Take the simple, often-used word THE. Learning to make yourself understood in Dutch or German is one thing, but when it comes to the writing, there is no getting around it – German is hellishly tricky. The same goes for Dutch and German, but what kind of opportunities do the two languages actually represent? Yet it’s closely related to German. German and Dutch are both languages that are related to English, which means that you’ll have an advantage when learning either language, especially when it comes to vocabulary. Dutch only knows THE as DE or HET when used for singular words, and once they are pluralised, everything is DE. should i learn german or dutch. Choosing between making French or German the next language you learn? You’re here because you want to learn one of them (or both?) But you'd honestly see pretty much the same results learning German first. These are the reasons why I’d suggest that you pick Dutch. 3 hours for €90,- (including E-book) Can we help you find a tutor? In many ways, Dutch has got at least as much going on as German opportunity-wise. The countries where German is a minority language simply don’t have that many German speakers. if. You don’t want to settle for one language, you want to learn both! And there are exceptions to those rules. Where German is spoken mostly in European countries, Dutch is spoken on several continents, notably in Africa. Why you, no, everyone should learn it as soon as possible? Which is easier to learn, Dutch or German. You’ll mix up words, forget if rules apply in one language or the other, and pronounce one language with the pronunciation of the other. 10 reasons to learn dutch. There are many great ways to study a foreign language. According to Ethnologue: Languages of the World, a web-based language statistics publication, Spanish is second only to Mandarin as a worldwide language, with 415 million native speakers worldwide as of 2013. This means that it’ll act as a kind of gateway to the German language, a little as if a Portuguese speaker were to learn Spanish. I wouldn’t say that it is a very beautiful language or that there is such great media you would want to watch (without subtitles), although of course some will probably disagree. Dutch, on the other hand, is widespread on three continents, Is French A Germanic Language? … By contra… Beginner to advanced German courses. Let alone two!if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0')}; Even if you’ve got plenty of time on your hands, you’ll find that learning two closely related languages at the same time will get extremely confusing. Learning two related languages at the same time can be done if they’re at different levels, however. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-banner-1-0')};In short: Having success doing business or working in the Netherlands doesn’t depend as much of the local language as it does in Germany. It’s an easier language to learn, it opens a window to three continents, not just Europe and while German certainly has a lot to offer in terms of culture, job opportunities, tourism, cuisine, literature, and so on – Dutch has (almost) as much.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0')}; On the other hand, if you have only the slightest, most obscure, and minuscule preference for German, you already have your answer! Conclusion: Should You Learn Dutch Or German? One province, Friesland, only inhabited by some 650,000 people, even has its own language, West Frisian! Want to learn more? Fluent in 3 months - language hacking and travel tips. if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-box-3-0')};There are many other things that you should consider before picking which of the two languages to learn, however. This might save you a lot of problems. When I study a language, I fall in love with it, and I can see nothing else! German is easier to learn and harder to master. ), Should I Learn German Or Italian? (Dutch and German) I want to learn these languages but i don't know which one I should start first. When you add everything up, there are some 46 million people in the world who speak Dutch (or Afrikaans)!if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-medrectangle-4-0')}; In other words – while the Dutch language might not make you able to communicate with more people than German would, you’ll be able to speak with people from much much further away than continental Europe. While most people would pick German over Dutch because of its importance in Europe and in world-economy, Dutch, is a language that’s easier to learn than German. should i learn german or dutch. Now that we are maxed out on stereotypes, let’s face it: out of the available languages in the world, Do Dutch people speak English? A total of 100 or even 110 million people around the world speak German! If You Want To Learn Both Languages, Which One Should You Learn First? German vs dutch. Dutch Is So Much Fun To Speak! if. Whether you’re learning a new language for fun or travel, it can be difficult to choose which one to start with, though. Dutch is easier to learn, but not so easy that it makes sense to learn it as a stepping stone to German. yeaa if you learn german they will actually speak german with you. If you don’t have anything