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In this June Newsletter: |
Juni 2007 |
Bent u een goed verstaander>>
Your assistance needed >>
About the weather >>
Our students say >>
Summer present for our readers >>
Dutch Verbs .. >>
Last chance for the Summer >>
Expression of the month >>
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Verstaan |
Language exhibition
In Groningen you can visit a small exhibition called : ‘Bent u een goed verstaander?’
This title refers to the Dutch proverb: ‘Een goed verstaander heeft maar een half woord nodig’, literally meaning 'An understanding person needs only half a word', in other words: If you listen carefully, then you know what to do and won't have to ask for it anymore.
With this exhibition about language and understanding you can do experiments with language and be totally confused by it! You can also do a quiz to test whether you really only need ‘half a word’ to understand. For advanced learners of Dutch!
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You can visit this special exposition about language until September: Tentoonstelling |
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Watch video (in Dutch) on YouTube>>
The exhibition can be visited in the University Museum is located at Oude Kijk in 't Jatstraat 7a in Groningen, open Tuesday till Sunday 1pm-5pm.
Read the introduction (in Dutch) >> |
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Do the test |
Groningen University needs your assistance!
Two students of the Groningen University, Wendy and Laurens, are testing a new application for learning Dutch. They have built a so called chatbot (a robot who speaks Dutch with you). The second program is a website that will help you build up your vocabulary by reading Dutch texts. When you post a text, it will colour every word in that text according to how frequent it appears in the Dutch language. |
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These features will enable you to read a Dutch text very quickly.
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They are looking for learners of the Dutch language willing to test their first prototype online and fill in their evaluation form.
Would you like to cooperate? Please do! Their test must be completed before June 22nd, so don’t wait too long! Read their letter and follow instructions. Your cooperation will be highly appreciated by Wendy and Laurens.
Go to their letter now >> |
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Mooi weertje
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Speaking about the weather
The Dutch spend a lot of time talking about the weather. Many conversations begin with it. ‘Mooi weertje, hè’ (nice weather, isn’t it) or ‘Het wil maar niet opklaren’ (it just won’t clear up, will it?). If you want to strike up a conversation with a stranger, talk about the weather: you can’t go wrong.
Many people complain about the weather, but most Dutch wouldn’t like to live in another climate. Why do the Dutch talk about the weather so much? Maybe because it’s the one thing they are unable to plan for. In their cosy little world where everything is in order, the weather is the only thing that’s unpredictable.
[Source: ‘Act Normal!’ by Hans Kaldenbach]
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Listen to the pronunciation of:
Mooi weertje, hè
Het wil maar niet opklaren
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Digidutch
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Some of our students
We have Digidutch students from all over the world. That's the nice thing about Digidutch: you only need an email box and some sound on your pc. You can do this course anywhere.
Some students combine this 12 weeks email course with Skype lessons, to practice their speaking skills. This combination is very effective.
People learn Dutch for all kinds of reasons:
John: Hallo! Ik ben John. Ik kom uit Madison, een stad in Amerika. Ik reis naar Nederland op vakantie in September, dus leer ik Nederlands te spreken voor de lol. Aangenaam!
Hello! My name is John, and I come from Madison, a city in America. I
am going to the Netherlands on vacation in September, so I am learning
to speak Dutch just for fun. Nice to meet you!
Tammie: Hallo Allemaal, Ik heet Tammie, Ik kom uit Amerika.
Ik woon in Forest Grove, Oregon een dorpje vlakbij Portland. ik wil Nederlands leren want ik wil Nederlands spreken met mijn
familie wanneer ik ze bezoek deze zomer. Mijn Vader komt uit Nederland in de 1950's en spreekt in Amerika alleen Engels met me. De Digidutch cursus is leuk.
Hello Everyone,
My name is Tammie, I come from America. I live in Forest Grove. Oregon a small town by Portland. I want to learn Dutch because I want to speak Dutch to my Family when I visit this summer. My Father came from Netherlands in the 1950 and spoke only english in Americia to me. The Digdutch course is fun.
Helen: The very next best thing to face to face lessons!
UK
Cathrine: I think you´re a very VERY good teacher, and your coaching-skills are shining through all the time. Then I also happen to like your sense of humour very much and I must say I really like your brains!
(Sweden)
Would you like to become a Digidutch student too? Order now! >>
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eBook |
Your present for the Summer
Are going on a trip to The Netherlands soon? We have a summer present for our Newsletter Readers called ‘Beeldwoordenboek’.
This cute eBook (pdf) has 32 pages filled with 274 full colour pictures of important basic nouns and expressions in Dutch, plus their English translation. |
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You can download it (1.54 MB), print it, put it in your handbag and use it during your flight to The Netherlands.
Be prepared!
Sign up for our free services and get the download links
in your mailbox
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Dutch VERBS
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eBook about Dutch verbs
We have recently added a new eBook (pdf) to our shop, called “Everything you always wanted to know about Dutch verbs”. This pretty much covers what it's about.
€ 1.95
It's a 65 page eBook, which you can download immediately after payment. Explanation, rules, examples, lists...
- Regular and irregular verbs
- Auxiliary verbs
- Separable and inseparable verbs
- Reflexive verbs
- Impersonal verbs
- Modal verbs
- All tenses and how to deal with them
- and more !
Did you get the other one yet?
€ 1.50
Order the combi set
Learn Dutch + Dutch Verbs
and get a discount
€ 2,99 |
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Summer |
Last chance
Last chance to sign up ! Enrolment for our short Summer Conversation Course from 2 – 12 July in Groningen will close soon. This course takes eight face-to-face lessons (in small groups) in two weeks and will bring you to A1 level for understanding and speaking Dutch.
Sign up now! Use the subscription form! >>
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Say it in Dutch! |
Expression of the month
Doe maar gewoon,
dan doe je al gek genoeg
(Famous Dutch expression)
Act normal, that’s quite strange enough
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Listen! |
 
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