A Personal Speaking Guide

Spreek Nederlands

From basic knowledge to confident daily conversation — a structured, practical guide for real life in the Netherlands.

🇳🇱 A2 → B1 Speaking Focus

Phase 1

Survival Dutch

The essentials. Greetings, ordering, errands, and the sentences you need to get through any basic daily situation without freezing.

Phase 1
Survival
Phase 2
Everyday
Phase 3
Confident
The goal at this phase: Don't aim for perfect — aim for understood. These sentences cover greetings, the bakker, supermarkt, apotheek, and basic Rotterdam street life. Say them out loud, every day.

Greetings & Small Talk

Greeting

Goedemorgen, hoe gaat het?

Good morning, how are you?

Structure

GoedemorgenTime
gaatVerb
hetSubject
Greeting

Het gaat goed, dank je wel.

I'm doing well, thank you.

Structure

HetSubject
gaatVerb
goedComplement
Intro

Ik woon in Katendrecht.

I live in Katendrecht.

Structure

IkSubject
woonVerb
in KatendrechtPlace
Farewell

Tot ziens, fijne dag nog!

Goodbye, have a nice day!

Structure

Tot ziensFarewell
fijne dagWish

Ordering & Shopping

Bakker

Mag ik twee croissants, alsjeblieft?

Can I have two croissants, please?

Structure

MagModal
ikSubject
twee croissantsObject
Café

Ik wil graag een koffie met melk.

I'd like a coffee with milk.

Structure

IkSubject
wilModal
een koffieObject
met melkPrep
Supermarkt

Waar vind ik de pasta?

Where can I find the pasta?

Structure

WaarPlace
vindVerb
ikSubject
de pastaObject
Apotheek

Ik heb paracetamol nodig.

I need paracetamol.

Structure

IkSubject
hebVerb
paracetamolObject
nodigComplement

Phase 2

Everyday Conversations

You can get by — now start actually talking. Express opinions, use past tense, describe things, and hold a real back-and-forth.

Phase 1
Survival ✓
Phase 2
Everyday
Phase 3
Confident
The goal at this phase: Link sentences together. Use want, maar, dus, en to stop speaking in fragments. Start sharing opinions and describing your day in Dutch.

Opinions & Feelings

Opinion

Ik vind het een beetje moeilijk.

I find it a little difficult.

Structure

IkSubject
vindVerb
hetObject
een beetje moeilijkComplement
Feeling

Ik ben een beetje moe, maar het gaat wel.

I'm a little tired, but I'm okay.

Structure

IkSubject
benVerb
moeComplement
maarConnector
gaatVerb
Preference

Ik hou meer van koffie dan van thee.

I prefer coffee over tea.

Structure

IkSubject
houVerb
van koffieObject
dan van theeComparison
Suggestion

Zullen we vanavond koken?

Shall we cook tonight?

Structure

ZullenModal
weSubject
vanavondTime
kokenInfinitive

Past Tense

Past

Ik ben gisteren naar de markt gegaan.

I went to the market yesterday.

Structure

IkSubject
benAux verb
gisterenTime
naar de marktPlace
gegaanPast part.
Past

We hebben een leuk weekend gehad.

We had a nice weekend.

Structure

WeSubject
hebbenAux verb
een leuk weekendObject
gehadPast part.

Phase 3

Confident Dutch

Longer sentences, workplace Dutch, nuanced conversations. This is where you stop translating from English in your head and start thinking in Dutch.

Phase 1
Survival ✓
Phase 2
Everyday ✓
Phase 3
Confident
The goal at this phase: Handle complex situations — the gemeente loket, a work meeting, a dinner conversation with Martijn's family — without switching to English.

Workplace & Formal

Work

Ik stuur u de informatie zo snel mogelijk toe.

I'll send you the information as soon as possible.

