Archive for 'Dutch Language'
Folders, Folders Everywhere Posted by heather on Nov 27, 2011
folder (de) – leaflet; brochure If you are going to live in the Netherlands, then the word “folder” is one you are going to get to know well. On an almost daily basis, these folders – advertising the current items on sale and the special offers being made – will shoot through your mailbox. There…
Using Online Newspapers to Improve Your Dutch Posted by heather on Nov 8, 2011
Have you been looking for a way to improve your Dutch? Maybe you were looking for a way to increase your vocabulary, or to improve your comprehension skills or you just wanted some real-world examples of Dutch in use. Well, perhaps online newspapers/news sites are something for you. Not only do online newspapers/new sites provide…
Ik Hou van Holland – I Love Holland Posted by heather on Oct 27, 2011
Ik hou van Holland (I love Holland) – whenever I hear or see that phrase it makes me think of the Dutch game show with the same name. The show, hosted by Linda de Mol, is on the tv channel RTL4 and tests “famous” Dutch people on their knowledge of the Netherlands. Two teams, lead…
How to Pronounce Diphthongs and Vowel Combinations in Dutch Posted by heather on Oct 26, 2011
If you want to make yourself understood in a foreign language or really sound like a native speaker, then spending some time practising pronunciation is going to be a key factor for you. In Dutch many of the sounds are quite similar to their English counterparts, although not all, and it is in the diphthongs…
Kip, Paard, Koe – Chicken, Horse, Cow Posted by heather on Sep 24, 2011
The other day I was doing some work with Radio 538 playing in the background, when a song came on that I hadn’t heard before. The melody was pretty catchy in one of those “stuck in your head for three hours” type of ways. It didn’t help that there weren’t too many words in the…
Dutch Numbers: Becoming a Number Pro Posted by heather on Sep 7, 2011
If you are relatively new to learning the Dutch language, then one of the first things you probably want to learn is how to count. A good goal, especially as knowing the numbers really does open doors. For example, you’ll be able to understand how much something costs when the salesperson tells you the amount…
Driest Spring, Wettest Summer Posted by heather on Sep 2, 2011
It is a regular conversation point to talk about the weather and now it seems there is a very good reason to do so. According to the national weather service, the KNMI, this summer was the wettest summer in the Netherlands since 1906. If your summer BBQ was rained out, it was probably because of…