When you think about the Netherlands or the Dutch language, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? For example, do you think about deep canals or rich, beautiful tulip flowers in the Netherlands?
One of the unique things about the Netherlands is its natively spoken language. As a result, Dutch is a fantastic language with a lot of potential.
Therefore, when you learn Dutch, you stand to gain immense benefits.
Before students start learning Dutch, they often wonder, "is Dutch easy to learn?". Well, the answer is always yes! If you ask English students who learn Dutch, they will always tell you that Dutch is easy to understand.
It makes sense because, just like English, Dutch is also a part of the German branch in the Indo-European family of languages. If you compare Dutch to any language in the family, including German, it is easier to learn it. Unlike German, Dutch des not include those strange letters and grammatical cases that are difficult to understand.
You probably didn't know that you too speak a little Dutch every day. Most of the English words were spoken in the Netherlands.
Dutch colonists settled in America during the 17th Century and used to bring in new Dutch words every day. Today, you can find German, French, and Dutch words in the English dictionary.
So if you live in America and you want to learn Dutch. Read on as we elaborate on the language and the culture.
What Is the Dutch Language?
Before we dig deep into how to speak Dutch, let's find a little more about the Dutch language and where it came from.
Dutch is the National Language of the Netherlands and one of Belgium's three official languages, German and French.
Although English people commonly refer to the languages of the Netherlands and Belgium as "Flemish" and "Dutch," they are essentially the very same language.
Suriname, Sint Maarten, the islands of Curaçao, Saba, Bonaire, Aruba, and Sint Eustatius, initially part of the Netherlands Antilles, use Dutch as their official language.
Dietsch, or Duutsc, was the name given to the Dutch language during the Middle Ages, historically comparable to German Deutsch.
Moreover, it was signified as the "language of the people," as opposed to Latin, which was called the "language of the spirit."
In combination with the regional dialect, basic Dutch is significantly more common in the Netherlands than in Belgium.
The dialects in the region approximately encompassed by The Hague, Rotterdam, and Amsterdam are nearer to Basic Dutch than the dialects in the other dialect groups.
Dutch is a West Germanic language, Frisian, German, Luxembourgish, and English.
It is derived from Low Franconian, the Western Frankish language, reorganized around 700 CE due to interaction with the coast and North Sea Germanic people.
Although a few accents, names, and odd phrases emerged earlier, the first texts in the Dutch language come from about the last few years of the 12th Century.
Where Is Dutch Spoken?
People from Belgium, Netherlands, Dutch Antilles, and South America speak Dutch. It is the primary language of Flanders, Belgium's northern region, and is one of the primary languages in Brussels, even though most of the city's inhabitants speak French.
Meanwhile, Dutch is still the primary language in the Dutch Antilles, although various other languages are also spoken.
Over 22 million people speak Dutch as a first language, and it is a famous native tongue in Germany, northern France, and, increasingly, Eastern Europe.
Furthermore, older native speakers can also be found in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, and Canada since many Dutch people relocated to these areas in the 1950s.
And lastly, if you live in New York, Houston, or another diverse city in America, you may also find a lot of Dutch speakers.
What Is The Dutch Culture?
Dutch culture is diverse and vibrant, and like Los Angeles and New York, cities like Amsterdam are a melting pot of creativity.
Keep reading as we dive into it:
Arts
The Dutch take considerable interest in their cultural legacy, and the government significantly supports the arts while abstaining from direct creative supervision of cultural organizations.
As a result, the long-standing history of Dutch free expression has undoubtedly influenced the development of Dutch culture over time.
However, only a few names from the heritage of Dutch painting can be mentioned here because there are so many of them.
For instance, Rembrandt van Rijn's and Vincent van Gogh's works are unquestionably among the most admired.
Painting in the 17th Century, Rembrandt became a maestro of shadows and lights, a skill represented in his landscape paintings and portraits such as Night Watch, a colossal group portrait.
Likewise, Van Gogh, a 19th-century painter, significantly affected contemporary art.
Theatre
Just a tiny percentage of the population who speaks Dutch has historically made its name in Dutch literature and theatre.
Nevertheless, the Renaissance humanist Erasmus was the most important name in Dutch writings. Cees Nooteboom and Harry Mulisch are two globally prominent contemporary Dutch authors.
The performing arts in the nation are highly promoted and supported. For example, the Netherlands Dancing Theatre and the National Ballet of Amsterdam are globally famous.
Although they are all private foundations, the state and municipalities give financial assistance to theatre organizations.
Film Industry
The film business in the Netherlands is somewhat modest. Paul Verhoeven, Marleen Gorris, and Johan van der Keuken,are among the most notable directors.
