NEW TERM 2 COURSE BEGINS THURSDAY 12 MAY 2022, 6:30-8:00pm!
Dutch is spoken by 23 million people, not only in the Netherlands, but also in Belgium, the Caribbean, and South America. Having to share a small space among many people, the Dutch have learned to be very assertive in their opinions and needs. The Dutch language reflects these traits in many ways with directness being a key characteristic of their social interactions. Dutch has some unique concepts, like gezellig, which is akin to cosy in English, but describes an intrinsically social experience. There is also gedogen, a verb that means to tolerate and usually refers to unlawful behaviour that is considered normal, like the use of certain drugs, which are technically illegal but accepted. There is also the word lekker, which can mean good and applies to food, situations and people.
As our course progresses you will learn basic everyday expressions, pronunciation, basic structures and vocabulary. During our Dutch 101, Part 1 course (offered in 2022 Term 2) there will be an emphasis on speaking and listening skills, as the similarities between English and Dutch make writing and reading less challenging for native English speakers. During subsequent Terms (Dutch 102 and 103) we begin to add more reading and writing.
Our Dutch language courses are offered as both in-person Hamilton-based courses and as on-line live-streamed distance-learning sessions via Zoom.
