Cheerful student learning A1 Dutch online

How can I learn A1 Dutch online?

In-person A1 Dutch lessons are a great way to learn the language, but when you’re on a tight schedule (and budget!), you may be more interested in options to learn A1 Dutch online by yourself. The key to success here is choosing the right platform that offers you engaging, comprehensive learning materials that can be tailored to your needs.

Grammar, vocabulary, and lots of practice

Working on your Dutch vocabulary as well as Dutch grammar (yes, including that odd-sounding word order!) is, of course, unavoidable. But you’ll only make real progress in your fluency when you practice a lot. Our approach? Build on what you already know, apply what you learned, and last but not least: don’t be afraid to speak Dutch! With the right practice, you’ll obtain Dutch language level A1 faster and with more ease than you may now imagine.

So let’s see how you can get to understand, speak, and write basic Dutch by learning online.

What is A1 Dutch level?

Before we move on to our practical tips to learn A1 Dutch online, let’s take a look at a question we often receive first: ‘What is A1 Dutch level?’ The short answer is that A1 Dutch level is the beginners level, which enables you to interact with others in a basic way. Some can-do’s are:

  • using basic greetings and introducing yourself
  • telling a bit about yourself and your family
  • talking about daily activities
  • talking about hobbies, favorite foods, the weather, and other common topics
  • making appointments and reservations, and filling in simple forms


In other words: learning Dutch at A1 level means that you’ll be able to communicate in everyday situations, using elementary vocabulary and common expressions.

The CEFR framework

We measure language levels using the Common European Framework of References for Languages (CEFR). The framework breaks down language proficiency into 6 levels: A1, A2, B1, B2, C1, and C2. It characterizes learners at A1 Dutch level as ‘basic users’, and states that this means ‘being able to interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help’.

Language levels are measured using the CEFR
Image by upklyak on Freepik

How long does it take to learn A1 Dutch online?

How long it takes to learn A1 Dutch online depends on several factors:

  • Your native language
  • Your command of related languages, like English or German 
  • Your experience with language-learning
  • The time you have to study Dutch


Most often, students need several months to learn Dutch at level A1. The more you study, the more and the faster you’ll improve.

How to learn Dutch at A1 level?

Now that you know what A1 level entails, and how much time you need to achieve it, let’s get to the core of this blog article: how can you learn Dutch at A1 level online? We’ll break down our tips into four sections: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. In each section, in addition to practical tips, you’ll read about the effective tools that we have in store for you.

Dutch A1 reading

You can find more than enough material online to practice your reading skills with! Think of blogs, magazines, and newspaper articles, for example. For beginning readers, the Jeugdjournaal news articles can be very helpful. You could also collect the information about your next holiday destination in Dutch. That will make practice even more enjoyable!

Put your reading skills to the test

Curious to see if your efforts are paying off? You can find out with a Dutch A1 test example. At Dutch Ready, we have been working on a complete practice exam series, ‘Met Vlag en Wimpel’. The series are not only for those who need to sit an actual exam, but for anyone who wants to test whether they have reached their desired level. You’ll receive the Dutch A1 exam questions per PDF, including an answer key. Met Vlag en Wimpel Reading A1 contains a total of 36 reading assignments and 86 multiple choice questions.

Dutch A1 listening

When you want to learn Dutch A1 online, incorporating the language into your daily life is key to improving your fluency. Love sports? Follow a Dutch match on a streaming channel. Prefer other activities? Watch Dutch movies and series on Netflix, or look for things like podcasts and YouTube channels on topics that you find interesting. There’s something for everyone! And last but not least, we also have a Met Vlag en Wimpel Listening A1 series to put your ears to the test.

Student testing her Dutch listening skills
Image by Freepik

Dutch A1 writing

The golden rule of writing practice? Make sure you get feedback from native speakers. So when you want to learn Dutch A1 online, make sure to seek some interaction. And what better way than to become a member of a community, and write posts and comments? For example, you could think of:

  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • YouTube


You could also use flashcards. They are a popular way to learn vocabulary, but just as useful when you want to practice spelling words and phrases. You can create your own flashcards, but also make use of
Dutch Ready’s Quizlet cards and practice those using Spaced Repetition.

Finally, Dutch Ready has also developed some useful vocabulary lists. For example, our Core Vocabulary list gives you an overview of the 3000+ most commonly used words in Dutch. By using this list, you’ll expand your vocabulary and be able to write with more precision.