Nevertheless, the Rotterdam International Film Festival has established itself as its most important film festival.
Music Industry
Although it has a strong reputation for performance, the Dutch world has not produced music composers of the same rank as its neighbors.
The Amsterdam Concertgebouw Orchestra is internationally renowned, as are the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.
There are orchestras and choir groups in several other municipalities and a Dutch State Opera Company. In addition, the North Sea Jazz Festival and The World Music Festival in Kerkrade and Rotterdam are two notable musical festivals.
Attire
Although the emblems of Dutchness— lace hats, tulips, wooden shoes, and windmills—are well-known across the globe, they only tell part of the tale of modern life in the Netherlands.
Traditional attire, except towns like Marken and Volendam and on times of national celebration, has long given way to a type of dress more following the rest of northern Europe.
The Infamous Tulips
Tubers and flowering bulbs such as tulips are still popular export items, and several festivals honor them.
They're also on show in places like the Aalsmeer market and the yearly spring flower exposition at Keukenhof Gardens.
Architecture
From Pieter Post's Dutch Baroque masterpieces to Rem Koolhaas's 21st-century works, Dutch architecture offers a lot.
In 2000, UNESCO classified the Schroeder House (1924) in Utrecht, which was created by Gerrit Thomas Rietveld, the De Stijl architect.
Scenic Locations
With their large sandy beaches and many inland lakes in the Northern and Western portions of the country, the seacoasts are popular destinations for open-air relaxation.
As a result, they are popular with both locals and visitors from other countries.
Hilly landscapes, such as the Veluwe, are also popular with the Dutch, while foreign visitors flock to the historic towns in the western half of the country, where Amsterdam is the most popular.
In addition, the Mediterranean coastlines in the summer and the Alps in the winter are popular international vacation destinations for the Dutch.
Sports
In the Dutch world, Cycling has become a popular activity for pleasure that involves at least half of the population.
Ice skating, field hockey, and tennis are some of the other favorite sports the Dutch people enjoy.
The Elfstedentocht is a famous ice-skating race in 11 cities around the province of Friesland. It is only held during high ice winters.
Moreover, the Dutch love football (soccer), and national teams like the Dutch national team and Ajax of Amsterdam have had much success on the international stage, particularly in the 1970s.
During this time, the national team pioneered the concept of "total football," which calls for gamers with all abilities to conduct both defensive and offensive duties.
So if you live in a sporty city like New York, Chicago, or elsewhere, the dutch culture will resonate with you.
The Dutch Cuisine
The Netherlands, like any other country, has its cuisine that is distinct from that of its neighbors. Despite their lack of international popularity, the Dutch cuisine and culinary culture are fascinating.
Dutch Pancakes
Pancakes are well-known and well-loved by everybody! But, on the other hand, Dutch pancakes are nothing like the ones you may expect.
They're thinner than pancakes in the United States but not as tiny as crêpes in France. Also, they're usually wrapped up after being doused with syrup or sugar.
Meanwhile, the Dutch consume a different style of pancake. These are specific to the Dutch and do not have a translation. They're known as poffertjes. These are thin, tiny pancakes with a lot of filling.
During different events, such as funfairs or King's Day, they are frequently served with powdered sugar and butter.
Dutch Fries
You can consume your fries in a variety of ways. Fries were developed in Belgium, but they are currently consumed worldwide.
You may have tasted Belgian fries, curly fries, and French Fries. However, none of them compare to Dutch fries.
Belgian fries are narrower than Dutch fries, while French fries are thicker. Another significant distinction between Belgian and Dutch Fries is the type of oven in which they are prepared.
Dutch Fries are traditionally cooked in animal fat. However, they are now cooked in sunflower oil. As a result, they are far less oily than their Belgian equivalents.
Chocolate Sprinkles
Chocolate sprinkles are popular in a variety of nations. They're used as a cake topper in many countries, including France and China. On the other hand, the Dutch usually put chocolate sprinkles on their bread.
However, there are other variants on the idea, so individuals don't limit themselves to only chocolate sprinkles.
The variety of sprinkles the Dutch apply on their bread is endless, ranging from chocolate flakes to fruit-flavored sprinkles, oversized sprinkles, and black and white sprinkles.
Rusk
Every country has its customs around the birth of a child, and each culture has its traditions. Similarly, the Dutch do as well.
For example, when a new kid is born, it is commemorated with a rusk covered with "muisjes," a delicious anise seed topping.
This topping has some symbolic meaning as well; according to the gender of the newborn kid, the color of the seeds changes.
For example, a girl's topping is pink and white, whereas a boy's topping is blue and white.
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