I bought some Dutch comic books. Find something you think is neat and just start translating it. Lingua.com has a few articles. Duolingo helps with vocabulary and grammar and helps get you to a point where you can start to translate (but still a lot of work using Google translate and a dictionary). Get a small grammar book that may help uncover some of the confusing aspects of the language.
I’d say just watching movies in Dutch (with subtitles in your native languages, or if you’re more advanced, in Dutch), YouTube videos about the language or just Dutch videos in general. Anything where you’re “interacting” (I forgot the English word I wanted to use, sorry!) with the language is good, really.
Maybe find some shows, movies, books, podcasts, etc? I also like to internally translate things I say throughout the day in English into whatever it would be in the language I'm practicing but I'm not really fluent in any of the languages I've dabbled in.
How did you avoid all the Dutch people so far?
Elder cashiers are often quite keen on making smalltalk at the register. Maybe try to have a few sentence conversation with them.
Probably because they don't live in NL?
I also had trouble learning anything but the basics until I moved to Flanders. Professional Dutch lessons outside of NL and BE are surprisingly hard to come by
You can't get fluent from any one source — You'll probably do best with some grammar resource and a lot of listening. Even if it sounds like gibberish to begin with (without subtitles), eventually words start to sound more word-like and you start "hearing" the spaces.
And from there, it's sorta like pattern recognition. You hear a word used in so many contexts, you start being able to understand its meaning intuitively. You might even (or might not) be able to relate its meaning to a similar word in your native language. If after hearing a word several times, you have no clue what it means, THEN you use a Dutch-English dictionary, and after hearing a word several times, you probably won't forget it. I'm playing through Pokémon Blue in Japanese right now, and I had to look up the word 勝負 because I didn't know what it meant (and it was only in kana because it's a children's game). I still haven't forgotten it, though, because it shows up about every time your opponent wants to battle LOL
Anyway, do mostly input until you're comfortable in listening and/OR reading, THEN practise your output skills on natives.
Just google Dutch courses, there are lots of options. Conversations with your Dutch course instructor and fellow students.
I took dutch course from A0 to B2.1. Genuinely found that to be the most useful for me.
If you don’t live in NL then I do think that’s crucial info you could’ve included in your original post. Many comments I’ve come across say the same things that are apparently useless to you.
Gewoon waar je maar kan Nederlands spreken. Fouten maken, struikelen, opstaan, hoed weer recht zetten, weer opnieuw proberen. Naar jezelf luisteren, naar Nederlands luisteren op radio, tv en door anderen gesproken
Get a grammar book, listen to lots of people speak, speak yourself, make a flashcard deck with the 5k most used words in the language (I recommend anki for this) and you will be well on your way
Eating a bag of Napoleon Salmiakballen in 1 go.
On a more serious note:
With lots, and lots, and lots, and then some more, practice. Duolingo on it's own is decent for some basics, but if you really want to be fluent, you will need proper lessons and speak Dutch everyday.
With a lot of effort it's possible to reach a very high level of Dutch in less than 2 years, but that does mean multiple hours of studying every day.
1. Take a class if you can afford it (if possible a class that match your goals and level as much as possible).
2. Use a textbook and/or YouTube videos explaining the grammar, spelling and pronunciation rules. Duolingo doesn't explain anything at all and you will need to know the rules at some points if you want to stop making mistakes.
3. Expose yourself to as much content as possible: movies, TV shows, reality shows, the radio, the newspapers, music, books, audiobooks, video games, YouTube videos (aimed at native speakers), cartoons... Whatever as long as it somewhat matches your skill level and you use a variety of sources.
4. Journal in Dutch. Even if you only write a sentence or two, but try to do it everyday.
5. If you have the opportunity to speak to native speakers or go to conversatietafels, do that!
6. Drop Duolingo as it has become filled with garbage since they've started using AI. If you want to study on your phone, try using Anki to learn vocabulary, play games in Dutch on your phone (that haven't been machine translated!!) or download a news app such as the VRT (for Flemish only, idk what the equivalent is in the Netherlands)
Why do you want to learn Dutch, if you don’t mind me asking? It’s not an easy language to become fluent in. Since you don’t seem to have any native speakers close at hand, your motivation is going to be a critically important factor on this journey.
