Sing along to Dutch classics
The later it gets in evening, the bigger the chance that the entire cafe you are in will break out in a sing-along of Dutch hits. And then there you are—the expat. Of course it can be great fun standing there in the middle of a group of gung-ho singers, but perhaps a bit uncomfortable, too. Why not seize the day and take that opportunity to improve your Dutch? No one will even hear you in a cafe full of music and merrymakers belting out tunes? So join in!
There is no better way to work on a language than singing. There are three reasons for that:
- When you sing, you usually say words more slowly than when you speak. It is a great way to get to know the logic and structure of a language.
- Words drum up more positive emotions when you sing them than when you speak them.
- Both hemispheres of your brain get grooving when you sing, and your senses come to life. That helps with memory.
Start with listening and singing along to these tunes to learn Dutch and become one with the party culture in the Netherlands:
- Leef! – André Hazes Jr.
- Heb je even voor mij – Frans Bauer
- Het is een nacht – Guus Meeuwis
- Zij gelooft in mij – André Hazes
- Binnen – Marco Borsato
- Daar in het kleine café aan de haven – Pierre Cartner
Or maybe you have heard some other Dutch party numbers? Then start with those!
Take a bit of time to listen to the music and look up the lyrics or a translation of them. It is nice to know what you are singing about. Then try singing along. After having a go at it a few times, you will notice that you start to remember the lyrics and have learnt a few useful words or sentences along the way. And the next time you want to ask a colleague a question, you can lead with: “Heb je even voor mij?”
Do you want to learn Dutch quickly and thoroughly?
You can rapidly improve your Dutch skills with us at Regina Coeli. Whether you are a beginner and want to learn the basics of Dutch, or already speak the language well and just want to be that much more persuasive, our team of trainers are happy to design a training programme for you which allows you to learn Dutch at your level, in a way that fits you and your needs. Learn more about Dutch language training.
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