Do they speak English?
English in the Netherlands: you'll barely need Dutch
Around nine in ten Dutch people speak English, often fluently. You can travel the whole country without a word of Dutch, though a 'dank je wel' always goes down well.
- English is the main language
- Widely spoken
- Fine in tourist areas
- Limited
TV and films are subtitled rather than dubbed, and English is taught from primary school. Older people in rural areas may be less confident, but they'll usually find someone who can help.
Where it differs
- Amsterdam, Rotterdam, UtrechtWidely spoken
English everywhere. Some Amsterdam cafés serve in English only.
- Rural areas and small townsWidely spoken
Still widely spoken, a little less with older people.
Phrases worth learning
- HalloHAH-lohHello
- Dank je weldank yuh velThank you
- AlstublieftALS-too-bleeftPlease / here you are
- Proost!prohstCheers!
Where you might need Dutch
- Rural areas and older people in small towns may speak less English.
- Official letters, signs and menus are often only in Dutch.
- Supermarket labels are in Dutch. A translation app helps.
- Train announcements are usually in both Dutch and English.
A few Dutch words
Most Dutch people will switch to English as soon as they hear an accent. Even so, a 'dank je wel' (thank you) or 'goedemorgen' (good morning) is appreciated. 'Alstublieft' means both please and here you are.
Before you go
- Belgium's Flanders region speaks Dutch (Flemish) and good English too.
Stay and do
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