Short answer: Dutch is one of the easier languages an English speaker can pick. The vocabulary overlaps a lot, the grammar is simpler than German, and you can read basic texts surprisingly early.
The long answer has a few catches, and one of them has nothing to do with grammar.
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How long does it take to learn Dutch?
The US Foreign Service Institute, which trains American diplomats, puts Dutch in its easiest group for English speakers, next to Spanish, French, Danish and Swedish. It estimates about 24 to 30 weeks of full-time study (600 to 750 class hours) to reach professional working level. German sits one group higher, at about 36 weeks.
What makes Dutch easy?
Thousands of words are close to English: boek (book), Wasser, appel, Huis (Haus), zingen (sing). Verbs do not change much by person. Nouns have no case endings, unlike German. And Dutch spelling is fairly regular once you know the rules, much more so than English.
Book tip
Colloquial Dutch by Bruce Donaldson
A solid self-study course written for English speakers, with dialogues of how people actually talk. It handles word order and de/het better than most apps.
What makes Dutch hard?
Three things catch most learners. First, pronunciation: the throaty g, the ui in Huis and the eu in neus. Second, word order: the verb goes second in a main clause but jumps to the end in a subordinate one, so “I know that he tomorrow comes” is correct Dutch. Third, de und het: every noun takes one of two articles, and there is no reliable rule. You learn them word by word.
Why do Dutch people switch to English?
This is the catch that has nothing to do with grammar. The Netherlands regularly tops the EF English Proficiency Index, and many Dutch people switch to English the moment they hear an accent. It is meant kindly, but it robs you of practice. Tell people you are learning and ask them to stay in Dutch. Most will happily do it.
What does this have to do with Frisian?
If you move to the north of the Netherlands, you will hear a third language next to Dutch and English: Frisian. It is the everyday language for several hundred thousand people in Friesland, and it is officially recognised. The good news for English speakers is that some Frisian words are even closer to English than Dutch ones.
Lesen is Frisian easy for English speakers? for the honest comparison, or take a free first lesson.
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