Is no one here interested in dutch?

[Trellum]

It seems this is one of the sections with the least activity   Is no one here interested in learning dutch anymore?  What happened with all those posters who were studying dutch or who had already learned it, but were working on improving it? 

I've stopped here for the same reason, most of my posts have zero replies   This sub-forum looks like a ghost town D:  Which is super sad, because just recently I've taken dutch very seriously

[anna3101]

Hello Trellum,

There are still people who are studying Dutch (or at least trying to ). Like me! But you are right, it's quite difficult to find people who are doing the same thing. I think it's really sad because it's a very beautiful language. But so hard to find a learning partner I live in Warsaw and I really wanted to find someone I could study with but no luck so far. For most people Dutch sounds far too exotic Like, "Why would you even want to learn it? It's such a small country". Duh! So what if it's a small country? It's a really interesting one, that's what counts.

Is it the same where you live? Do your friends think Dutch is a weird language choice?

Ania

[宇崎ちゃん]

Hello Trellum,

There are still people who are studying Dutch (or at least trying to ). Like me! But you are right, it's quite difficult to find people who are doing the same thing. I think it's really sad because it's a very beautiful language. But so hard to find a learning partner I live in Warsaw and I really wanted to find someone I could study with but no luck so far. For most people Dutch sounds far too exotic Like, "Why would you even want to learn it? It's such a small country". Duh! So what if it's a small country? It's a really interesting one, that's what counts.

Is it the same where you live? Do your friends think Dutch is a weird language choice?

Ania

The Netherlands is a small country, but the amount of ethnic groups here is very broad (especially in the big cities).
Also remember that Dutch is also the official language of Belgium and Suriname, although accents differ.

I'm a native speaker of both Polish and Dutch, I can say both languages are very different from each other.
Polish people normally never get the Dutch accent and grammar right, while Dutch people normally never get the pronunciation of Polish words right.
But by utilising both languages for a long time, either will improve over time.

[Trellum]

Hello Trellum,

There are still people who are studying Dutch (or at least trying to ). Like me! But you are right, it's quite difficult to find people who are doing the same thing. I think it's really sad because it's a very beautiful language. But so hard to find a learning partner I live in Warsaw and I really wanted to find someone I could study with but no luck so far. For most people Dutch sounds far too exotic Like, "Why would you even want to learn it? It's such a small country". Duh! So what if it's a small country? It's a really interesting one, that's what counts.

Is it the same where you live? Do your friends think Dutch is a weird language choice?

Ania

I'm glad to see you joined in, I no longer feel alone on here. I swear i felt like I was in a ghost town when I posted something on here, and then I seemed to be the only one participating. I'm so glad you are here, you sound like such an amicable and easy going person, I really like that!  What is your level in Dutch right now?  Mine is A1, I am studying for the basisexamen Inburgering.  I'm moving to the Netherlands    I'm learning dutch for love  

 

 Over here most people don't even know about this language,  most people confuse it with German    To be honest I think most people here don't know where the Netherlands is or that the Netherlands and Holland are the same country. Most people think I am crazy when I tell them I am learning dutch    Is your boyfriend polish? 

[anna3101]

Well, my Dutch is not that good, so I probably won't be of much help to you but if you need some kind of enthusiastic person that wants to know more about Dutch, then you've found one My spoken Dutch is probably around A1. I've never had any practice and I can't make correct sentences. I'm a bit better at reading, probably around A2-B1, mostly because of the similarities between Dutch and German.

Actually, I've started to learn Dutch a long, long time ago because I fancied a guy from the Netherlands The fascination quickly went away but my love for the language stayed, so even if I sometimes do not do anything with my Dutch for months on end, I always end up coming back to it simply because I really like it.

My main problem is, well, exactly what you've mentioned in your post:

 

 Over here most people don't even know about this language,  most people confuse it with German    To be honest I think most people here don't know where the Netherlands is or that the Netherlands and Holland are the same country. Most people think I am crazy when I tell them I am learning dutch   

Dutch is not popular here in Poland. The common reaction to someone trying to learn it "Well, what for?". And that's a problem for me because in order to make any progress I need to have some kind of "learning  buddy" I'm a very lazy person, and left to my own devices, I'd probably stay day after day in bed and do nothing. This is why I always rely on "external" motivators. I'm very lucky to have people with whom I can study (or at least, who can control me ) when it comes to my English, French and Italian. I'm hoping to find someone for Spanish soon but I know I have a zero chance of doing the same for Dutch. Which is a pity

And yes, my partner is Polish and what can I say? He's the best man in the whole universe And he's also the reason why I'm so often complemented on my Polish. He always corrects my mistakes but in a very friendly way and talking to him has been the best language course ever

[Miya]

For a while, I really wanted to learn Dutch. But then things happened and I kind of lost interest. Now I'm too busy to learn any language... I'd love to have another try at Dutch though. If I remember correctly, I was one of the people who wanted to have a Dutch section on here and that's why we got one xD So it'd only be right for me to start learning Dutch. 

[anna3101]

For a while, I really wanted to learn Dutch. But then things happened and I kind of lost interest. Now I'm too busy to learn any language... I'd love to have another try at Dutch though. If I remember correctly, I was one of the people who wanted to have a Dutch section on here and that's why we got one xD So it'd only be right for me to start learning Dutch. 

