Editor’s note: Thanks for stopping by our WeLearnDutch, Dutch course review! This review is up to date as of Aug 4th, 2022. This article contains affiliate links however please rest assured that we only recommend products that we actually use and believe in.
Contrary to what you might believe, the Dutch language (language from the Netherlands and part of Belgium) is still considered one of the easiest languages to learn for native and non-native English speakers.
At first, Dutch might seem like a very difficult language, but it’s surprisingly easy for English- and German speakers. Dutch has even been described as a combination of the English and German languages! This makes it one of the easiest languages to learn for speakers of either language. That said, learning Dutch will take some time and effort, no matter what your native language is.
Many people study Dutch simply to have the ability to connect with natives and explore the Netherlands. People who are going on a holiday, studying, having relationships with Dutch people, or working in the Netherlands need a basic grasp of the Dutch Language.
With a large selection of Dutch language-learning books, programs, and apps out there, how do you know which one is best for you? When it comes down to paying for Dutch Online Language Courses, we know you want to find the very best.
So, without further ado, let’s jump right into our unbiased review of WeLearnDutch (a popular option for many students of Dutch).
WeLearnDutch Dutch Review: Overview
WeLearnDutch is an Online course so you can listen and watch, meaning you simply watch and follow the videos, there are different kinds of modules: Listening, Reading, Pronunciation, Vocabulary, Grammar, Culture, and Quizzes.
The course has been expanded over the years and now is 14 hours and a total of 150 lessons, however, the overall teaching methodology has remained consistent.
The course is based upon a method namely the Dutch Communicative Language Teaching Method: This system is based on the idea that learning a language successfully comes from having to communicate REAL meaning. When you are talking about things that happen in your day-to-day life your natural strategies for language acquisition and learning are much more activated. And this will allow you to learn to use the language faster and better.
The Goods
- Comprehensive online course for complete beginners
- Teaches useful words and phrases
- Well-designed and engaging learning structure
- Lots of additional Dutch cultural information
- Based upon proven Communicative Language Teaching Method
- A lot of focus on speaking, listening, and pronunciation guide
- Lessons can be downloaded for offline learning
The Bads
- Limited writing practice
- Gets you to an intermediate level only
What are the lessons like?
As mentioned, each lesson introduces some kind of authentic real-life dialogue and then proceeds to break down each phrase into vocabulary, grammar points, and cultural nuances. The lessons are participatory, meaning you are expected to actually speak when prompted to, which really helps hone in the new words and refine your pronunciation. You are encouraged to fully engage in conversational-style video lessons.
Each module ends with a complete understanding of the target language
So does the method actually work? And can it help you learn Dutch? Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of the program to help you decide.
PROS of WeLearnDutch Dutch
Pro #1: Bite-sized Lessons
Each module has several lessons/videos. Those videos are on average 15 minutes or less and are completely video and audio-based, meaning that you can watch and listen. Whether you are on your smartphone, tablet or computer, or notebook, you can listen to the lesson whenever and wherever it best suits you.
Pro #2: Learn Through Speaking and Listening
The instructor is a native Dutch speaker and instructs all the lessons in a clear manner and the lessons are well paced. The program is based on a communicative approach, which means that humans acquire a new language by listening to and talking about daily life situations. Sounds simple, right? Many students like the fact that it’s very easy to follow and the program essentially spoon-feeds you a new language at a comfortable pace. Since a native speaker is your instructor, you’ll learn the most authentic dialect with accurate pronunciation.
Pro #3: Strong Emphasis on Pronunciation
Words are broken down syllable by syllable so that you can truly understand how to pronounce them. Unlike other language courses that expect you to pick up fast and unfamiliar sounds, WeLearnDutch starts from very simple phrases and meticulously demonstrates how to pronounce every individual sound. WeLearnDutch really excels in this regard, with many students commenting on how much their pronunciation has improved since taking the course.