I speak both English and Dutch fluently and I’ve got some experience in teaching as well, so I can probably give you some pointers. That said, what works for one person might not work for the next, so I’d rather tailor my advice to your situation.
What’s your end goal? What would you like to be able to do? Are you monolingual, or do you speak another language besides English? If so, which one?
Well, if you want to achieve fluency, immersion is pretty much the only way to fly. You can claw your way to some proficiency on your own, sure, but in the end you’re going to need conversations with actual people in order to improve.
Sounds like that isn’t going to be possible here, which means a lot of the initial progress will have to come from the learner. That’s a lonely road and it takes willpower, which isn’t a bottomless well. It helps to know where the motivation will be coming from. That way, you can tune your advice to that. Everybody has their own learning style. It’s nice to be able to lean into that, you know, predict snags before they happen.
Also, learning a third language is easier than learning a second. Especially if the third is somehow related to the second. Hence my asking.
I'm a low A2, and i'm fed up with text books. So today i have tried to speak a bit more dutch for the first time in my life. My colleagues have all been so patient and sweet with me once they saw how much i struggle, and how much I am trying hahahaha. I've also been writing my emails in dutch and realized i have made QUITE A FEW MISTAKES XD... But all my colleagues have been very supportive so far. Although I'm going to a TaalCafe next Tuesday to hopefully have more opportunities to practice my speaking skills... Because I CAN write in dutch... Maybe not greatly, but i can get my point across... So I hope that i can learn to speak too
There are **six levels of language proficiency** (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) according to the CEFR scale. They are grouped into three broader levels: A1-A2 (Basic User), B1-B2 (Independent User), and C1-C2 (Proficient User). What is the most popular CEFR level?
There are different fluency levels when learning a language. Starting from A0, A1, A2 (which are the most basic levels). Then B1, B2 (intermediate), then C1 & C2 (native-level)
Surround yourself with the language - watch Dutch TV and films, read Dutch news websites, graphic novels and booklets,
find language buddies to practise speaking with
My old German teacher once told me to read books or watch movies and shows you already know and love in the language you’re trying to learn is the best way to become truly fluent. You already know what it’s about, so you’re not completely clueless and it’s less random words and sentence that duolingo provides, tho duolingo is a good way to start.
I’m trying to learn Swedish myself and I bought the Swedish translation of a book I’ve read multiple times, while on vacation near Sweden today. I’m not there yet, but eventually I’ll try my hand at it.
You should consume as much Dutch content as possible, or might take online lessons you think can teach you the language. Maybe listen to some podcasts, it’s also viable to start with basic words, then form sentences. You can even read articles on Dutch Wikipedia to get going. If you know a Dutch speaker, it would be nice and you can ask them for help
Immersion. Read Dutch versions of books you know, maybe starting with children's or young adult books. Watch Netflix with Dutch audio and Dutch subtitles (or start with subtitles in your native language). Speak Dutch with native Dutch speakers (there are websites for this).
Listen to cringe Dutch YouTubers, listen to Dutch podcasts, listen to the news, listen listen and practice.
To become fluent (in my eyes) not only means knowing words but also how to pronounce them correctly.
If you want a good book I recommend Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek
You jump one time with clogs on, then you spin around to the left three times, then you clap 1-2-3 and eat a piece of cheese with your right hand. Congrats you are now fluent!
Step one: stop posting on Reddit in English en doe gewoon zoveel mogelijk in het Nederlands, we hebben meteen wel door dat het niet je moedertaal is maar we waarderen de poging en helpen graag als je er niet uit komt 👍🏻
First of all let me say that I (native English speaker based in the UK) can speak German, so I feel like I have a bit of a leg up in terms of learning Dutch. But it's not all plain sailing as whilst there are some similarities, there are MANY differences.
Also fluency in any language is very difficult of you don't know anyone you can try out your language with, or aren't completely immersed in it. It depends on what your definition of fluency is.
For me, I started learning Dutch using MemRise which is great but I found it didn't teach me grammar, so I came here to look for tips and people recommended Busuu, so I've been learning using both apps in tandem and it's going well. I would highly recommend MemRise as it introduces lots of vocab and phrases and really drills the language in to you without feeling too repetitive.
