Hi fine people of Dutch Grammar

[KevJD]

Hi all,

I have been hovering silently over these forums for quite a while. I think it is time I introduced myself and started contributing.

My name is Kevin. I come from Portsmouth, England.

Knowing from school that I was well below average (read terrible) at foreign language, it would probably have been wise of me to steer clear for the rest of my life.

However, through playing online games I met some dutch speaking people. I thought it would be cool if I could speak to them in their own language.

Oh dear, the seeds of many failed attempts were set from that moment on.

They taught me a few word to write. "Hoe gaat het?" and "Goed Dank u".

After many attempts due to my bad memory and spelling, its now there sitting in my brain and I use that for all my written conversations. Speaking it is another matter, but thats one for later.

By now I was hooked of course. I started buying loads of books on dutch and here started the problem.

I had filled a bookshelf of books (and CD's) and was only able to understand the first few pages of each book!

Well, there you go, my first admittance that I am seriously thick when it comes to grammar (both english and dutch).

This wont stop me from occasionally trying to remember what a verb or a noun is, and by the looks of it, theres something called stems.

Q1) You meet someone who is completely clueless but he wants to learn Dutch. What is the first thing he should try and learn?

Q2) Where would be best place to practice?


Kind Regards


Kev

[Shazzy]

Hi Kev

Welcome to the forum. You don't live a million miles from me. Ik woon op het Isle of Wight! (May you can understand that bit I live on the Isle of Wight). I have been learning Dutch for 3 years and I have just taken my GCSE.

There are various things you can do to learn but you will need a good teacher. I have a great teacher in holland and we talk through skype. She is fantastic and very encouraging. Check out her website at http://www.sayitindutch.com

Or I have now done 3 correspondence courses with http://www.thedutchlanguageschool.co.uk
They are based in Oxford and Karin is fantastic.

If you want to start by just learning some basic vocabulary why not try this: http://www.toetsgesprokennederlands.nl/ ... ?page=home

Reading books is not always the best way to learn Dutch but it works for some...... Yorien from sayitindutch also does a beginners email course which is outstanding.

Hope this has been some help to you. Don't give up everyone can learn Dutch if you have the motivation. I won't stop until I am fluent....

Groetjes
Shazzy

[KevJD]

Hi Shazzy,

We are very close indeed. Seperated only by the most expensive boat trip in the world (per mile) I am not on that island as much as I would like but we try to go there every year as my niece loves the car ferry.

I didn't even know they did a GCSE in Dutch but I think thats a great thing to strive for. Well done on getting it. Do you have any plans for AS/A level?

What were those correspondence courses like? Did they slow down if you struggled or did they race on? I guess the proof is in the pudding but its good to get some insider understanding before I leap Yes that means i'll be going for the beginners distance course as soon as I can afford it.

How do the skype lessons with Yorien go? I am definitely considering it. What happens if you don't master something, does she help each week until you have it right and only then move on?

If she sits there and tests me until I have it right 100% of the time, then it defo sounds like something for me. Getting it into my brain is the hardest part.

Sorry for the many questions. I am excited.

Randomly pressing rosetta stone buttons can only take me so far in the world of dutch learning.

Once I start I will write a blog of my progress and I would like to promise right now to never give up on learning Dutch.

Kind Regards

Kev

[Shazzy]

Hoi Kev (this is Dutch for Hi)
I will give you some tips tomorrow by private message if that is ok. But in the short Both The Dutch Language school and Yorien are fantastic. Yorien is so patient, and if you get something wrong she will go over and over it with you until you get it right. The price is good too. I book the 20 minute lessons as you get 3 lessons for 36 euros which is approximately £30 and you can pay by paypal. Also Yorien does a great beginners course entited Digidutch email course and you can do the first lesson for free. I have done that course and now working through the intermediate one. Again its a good price. This would give you a good taste for Dutch. Yorien closes for the month of August. If you contact her do tell her that Sharon Hadlow recommended you. I really stuggled with my GCSE speaking part of the exam as the GCSE course did not contain much speaking.... but once I started having lessons with Yorien I improved so much and I feel it was down to Yorien that the exam went so well.

You need to ask yourself what you actually want to learn. Is it to speak Dutch or get involved in an indepth grammer course. Both are important and you must have grammer to speak the language properly. However, perhaps learning to talk a little would be best to start with. Yorien would be brilliant for that and if you like I could help you a little over skype too. Rosetta Stone did not do anything for me at all but I know many have learnt Dutch that way. Then perhaps a little later you could consider the beginners course with the Dutch Language school again if contacting Karin do let her know I recommended you. Her courses are brilliant and she is very supportive via email but you only speak Dutch 3 times in the course which I feel is a drawback. You have to work hard to keep up but if you don't complete the course in 12 months you can pay extra to have it extended so there is no real pressure. I study between 6 to 12 hours a week and more if I can. Every spare minute I am either speaking or studying Dutch.

I love my Dutch and now I feel I am just at the stage where I can hold reasonable conversations but I have a long way to go yet.

More tomorrow as it's very late and I have had a long day at work. This was meant to be a couple of lines

Shazzy