Posts tagged Cities from the Learn Dutch For Expats team.
On 4 May the Netherlands falls silent; on 5 May it celebrates freedom. Here is what Dodenherdenking and Bevrijdingsdag mean and how to take part respectfully.
Two Christmas days, gourmetten at the table and fireworks at midnight: here is how the Dutch do Kerst and oud en nieuw, and the vocabulary to join in.
Your textbook Dutch meets its match in Antwerp. The Antwaarps dialect is fast, proud, and full of local words. Here is a survival guide to the slang of Antwerp.
Lost in a Dutch town? Here are the phrases to ask the way and, just as important, to understand the answer: links, rechts, rechtdoor and the rest.
EU citizens and long-term residents can vote in some Dutch elections. Here is who votes in what, what a stempas is, and how to register for the European elections.
Maastricht is the Netherlands' most international city, and its university runs in English. So can an intern survive on English alone? Here is the honest answer.
Move south and February brings Carnaval, three days of costumes, renamed cities and strange words. Here is what Oeteldonk, Alaaf and the optocht mean.
The first sunny day empties the cities onto the strand. Here is how the Dutch beach works: the strandtent, the windscherm, the tides and the vocabulary.
Rotterdam's tech scene runs largely in English, so do you need Dutch? Here is the real picture for a tech start in Rotterdam, and the Dutch that still pays off.
The Netherlands lives for its festivals. Here is how they work: tickets, the muntjes (token) system, what to bring, and the Dutch you need on site.
Dutch wellness saunas are usually mixed-gender and clothing-free. Here is the textielvrij etiquette, what to bring, and the Dutch vocabulary, so nothing surprises you.
Why is everything shut on Sunday morning and Monday? Here is how Dutch shop opening hours work: koopavond, koopzondag, avondwinkel and the feestdagen.
Groningen and the northern Netherlands are cheaper, calmer, and a touch more Dutch than the Randstad. Here is what integrating there really takes, dialect and all.
Move to Friesland and the road signs are in two languages. Frisian (Frysk) isn't a dialect, it's the country's second official language. Here is what that means.
Ghent is a buzzing student city where English gets you far, but the bubble is real. Here is the honest picture of living in Ghent, and why Dutch still matters.
In the Netherlands you congratulate the whole family on a birthday, not just the celebrant. Here is gefeliciteerd, the family rule, and what to say for every occasion.
Some of the most beloved food in NL is Indonesian and Surinamese. Here is what rijsttafel, nasi, bami and roti are, the colonial history, and how to order.
The Netherlands celebrates more than Sinterklaas. Here is what Suikerfeest, Keti Koti, Divali and other community holidays are, and how to acknowledge them.
Moving from the Netherlands to Flanders? Belgium has no zorgverzekering, you join a mutualiteit. Here is how the Belgian health system works and the Dutch you need.
Invited to a Dutch home? Here is what op visite involves: the coffee, the famous one-biscuit rule, set visiting times, and the phrases to be a good guest.
Betaald parkeren, the blauwe zone and parking apps: here is how to park legally in a Dutch town without a fat fine, and the vocabulary on the signs.
Een dagje uit, een uitje, een weekendje weg: the Dutch words for days out and short breaks, plus how to suggest one, buy tickets and check the plan.
Studying in Flanders means renting a kot through an immo or a kotbaas, with its own rules and deposit. Here is the Belgian student-housing vocab, decoded.
You worked hard for your B1 Dutch, then West-Flanders happened. Here is why West-Vlaams is so hard, and how to cope in Bruges with your standard Dutch intact.
From terrasjes in summer to schaatsen in winter: here are the four Dutch seasons, the weather to expect, the school holidays and the seasonal activities locals love.
Stamppot, bitterballen, haring, hagelslag, drop: a guide to the typical Dutch foods you'll be offered, what they are, and how to talk about them.
An 'x' in Amsterdam and a 'kusje' in Antwerp are not the same flirt. Here is how Dutch texting sign-offs and pronouns differ between the Netherlands and Flanders.
Eindhoven's Brainport runs on English at work, so why learn Dutch? Because life outside ASML does not. Here is the Dutch that makes an engineer's Eindhoven feel like home.
Moved out to Haarlem for space and rent? The 15-minute train to Amsterdam comes with its own Dutch. Here is the commuter vocabulary that keeps your day running.
Heading to Flanders and unsure whether to learn 'Flemish' or Dutch? They are the same language. Here is what actually differs, and what to learn first.
Studielink, tentamen, studievereniging, borrel: the Dutch words every international student at the University of Amsterdam needs, explained in plain English.
International student in Utrecht? Here are the real Dutch-course options: Babel's NT2 courses, the James Boswell Institute, free UU classes, and library taalcafes.
On Erasmus in Ghent or Leuven? Your degree is in English and Flemish is just Dutch with a soft accent. Here is the survival Flemish that transforms daily life.
Amsterdam is the easiest city to avoid learning Dutch, and one of the richest to learn in. Here is the expat's map: schools, free taalcafes, and costs.
In Amsterdam everyone speaks English, so most expats stall at tourist-speak. Here is how to push past the switch and actually use Dutch in the city.
On King's Day anyone can sell anything on the street, no permit needed. Here is how the vrijmarkt works and the Dutch to run your own stall.
TU Delft runs in English and the city is small and welcoming, so you can live here without Dutch. Here is the honest picture of what English-only quietly costs.
Utrecht's universities teach in English, but daily student life does not. Here is exactly how much Dutch international students in Utrecht actually need.
Moving to Belgium, not the Netherlands? Flemish is Dutch with a softer accent and some regional words. Here is what differs and how to learn Dutch for Flanders.
Textbooks teach ABN, the polished standard Dutch. The street speaks faster, looser, and with an accent. Here is how to bridge the gap between the two.
The Hague is the easiest Dutch city to live in entirely in English, which is its trap. Here is how to get more from it, no Haags dialect required.
You do not need to be in Amsterdam to find free or subsidised Dutch lessons. Here is where to find gemeente-funded Dutch courses across the rest of the Netherlands.
Moving to Flanders, not the Netherlands? The Dutch is the same, but the offices and admin words differ. Here is how to navigate Belgian bureaucracy.
The University of Groningen teaches in English and the city is young and international, so you can survive without Dutch. Here is what English-only quietly costs.
Can you live in Amsterdam without speaking Dutch? Yes, easily, thanks to world-leading English. But here is where it gets harder, and what little Dutch fixes.
Do Dutch people appreciate it when expats try to speak Dutch, or do they just switch to English? The honest answer, and how to make the effort land.
Do you really need to learn Dutch to live in Amsterdam? The honest decision: when it is truly necessary, when it is optional, and the middle path most expats take.
How easy is life without Dutch in Rotterdam, Eindhoven, Utrecht, and The Hague? A realistic look at the Netherlands beyond Amsterdam for expats.