Top 5 Mistakes Every New Dutch Speaker Makes
If you're learning Dutch, you're probably already knee-deep in new vowel sounds and wondering why verbs keep finding their way to the end of sentences. Rest assured— you’re not alone. Many Dutch learners hit the same bumps early on, but tackling these 5 common mistakes can go a long way in helping you be understood and sound more natural.
Here are the top 5 mistakes Dutch learners make, plus tips to smooth them out before they become habits.
1. Overusing Stressed Pronouns Like “jij” and “wij”
In Dutch, most pronouns have chill versions (je, we, ze) and dramatic, stressed versions (jij, wij, zij). Thanks to confusing pronoun charts in books and online, new speakers often miss the distinction and default to the stressed versions.
Learner says:
“Kun jij me helpen?” (Can YOU help me?)
Native hears:
“Can YOU help me? Because no one else will!”
It sounds impatient— or like you’re calling out their coworkers for ignoring you.
Better:
“Kun je me helpen?”
This feels like a genuine, low-pressure request— not a guilt trip.
But! Just to complicate things:
While “je” has “jij,” “we” has “wij,” and “ze” has “zij”… “hij” is always just “hij”! Whether it's stressed or not.
2. Putting the verbs in the wrong place
In Dutch, verbs like to wander. That’s hard to get used to when you’re coming from English, where verbs usually stay next to the subject. Fro example, in Dutch sentences with more than one verb, the “extra” verbs often move to the end.
In English, you’d say:
I want to go running in the morning. Then I will bike to the office.
In Dutch, it the word order looks something like this:
I want in the morning to run. Then go I to the office biking.
or, in Dutch
Ik wil ’s ochtends hardlopen. Daarna ga ik naar het kantoor fietsen.
Subordinate clauses are another tricky area. In English, the verb stays near the subject:
“…because I am tired.”
But in it’s Dutch:
“…omdat ik moe ben.” (= “…because I tired am.”)
Common error:
“Omdat ik ben moe.” ❌
Correct:
“Omdat ik moe ben.” ✅
Once you learn the common words that begin subordinate clauses, like omdat (because), als (if), and terwijl (while), you’ll start to recognize these patterns in native speech.
3. Mispronouncing the “g”, “r” and “ui”
The throaty “g” (and “sch”), the rolled “r” and the tongue-twisting “ui,” are the biggest pronunciation hurdles for new learners. It’s totally normal to struggle with them at first— but don’t give up. These sounds are key to sounding natural and being understood.
Tips:
For “ui”, round your lips like you’re saying “oo,” but aim for something closer to “eh” inside.
The “g” is made at the back of your throat—like you’re trying to clear it gently.
The “r” is often rolled at the back of the throat in Dutch (especially in the north), but you can also roll it on the roof of your mouth if that’s easier. TIP: Don’t stress too much about making it perfect. Just avoid the English “r” sound, and you’re already halfway there!
4. Forgetting the -e at the end of adjectives
In English, adjectives stay the same no matter what:
“The dog is big.” / “That’s a big dog.”
Big is always big.
In Dutch, adjectives often change when they come before the noun—usually by adding -e.
Examples:
“de groot hond” ❌ → “de grote hond” ✅
“het mooi huis” ❌ → “het mooie huis” ✅
But there’s one big exception!
If you're describing a “het” word (like huis, boek, kind, etc.) with the indefinite article “een”, then you don’t add the -e.
So:
het mooie huis, but een mooi huis
het lange boek, but een lang boek
This is one of those rules that eventually becomes automatic, but in the beginning, it helps to memorize the pattern and practice it until it sticks.
5. Forgetting to split separable Verbs
Dutch has loads of verbs that break in two, like opstaan (get up), meedoen (participate), uitnodigen (invite), and terugkomen (come back). These separable verbs can stump new learners. Here’s how to tackle them…
Always move the prefix to the end of the main clause:
Common mistake:
“Ik opsta elke ochtend.” ❌
Correct:
“Ik sta elke ochtend op.” ✅
If you want your Dutch to sound more natural, it’s worth spending time on these. The trick is knowing:
Which verbs are separable
When to split them
Where to place the pieces
I’ll go into more detail about this in my next post!
Final Thoughts
Making mistakes is an unavoidable part of learning Dutch. Take comfort in knowing that in most cases, people will still understand you and appreciate the effort you’re putting in. And it means you’re actually using the language, not just racking up Duolingo points.
So keep practicing. Stay curious. And don’t be afraid to sound weird for a while. That’s where the magic happens!
