Learning Dutch through movies: What I learned from Weg van Jou

-
If you are one of those who complains about Dutch music and movies, this post is probably not for you. Why? Because I am about to tell you why watching movies is one of the best ways to learn Dutch and get a glimpse of the beauty found in Dutch culture. 

Let us begin with some info about the movie: It is a comedy-romance story. It was released in 2017 and the main actress is Katja Herbers (She also appears in the TV series Westworld!). Oh! You can watch it on Netflix with Dutch subtitles. How neat is that?!
Now, let's get to the exciting part! What have I learned from the movie?

 Number One: Vocabulary
I watched the movie twice. The first one I played without stopping. The second time, I paused everytime I wanted to understand something specific from the subtitles. I will share with you my some of my favorite discoveries:

  • een slokje - a sip
  • is wel tof - wat enig - wat leuk
  • toe maar - go ahead
  • laat maar - never mind
  • wedden - bet
  • doop - baptism
  • Ik was echt een ramp. - I was really a disaster.
  • echt zo gênant - really so embarrasing
  • knap hoor - well done
  • echt waar - really
  • flauwvalt - faint
  • zeiknat - soaking wet
  • zeesluis - sea lock
  • begrafenis - funeral
Number Two: Music
I know you are not asking for advice, but let me give you one: learn to enjoy Dutch music. If you open your heart to the language and culture, you will find it a million times easier to integrate. Thanks to this film, I discovered a new singer: Rob Dekay. My favorite song from the movie is Alles Gaat Voorbij. Listen to it! It is sweet and happy and makes you want to sing it too! 
Number Three: Cultural Window
Thanks to the movie, I discovered Sergio Herman, zeesluizen, and in my opinion, one of the pillars of Dutch culture that goes like this,
Geluk zit in de keine dingen...
Because this is what I think: It is a gift and a privilege to be able to lead such a peaceful and gezellig life in the Netherlands. Sometimes, when biking back from my morning swim or after enjoying our morning kort praatje, I feel infinitely grateful to my darling and this country. To friends and students that fill every moment with love, laughter and understanding, thanks for making life a dream come true. 





Location: Eindhoven, Países Bajos

Popular posts from this blog

Inburgering Part 1: Reading Exam

-
Image
So here we go... What is the famous "inburgering"? Well, according to Wikipedia , " ...   the foreigner is obliged to learn very basic Dutch and basic knowledge about Dutch society... " There are different levels of exams, it all depends on what you want it for. From now on, let's call it integration exam.
Read more

Resources and tips for your Spreken Inburgeringexamen

-
Image
                S peaking in Dutch can be intimidating if it is something you don't regularly do.   Fortunately, the list of online resources to get ready for the exam are quite many, seriously!        Now, hold on a little. Before we go and open the treasure of goodies, I would like to talk about some tips a friend of mine was kind enough to share (she wishes to remain anonymous): Trust yourself. You might hear others recording their answers. Don't pay attention to them. Focus on what you want to say and record it. Speak with confidence. Shyness is no good company during the recording process. Even if you think it is noisy, your voice should be clear, calm, and sound. Record more than once. If you don't like how the recorded answer sounds, do it again, always being aware of time.      Nice! Many thanks for your patience. We're ready now. Are you sitting down to receive the treasure box of material to study from? Take a look at this beauty :      A
Read more

Learning Dutch and the Difference Between White and Brown Eggs

-
Image
To buy eggs, or not to buy... That's not the question!        The question is: Why do people keep buying brown eggs even when they are more expensive than white ones? Maybe you already know, but I had no idea! Last Monday at Dutch school , my classmates and I  finally learned the answer to this spooky question! How did the teacher introduce the topic? By watching an educational show on  Schooltv ,  Wat is het verschil tussen witte en bruine eieren? Which eggs are more expensive? Brown eggs. Which eggs are the most sold in the supermarkets? Brown eggs. Where lies the secret of the egg's color? In the chicken's earlobe! In de kleur van de kip oorlelletje ! What?! Yes. If the earlobe is red, brown eggs. If it's white, white it is! Is the quality different between the two? No. It's exactly the same. Identiek . Why, then, are brown ones more popular? In the past, chickens were usually kept in battery cages , l egb
Read more