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Archive for the 'Dutch Culture' Category

Moederdag: Celebrate Mother’s Day in the Netherlands!

In the Netherlands, holidays are celebrated with a lot of heart; Moederdag may be celebrated with even more heart! Moederdag ("Mother's Day") in the Netherlands is special among Dutch holidays, as it gives children and grandchildren a day to rejoice in their mothers. Another fun fact about family holidays: Netherlands first celebrated Mother's Day before it celebrated Father's Day! Do you know when each holiday was first celebrated here? We'll give your curious mind the answer later. ;) At DutchPod101.com, we hope to make learning about holidays in Netherlands both fun and informative! So let's get started. 1. What is Mother's Day? We celebrate Mother's Day being mindful of the fact that our mothers assume the role of... Show more

The Best Dutch TV Shows and Series to Boost Your Dutch

Wouldn't it be nice if you could improve your Dutch sitting on the couch watching TV? Yes, learning Dutch can really be this fun. If you combine watching Dutch language TV shows with a Dutch language course, you can greatly improve your understanding of the language. Luckily for you, there are many Dutch TV shows to watch, in every genre—Dutch comedy TV shows, cartoons on the Nickelodeon Dutch TV channel, crime series, Dutch reality shows, and more. There’s really something for everyone, and for every learner regardless of their current skill level. In this article, we’ll first explain how watching Dutch TV can boost your Dutch. After that, we’ll give you tips on where to watch Dutch TV series. And last but definitely not least,... Show more

How to Find Jobs in the Netherlands — The Best Work Guide

Would you like to work in the Netherlands? There are many different jobs in the Netherlands available for foreigners. However, the range of job opportunities does depend on several factors, such as your access to a visa, your previous job experience, your education, and your proficiency in Dutch. However, no matter your skills or level of Dutch, if you know where to look and how to deal with the Dutch work culture, you'll always be one step ahead of your competitors.  In this guide, we'll walk you through the whole adventure of finding jobs in the Netherlands. We’ll cover topics including: The Dutch requirements to workUseful information about the Dutch job marketThe best places for your job-huntingSome useful tips and tricks to... Show more

How to Say I Love You in Dutch – Romantic Word List

Do you often feel lonely and sad? Do you long for romance and are willing to do whatever it takes to meet that special person? Speaking another language could revolutionize your love life! So, why wait? Learning how to say ‘love’ in Dutch could be just what you need to find it. Or perhaps you were lucky, and have found your Dutch partner already. Fantastic! Yet, a cross-cultural relationship comes with unique challenges. Learning how to speak your lover’s language will greatly improve your communication and enhance the relationship. At DutchPod101, our team will teach you all the words, quotes and phrases you need to woo your Dutch lover with excellence! Our tutors provide personal assistance, with plenty of extra material available to... Show more

How to Celebrate April Fools’ Day in Dutch

Most everyone is familiar with this day, as it is celebrated nearly everywhere the world. Yet, when exactly is April Fools’ Day? And where did April Fools come from? April Fools’ Day is observed on April 1st every year. This day of jokes and pranks is believed to have stemmed from the 16th-century calendar change in France, when New Year’s Day was moved from April 1 to January 1. This action was taken due to the adoption of the Gregorian calendar. However, a few people were resistant to the calendar change, so they continued to observe New Year’s Day on April 1st, rather than the new date. They were referred to as the “April Fools”, and others started playing mocking tricks on them. This custom endured, and is practiced to this day... Show more

How to Say Happy New Year in Dutch & New Year Wishes

Learn all the Dutch New Year wishes online, in your own time, on any device! Join DutchPod101 for a special Dutch New Year celebration! Can you relate to the year passing something like this: “January, February, March - December!”? Many people do! Quantum physics teaches us that time is relative, and few experiences illustrate this principle as perfectly as when we reach the end of a year. To most of us, it feels like the old one has passed in the blink of an eye, while the new year lies ahead like a very long journey! However, New Year is also a time to celebrate beginnings, and to say goodbye to what has passed. This is true in every culture, no matter when New Year is celebrated. So, how do you say Happy New Year in Dutch? ... Show more

How to Say ‘Merry Christmas’ in Dutch

Do you know any ways to wish someone a ‘Merry Christmas’ in Dutch? DutchPod101 brings you easy-to-learn translations and the correct pronunciation of Dutch Christmas phrases! Christmas is the annual commemorative festival of Christ’s birth in the Western Christian Church. It takes place on December 25th and is usually celebrated with much food and fanfare! However, not all cultures celebrate Christmas. In some countries, Christmas is not even a public holiday! However, many countries have adapted Christmas and its religious meaning to tally with their own beliefs, or simply in acknowledgment of the festival’s importance to other cultures. If you want to impress native Dutch speakers with culturally-appropriate Christmas phrases and... Show more

How to Start Thinking in Dutch

Learn 4 tools and techniques to stop translating in your head and start thinking in Going through lessons is enough to get by and learn the basics of , but to truly become fluent you need to be able to think in . This will allow you to have conversations with ease, read smoothly, and comprehensively understand natives. To do this, you need to go beyond just completing daily or weekly lessons. We naturally translate in our heads because it's viewed as the easiest way to learn the definitions needed when learning a language. This way of learning can actually hinder your skills and fluency later on. If your brain has to make neural connections between the word you're learning, what it means in your native tongue, and the physical object... Show more

6 Reasons to Learn a Language Before You Travel

There are plenty of destinations where you can get by with English, but sometimes you want to do better than just ‘get by’. Here are 6 reasons you should learn the basics of the language of your next trip destination. 1. You will be able to discover your destination better than other tourists. Getting by is one thing, but actually experiencing a trip abroad is quite another. No amount of guidebooks and online research can compensate for a basic lack of language ability. Speaking the language of your destination permits you to explore that destination beyond the regular tourist traps. Your language skills will not only allow you to dig into all the hidden gems of your destination, but they will also allow you to mingle with the... Show more

5 Tips To Motivate Yourself While Learning A Second Language

1. Schedule your time. One of the most important factors in keeping your motivation up is developing it into a habit. Whether it be 20 minutes or 3 hours, schedule time to study every day and stick to it. Regular exposure solidifies what you learn and keeps you progressing. To make sure you stick to your routine, a great idea is to build a schedule for your day and decide that every day/Monday/weekend, you study from 6pm to 8pm. Just remember that 30 minutes a day, every day, is better than a binge 8-hour study session at the end of the week (though it’s obviously better than nothing). 2. Learn a word a day with our great Word of the Day learning tool. Trying to learn everything at once and getting overwhelmed by the sheer number... Show more