DUTCH COURSE · LEARN & PRACTISE
Lesson 51 · The Netherlands
Watch, read and listen
Play a video and follow the Dutch text on screen. Read the translation beside it. Pause and repeat each sentence aloud. Practise one or two videos at a time and write down useful new words.
The Netherlands
Translation
The Netherlands is a small country,
the country is located near the North Sea,
if you sail west in a boat,
you come to England,
many Dutch people speak English.
Our eastern neighbour
Translation
are you going east by car,
then you come to Germany,
Germany is much larger than the Netherlands,
they speak German there,
many Dutch people can understand German.
Languages in Belgium
Translation
if you go south with a car,,
then you arrive in Belgium,
in Belgium they speak two languages,
they speak Flemish and French,
Flemish looks a lot like Dutch.
Language note: Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. The original video mentions only Flemish and French. Flemish refers to varieties of Dutch spoken in Flanders.
Two neighbouring countries
Translation
Flemish and Dutch are written the same,
The Netherlands and Flanders used to belong together,
but in 1830 there was a divorce,
Belgium became an independent country,
but there is a strong bond between the Netherlands and Belgium.
The Randstad
Translation
there are differences between the residents in the Netherlands,
people in the south like to party,
people in the north are calmer,
then there is another city called the Randstad,
which consists of a number of cities located near the North Sea.
Geography note: the Randstad is a region containing several cities, not a single city. The comments about people in the north and south are generalisations.
Along the canals
Translation
many Dutch people think Amsterdam is the most beautiful city,
many rich merchants lived in that city,
they built big houses on the canals,
those canals in Amsterdam are beautiful,
they are unique in the world.
Art in a museum
Translation
The Netherlands is also known for its art,
Rembrandt and Vermeer are famous painters,
there is a famous museum in Amsterdam,
there you see the paintings of those painters,
just go there.
Flowers in spring
Translation
another famous place is “The Keukenhof”,
that is in a park full of flowers,
the park is open in the spring,
there are many visitors,
below you can see a photo.
Use your own words
Write two Dutch sentences about a place you know and read them aloud. Use words from the videos. Background information:
Read your sentences aloud. Keep a few useful words and reread the text another day.
Background information: Belgium: history and languagesBelgium: official languagesRijksmuseum collectionKeukenhof