Is one of your greatest wishes to learn Dutch? Have you been uncomfortable when you have to speak Dutch and are you tired of that? Or do you want to take steps in your career for which Dutch is useful in the near future? If you intend to learn Dutch, make sure you do it. In this article, you will read five very important steps for learning Dutch. Whether you are at the beginning of a new year, a new month or a new day, learning Dutch is always a good idea.
Five very important steps for learning Dutch
Step 1. Find out what your motivation is
Why do you want to learn Dutch? That may seem like an easy question, but it often isn’t. Suppose you want to improve your Dutch. Imagine, what could you do better if you speak Dutch well? Having conversations, writing e-mails, chatting with Dutch-speaking colleagues. And how would you feel? More professional? More confident? Try to imagine this as concretely as possible. Your motivation helps you to achieve your goal. If you want to learn Dutch, find out what your motivation is.
Step 2. Get rid of those saboteurs!
Motivation alone is not enough. You often have ideas that can block your intention. Some common saboteurs are: “I don’t have language skills” and the other one is ‘perfectionism’. If you were not good at languages at school you may feel less enthusiastic about the plan to learn Dutch. The way you learned English, German or French at school may not have suit you at all. But there is good news: there is a way for everyone to easily learn Dutch. When you are too perfectionist when you want to learn Dutch this is rather complicated. Our device: think of a child learning to speak. Make mistakes and laugh about it. It is important for you to do this in a safe environment.
Step 3. Tell others about your plan
Your plan to learn Dutch is more likely to succeed if you tell others about your plan. This makes you feel more connected to your plan. In addition, you will do your best because you want to be able to tell the other person that you have succeeded. It’s totally helpful if you tell:
- Friends, family members or colleagues who speak Dutch. They will probably enjoy that you are interested in their language and maybe you can speak a few words together now and then.
- Your manager, especially if you want to learn Dutch for your work or for the next step in your career. With a little luck your manager thinks it is a very good plan and your employer will pay for your training Dutch.
Step 4. Choose the right method to learn Dutch
There are several ways to learn Dutch. If you choose the method that suits you, you have the best chance of success. We can give you some tips:
- You mainly learn a language from people. You learn the correct pronunciation from a native speaker. Not only by hearing it, but also by looking at the movements of the mouth and because he or she can correct you until you have the correct pronunciation. In addition, you get to know the culture better when dealing with a native speaker. Even if the differences with your own culture are minimal, you will be surprised by the effect on your communication. Make sure you are taught by several people so that you get to know the pronunciation better.
- Apps, websites and books can support you perfectly in learning the language. Due to the large availability of these resources, it is useful to set goals, so that you can practice with more specific grammar or vocabulary. You can choose group lessons and individual lessons. If you join a group, you know that the language you learn is of a more general nature. After all, the lesson should be interesting for everyone. If you opt for private lessons and a good language trainer, the lessons are very specific to you.
Step 5. Make a plan
- How much time do you want to reserve for learning the language? Do you want to study a few hours a week for six months or do you choose to learn the language in five consecutive days?
- How can your employer help you? Think not only of financial matters such as training budget, but also the opportunity to gain experience in using Dutch.
- Which language school or language trainer is right for you? It is important that you feel completely comfortable there. You must be relaxed before learning to communicate in Dutch.
- When can you start? Make sure you have space in your head and don’t start learning Dutch at work if you have just started some new projects. Consult your calendar or schedule a workout just as you would plan a vacation. Take that first step, contact us and get started.