Learning Dutch
Afrikaans Speakers: False Friends to Drop in Dutch
Afrikaans gives South Africans a huge head start in Dutch, but a set of false friends and habits can trip you up. Here is what to unlearn.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Duolingo vs Babbel for Dutch: Which Is Better for Expats?
Duolingo or Babbel for Dutch in the Netherlands? A head-to-head on price, speaking, grammar, and how useful each is for real expat life.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
German vs Dutch: Fixing Your False Friends
German is a huge head start in Dutch, until a false friend trips you up. Here are the words that look the same and mean something else entirely.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Learning Dutch
Prep for the MVV Civic Integration Exam in English
The basic civic integration exam abroad is required for an MVV. Here is what it covers, what it costs, and how to prepare for it in English.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Learning Dutch
Pimsleur vs Learn Dutch For Expats: Surviving the Checkout
Pimsleur or Learn Dutch For Expats? A head-to-head on which actually teaches you to handle real moments like the supermarket checkout in the Netherlands.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Learning Dutch
The Best Duolingo Alternative for Learning Daily-Life Dutch
Outgrown Duolingo? Here are the best alternatives for learning the practical, daily-life Dutch expats actually use, compared by what each is good for.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
The best way to learn Dutch as an expat (a realistic guide)
Most Dutch apps are built for everyone, everywhere. Here is how to actually learn the Dutch you need when you have just moved to the Netherlands or Flanders.
Lawrence Arya··7 min
Learning Dutch
Can Duolingo Bring Me to Conversational Fluency in Dutch?
Can Duolingo make you conversationally fluent in Dutch? The honest answer, what it does well, where it stops, and what you need to add to actually talk.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Can Duolingo Really Bring Me Up to a B2 in Dutch?
Can Duolingo get you to B2 in Dutch? Honestly, no, especially for speaking. Here is what B2 means, where Duolingo plateaus, and what reaching it really takes.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Do Expats Actually Need to Learn Dutch to Live in the Netherlands?
Do expats really need Dutch to live comfortably in the Netherlands? The honest answer: not to survive, but it changes daily life, and it is sometimes required.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Does Listening to NOS Jeugdjournaal Help Your Dutch Pronunciation?
NOS Jeugdjournaal is the Dutch kids' news: slow, clear, and free. Here is how it helps your pronunciation and listening, and how to use it the right way.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Does the 'Throat Hurt' Fade With the Dutch G Over Time?
Does the Dutch 'g' stop hurting your throat with practice? Yes, quickly, and here is why it hurts at first, how fast it fades, and how to speed it up.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
How Closely Related Is Dutch to English? A Beginner's Guide
Dutch and English are close cousins, which makes Dutch one of the easier languages for English speakers. Here is what is familiar, and what still trips you up.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
How to Start Learning Dutch as an Expat (From Zero to Conversations)
A simple, situation-first plan to go from zero Dutch to real daily conversations as an expat, without grammar overload or chasing fluency you do not need.
Lawrence Arya··5 min
Learning Dutch
The 5 Best Apps to Learn Dutch in 2026 (For Real-Life Conversation)
Most Dutch apps teach vocabulary, not conversations. Here are the 5 best apps to learn Dutch in 2026 for expats who want to actually talk to people here.
Lawrence Arya··6 min
Learning Dutch
Why Gamified Language Apps Fail for Real Dutch Life
Tired of the green bird? Here is why gamified language apps optimise for streaks, not for the real Dutch you need as an expat, and what to do instead.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Watching Dutch Cartoons to Learn? What Adult Expats Should Do Instead
Can you learn Dutch by watching cartoons? Here is the honest answer for adult expats, why passive watching is slow, and what to do instead.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
Which Language App Focuses on Conversational Dutch in the Netherlands?
Looking for an app that teaches conversational Dutch for life in the Netherlands? Here is the honest answer, and the apps that actually focus on talking.
Lawrence Arya··4 min
Learning Dutch
How to learn Dutch when everyone around you speaks English
In the Netherlands and Flanders, people switch to English the moment they hear your accent. Here is how to practise Dutch anyway.
Lawrence Arya··6 min
Learning Dutch
Duolingo vs real-life Dutch: which is better for expats?
Duolingo is great for streaks and basics, but is it enough to handle daily life in the Netherlands? Here is an honest comparison for expats.
Lawrence Arya··6 min