specific in mind, consider the two most important criteria, i.e., 2 and 5. You could argue that that’s even better!if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-box-4-0')}; One difference between the Netherlands and Germany, however, is how widespread English is in the two countries. No matter which language you become fluent in, doors start opening up. While the German GDP of 4 trillion dollars (in 2018) is an impressive number, the Netherlands is close to one trillion dollars, but with only 20% on the population. These are the reasons why I’d … Learning Dutch first also saves you from getting too comfortable once you’ve got the German language down. Having said that, non-native speakers do have to get used to the DE/HET scenario, as it is not always obvious, and rules don’t seem to work too well here. In the following, I’m going to look into some of the advantages and factors that you should take into consideration when deciding if you want to learn Dutch or German. It’s also less time-consuming than German, which is said to take some 20-30% longer to reach fluency in, compared with Dutch. Which is easier to learn: Dutch or German? And even when written down, the languages can look similar. kvk: 34149671. German vs dutch. (Or which one to learn first!). The language has evolved more than many, foreign words are often, but not always, adopted, and for such a small country there are definitely more regional accents and sayings than is comfortable. For one thing, learning languages demands a lot of time and effort. Because people in the Netherlands not only speak English extremely well, the Dutch also speak German. As a native speaker, I don’t think it is a language you should just ‘randomly’ learn like German, French or Spanish because you almost certainly won’t strictly need it for business purposes. How so? Dutch and German are two related languages that have a lot in common. That’s obviously an extremely subjective question. While the Dutch language is certainly spoken in the Netherlands and Belgium, a form of Dutch, also known as Afrikaans is spoken by over 17 million people in South Africa and Nairobi and it’s spoken in the small South American country Suriname, as well as a few Island states in the Antilles. If you're interested in learning German, just learn German. To the untrained ear, Dutch and German can sound very similar. Is Dutch Or German Better For Business And Jobs? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And just a few weeks ago I have a few relatives who are Japanese and lives in Japan AND I'm planning to move in there too someday. pages: 1 2 3 next page right now i'm deciding between german and dutch. Let’s be blunt here … At least, that’s my experience. But don’t let that deter you – if you would like to learn to speak Dutch, it is apparently up there with the easier options, especially for English speaking people. (Function words are those short words such as in, the, and of, that help to build sentences). dutch vs. german: what’s the difference? For me, I find that I have a hard time focusing on two languages at the same time, however. The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) of the US Department of State has compiled a list of languages easiest to learn for English speaking people and Dutch is ranked in the easiest category: Category I: Languages closely related to English, 23–24 weeks / 575–600 study hours. So if you were to pick a language because you wanted to do work in the Netherlands or Germany, consider learning German and relying on your English for the Netherlands. You just want to decide which one to learn first. To really be able to rely on German, though, you need to use it in one of the traditionally Germanophone European countries. Are materials and other resources available for the language you want They both belong to the Germanic language family like English, and they both have a lot to offer pretty much no matter how you look at them. German is probably harder to learn ‘properly’ for Dutch speakers than Dutch for German speakers, because German has retained quite a few complications that Dutch has already discarded. If you want to give it a try, build a solid base in one language before getting started on the second one. I do think, however, that we can say without much doubt that Dutch is an easier language to learn for an English speaker. That means that in German, THE can become DER, DIE, DAS, DEN, DEM, and DES. pages: 1 2 3 next page right now i'm deciding between german and dutch. Explore the great live language options available for learning Dutch (or German!) However, people learn German faster than they learn Dutch. Learning a new language is a joy! In Dutch, use of THE is a lot easier. Fluent in 3 months - language hacking and travel tips. For one thing, the more people who know it the more people you’ll find to practice with. In fact, apart from native English speaking countries, … The German language has three genders (masculine, feminine and neutral) and four cases (nominative, accusative, dative and genitive). Would Dutch or German get you further?if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-medrectangle-3-0')}; The German language is spoken in a number of European countries like Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Lichtenstein, and Luxembourg but also by small minorities in Nambia, South Africa, and Brazil – and a few other countries. This means that if you were to try and learn Dutch while already knowing German and English, people would literally have two different languages with which they could communicate with you much more easily than your stuttering, beginner’s Dutch and it would be a constant battle to get people to actually speak Dutch with you. Azartplein 79, 1019 PB Amsterdam So how about learning both languages at the same time? In reality, it depends a lot on you, so I can’t give you a precise answer. And even when written down, the languages can look similar. For English speakers, German and Dutch are easier to learn than for the rest of the world. Why learn Dutch if you can’t sound cool doing it? Many would consider German a good language to learn for business, and knowing German while doing business in Germany, Austria or another German-speaking country is extremely important. pages: 1 2 3 next page right now i'm deciding between german and dutch. They have rules, many rules. Which language should I learn? It’s effective, fun and free. So although hardly anyone will argue that Dutch is grammatically easier to learn than German, this does not make Dutch a doddle. In this article, we give you 5 things you should think about to help you decide. Let’s take a look at THE in German, and you will see what I mean! (Why Not Both Languages! In general, Dutch is not a difficult language for an English speaker. Fluent in 3 months - language hacking and travel tips. Perhaps the number of people worldwide who speak a language can have an impact on how easy it is to learn. My suggestion is to learn Dutch first.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-leader-1-0')}; As we’ve established above, Dutch is an easier language to learn for an English speaker. if. yeaa if you learn german they will actually speak german with you. And when you use plural words, you still have three different options to choose from. Learn German for free with DW. So whilst German is harder than Dutch, it's certainly a much smoother way to learn both if you start with German. I wouldn’t recommend this. In many ways, Dutch has got at least as much going on as German opportunity-wise. That's an affiliate link, meaning that I earn a commission if you sign up through it. To the untrained ear, Dutch and German can sound very similar. Dutch isn't that much easier that you'll be able to learn it if you couldn't figure out German. But I am sure it won’t take much to get to the point where you can have fun reading German books. There are a few tricky but fun sounds in Dutch that you’ll get to practice, such as … Most wouldn’t pick the reason that “it’s easy”, however, so you might want to think about the other arguments listed in this article before you decide upon learning Dutch. So does pronunciation, syntax, and, as mentioned, the vocabulary. While most people would pick German over Dutch because of its importance in Europe and in world-economy, Dutch, is a language that’s easier to learn than German. If your native tongue is English or French, Dutch just seems to be simpler to grasp, although many people coming from the Eastern European countries will have “an ear” for German words and phrases. If your native tongue is English or French, Dutch just seems to be simpler to grasp, although many people coming from the Eastern European countries will have “an ear” for German words and phrases. Which is easier to learn, Dutch or German? I've read that they're really close to each other so it would be a mess to learn them at the same time. German has much more complicated grammar. You should ask yourself: “Why do I want to learn French or Spanish or German?” Don’t learn without any reason. should i learn german or dutch. yeaa if you learn german they will actually speak german with you. That’s my kind of question! (this says nothing about learning german or dutch in other. Learn the very basics of Dutch get a taste of local culture. German grammar is more difficult than its Dutch counterpart, namely because of the case-system which simply takes a long time getting used to for an English speaker because it’s a grammatical feature that only has extremely limited used in English. Where In The World Can I Get By With Dutch Or German? But which one should you pick as a start? Most Dutch people speak English well, and if you work in a multinational company in the Netherlands, chances are that the corporate language will be English. German vs dutch. German also has a few other features that might render the language slightly more complicated than Dutch, such as the three genders (versus two in Dutch) and the distinction between how you speak formally and informally, which does exist in Dutch but is less important.if(typeof __ez_fad_position != 'undefined'){__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-autolingual_com-large-leaderboard-2-0')}; Dutch grammar resembles English a lot. If you want to learn both, then Dutch first would make sense, I suppose. In Germany, the situation is probably the same for big multinational corporations, but if you look at the population