I hope you'll join us someday.

By the way, love your avatar!

[Miya]

I hope you'll join us someday.

By the way, love your avatar!

Thanks! 

I'm actually a language geek, lol. I would love to get back into learning languages, but work is taking over my life now and I don't have time ;__; Dutch is definitely one of the languages on my list though! 

[Trellum]

On 10/31/2015, 3:00:29, anna3101 said:

Well, my Dutch is not that good, so I probably won't be of much help to you but if you need some kind of enthusiastic person that wants to know more about Dutch, then you've found one My spoken Dutch is probably around A1. I've never had any practice and I can't make correct sentences. I'm a bit better at reading, probably around A2-B1, mostly because of the similarities between Dutch and German.

Actually, I've started to learn Dutch a long, long time ago because I fancied a guy from the Netherlands The fascination quickly went away but my love for the language stayed, so even if I sometimes do not do anything with my Dutch for months on end, I always end up coming back to it simply because I really like it.

My main problem is, well, exactly what you've mentioned in your post:

Dutch is not popular here in Poland. The common reaction to someone trying to learn it "Well, what for?". And that's a problem for me because in order to make any progress I need to have some kind of "learning  buddy" I'm a very lazy person, and left to my own devices, I'd probably stay day after day in bed and do nothing. This is why I always rely on "external" motivators. I'm very lucky to have people with whom I can study (or at least, who can control me ) when it comes to my English, French and Italian. I'm hoping to find someone for Spanish soon but I know I have a zero chance of doing the same for Dutch. Which is a pity

And yes, my partner is Polish and what can I say? He's the best man in the whole universe And he's also the reason why I'm so often complemented on my Polish. He always corrects my mistakes but in a very friendly way and talking to him has been the best language course ever

 

I can help you with your Spanish if you want =D What methods are you using to learn it and what is your level in Spanish?   And by the way, right now my speaking level (Dutch) is A1,  as for reading also A1.  I need to work harder, but while I wait for my results I guess I can try and relax for a bit   Last weeks have been very stressing.  By the way, from what part of Russia are you?  I'm curious =D My great great grandfather was  Russian as well   I might try to learn Russian as well, but the script makes me kind of nervous.  

[anna3101]

On 16 December 2015, Trellum said:

 

I can help you with your Spanish if you want =D What methods are you using to learn it and what is your level in Spanish?   And by the way, right now my speaking level (Dutch) is A1,  as for reading also A1.  I need to work harder, but while I wait for my results I guess I can try and relax for a bit   Last weeks have been very stressing.  By the way, from what part of Russia are you?  I'm curious =D My great great grandfather was  Russian as well   I might try to learn Russian as well, but the script makes me kind of nervous.  

I'll be happy to practise Spanish with you. You'll have a chance to laugh at my mistakes I'm not sure about my level. I can read and understand much more than I can write and talk, so probably I have a different level for each skill.

As for the places I lived in - I was born in Ukraine, but my family moved to Russia when I was little. We lived in Siberia for many years and then I spent 7 years living in Moscow. I've heard Russian is difficult to learn but then again, that's what they said to me about other languages too If you ever have any questions, I'll be glad to help you out.

[宇崎ちゃん]

2 hours ago, anna3101 said:

I've heard Russian is difficult to learn but then again, that's what they said to me about other languages too

Native speakers of certain languages tend to be so proud of their language, they keep saying they speak the most difficult language ever.
If you ask a Polish person what's the hardest language, they'll say Polish.
Same if you ask it a Hungarian, it's Hungarian.
Or a German: it's apparently German that's the hardest language ever.

However, speakers of Romance languages and English seem to be the other way around: they are so proud of their language, they keep saying they speak the easiest language ever.

[Trellum]

14 hours ago, anna3101 said:

I'll be happy to practise Spanish with you. You'll have a chance to laugh at my mistakes I'm not sure about my level. I can read and understand much more than I can write and talk, so probably I have a different level for each skill.

As for the places I lived in - I was born in Ukraine, but my family moved to Russia when I was little. We lived in Siberia for many years and then I spent 7 years living in Moscow. I've heard Russian is difficult to learn but then again, that's what they said to me about other languages too If you ever have any questions, I'll be glad to help you out.

 

Hehehe, my Dutch is not that good either   I first want to completely dominate this language, so I have a better chance to get a good job in the Netherlands, according to the inburgering video knowing Dutch well can open a lot doors, well, we will see   Right now I know for sure my reading and speaking are just A1. By the way, we can practice Spanish whenever you like, I'm always open to any kind of questions... I like to believe I am good at explaining myself well, lol. 

[sillylucy]

I am interested in learning Dutch. I first got into learning Dutch when I was watching that TLC show on living in society and being Amish. I heard them speaking Pennsylvania Dutch and it made me want to learn Dutch because it sounds go cool.

[Trellum]

@sillylucy   I think those two are two different languages.  I'm not familiar with the language the Amish speak, but it sounds a lot like German.  As far as I know the way words are spelled and pronounced is so different from Dutch.   Similar to the language spoken by the Mennonites here,  I think both of those people use a language closer related to German, but I am no expert.