More than 2,100 programmes in the Netherlands are taught entirely in English, and the country is the most English-proficient in the world, so you can earn your whole degree without a word of Dutch. The catch: your degree is in English, but your room, your supermarket, your bike repair, your part-time job, and your classmates outside the lecture hall are not. A handful of Dutch phrases makes daily student life far smoother and helps you actually meet Dutch people instead of staying in the international bubble.
On campus
Most teaching is in English, but the admin and the social edges are Dutch:
- “college” (a lecture), “werkgroep” (a tutorial or seminar), “tentamen” (an exam), “herkansing” (a resit).
- “Waar is de collegezaal?” (Where is the lecture hall?)
- “Heb je de aantekeningen?” (Do you have the notes?)
We list the full set in the most common Dutch phrases heard at a Dutch university.
Housing and admin
This is where Dutch matters most, because room listings, viewings, and the gemeente run in Dutch:
- “Is de kamer nog beschikbaar?” (Is the room still available?)
- “Mag ik een bezichtiging?” (May I have a viewing?)
- “Hoeveel is de borg?” (How much is the deposit?)
- “Wie zijn mijn huisgenoten?” (Who are my housemates?)
- “Ik wil me inschrijven.” (I want to register, at the gemeente, for your BSN.)
As an EU student you are usually exempt from civic integration, but you still register your address, so the admin Dutch is unavoidable.
The supermarket and café
The daily, repeatable script that saves you every day:
- “Pinnen mag?” (Can I pay by card?) The answer is almost always yes.
- “Mag ik een koffie, alsjeblieft?” (May I have a coffee, please?)
- “Heb je studentenkorting?” (Do you have a student discount?)
A part-time job (bijbaan)
Many students take a “bijbaan” (side job) in a café, supermarket, or as a delivery rider. Useful lines:
- “Ik zoek een bijbaan.” (I am looking for a part-time job.)
- “Ik kan in het weekend werken.” (I can work at the weekend.)
- A little kitchen and service Dutch goes a long way in horeca (hospitality) jobs.
Making Dutch friends
International student bubbles are easy to stay in. A little Dutch breaks them open:
- “Hoe gaat het?” (How are you?) and the easy reply “Goed, en met jou?”
- “Zullen we wat drinken?” (Shall we get a drink?)
- “Tot de volgende keer!” (Until next time!)
Joining a “vereniging” (student association) or a sports club is the single best way to use these for real.
A quick starter table
| Situation | Dutch | English |
|---|---|---|
| Pay by card | Pinnen mag? | Can I pay by card? |
| Room viewing | Is de kamer nog vrij? | Is the room still free? |
| Order | Mag ik…? | May I have…? |
| Exam | Wanneer is het tentamen? | When is the exam? |
| Part-time job | Ik zoek een bijbaan | I am looking for a side job |
| Small talk | Lekker weer, hè? | Nice weather, right? |
Start with the supermarket and housing lines, because you use them first, then add campus, work, and social phrases. For a broader beginner set, see the absolute must-know everyday Dutch phrases for beginners, and for city life, Dutch phrases for Amsterdam expats.
Relying on an app for social Dutch? See why Busuu might fail students for social fluency.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that turns the phrases above into short, five-minute lessons with audio, built for expats in the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
What Dutch phrases do international students in the Netherlands need most?
The most useful are the daily ones: “pinnen mag?” (can I pay by card?), “mag ik…?” (may I have…?), “is de kamer nog beschikbaar?” (is the room still available?), and basic greetings for small talk. Campus terms like college, werkgroep, and tentamen come next.
Do international students need to speak Dutch in the Netherlands?
Not for their studies, since over 2,100 programmes are taught in English and English is spoken almost everywhere. But Dutch helps with housing, the gemeente, a part-time job, and making Dutch friends, so a practical basic level makes student life much easier.
Is it hard to make Dutch friends as an international student?
It can be, because international bubbles form quickly and Dutch students often default to English with you. Speaking even a little Dutch and joining a vereniging (student association) or sports club are the fastest ways in.
Do students have to pass the inburgering exam?
Most international students, especially EU citizens, are exempt from the civic integration (inburgering) requirement. You still register your address at the gemeente, but you are generally not obliged to pass the exam while studying.