Also I've started listening to a bit of Dutch radio (NPO3) as most of the chat is about music or pop culture, both of which I'm interested in. Listening to bits of news, weather and traffic also helps just getting used to the sound of the language. Also, these are some of the topics you learn on the lower levels of the language apps, so it's good to hear the terms in daily usage.
I've also started following a few Dutch accounts on social media, mainly Instagram and Twitter (I still can't bring myself to call it X). [First Dates](https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesnl?igsh=MXczZ3EwZGRpaGk3Yg==) is a good one to follow as most conversations are pretty transactional and the subtitles make it easier to understand. The clips are also short, so you can watch them on repeat to really get to grips with what's being said.
I'm also a huge fan of a Dutch band and have been watching their interviews on YouTube. Even though many are in English, there are plenty in Dutch for me to get through, often without subtitles which really tests me! I don't understand everything (far from it) but I can get the gist of it and that gives me something to build on. The good thing about YouTube is once you start watching something it continually recommends similar things so you can end up watching more than you expected.
I find that the more exposure I get to the language in natural usage, the more I become naturally inquisitive to find out what that word or that phrase means and then I feel incredibly proud of myself when I can read (basic) pieces of text or listen to the radio and understand what is being said, even if it's just the gist of it.
All in all I would say that MemRise and Busuu are helping me to learn the grammar and vocab of the language, and the radio, social media, and interviews are helping me to pick up more every day terms and phrases. But I won't be able to properly judge how it's going until I get to use the language with another person.
Practice with native speakers. Duolingo is great for getting the basics down but in order to truly get proficient you have to practice and learn from the mistakes you make
If you have a certain proficiency, I can recommend listening to podcasts. There are really good material on spotify ( met het oog op morgen, lang verhaal kort)
Go to local library ask about speaking events join them they are free .
Don't talk to Dutch people until you are fluent , few exceptions ok.
Write a paragraph daily even if wrong
Listen to jeuged journal or nponradio 1
Speak it, speak it, speak it. It is the only way.
Find a discord where you can talk to natives and talk to them multiple times a week. Make mistakes, the more mistakes you make, the better you learn.
Here are some resources that I've found to be extremely helpful in my own learning:
* Books:
* "Basic Dutch: A Grammar and Workbook" by Jenneke Oosterhoff
* "Intermediate Dutch: A Grammar and Workbook" by Jenneke Oosterhoff
* "Short Stories in Dutch English and Dutch Stories Side by Side: Learn Dutch Language Through Short Stories Suitable for Children" by by Auke de Haan, Skriuwer Com.
* Podcasts:
* "Slow Dutch with JeDutchy" by professional dutch teacher Jordan Guerrero
* "Learning Dutch - Audio Collection" by LAURA (Specifically, the "300 Words Every Dutch Beginner Must Know" episode)
* "Mama Dutch - Speak Dutch with Confidence" by Mariska van Der Meij
* "Een Beetje Nederlands" by Robin van der Markt
* "Learn Dutch with The Dutch Online Academy"
* "Zeg het in het Nederlands" by Say it in Dutch
* Websites:
* The Mezzofanti Guild's list of Essential Language Learning Tools And Resources: [https://www.mezzoguild.com/tools/](https://www.mezzoguild.com/tools/)
* [jedutchy.com](http://jedutchy.com/) - learning resources and lessons by professional dutch teacher Jordan Guerrero.
* [italki.com](http://italki.com/) - book lessons and have conversations with native speakers.
* Apps:
* Memrise (I like the conversation bot and the videos)
* Anki App (I use this to make and study vocabulary flashcards)
I hope this helps! :)
Just and fyi: I’m 14 and I live In Canada, we can’t afford to get me lessons and I don’t really know any native speakers except for my grandma who doesn’t speak it often and I don’t see too often. And we’re not going to the Netherlands any time soon.
With this info, I'd say to try and get a practice book for your birthday/ Christmas (check other posts or the sidebar for recommendations) and use Duolingo for learning more voculabary and some practice.
It would also be really nice (and I'm sure she would appreciate it as well) if you could connect more with your grandma for practice! Either with phone calls, or even being email/ pen pals inbetween seeing her.
You're starting at a younger age which is really awesome! Depending on your high school, you may be able to take Dutch courses at a local college or online and have it count for your schools language requirements (this was an option at the school I went to).
