· 7 min read
Dutch vs French: Which Should You Learn?
By Language Lab editorial team
Dutch vs French compared with official figures: 24 weeks of classes against 30 for English speakers. See grammar, Belgium, where each is spoken and exams.
Dutch and French are both in the easiest official group for English speakers, with Dutch a little quicker: the US State Department lists Dutch at 24 weeks of classes and French at 30. They belong to different families. Dutch is a Germanic language, a cousin of English, and shares everyday words with it; French shares a large stock of vocabulary of its own with English, and its grammar resembles Spanish and Italian. French reaches much further: the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie counts 396 million French speakers, against about 24 million Dutch speakers by the Taalunie's count. In Belgium the two meet: Dutch is the official language of Flanders, and French is the language of most people in Brussels. Choose by where you will live.
Side by side
| Dutch | French | |
|---|---|---|
| State Department category | Category I | Category I |
| Class time | 24 weeks | 30 weeks |
| At 10 hours a week | About 55 weeks | 69 weeks |
| Family | Germanic, a cousin of English and German | Grammar similar to Spanish and Italian |
| Hurdles named by the BBC's guides | The articles de and het; verbs at the end of the sentence | Genders, verb conjugation, nasal sounds |
| Speakers | About 24 million | 396 million |
| Official exams | Staatsexamen Nt2 at B1 and B2; CNaVT from A2 to C1 | DELF A1 to B2, DALF C1 and C2, TCF |
Which is easier?
Dutch, by a small margin. Both languages sit in the State Department's Category I, languages close to English, which spans 24 to 30 weeks, or 552 to 690 class hours. Dutch is at the short end and French at the long end. At 10 hours a week that is about 55 weeks for Dutch and 69 for French. The BBC's guide goes further and calls Dutch probably the easiest language for English speakers to learn.
Where Dutch is hard
- De and het. Dutch has two words for the, and the BBC's guide calls them quite possibly the hardest part, because you must memorise which one each noun takes.
- Verbs at the end. Dutch sentences often place the verb at the end, which takes some getting used to.
- Sounds. The sch of Scheveningen, and words such as herfst, autumn, with four consonants in a row.
Where French is hard
- Genders and verb conjugation, which the BBC's guide says you will have to get your head around.
- Nasal sounds, and vowels with accents.
- Irregular verbs you cannot avoid: être, to be; avoir, to have; aller, to go; venir, to come.
Vocabulary you already know
- Dutch: everyday words from the same Germanic root as English, such as appel, apple; peer, pear; blauw, blue; and groen, green.
- French: a large number of English words and expressions are of French origin, and most French words ending in -tion or -sion are spelt almost exactly as in English.
The same phrases in both
| English | Dutch | French |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hallo | Bonjour |
| Goodbye | Tot ziens | Au revoir |
| Please | Alstublieft | S'il vous plaît |
| Yes | Ja | Oui |
| No | Nee | Non |
| My name is ... | Ik heet ... | Je m'appelle ... |
| I don't understand | Ik begrijp het niet | Je ne comprends pas |
Dutch or French for Belgium?
It depends on the region. The BBC's guide to Dutch describes Dutch as the official language of Flanders, the northern region of Belgium, and says it is also spoken in Brussels, although the majority of that city's population speak French. Its guide to French lists some parts of Belgium among the places where French is spoken. The Taalunie counts about 6.5 million Dutch speakers in Belgium. So the practical rule is to learn the language of the place where you will live and work: Dutch for Flanders, French for the French-speaking parts, and for Brussels the one your work or studies use.
Where each is spoken
- Dutch: about 24 million speakers, roughly 17 million in the Netherlands, 6.5 million in Belgium and 400,000 in Suriname. It is an official language in six countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Suriname, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten.
- French: the official language of France, and also spoken in Monaco, Luxembourg, parts of Belgium and Switzerland, Québec, and parts of North and Central Africa. The Organisation internationale de la Francophonie counts 396 million speakers and 170 million learners.
Exams and free courses
| Dutch | French | |
|---|---|---|
| Certificates | Staatsexamen Nt2, Programme I (B1) and Programme II (B2); CNaVT, five exams from A2 to C1 | DELF for A1 to B2 and DALF for C1 and C2; TCF, a language level test |
| Validity | Nt2 diploma: no expiry date. CNaVT: no period of validity | DELF and DALF: valid for life |
| For university | B2: Nt2 Programme II or CNaVT Educatief Startbekwaam | DELF B2 allows entry into French universities |
| Free course | University of Groningen, Introduction to Dutch: three weeks for beginners | The Open University's free beginner courses; TV5MONDE; RFI |
How to choose
- You are moving to the Netherlands or Flanders: Dutch.
- You are moving to France, French-speaking Belgium or Switzerland, or Québec: French.
- You want a language used on several continents: French.
- You want the shortest route for an English speaker: Dutch, at 24 weeks of classes against 30.
- You will work across Belgium: start with the language of your own region and add the other later. Both are Category I languages.
Language Lab offers both. Its Dutch and French courses are built around voiced real-life scenarios with an AI tutor.
Frequently asked
Is Dutch easier than French?
Slightly, for English speakers. The US State Department lists Dutch at 24 weeks of classes and French at 30. Both are Category I languages.
Should I learn Dutch or French for Belgium?
Learn the language of your region. Dutch is the official language of Flanders, in the north. In Brussels, Dutch is spoken too, but the majority of the population speak French.
Are Dutch and French similar?
No. Dutch is a Germanic language, related to English and German. French grammar has similarities to Spanish and Italian.
Which is more useful, Dutch or French?
French is used far more widely: 396 million speakers, according to the Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, against about 24 million for Dutch. Dutch is the one you need for the Netherlands and Flanders.
How long does each take to learn?
By State Department class time, 24 weeks for Dutch and 30 for French. At 10 hours a week that is about 55 weeks and 69 weeks.
Do the Dutch and French diplomas expire?
The Staatsexamen Nt2 diploma has no expiry date, and DELF and DALF are valid for life.
Sources: US Department of State, National Foreign Affairs Training Center, Foreign Language Training; BBC Languages, A Guide to Dutch and A Guide to French: 10 facts and Key phrases (archived pages); Taalunie, Feiten & cijfers, and CNaVT; College voor Toetsen en Examens, Staatsexamens Nt2, English page; University of Groningen Language Centre, Free Introduction to Dutch; Organisation internationale de la Francophonie, La langue française dans le monde; France Éducation international, DELF, DALF and TCF; TV5MONDE; RFI; The Open University, OpenLearn. Checked on 13 October 2026. Photo: Canal and brick houses at the Rozenhoedkaai, Bruges, Jean-Christophe Destailleur / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons).
