Are you a fresh arrival in the Netherlands (or simply learning Dutch)? We bet you’re wondering how to accelerate your path towards fluency — and really converse with Dutchies.
Whether you’re looking for a strong start to your Dutch journey or trying to rekindle an old love for language learning, Dutch Courses Amsterdam (DCA) has got your back. 🧑🏫
With 13 years of experience, they’ve helped thousands of internationals master the guttural g’s, the roaring r’s, and strenuous sch’s while taking hold of the strange order and syntax of the Dutch language.
So, let’s get familiar — shall we?
Introducing Dutch Courses Amsterdam
Aangenaam! (Nice to meet you!) Introducing yourself is usually the first thing you learn in any language class, but what happens after you’ve hollered your first hoi’s and grown confident in your goedemorgen’s?
Well, let us tell you: at Dutch Courses Amsterdam, at least, they take you all the way. 🇳🇱🔥
After founding the school with just one dedicated teacher, the first two (and in the beginning, only) students flew from one proficiency level to the next — and as their skills grew, so did Dutch Courses Amsterdam.
Located in Amsterdam West, they’ve now taught more than 10,000 students and have a total of 15 experienced Dutch teachers on their staff.
Their mission? To make Dutch classes “fun, friendly, and efficient.”
Sign me up! With new intensive courses beginning, there’s no better time to start than now. Too soon? Don’t worry! At Dutch Courses Amsterdam, new courses for all levels are offered throughout the year, on a regular basis, once or twice per month.
Even better, at Dutch Courses Amsterdam, there’s plenty of flexibility when it comes to scheduling. You can join for evening courses either at the school or online, sign-up for private or duo classes (did anyone say language date? 😍), or why not go all in and register for one of the upcoming intensive courses?
Why intensive courses?
Now, intensive courses sound…intense, right? 😅 Well, trust us, they are. For two weeks, you and your five classmates will hunker down with your provided materials every Monday to Friday for three hours of concentrated learning per day.
However, there’s no better feeling than emerging after two weeks with newfound confidence and much-improved Dutch skills. Not quite convinced? Here are five reasons why following an intensive course with Dutch Courses Amsterdam is a good idea:
1. You’ll learn Dutch at lightning speed
When following an intensive course at DCA, you’ll jump a whole level on the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) scale in just two weeks.
If that doesn’t mean anything to you, know that it generally takes 100 to 200 hours to progress through CEFR levels for Dutch, and going from A1 to A2 can be the difference between being stuck at introductions and holding a basic conversation in Dutch! 🙌
READ MORE | How to learn Dutch: the ultimate guide (by people who learned!)
While proficiency is definitely a product of the amount of time you invest, DCA emphasises that the key to fluency remains a sizeable vocabulary. This, however, takes time to accumulate, and the speed at which people learn new words differs a lot from person to person.
With 30 hours of dedicated class time, though, an intensive course gives you an excellent opportunity to sponge up new words. 🧽
Plus, following the guidance of DCA’s specialized conversation teacher, you’ll put your expanded vocab and existing knowledge into use right away, while a dedicated grammar teacher ensures you’re following the correct Dutch syntax.
2. You can fit an intensive course into your holiday time
For many people (including us!), it feels like they’re constantly running from one thing to the next — be it school, work, kids, sports, or hobbies — so when is there time for learning Dutch?
An evening class or two per week works perfectly for some, but if you have other responsibilities in the evening, then working an intensive course into your vacation plans might be the perfect alternative.
Since the classes at DCA span Monday to Friday from 10:30 AM to 2 PM for two weeks, you can complete an entire CEFR level during your time off — and still have the evenings to actually relax. 📺
3. You won’t forget what you’ve learned in previous classes
Another perk of following a Dutch intensive course is that you won’t have to spend a lot of time recapping what you’ve learned in previous classes.
Attending courses every weekday for two weeks gives you the opportunity to immerse yourself in the language (a rare occasion, since Dutchies have the habit of switching to English at the first sign of non-nativeness! 🙃).
Essentially, you’re given the chance to gain momentum in your language learning — with an intensive course propelling you towards proficiency without the frustrations of forgotten knowledge.
4. Lots and lots of practice
Dutch Courses Amsterdam focuses on making you confident in your language abilities so you can leave the classroom feeling ready to test your Dutch with native speakers.
Since there’s a frequent opening of courses, each class at Dutch Courses Amsterdam can have as little as four and a max of six students. Limiting the class sizes guarantees that each participant receives personal attention, accelerating the language learning process.
You’ll be surprised by how fast you progress in their small groups — as opposed to larger classes where the break seems to come before you even get to introduce yourself.
Perhaps most importantly, the small class sizes create a cosy atmosphere so you’ll quickly get to know your classmates and want to speak with them…in Dutch! 👋
5. Prepares you for studying or working in the Netherlands
Though not necessarily superior to regular Dutch courses, the fast pace of intensive courses does offer a shortcut to studying or working in the Netherlands.
At certain levels, the aim of intensive courses is to prepare you for following a study or excelling at a job that uses Dutch as the primary mode of communication.
A Dutch intensive course can also serve as an orientation towards important language examinations, like IBEX, NT2-I, or NT2-II. Inburgering, here we come!
Joining a Dutch intensive course
So, what should you consider before signing up for a Dutch intensive course?
Firstly, make sure that you can keep up the tempo even after the course ends. Remember that 30 hours of language learning in two weeks is a lot, and your brain might need some time to absorb and apply all the knowledge.
Good to know: If you’re looking for a more slow-paced alternative, DCA also has evening and semi-intensive courses with three classes per week, lasting four weeks.
Make sure you continue practising Dutch so your efforts aren’t lost!
Ideally, when graduating from one proficiency level to the next, you should continue your Dutch language learning journey by attending another course. However, that might not be realistic due to a busy schedule or just needing a break.
If that’s the case, then Dutch Courses Amsterdam recommends not holding off on another course for more than three months — after that, the gained knowledge tends to fade.
Get in touch! You can contact Dutch Courses Amsterdam via their website for any questions about their various courses.
Have you followed a Dutch intensive course before? How did you like it? Tell us in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in March 2022, and was fully updated in April 2023 for your reading pleasure.