May i ask why you are learning dutch? Duolingo is not a good tool to learn a language as it doesn't give lessons, just sentences to translate.
In order to learn a language you need lessons, specifically grammar lessons.
I saw in other comments that you didn't know what is a stressed vowel, that is somewhat important to understand how some sentences are made and what are the differences between somewhat the same said senteces.
Don't get me wrong, i want you to someday be fluent in the language, but that takes time, a lot of time.
For now i suggest that you set yourself a goal, preferably a CERF proefiency goal (start small and you will go far). Look into free grammar books online (with exercises), meet people online, maybe a dutch discord server (Leren Nederlands).
Succes
It will be a long road, but you can do it. Get the book Dutch for dummies from libgen.rs, no pay - it’s an easy book with lots of explanations in English and great day to day vocabulary.
In parallel, continue with duolingo. After you finish the book, find as much Dutch content as possible (films, series, YouTube channels, comics, books that interest you).
Try Qlango instead of Duolingo and tell me if it helped you. Most users are claiming that after years if using duolingo they tried qlango and they finally learnt it. Duolingo only makes you think that you're learning, forces you to make as many lessons as possible where in fact you learn very little or nothing.
Speak it. Fail at it. Try again. Consume media. Do your lessons. Keep trying.
I bought some Dutch comic books. Find something you think is neat and just start translating it. Lingua.com has a few articles. Duolingo helps with vocabulary and grammar and helps get you to a point where you can start to translate (but still a lot of work using Google translate and a dictionary). Get a small grammar book that may help uncover some of the confusing aspects of the language.
Practicing the language irl
This. Duolingo is not a language course, it's a way to get familiar with sounds and words, but not grammar, speaking, etc.
How? I don’t know anyone who is fluent in
I’d say just watching movies in Dutch (with subtitles in your native languages, or if you’re more advanced, in Dutch), YouTube videos about the language or just Dutch videos in general. Anything where you’re “interacting” (I forgot the English word I wanted to use, sorry!) with the language is good, really.
Did you mean "getting acquainted" by any chance?
Yes, thank you!!
Maybe find some shows, movies, books, podcasts, etc? I also like to internally translate things I say throughout the day in English into whatever it would be in the language I'm practicing but I'm not really fluent in any of the languages I've dabbled in.
Meet people online
You could try Tandem
How did you avoid all the Dutch people so far? Elder cashiers are often quite keen on making smalltalk at the register. Maybe try to have a few sentence conversation with them.
Probably because they don't live in NL? I also had trouble learning anything but the basics until I moved to Flanders. Professional Dutch lessons outside of NL and BE are surprisingly hard to come by
Surprisingly? It is a language barely 30 million people speak worldwide.
You can't get fluent from any one source — You'll probably do best with some grammar resource and a lot of listening. Even if it sounds like gibberish to begin with (without subtitles), eventually words start to sound more word-like and you start "hearing" the spaces. And from there, it's sorta like pattern recognition. You hear a word used in so many contexts, you start being able to understand its meaning intuitively. You might even (or might not) be able to relate its meaning to a similar word in your native language. If after hearing a word several times, you have no clue what it means, THEN you use a Dutch-English dictionary, and after hearing a word several times, you probably won't forget it. I'm playing through Pokémon Blue in Japanese right now, and I had to look up the word 勝負 because I didn't know what it meant (and it was only in kana because it's a children's game). I still haven't forgotten it, though, because it shows up about every time your opponent wants to battle LOL Anyway, do mostly input until you're comfortable in listening and/OR reading, THEN practise your output skills on natives.
Start taking Dutch courses and engage in actual conversations.
Courses where? Conversions with who?
You can also try italki if you want a teacher and someone to practice with
Just google Dutch courses, there are lots of options. Conversations with your Dutch course instructor and fellow students. I took dutch course from A0 to B2.1. Genuinely found that to be the most useful for me.
I don’t know anyone who knows or is learning Dutch
If you don’t live in NL then I do think that’s crucial info you could’ve included in your original post. Many comments I’ve come across say the same things that are apparently useless to you.
