What Language Do They Speak in Netherlands?

Short answer: The official and most widely spoken language of the Netherlands is Dutch (Nederlands). It’s a West Germanic language with roughly 24–25 million native speakers worldwide and additional second-language speakers across Europe, Suriname, and the Caribbean.¹² But that’s only part of the story. The country is genuinely multilingual: Frisian is co-official in Friesland, Limburgish and Dutch Low Saxon are protected regional languages, Dutch Sign Language (NGT) is officially recognized, and English proficiency is among the best in the world.³⁴⁵⁶

“The only languages which do not change are dead ones.” — David Crystal⁷

This article breaks down the official languages, regional dialects, foreign languages, and cultural context to give you the clearest possible picture of what people actually speak in the Netherlands today.

Table of Contents

Dutch: The Official Language

Dutch (Nederlands) is the official and dominant language of the Netherlands and a standard written language shared with Belgium (Flanders) and Suriname.² It belongs to the West Germanic family, closely related to English and German.

Key Facts

• Writing system: Latin alphabet (26 letters, plus digraphs like ij).
• Standards & policy: Language standardization is coordinated with Belgium via the Dutch Language Union (Taalunie).¹
• International footprint: Dutch is also an official language in Suriname and the Dutch Caribbean (with local co-officials).¹

Everyday Use

Dutch is used everywhere:

• Government & law: All national administration, legislation, and courts default to Dutch.
• Education: Dutch is the core instructional language in compulsory education; many university programs also run in English.
• Media & culture: National newspapers, TV, radio, and literature primarily use Dutch.

Note on numbers: “Total speakers” vary by source and counting method (L1 vs. L2, global communities). Taalunie cites ~24M native speakers; other references put it around 25–30M total.¹⁸

Frisian: The Co-Official Language of Friesland

Frisian (Frysk) is recognized alongside Dutch in the province of Fryslân (Friesland). The status was consolidated in the Use of the Frisian Language Act (2014), guaranteeing Frisian’s equal position in courts and government contact in the province.³ Frisian is the closest living relative of English in Europe, which shows up in cognates like bûter (butter) and dei (day).

Key Facts

• Legal status: Co-official with Dutch in Friesland; permitted in schools, courts, and local administration.³
• Media & public life: Public broadcaster Omrop Fryslân produces Frisian-language TV and radio.
• Education: Frisian is taught and used as a medium of instruction in parts of primary and secondary education.[^frisian-edu-2024]

Cultural note: A traditional rhyme — “Bûter, brea en griene tsiis…” — is often cited to illustrate Frisian identity and its closeness to English.⁹

Other Regional Languages: Limburgish and Low Saxon

The Netherlands protects additional regional languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML):

• Limburgish (Limburgs) — spoken in the southeast; acknowledged under Part II of the Charter.⁴
• Dutch Low Saxon (Nedersaksisch) — spoken in the northeast; also Part II protection.⁴

These are important for regional identity, local media, and cultural life (folk music, carnival songs, theater). They form part of a Dutch-German dialect continuum.¹⁰

“Language has no independent existence apart from the people who use it…” — David Crystal (on language and identity)¹¹

Dutch Sign Language (NGT)

The Sign Language of the Netherlands (NGT) is officially recognized. The law (Wet erkenning Nederlandse Gebarentaal) was adopted in 2020 and entered into force on 1 July 2021; NGT is now an official language alongside Dutch and Frisian, and the government must actively support its use.¹²⁵

• What recognition means: Access to interpreting in public services, education, courts, and improved visibility in media and public life.
• Community: Roughly 17,500 users are commonly cited, though counts vary by definition and data year.¹⁰

English: The Second Language Everyone Speaks

Here the Netherlands stands out: it consistently ranks #1 globally for non-native English proficiency in the EF English Proficiency Index (2024).⁶ According to recent European Commission survey data compiled at languageknowledge.eu (2024), ~85.9% of people in the Netherlands report they speak English (self-reported ability).[^^languageknowledge-2024]

• Why so fluent? Early instruction in schools, a subtitling (not dubbing) media culture, and international trade/exposure all help.¹³
• Daily impact: In major cities you can live almost entirely in English; many university programs are taught in English.

Methodology note: EF EPI ranks proficiency using test data; EC/languageknowledge.eu reports self-declared ability. Both point to very high English competence nationwide.⁶[^^languageknowledge-2024]

German, French, and Other Foreign Languages

The Dutch are multilingual beyond English. European Commission 2024 data (compiled by languageknowledge.eu) shows approximate self-reported ability rates of German ~42.7%, French ~12.3%, Spanish ~3.2%, with additional community and migrant languages present nationally.[^^languageknowledge-2024] These figures reflect ability, not daily usage.

