Official Language:
Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands and is the 56th most commonly spoken native language in the world.
Would you be able to use English as a lingua franca?
Dutch is the official language of the Netherlands and is the 56th most commonly spoken native language in the world.
Would you be able to use English as a lingua franca?
Yes, you can probably get away with using English as a lingua franca; English is widely used in the Netherlands because it is a fairly international nation. Out of all the nations around the world, the Netherlands has the best non-native English rating. Approximately 90% of the people can converse fluently in English. Given that the Dutch place a strong emphasis on acquiring English as a second language from an early age. However, this is not the case for everyone; some individuals in the Netherlands can only know simple greetings like hello and thank you. Some things, including government documents, traffic signs, restaurant menus, or conversations with customer service, can be challenging to translate. English translations may not always be accessible.
Here are some Basic Dutch Phrases/ ~Pronunciations~
Some words I was able to grasp the pronunciation for a bit easier because some words sound quite similar to English. As the phrases got longer, it got harder to keep up with the pronunciation. Even though it is another language, I think with some time anyone could grasp the basic pronunciations within the Dutch language:
* Hello! → Hallo! ~Ha-low~
* Yes → Ja ~Ya~
* No → Nee ~Nay~
* Please → alsjeblieft (informal) ~ahl-shuh-BLEEF~ alstublieft (formal) ~ah-stu-blee-ft~
* Thank You → Dank je wel (Informal, widely used) ~dahnk-yuh-vell~Although this is the main, most popular way to say thank you in Dutch, there are also several different ways to say it, including formal and informal ways::max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/please-and-thank-you-in-dutch-1456275_v3-5b44e2fe46e0fb0037be8f12.png)
* Can you help me? → Kunt u mij helpen? ~kuhnt-oo-my-hel-puh~
* I don't understand → Ik begrijp het niet ~ick-beh-gry-p-het-neet~
* I don't speak (name of the language) → Ik spreek geen Nederlands ~ick-spreek-gayn-nay-der-lahnts~
* My name is (your name) → mijn naam is (your name) ~my-in-nahm-iss (your name)~
While it is not extremely necessary, knowing a little bit of Dutch before traveling to the Netherlands can greatly improve your experience by promoting social interaction, communication, and cultural assimilation. It is also good to know basic phrases because some people, as stated before, might not know English, and you should not assume that every Dutch person is going to know English and will accommodate your needs.
Google Translations:
I took a small paragraph from a website listing some of the most beautiful places to visit while in the Netherlands and used Google Translate to see what it said to demonstrate how translating applications cannot always be the most reliable:
“Mensen komen van ver om ons ‘Venetië van het Noorden’ te aanschouwen. Giethoorn is vooral geliefd onder Chinezen, die in groepen de grachten van dit dorp zonder straten verkennen per punter – een soort Giethoornse gondel. Klinkt toeristisch? Niet vergeleken Italië’s Venetië! Gaan dus nu het nog semi-onbekend en prachtig is. Je ontdekt deze wereldplek in eigen land het beste net buiten het zomerseizoen.”
Translation:
People come from far and wide to see our ‘Venice of the North’. Giethoorn is especially popular with the Chinese, who explore the canals of this streetless village in groups by punter – a kind of Giethoorn gondola. Sound touristy? Not compared to Italy’s Venice! So go now while it is still semi-unknown and beautiful. You can best discover this world place in your own country just outside the summer season.
Here are some Basic Dutch Phrases/ ~Pronunciations~
Some words I was able to grasp the pronunciation for a bit easier because some words sound quite similar to English. As the phrases got longer, it got harder to keep up with the pronunciation. Even though it is another language, I think with some time anyone could grasp the basic pronunciations within the Dutch language:
* Hello! → Hallo! ~Ha-low~
* Yes → Ja ~Ya~
* No → Nee ~Nay~
* Please → alsjeblieft (informal) ~ahl-shuh-BLEEF~ alstublieft (formal) ~ah-stu-blee-ft~
* Thank You → Dank je wel (Informal, widely used) ~dahnk-yuh-vell~Although this is the main, most popular way to say thank you in Dutch, there are also several different ways to say it, including formal and informal ways:
* I don't understand → Ik begrijp het niet ~ick-beh-gry-p-het-neet~
* I don't speak (name of the language) → Ik spreek geen Nederlands ~ick-spreek-gayn-nay-der-lahnts~
* My name is (your name) → mijn naam is (your name) ~my-in-nahm-iss (your name)~
While it is not extremely necessary, knowing a little bit of Dutch before traveling to the Netherlands can greatly improve your experience by promoting social interaction, communication, and cultural assimilation. It is also good to know basic phrases because some people, as stated before, might not know English, and you should not assume that every Dutch person is going to know English and will accommodate your needs.
Google Translations:
I took a small paragraph from a website listing some of the most beautiful places to visit while in the Netherlands and used Google Translate to see what it said to demonstrate how translating applications cannot always be the most reliable:
“Mensen komen van ver om ons ‘Venetië van het Noorden’ te aanschouwen. Giethoorn is vooral geliefd onder Chinezen, die in groepen de grachten van dit dorp zonder straten verkennen per punter – een soort Giethoornse gondel. Klinkt toeristisch? Niet vergeleken Italië’s Venetië! Gaan dus nu het nog semi-onbekend en prachtig is. Je ontdekt deze wereldplek in eigen land het beste net buiten het zomerseizoen.”
Translation:
People come from far and wide to see our ‘Venice of the North’. Giethoorn is especially popular with the Chinese, who explore the canals of this streetless village in groups by punter – a kind of Giethoorn gondola. Sound touristy? Not compared to Italy’s Venice! So go now while it is still semi-unknown and beautiful. You can best discover this world place in your own country just outside the summer season.
Although I feel that the translation did a pretty good job of letting me know what it said in English, I don’t think I am able to get the full affect without knowing the Dutch language. This is because the sentence structure is different and the grammar is a bit hard to follow.
Cites Used:
https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/learn/7-fun-facts-about-the-dutch-language
https://charmingmarie.com/dutch-culture/can-you-easily-live-in-the-netherlands-without-speaking-dutch/
https://blog.fluent-forever.com/14-different-ways-informal-and-formal-to-say-please-and-thank-you-in-dutch/
https://rondreis.nl/blog/bestemmingen/10x-plekken-in-nederland-die-iedere-wereldreiziger-gezien-moet-hebben
(Sources used are hyperlinked in blue)
Cites Used:
https://www.unitedlanguagegroup.com/learn/7-fun-facts-about-the-dutch-language
https://charmingmarie.com/dutch-culture/can-you-easily-live-in-the-netherlands-without-speaking-dutch/
https://blog.fluent-forever.com/14-different-ways-informal-and-formal-to-say-please-and-thank-you-in-dutch/
https://rondreis.nl/blog/bestemmingen/10x-plekken-in-nederland-die-iedere-wereldreiziger-gezien-moet-hebben
(Sources used are hyperlinked in blue)
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