Beginner's Dutch Grammar

by Dennis Strik, Dennis Strik

Here is a useful, practical guide to learning Dutch grammar that is ideal for beginning or intermediate learners. There are nearly 100 concise grammar lessons, with only one lesson on a page, immediately followed by practice exercises for the reader to try.

Paperback

Published January 1, 1750

Reviews

[Frank · Rating 3 out of 5]

For someone with my background, Dutch is dead easy. Well over 80% of the vocabulary appears to be German with altered orthography. Much of the rest can be worked out from English, Danish and, occasionally, French. The orthographical transformations are only partially consistent, making the puzzling out of words rather like a visit to a costume ball, and just as fun. The grammatical alignment is even more remarkable. Virtually all structures are German, thankfully, often simplified.

This book aims to cover a wide range and makes a fair job of it. It does not assume any linguistic knowledge, and its explanations are not made overly complicated by attempting to cover all cases. For this reason, it will not be of much use as a reference. In the last chapters, it begins reaching beyond grammar to addresses questions of style and usage, for instance, the ways that the language is used by different social groups.

Overall a fun experience, and I am encouraged to continue by moving on to juvenile literature in Dutch.