Structure

IkSubject
stuurVerb
uIndirect obj.
de informatieDirect obj.
zo snel mogelijkTime
toeSeparable
Gemeente

Ik wil graag een afspraak maken voor mijn verblijfsvergunning.

I'd like to make an appointment for my residence permit.

Structure

IkSubject
wilModal
een afspraakObject
makenInfinitive
voor mijn verblijfsvergunningPrep phrase
Nuance

Dat begrijp ik, maar ik ben het er niet helemaal mee eens.

I understand that, but I don't entirely agree.

Structure

DatObject
begrijpVerb
ikSubject
maarConnector
benVerb
het er niet mee eensIdiom
Social

Ik woon al bijna tien jaar in Nederland, dus ik ken de weg een beetje.

I've lived in the Netherlands for almost ten years, so I know my way around a bit.

Structure

IkSubject
woonVerb
al bijna tien jaarTime
in NederlandPlace
dusConnector

Daily Practice

Speaking Drills

Spend 10–15 minutes a day on these. Say them out loud. Repeat until they feel automatic — not translated.

🎯 Phrase of the Day

Mag ik een tasje, alsjeblieft?

Can I have a bag, please?

Flip Cards — Tap to Reveal

TAP A CARD TO SEE THE DUTCH

Shadowing Method

What is shadowing? You listen to a Dutch sentence and repeat it at the same time — like an echo. It trains your mouth and ears simultaneously. Think of it like learning a song by singing along before you fully know the words.

How to do it: Find a short Dutch YouTube clip or podcast. Play a sentence. Pause. Repeat it out loud immediately, mimicking the rhythm and tone. Don't worry about meaning yet — focus on sound.

Resources

Tools That Work

These are chosen for speaking, not just reading. Each one has a specific job — use them together, not as replacements for each other.

🎧
Pimsleur Dutch
Audio-only, speaking-first method. 30-minute lessons designed around your mouth, not a screen. Best for commutes or walks. Genuinely the best for pronunciation confidence.
Speaking Pronunciation Audio Paid
💬
italki
Book 1-on-1 sessions with Dutch community tutors (cheaper, casual) or professional teachers. Nothing replaces a real person reacting to what you say. Even 30 minutes a week makes a significant difference.
Speaking Native Speakers Paid
📱
Mondly
Short daily lessons with a voice chatbot that responds to your spoken Dutch. Good for building sentence habits in 5–10 minute sessions. Best as a daily warm-up, not the main event.
Speaking Daily habit Freemium
🤝
Tandem / HelloTalk
Language exchange apps — you help someone with English, they help you with Dutch. Free. Inconsistent, but when you find a good partner, it's invaluable. Search for Rotterdam locals specifically.
Speaking Exchange Free
📺
Dutch TV / NPO Start
Real Dutch at real speed. Start with Heel Holland Bakt or DWDD clips — conversational, not formal. Use Dutch subtitles if available. Even 20 minutes of passive listening daily trains your ear significantly.
Listening Immersion Free
📖
Suitcase Talen / De Tweede Ronde
The Delft Method-based e-learning platform specifically for NT2 learners. Structured vocabulary from A2 to B1, with speaking exercises. More rigorous than apps — good for filling grammar gaps.
Grammar NT2 Structured Paid

Habit System

Your Weekly Routine

30 minutes a day is enough — if it's consistent and focused on speaking. Tap each day to mark it done.

The rule: Speak out loud every single day. Even 10 minutes counts. Reading silently does not. Writing does not. Your mouth needs the reps.

Daily Session Blueprint

5'
Warm-up — Mondly or phrase card
Say today's phrase out loud 3 times. Don't skip this — it gets your mouth into Dutch mode.
15'
Core practice — Pimsleur or italki / Tandem
Your main speaking workout. Audio lesson or live conversation. This is the most important block.
10'
Shadowing — Dutch TV or YouTube clip
Pick a 2-minute clip. Shadow it twice. Focus on rhythm and tone, not perfection.