What Anouk van der Linde says to watch to learn Dutch
I've been teaching Dutch to expats in Alphen aan den Rijn and online for more than fifteen years. Most of what I recommend is ordinary Dutch television, where people talk at normal speed about holidays, animals, travel and money and there is enough on screen to keep you with them. If that is still too fast, start with the news in simple Dutch. The two conversation sets are my own dialogues, written by me and recorded with my family and friends.
Beginner
2 picks
12 Everyday Conversations in Dutch
Anouk's own dialogues for the situations you meet first: the doctor, the shop, the neighbours. Short enough to play twice, which is when the phrases start to stick.
Beginner
NOS Journaal in Makkelijke Taal
The day's news read at a calm pace in plain Dutch, with the background explained instead of assumed. A short bulletin every day is the easiest listening habit to keep.
Beginner
Beginner-Intermediate
2 picks
Het echte leven in de dierentuin
Hidden cameras follow the animals in Dutch zoos day and night, with the keepers explaining what you are looking at. The pictures carry most of the meaning, so you can follow it long before you catch every word.
Beginner-Intermediate
Ten MORE Everyday Conversations in Dutch
A second set of the same everyday scenes, a little longer and a little quicker. Move on to these once the first twelve feel comfortable.
Beginner-Intermediate
Intermediate
4 picks
3 op Reis
Dutch presenters travel the world and talk you through each place straight to camera. The commentary is clear and unhurried, and there is always something on screen to hang the words on.
Intermediate
Bed & Breakfast
Three couples each spend a night at the others' bed and breakfast and then score what they found. The hosts come from all over the country and nobody is reading a script, so you get everyday Dutch and a wide spread of regional accents.
Intermediate
Floortje naar het einde van de wereld
Floortje Dessing visits people who have built a life in the most remote corners of the planet and stays with them for a few days. She narrates most of it herself in calm, clear Dutch.
Intermediate
MAX Vakantieman
A consumer show that takes on holidays gone wrong, from a hotel that was nothing like the photos to an airline that will not pay up. It is exactly the vocabulary you need the day you have to complain about something yourself.
Intermediate
Intermediate-Advanced
3 picks
Metropolis
Local reporters around the world answer the same question from their own city, with Stef Biemans introducing each episode in Dutch. The Dutch framing is clear and the reports come subtitled, so it doubles as reading practice.
Intermediate-Advanced
NPO Kennis
The Dutch public broadcaster's knowledge platform: a real question, then a short answer cut from its own documentaries and science programmes. The same clips run on their Instagram if you would rather have them in a feed.
Intermediate-Advanced
Steenrijk, Straatarm
Two families at opposite ends of the income scale swap houses and budgets for a week. Nothing is scripted and a lot of it is emotional, which means fast, ordinary speech and real accents.
Intermediate-Advanced
Anouk van der Linde teaches Dutch at Active Dutch. These are their own recommendations, shared with Reelang. Found this useful? See picks in other languages.