Pro #4: Teaches Functional Language From the Very Start
Some language programs spend ages dragging out lessons on vocabulary and grammar before actually teaching you anything useful. WeLearnDutch is the opposite, it starts teaching you useful phrases from the very beginning. This makes it an excellent resource for those looking to quickly build up a functional knowledge of spoken Dutch for work or travel in the Netherlands or Belgium.
CONS of WeLearnDutch
Con #1: Brings you only to intermediate level
The course is a beginner course. The 14 hours give a very good foundation for beginners to start from. But people who have already been speaking Dutch for several years and want to go to an intermediate, upper intermediate, or advanced level will have good practice of the basics but won’t become upper intermediate with this course.
Con #2: Limited writing practice
There are not so many exercises where the focus is purely on writing. Of course, you can do this at your own convenience with the provided PDF materials. Though this is not generally a problem because of the way Dutch is structured. The Dutch pronounce a word exactly in the same way as a word is written. So, if you know how to speak and read, it’s fairly easy for you to write it too.
WeLearnDutch Dutch Review: Key Features
Here’s an overview of the structure of the course. You will get 14 hours and 100+ video lessons of spoken English to Dutch lessons. In every lesson, there are:
Listening lessons and exercises:
This helps to develop good listening comprehension, the other skills will become more natural as listening is the start of natural language learning, the speaking will come, even your grammar, your accuracy will get better with listening.
Reading Lessons and exercises:
This helps to develop an understanding of the words and other related skills like grammar, vocabulary, and writing.
Speaking lessons and exercises:
This helps you to develop the ability to speak fluently and interactively.
Pronunciation lessons and exercises:
Vocabulary builders:
These exercises help to build a strong vocabulary that improves all areas of communication — listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Language insights:
These Dutch Grammar lessons and exercises form, develop and improve language skills and abilities.
Cultural Insights of the Netherlands and the Dutch language:
These lessons help you to understand the culture and the way people live and communicate.
Who Would Benefit From a WeLearnDutch online course?
We think the WeLearnDutch online course would be a great asset for those who:
- Are absolute beginners or those with very little knowledge of the Dutch language
- Require a complete, comprehensive “brush-up” of the basics of the Dutch language
- Would prefer to learn Dutch from scratch through speaking and active involvement rather than studying rules and lists.
- Are either vacationing or moving (study, work, relationship) to a Dutch-speaking country and need to acquire a practical use of basic Dutch as quickly as possible.
Who Should Stay Away From WeLearnDutch?
However, the WeLearnDutch course is not for everyone. We feel that those who might NOT benefit from this course are those who:
- Have extensive experience with Dutch already and are looking to go to an (upper-) intermediate level
- Are looking to ONLY learn the Advanced Dutch writing system
- Do not learn well from an online course
Cost of the WeLearnDutch Online course
WeLearnDutch only offers a one-off payment ($99.95), you can access all lessons immediately after the payment (Full lifetime access). They also offer a few lessons for free if you use the “Preview” option.
Enrolling in the WeLearnDutch Online Course for Learning the Dutch Language gives you full access to all the features, including:
- Online learning – access anywhere
- Learning games and flashcards
- Quizzes
- Cultural lessons
- Ability to download lesson PDFs
- Access to the mobile app
- Progress from scratch to an intermediate level in Dutch
- Full lifetime access
- Speaking, listening, reading, grammar, pronunciation, lessons, and activities
WeLearnDutch Review: Conclusion
Though it’s not one of the most well-known Dutch language programs out there (yet), we do feel WeLearnDutch Dutch has a lot to offer beginners in Dutch. By following the program, you will certainly learn to communicate in Dutch quickly. We feel that for the price this is a very complete package and is perfect to start from. If you’ve finished the course and decide that you want to learn more in real classes or from books you have a very thorough foundation to work from. So, in conclusion, highly recommended!
Michael has been an avid language learner and traveler for many years. His goal with LanguageTsar is to discover the most fun and effective ways to learn a language. He is currently learning Japanese, French and Indonesian.