Dutch (Level 1 Course)

Did you know that Dutch is not spoken just in the Netherlands? It is actually the most spoken language in Belgium and the official language of Suriname. In addition, a modified form of Dutch is one of the official languages in South Africa.

This introductory conversation course will familiarize you with the pronunciation of Dutch and will introduce basic vocabulary and grammar. The emphasis will be on understanding the spoken language and simple texts, as well as engaging in basic conversation in Dutch.

Learning objectives

At the end of this course, you will be able to:

• understand the fundamentals of Dutch grammar
• recite the letters of the alphabet in Dutch and pronounce vowels and consonants typical to Dutch
• introduce yourself and greet others
• ask for and give basic information
• speak about personal preferences using the verb 'ik hou van' (to like)
• list the days of the week, months, today’s date and time
• count from 0-100
• use definite articles ('het/de' = the) and indefinite articles ('een'= a)
• conjugate the verbs hebben (to have), zijn (to be) and regular verbs in present tense
• form negative sentences (geen, niet)
• formulate basic questions using interrogative pronouns (wie, wat, waar, wanneer, hoe, waarom)

Textbook:

Colloquial Dutch: A Complete Language Course, 2016 edition, by Bruce Donaldson (mandatory)

Format

Our online hybrid language courses make language learning flexible and convenient. The use of both synchronous and asynchronous delivery styles allows for both real-time virtual classroom conversation practice (synchronous delivery) and self-paced study (asynchronous delivery).

The synchronous delivery style will occur during the scheduled class dates and time, using Zoom for videoconferencing, chat and screen sharing for class instruction and pair/group work. The asynchronous delivery style uses Brightspace, an online environment where learners can access class materials and resources for self-paced study throughout the week. Educational activities can include exercises, readings, forums, audio/video files, quizzes, etc.

Dates

World Language courses are offered three times per year:

• September (registration opens in June)
• January (registration opens in November)
• April (registration opens in November)