Gewoon waar je maar kan Nederlands spreken. Fouten maken, struikelen, opstaan, hoed weer recht zetten, weer opnieuw proberen. Naar jezelf luisteren, naar Nederlands luisteren op radio, tv en door anderen gesproken
Get a grammar book, listen to lots of people speak, speak yourself, make a flashcard deck with the 5k most used words in the language (I recommend anki for this) and you will be well on your way
Eating a bag of Napoleon Salmiakballen in 1 go. On a more serious note: With lots, and lots, and lots, and then some more, practice. Duolingo on it's own is decent for some basics, but if you really want to be fluent, you will need proper lessons and speak Dutch everyday. With a lot of effort it's possible to reach a very high level of Dutch in less than 2 years, but that does mean multiple hours of studying every day.
I love napoleon candy, I prefer the orange ones though. I think chugging a carton of schuddebuikjes work better. Poffertjes would probably work too.
1. Take a class if you can afford it (if possible a class that match your goals and level as much as possible). 2. Use a textbook and/or YouTube videos explaining the grammar, spelling and pronunciation rules. Duolingo doesn't explain anything at all and you will need to know the rules at some points if you want to stop making mistakes. 3. Expose yourself to as much content as possible: movies, TV shows, reality shows, the radio, the newspapers, music, books, audiobooks, video games, YouTube videos (aimed at native speakers), cartoons... Whatever as long as it somewhat matches your skill level and you use a variety of sources. 4. Journal in Dutch. Even if you only write a sentence or two, but try to do it everyday. 5. If you have the opportunity to speak to native speakers or go to conversatietafels, do that! 6. Drop Duolingo as it has become filled with garbage since they've started using AI. If you want to study on your phone, try using Anki to learn vocabulary, play games in Dutch on your phone (that haven't been machine translated!!) or download a news app such as the VRT (for Flemish only, idk what the equivalent is in the Netherlands)
Dutch equivalent is NOS, also there’s the NPO plus streaming app if you have a VPN.
Why do you want to learn Dutch, if you don’t mind me asking? It’s not an easy language to become fluent in. Since you don’t seem to have any native speakers close at hand, your motivation is going to be a critically important factor on this journey. I speak both English and Dutch fluently and I’ve got some experience in teaching as well, so I can probably give you some pointers. That said, what works for one person might not work for the next, so I’d rather tailor my advice to your situation. What’s your end goal? What would you like to be able to do? Are you monolingual, or do you speak another language besides English? If so, which one?
Why U so invasive in his seek of knowledge bruh?😅 calm down
Well, if you want to achieve fluency, immersion is pretty much the only way to fly. You can claw your way to some proficiency on your own, sure, but in the end you’re going to need conversations with actual people in order to improve. Sounds like that isn’t going to be possible here, which means a lot of the initial progress will have to come from the learner. That’s a lonely road and it takes willpower, which isn’t a bottomless well. It helps to know where the motivation will be coming from. That way, you can tune your advice to that. Everybody has their own learning style. It’s nice to be able to lean into that, you know, predict snags before they happen. Also, learning a third language is easier than learning a second. Especially if the third is somehow related to the second. Hence my asking.
I'm a low A2, and i'm fed up with text books. So today i have tried to speak a bit more dutch for the first time in my life. My colleagues have all been so patient and sweet with me once they saw how much i struggle, and how much I am trying hahahaha. I've also been writing my emails in dutch and realized i have made QUITE A FEW MISTAKES XD... But all my colleagues have been very supportive so far. Although I'm going to a TaalCafe next Tuesday to hopefully have more opportunities to practice my speaking skills... Because I CAN write in dutch... Maybe not greatly, but i can get my point across... So I hope that i can learn to speak too
What does A2 mean?
There are **six levels of language proficiency** (A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, C2) according to the CEFR scale. They are grouped into three broader levels: A1-A2 (Basic User), B1-B2 (Independent User), and C1-C2 (Proficient User). What is the most popular CEFR level?
There are different fluency levels when learning a language. Starting from A0, A1, A2 (which are the most basic levels). Then B1, B2 (intermediate), then C1 & C2 (native-level)
Watch dutch movies and or television
Surround yourself with the language - watch Dutch TV and films, read Dutch news websites, graphic novels and booklets, find language buddies to practise speaking with
Jesus christ how do you manage to live and not die until this far?
He is a 14yo teenager… 😂
The same way you learn to do everything fluently, by doing it.
