times, it is also highly fascinating and there is no faster way to learn a different culture than by speaking the language. Once you start to dive into Dutch, many more things will make sense. How people react for example, why your colleagues, friends or maybe your own Dutch-speaking partner and children express themselves in certain ways.
One thing is certain, once you understand the way of thinking of the people around you, often you’ll feel better. It is not that you always have to agree with them, but now that you know why people act in certain ways, it is a lot easier to navigate through life.
One of the greatest things to discover is your own natural ability to learn and explore, and create a Dutch version of yourself. Een nieuwe jij, a new you! That by itself could be a great adventure, right?
Give yourself enough time
Learning Dutch may seem hard for many different reasons. First of all, learning is not about studying. It is about exploring things and playing a lot. It also means that you need to give yourself enough time. Too many people try to learn Dutch after work, but when you feel tired it is no wonder that trying to speak Dutch can be extremely draining.
At first it might seem a logical idea to learn Dutch after work, because you do not have a lot of time, right? Well, paradoxically it will take much more time and frustration if you try to do it like this. If you do not have a lot of time, then learning Dutch fast is a much better idea. That is why dedicating a couple of days to your Dutch is one of the biggest time savers that you could ever imagine.
Change the way you look at the language
Here is another thing that makes all the difference, and it is one thing that most people often overlook. It is very simple. What do you believe about the Dutch language? Do you think that it is weird, complicated, illogical and even ugly? If so, chances are high that you will have a hard time learning the language.
Things will change fast, once you change some of the ideas you have about Dutch. Within a couple of days, you might discover that Dutch has many things in common with English and that although many things are different from English, there is still a simple and logical system behind it. And yes, this means that you need to develop a new way of thinking. This may be challenging for some people.
But… once you start to open your mind to new ideas and concepts, great things will start to happen. One great benefit that you might not expect is that you start to look at your own language with new eyes as well. Many things that you automatically do while you speak English or your own language, will get more of your attention and things somehow may start to get more meaningful.
Play around
The most important thing that you need to do if you’d like to learn Dutch fast and at a higher level, is that you simply explore things and that you play around with the language a lot. If you live in the Netherlands, you are already surrounded by the language, so there is no need to study a lot.
The most important thing is that you start to recognise certain words and specific constructions and then when you hear and read them again and again, you will understand sooner than you realise.
Speak with real people in real situations
Another important thing that many people often overlook is that one of the most important things that you really need is to be at total ease with people while you speak Dutch. That is why learning, exploring and practising Dutch with real people is absolutely essential.
Sure, there are things that you can pick up during Zoom sessions and yet, speaking Dutch with real people in real situations is something that is far more priceless!
Start simple
When you speak Dutch, there are some simple principles that can also help you. First of all, start simple. Start to speak about many different subjects and then learn how to think in certain structured ways. Once you understand a relatively simple system, you can literally talk about anything that you like!
Why so serious?
Another important thing is that you learn how to really have fun with it. Most people tend to use Dutch as a survival tool, so that you can ask for things that you need, but have you ever noticed that when you speak your own language, the main goal is often just entertainment? That is why it is so important that you can create your own sentences about anything that you like; that you say crazy and outrageous things and that you laugh a lot.
Too many people are too serious when they try to speak Dutch. They only say useful and polite sentences, but then the chance is too high that you will not really connect with the language. The wonderful thing is that within a couple of days, there are so many things that you can learn: some logical insights about the structure, creativity, and great discoveries about everything around you and yourself. Soon you will notice you are more confident and at ease.
One of your best experiences ever
Last but not least, learning a language is always a challenge, but it could be one of your best experiences ever. One thing is certain, learning Dutch is not just about learning a new language. Learning the local language can help you feel much better in a new place, so you can do anything you set your mind to!
If you want to speak Dutch for real, with real people and in real situations, you will need to know how to be flexible, how to have a sense of adventure and how to have real fun with it. If you like this idea, then a Dutch Brainwash course from Talencoach might be something for you. Within days, you’ll learn how you can bring your Dutch to a much higher level with some simple thought shifts.
Learn Dutch with Talencoach:
- Download the e-book "3 Steps to Dutch flow"
- Download the e-book "Why You Hate Learning Dutch and 7 Secrets to Change It"
- Visit the website Talencoach.nl
- Check out the Facebook page
- Watch videos on YouTube
All free of charge!