Want to Learn the Dutch Language? Here Are the Facts to Know
Amazing Facts About the Dutch Language
When you want to learn a foreign language, you need the motivation to push you to understand it better. Some lose hope before completion. That means that you have been wasting your time all along. It is important to get the drive to move one. That way, you can reach proficiency that is close to the native speakers.
Dutch is a language that cannot be underestimated under any circumstance. Where are you likely to encounter the Dutch language? First, it is the official language in the Netherlands as well as Belgium. Moreover, it is among the top ten most spoken languages in the UK. Apart from being among the official languages recognized by the EU, it is also used in the Caribbean islands. The population of the people who speak the Dutch language is placed at about 29 million globally. Therefore, it is a language that you cannot shrug off.
What are the facts that you should know about this Dutch language? Here are the crucial highlights:
Dutch Is Among the Top 70 Most Spoken Languages Globally
The native Dutch speakers are approximated at about 20 million. There are an additional 8 million people who speak it as a second language. That means many people understand the Dutch language.
Apart from having an official state in the Netherlands, the Dutch language is also official in Belgium. Suriname, a place in South America, also recognizes this language.
Therefore, learning this language has many advantages. You can easily fit in the mentioned regions. When you are proficient, you can access opportunities in these regions.
It Has a Close Relationship to the English Language
If you know German or English, you should know that there are words that are related to these languages. This is because they are known to have a common origin. What are some of the words that are related from English to Dutch? When you learn how to translate Dutch to English at translation site, you’ll find the following:
- Appel is a Dutch language version of Apple
- Tomato is called tomaat
- Green is groen
Therefore, your knowledge of English already gives you the head start to learn Dutch. You should not be intimidated by the language.
There Is a Relationship Between Afrikaans and Dutch
There are descendants of the Dutch who speak Afrikaans in South Africa. It is difficult to tell the two languages apart because one originated from the other. However, it is easier for someone who speaks Dutch to understand Afrikaans. Those who know Afrikaans may strain a bit in a bid to understand Dutch. That shows that Dutch is a language that has given rise to other languages in the world and should not be treated disrespectfully when compared to other main languages.
100,000+ American People Understand Dutch
When you assess the languages uses in the States in the US, such as Delaware and Ohio, Dutch is among the top 20. That is a sign that it is a language that you cannot ignore even in the US. Learning it puts you in an advantageous position.
The spread of Dutch is attributed to the Dutch settlers who lived on the banks of Hudson River, New York. The fourth president of the US, Van Buren, always spoke in Dutch when he was a child. That shows you that the Dutch language is deep-rooted in the US.
There Are Words in Dutch Cannot Be Translated
There are many words in the Dutch language that you can find their equivalents in other languages such as French and German. However, there are others that you cannot translate. A good example is a word like ‘gezellig.’ In Dutch, it refers to a friendly environment or atmosphere. On the other hand, there is no perfect translation of this word in English. As such, this has become the most popular term in the Dutch language.
By now, you already know that Dutch is an interesting language. If you want to learn it, dive into it, and understand the language and culture. You feel at home when you encounter people speaking it.