Dutch A1 speaking

To many, speaking the new language is the most stressful task they can imagine. What if I can’t get my words out? What if I use the wrong word? Or completely shut down? Don’t worry, the natives won’t eat you. And there has never been an article published in the national newspaper about that shameful expat who couldn’t get their words out. Nor in the local paper, for that matter. Despite that, the anxiety is real. And we get that.

Practice everyday speaking scenarios

The good news is, it’s also possible to learn Dutch A1 online when it comes to your speaking skills. With our Praatgraag A1 dialogue bundle, you’ll boost your proficiency and your confidence at the same time. The bundle contains more than 40 dialogues, spread over 20 chapters, with each chapter focusing on a specific theme. You can practice your speaking skills with the numerous fill-in options and further expand your vocabulary with the vocab lists that each chapter features. With Praatgraag A1, you’ll practice your Dutch speaking skills in the most natural way.

Learn Dutch online with our complete e-learning

With the above tips and learning materials, you can get yourself a long way towards language level A1. But are you instead looking for a complete, online Dutch learning book A1? In that case, you’ve also come to the right place. Our Dutch e-learning A1 consists of no less than 23 grammar chapters and 15 practical chapters, in which you immediately put your new knowledge into practice, getting you ready for the use of the language in real life. With this e-learning, you’ll learn Dutch at level A1 online with the help of:

  • simple Dutch explanations with English translations
  • language comparisons, giving you insight into the similarities and differences between Dutch and your native language, or another language you master
  • interactive features such as flip cards for a more engaging learning environment
  • numerous audio examples
  • 115 grammar exercises
  • 92 practical exercises
Learn A1 Dutch online with Dutch Ready's e-learning
Learn A1 Dutch online with Dutch Ready's e-learning

Learning in a way that suits you best

At Dutch Ready, we believe that learning Dutch at an A1 level can be easy, as long as you can do it in a way that suits you. And that also means learning at a pace that fits your daily life. Therefore, you can opt for either a subscription (monthly, every six months, or yearly) or a one-time purchase (lifetime access).

What to expect when you want to learn A1 Dutch online with Dutch Ready’s e-learning platform?

Ready to develop some real-life language skills? This is the complete overview of our Dutch e-learning at A1 level:

Chapter 1

Nouns

grammar lesson

Chapter 2

Articles

grammar lesson

Chapter 3

Numerals

grammar lesson*

Chapter 4

Plurals

grammar lesson

Chapter 5

Forms

practical lesson

Chapter 6

Personal pronouns as a subject

grammar lesson

Chapter 7

Present tense

grammar lesson*

Chapter 8

Basic sentences

grammar lesson

Chapter 9

Introducing yourself

practical lesson*

Chapter 10

Personal pronouns as a direct object

grammar lesson

Chapter 11

Possessive pronouns

grammar lesson

Chapter 12

Family

practical lesson

Chapter 13

Adjectives

grammar lesson

Chapter 14

Diminutives

grammar lesson

Chapter 15

Pets

practical lesson

Chapter 16

Degrees of comparison

grammar lesson

Chapter 17

Hobbies and spare time

practical lesson

Chapter 18

Demonstrative pronouns

grammar lesson

Chapter 19

Indefinite pronouns

grammar lesson

Chapter 20

Cultural differences

practical lesson

Chapter 21

Modal verbs

grammar lesson

Chapter 22

Negations

grammar lesson

Chapter 23

Giving opinions

practical lesson

Chapter 24

Question sentences

grammar lesson

Chapter 25

Rules

practical lesson

Chapter 26

Question words

grammar lesson

Chapter 27

Shop/Market

practical lesson

Chapter 28

Restaurant

practical lesson

Chapter 29

Modal verb ‘zullen’

grammar lesson

Chapter 30

Help and offers

practical lesson

Chapter 31

Prepositions

grammar lesson

Chapter 32

Routes and instructions

practical lesson

Chapter 33

Impersonal verbs

grammar lesson

Chapter 34

The weather

practical lesson

Chapter 35

Time indications

grammar lesson

Chapter 36

Making plans

practical lesson

Chapter 37

Conjunctions

grammar lesson

Chapter 38

Discussing routines

practical lesson

In addition to our Dutch e-learning at A1 level, we also have an e-learning bundle that combines the levels A1 and A2, as well as an e-learning A1+A2 bundle including our Pronunciation Module. 

* Rather try before you buy? We totally understand. That’s why we offer free samples of all our learning materials and modules. You can find the free demo of our Dutch A1 e-learning here. The demo contains a tutorial, two grammar lessons (numerals, present tense), and one practical lesson (introducing yourself).

Have fun on your learning journey, and feel free to reach out to us when you want to know more about how to learn A1 Dutch online!

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