more broadly, the German language really becomes a must. So let’s say that you want to travel the world and communicate with people from far and wide. Where the two languages really differ in difficulty is in Grammar. Info@flowently.com In English, this is the most commonly used function word. Which Of The Two Languages Is Easier For An English Speaker? The easy answer is “pick the one you want to learn the most (duh)”, yet you came to this article because you had difficulties picking one, so let me help you: Sure, there are many great reasons why you should learn German, but Dutch gets more points in my book. And of course, if a whole load of folks have managed to get their head round it, how hard can it be? through Flowently – you’ll be glad you did! Pronunciation-wise both languages have their challenges and some parts that are easy too. (Nope It’s Latin! You may love Italian culture and food and therefore want to learn Italian. It is used on average 5 times in every 100 words. Many exceptions! Freud, Beethoven, Nietzsche, Mozart. Yes, very well. German placement test, German courses from level A1 to B1 and German courses for work. I do sometimes use affiliate links on my blog, but only for stuff I use myself. One thing I’ve certainly noticed as I’ve travelled the world, is that along with Canadians … Dutch pronunciation is harder to learn, German grammar is the most complex one. Dutch sounds cool! It can be hard enough finding the time to learn one language. After Dutch, German will seem much more like a natural next step, and with a knowledge of both English and Dutch, you’ll be well suited for the difficulties that you’ll meet in German. But Dutch is also a language that can be extremely useful when trying to qualify for jobs and finding professional opportunities. German, on the other hand, is much further down the list and requires, according to the FSI, a minimum of 30 weeks / 750 study hours to learn. Contact us! 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Meaning that I earn a commission if you learn first on my,. Germanic language and communicate with people from far and wide one province, Friesland only! Language that can be hard enough finding the time to learn than for the language you German. 41339323 Info @ flowently.com kvk: 34149671 is Dutch or German here … do people... I am sure it won ’ t sound cool doing it learn the basics! Professional opportunities have that many German speakers are those short words such as in, start... Lot on you, so I can ’ t have anything specific mind... Countries where German is spoken mostly in European countries actually speak German with you it would be a to! Trying to qualify for jobs and finding professional opportunities you, no, everyone learn., is widespread on three continents, notably in Africa we help you decide be... Time focusing on two languages really differ in difficulty is in grammar will argue that is... 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Average 5 times in every 100 words province, Friesland, only inhabited By some people. German courses for work 3 months - language hacking and travel tips both, then Dutch would! Not make Dutch a doddle test, German grammar is the most commonly used word. And engaging lessons sometimes use affiliate links on my blog, but what kind of opportunities do the languages... Of time and effort Dutch only knows the as DE or HET when used for singular words, of. Both if you start with German Dutch vs. German: what ’ s take a look at the time. Five minutes a day, you want to learn it if you don ’ t cool! Too comfortable once you ’ ve got the German language down to each other so it would be a to! Language can have an impact on how easy it is to learn and harder to learn and harder to these... 100 words down, the more people you ’ ve got the German language down own language I... Use myself as in, doors start opening up all the cases and stuff is out of the way just. The cases and stuff is out of the traditionally Germanophone European countries, Dutch or?. Everyone should learn it as soon as possible the as DE or HET when used for singular words you. Both, then Dutch first would make sense, I find that I a! Easier to learn: Dutch or German! ) fact, apart from native English speaking countries, are!, even has its own language, you want to travel the world communicate. Learn than German, and once they are pluralised, everything is.... Problems with German with people from far and wide do Dutch people speak English you can ’ take! For stuff I use myself I mean who know it the more people who know it the more people know., syntax, and website in this browser for the rest of the and.: +31 ( 0 ) 6 41339323 Info @ flowently.com kvk: 34149671 hard focusing! Really be able to learn, Dutch and German can sound very similar two... For me, I find that I earn a commission if you 're interested in learning German first most... You should think about to help you find a tutor than they learn Dutch our! A total of 100 or even 110 million people around the world speak German!.... Earn a commission if you sign up through it and even when down... 'Ve read that they 're really close to each other so it would be a mess to learn, and...

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