Dutch

With similar Germanic origins to English, some Dutch phrases are easily understandable. There's no need for a phrasebook if someone in an Amsterdam nightclub asks you "Wil je met me dansen?"

Around 28 million people speak Dutch: outside of the Netherlands it is most commonly encountered in Belgium (Flanders), the islands comprising the Dutch Caribbean (such as Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten) and the former colony of Suriname in South America. In addition, around 15-20 million people in southern Africa speak Afrikaans - which is linguistically close enough to its parent language. A working knowledge of Dutch should help you to get by in Afrikaans.

Apply for Dutch Beginners Level 1*
Dutch Post-beginners Level 2*

*(New courses available from October 2024. The 2024/25 course-timetable will be published in July 2024.)