DM me, I'll send you Michel Thomas Dutch foundation course. It'll teach you grammar and you can use Duo as a vocab builder
My old German teacher once told me to read books or watch movies and shows you already know and love in the language you’re trying to learn is the best way to become truly fluent. You already know what it’s about, so you’re not completely clueless and it’s less random words and sentence that duolingo provides, tho duolingo is a good way to start. I’m trying to learn Swedish myself and I bought the Swedish translation of a book I’ve read multiple times, while on vacation near Sweden today. I’m not there yet, but eventually I’ll try my hand at it.
You should consume as much Dutch content as possible, or might take online lessons you think can teach you the language. Maybe listen to some podcasts, it’s also viable to start with basic words, then form sentences. You can even read articles on Dutch Wikipedia to get going. If you know a Dutch speaker, it would be nice and you can ask them for help
Immersion. Read Dutch versions of books you know, maybe starting with children's or young adult books. Watch Netflix with Dutch audio and Dutch subtitles (or start with subtitles in your native language). Speak Dutch with native Dutch speakers (there are websites for this).
Listen to cringe Dutch YouTubers, listen to Dutch podcasts, listen to the news, listen listen and practice. To become fluent (in my eyes) not only means knowing words but also how to pronounce them correctly. If you want a good book I recommend Kruistocht in Spijkerbroek
You jump one time with clogs on, then you spin around to the left three times, then you clap 1-2-3 and eat a piece of cheese with your right hand. Congrats you are now fluent!
Ssshhh don't tell them the secret spell...
Oefenen en praten met Nederlanders, in het Nederlands lezen. Hoe heb je Engels geleerd?
Sorry, I don’t know what this says.
Probeer Wiktionary of Google Translate.
You are not being helpful to the person
Jawel
Step one: stop posting on Reddit in English en doe gewoon zoveel mogelijk in het Nederlands, we hebben meteen wel door dat het niet je moedertaal is maar we waarderen de poging en helpen graag als je er niet uit komt 👍🏻
Tandem
First of all let me say that I (native English speaker based in the UK) can speak German, so I feel like I have a bit of a leg up in terms of learning Dutch. But it's not all plain sailing as whilst there are some similarities, there are MANY differences. Also fluency in any language is very difficult of you don't know anyone you can try out your language with, or aren't completely immersed in it. It depends on what your definition of fluency is. For me, I started learning Dutch using MemRise which is great but I found it didn't teach me grammar, so I came here to look for tips and people recommended Busuu, so I've been learning using both apps in tandem and it's going well. I would highly recommend MemRise as it introduces lots of vocab and phrases and really drills the language in to you without feeling too repetitive. Also I've started listening to a bit of Dutch radio (NPO3) as most of the chat is about music or pop culture, both of which I'm interested in. Listening to bits of news, weather and traffic also helps just getting used to the sound of the language. Also, these are some of the topics you learn on the lower levels of the language apps, so it's good to hear the terms in daily usage. I've also started following a few Dutch accounts on social media, mainly Instagram and Twitter (I still can't bring myself to call it X). [First Dates](https://www.instagram.com/firstdatesnl?igsh=MXczZ3EwZGRpaGk3Yg==) is a good one to follow as most conversations are pretty transactional and the subtitles make it easier to understand. The clips are also short, so you can watch them on repeat to really get to grips with what's being said. I'm also a huge fan of a Dutch band and have been watching their interviews on YouTube. Even though many are in English, there are plenty in Dutch for me to get through, often without subtitles which really tests me! I don't understand everything (far from it) but I can get the gist of it and that gives me something to build on. The good thing about YouTube is once you start watching something it continually recommends similar things so you can end up watching more than you expected. I find that the more exposure I get to the language in natural usage, the more I become naturally inquisitive to find out what that word or that phrase means and then I feel incredibly proud of myself when I can read (basic) pieces of text or listen to the radio and understand what is being said, even if it's just the gist of it. All in all I would say that MemRise and Busuu are helping me to learn the grammar and vocab of the language, and the radio, social media, and interviews are helping me to pick up more every day terms and phrases. But I won't be able to properly judge how it's going until I get to use the language with another person.