• German: Proximity and trade ties make it a practical second/third language.
• French & Spanish: Common in secondary school curricula; usage depends on sector and region.
• Migrant/community languages: Turkish, Arabic, Berber, Polish, Papiamentu (in the Caribbean), and others enrich the landscape.

Dutch in the Caribbean and Abroad

Dutch is official (often alongside local languages) in parts of the Caribbean (Aruba, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, Bonaire, Saba, Sint Eustatius) and remains the national language of Suriname.¹ The broader Low Countries language sphere also connects historically to Afrikaans, a daughter language of Dutch in South Africa.²

Why Are the Dutch So Multilingual?

1. Geography: A trade hub at the heart of Europe.
2. Policy: Multiple foreign languages taught in school.
3. Media: Subtitles over dubbing keep English in daily earshot.¹³
4. Higher education & business: Strong internationalization.
5. Cultural openness: Multilingualism is “normal,” not exceptional.

“Language is not a cultural artifact… it is a distinct biological adaptation.” — Steven Pinker¹⁴

Table: Languages of the Netherlands (Status Snapshot)

Percentages are self-reported ability (EC 2024 via languageknowledge.eu). Proficiency and use vary by age, education, and region.

Learning Dutch Today

The U.S. Foreign Service Institute (FSI) classifies Dutch as a Category I language for English speakers—one of the more approachable languages—typically 24–30 weeks (~600–750 class hours) for professional working proficiency.¹⁵

Why learn Dutch?

• Integrate more fully into Dutch life and workplaces.
• Access literature, humor, and media in the original.
• Build relationships beyond surface-level English conversations.

If you want a head start with pronunciation and spelling, try Avatalks for interactive audio + writing drills. It complements classroom or self-study with 3D mouth shapes and stroke-order practice for hard sounds (like g, ui) and tricky vowel pairs.

FAQ (People also ask)

Q: Is Dutch hard to learn?
A: For most English and German speakers, Dutch is considered moderately challenging—pronunciation and word order take practice, but basics come quickly with consistent study.

Q: Is Dutch harder than German?
A: Usually no. Dutch grammar has fewer case endings than German, though Dutch pronunciation (the guttural g/ch and diphthongs like ui) can be tricky.

Q: How long does it take to learn Dutch?
A: Timelines vary by study time and exposure. Many learners reach everyday conversation within 6–12 months with daily practice.

Q: Is Dutch hard for English speakers?
A: Dutch shares a lot of vocabulary and structure with English, which helps. The main hurdles are sounds (g, r, vowel clusters) and verb-second/verb-final word order.

Q: Why do people say Dutch is difficult?
A: Pronunciation, choosing de/het articles, and subordinate clause word order (verb at the end) are the big pain points for beginners.

Q: Can I learn Dutch in 3 months?
A: You can reach survival basics in 8–12 weeks with immersion and daily speaking, but comfortable conversation typically takes longer.

Q: Do I need Dutch to live in the Netherlands?
A: You can get by in English in major cities, but Dutch opens up work options, admin tasks, and deeper social life.

Q: Is Dutch closer to English or German?
A: It sits between them as a West Germanic language—many words look familiar to English speakers, while grammar sometimes resembles German.

Q: What’s the hardest part of Dutch pronunciation?
A: Learners often struggle with the guttural g/ch, the rolled or uvular r, and vowel clusters like ui, eu, and ij/ei. The key is combining lots of listening with clear mouth-shape practice. ai language learning app like Avatalks make this easier by showing 3D lip-sync animations for every Dutch sound, paired with native audio and writing drills—so you see and hear exactly how the sounds are produced.

Q: What are the best ways to learn Dutch fast?
A: Combine daily speaking, graded listening, spaced-repetition vocab, and short writing drills. Aim for lots of low-pressure conversation.

Q: Which exams certify Dutch proficiency?
A: NT2 (State Exam) is widely used in the Netherlands; CNaVT offers internationally recognized certifications aligned with CEFR.

Q: Why won’t Dutch people speak Dutch with me?
A: Many switch to English to be helpful. Politely ask to continue in Dutch and keep your answers short and steady to encourage them.

Conclusion

So, what language do they speak in Netherlands? The answer begins with Dutch, but it extends to Frisian, Limburgish, Low Saxon, Dutch Sign Language, and a remarkably high command of English (plus German and French). The Netherlands is a linguistic crossroads—small in size, big in multilingual reach. Whether you’re visiting, studying, or moving here, learning some Dutch unlocks culture and community, even as locals smoothly meet you in English to make you feel at home.

References