Archive for 'Dutch Language'
Back to Basics: D and dt endings Posted by Karoly Molina on Apr 6, 2016
NTR: SchoolTV recently released a very catchy song explaining the use of -d and -dt when conjugating verbs in Dutch. For the section Snapje? meaning Do you understand?, SchoolTV teamed up with the Dutch alternative rock band De Staat to create a catchy tune to help us all figure out when to use just a -d ending or…
Sounding Dutch in Dutch: Consonant Aspiration Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Mar 29, 2016
You may have noticed that Dutch sounds kind of weird. It’s full of these sometimes ridiculous-seeming sounds that you’ve never heard before setting foot in the Netherlands, Even once you’ve gotten your hard g and tongue-cramping diphthongs like eu and ui under control, people can still hear you’re foreign, and it’s because of the phonetic details. This is because…
Another Weird Island In Dutch Waters – Forteiland Pampus Posted by Sten on Mar 26, 2016
Another weird island in Dutch waters! Previously, I talked about the weird “eye” in the IJsselmeer, the IJsseloog. Now, I have discovered that there is another such a weird island in the Netherlands! It is a weird oval, in the middle of the IJmeer, with a weird grey oval on top of it… Who made this island…
Step By Step: How To Rule Dutch Weak Verbs! Posted by Sten on Mar 10, 2016
A zwak werkwoord (“weak verb” – a regular verb) is a verb that does not change in the past tense. For example leven, leefde, geleefd (to live, lived, lived). A sterk werkwoord (“strong verb” – an irregular verb) is one that does change, such as lopen, liep, gelopen (to walk, walked, walked). Then there are also “normal” onregelmatige werkwoorden (irregular verbs), like zijn, was, geweest (to be…
Het Schrikkeljaar – 3 Questions Answered About The Dutch Leap Year Posted by Sten on Feb 29, 2016
Every four years – except century years, unless they are divisible by 400 – we have a schrikkeljaar (leap year). 2016 is one! Today, it is one of the rare schrikkeldagen (leap days), and this has implications of course! Also in the Netherlands… 1. Waarom houden we schrikkeljaren? (Why do we have leap years?) I think this video explains perfectly why…
6 Ways to Read More News in Dutch Posted by Jakob Gibbons on Feb 23, 2016
Especially when learning a small cultural language like Dutch, it’s nearly impossible to separate the language from the culture of the people who speak it. That’s why jezelf op de hoogte houden (keeping yourself up to date) on current events in the Netherlands, Belgium, and other parts of the nederlandstaalgebied is a great way to…
4 Times Dutch is Very Important! Posted by Karoly Molina on Feb 10, 2016
Everyone who has been to the Netherlands knows how easy it is to get by without any Dutch. The majority of people speak English and the Dutch are known to be extra happy to be able to speak English. As a foreigner, this may give the idea that the Netherlands is a place where you…