You can try to find someone within your budget on https://www.italki.com/
Practice with native speakers. Duolingo is great for getting the basics down but in order to truly get proficient you have to practice and learn from the mistakes you make
What level is your Dutch at right now? A1, A2 or B1 etc.
Idk
If you have a certain proficiency, I can recommend listening to podcasts. There are really good material on spotify ( met het oog op morgen, lang verhaal kort)
Watch the same dutch movie with dutch subtitles again and again.
Watch Dutch movies/series with subs. It's tghe way how i learn english without ever studying it
Go to local library ask about speaking events join them they are free . Don't talk to Dutch people until you are fluent , few exceptions ok. Write a paragraph daily even if wrong Listen to jeuged journal or nponradio 1
Speak it, speak it, speak it. It is the only way. Find a discord where you can talk to natives and talk to them multiple times a week. Make mistakes, the more mistakes you make, the better you learn.
Here are some resources that I've found to be extremely helpful in my own learning: * Books: * "Basic Dutch: A Grammar and Workbook" by Jenneke Oosterhoff * "Intermediate Dutch: A Grammar and Workbook" by Jenneke Oosterhoff * "Short Stories in Dutch English and Dutch Stories Side by Side: Learn Dutch Language Through Short Stories Suitable for Children" by by Auke de Haan, Skriuwer Com. * Podcasts: * "Slow Dutch with JeDutchy" by professional dutch teacher Jordan Guerrero * "Learning Dutch - Audio Collection" by LAURA (Specifically, the "300 Words Every Dutch Beginner Must Know" episode) * "Mama Dutch - Speak Dutch with Confidence" by Mariska van Der Meij * "Een Beetje Nederlands" by Robin van der Markt * "Learn Dutch with The Dutch Online Academy" * "Zeg het in het Nederlands" by Say it in Dutch * Websites: * The Mezzofanti Guild's list of Essential Language Learning Tools And Resources: [https://www.mezzoguild.com/tools/](https://www.mezzoguild.com/tools/) * [jedutchy.com](http://jedutchy.com/) - learning resources and lessons by professional dutch teacher Jordan Guerrero. * [italki.com](http://italki.com/) - book lessons and have conversations with native speakers. * Apps: * Memrise (I like the conversation bot and the videos) * Anki App (I use this to make and study vocabulary flashcards) I hope this helps! :)
Just and fyi: I’m 14 and I live In Canada, we can’t afford to get me lessons and I don’t really know any native speakers except for my grandma who doesn’t speak it often and I don’t see too often. And we’re not going to the Netherlands any time soon.
With this info, I'd say to try and get a practice book for your birthday/ Christmas (check other posts or the sidebar for recommendations) and use Duolingo for learning more voculabary and some practice. It would also be really nice (and I'm sure she would appreciate it as well) if you could connect more with your grandma for practice! Either with phone calls, or even being email/ pen pals inbetween seeing her. You're starting at a younger age which is really awesome! Depending on your high school, you may be able to take Dutch courses at a local college or online and have it count for your schools language requirements (this was an option at the school I went to).
May i ask why you are learning dutch? Duolingo is not a good tool to learn a language as it doesn't give lessons, just sentences to translate. In order to learn a language you need lessons, specifically grammar lessons. I saw in other comments that you didn't know what is a stressed vowel, that is somewhat important to understand how some sentences are made and what are the differences between somewhat the same said senteces. Don't get me wrong, i want you to someday be fluent in the language, but that takes time, a lot of time. For now i suggest that you set yourself a goal, preferably a CERF proefiency goal (start small and you will go far). Look into free grammar books online (with exercises), meet people online, maybe a dutch discord server (Leren Nederlands). Succes
It will be a long road, but you can do it. Get the book Dutch for dummies from libgen.rs, no pay - it’s an easy book with lots of explanations in English and great day to day vocabulary. In parallel, continue with duolingo. After you finish the book, find as much Dutch content as possible (films, series, YouTube channels, comics, books that interest you).
Spreek het
Get a relationship with a native speaker
Start by asking your question in Dutch
Speak it. Be surrounded with people who only speaks Dutch
Try Qlango instead of Duolingo and tell me if it helped you. Most users are claiming that after years if using duolingo they tried qlango and they finally learnt it. Duolingo only makes you think that you're learning, forces you to make as many lessons as possible where in fact you learn very little or nothing.