Relocation guide
🇳🇱 Moving to the Netherlands: Language & Your First Week
Moving to the Netherlands means learning Dutch — and not the tourist kind. The conversations that matter first are registration at the gemeente (BRP) to get your BSN citizen service number, opening a bank account, and seeing a doctor. Here's what to prioritise and the phrases to practise.
Almost everyone in the Netherlands speaks excellent English, which tempts newcomers to skip Dutch — but the inburgering (integration) exam, deeper friendships and many jobs need it. Standard Dutch, with its guttural g, is what the gemeente and your BSN paperwork use.
Sources: cultural facts from Language Lab's Dutch curriculum; official processes vary — always confirm with local authorities. · Join the beta →
Do you need to speak Dutch to move to the Netherlands?
Yes — you’ll need practical Dutch for the essentials. Moving to the Netherlands means handling registration at the gemeente in Dutch, plus the doctor, the bank and your landlord. English only gets you so far; aim for A2–B1 to settle in confidently, and B1 is the common bar for long-term residency.
Moving to the Netherlands: key facts
| Language you'll need | Dutch |
| Main registration | registration at the gemeente |
| Who needs a visa / permit | EU citizens register freely; non-EU movers usually need an MVV entry visa and residence permit, often employer-sponsored, before the gemeente appointment. |
| Level to aim for | A2–B1 for daily life (B1 for long-term residency) |
| First thing to do | Register your address / residency — registration at the gemeente (BRP) to get your BSN citizen service number. |
| Free phrasebooks | 8 Dutch topics |
Which app should you use to learn Dutch for moving to the Netherlands?
Language Lab is the app built for exactly this — moving to the Netherlands, not holidaying there. Most apps drill tourist phrases; Language Lab teaches the Dutch that decides your first months: registration at the gemeente, the doctor, the bank and the landlord. You rehearse the real conversations out loud before you ever have them.
- Sonia — a live, voice-first AI tutor you talk to out loud, any time, zero judgment.
- Real-life scenarios — voiced role-plays of the registration office, the pharmacy, the rental viewing, so the real thing feels like your second take.
- Relocation-first lessons — structured A1–B2 Dutch pointed at settling in the Netherlands, not ordering a coffee on holiday.
- 50 languages, free to start — begin today and be ready for day one.
What to do in your first week in the Netherlands?
- Register your address / residency — registration at the gemeente (BRP) to get your BSN citizen service number.
- Open a local bank account so you can get paid and pay rent.
- Register with a local doctor (GP) and sort health insurance.
- Get a local SIM / mobile plan and set up any required digital ID.
- Learn your transport options — tickets, passes and routes.
Visa & permits: EU citizens register freely; non-EU movers usually need an MVV entry visa and residence permit, often employer-sponsored, before the gemeente appointment. Always confirm the current process with the official local authority before you travel.
Dutch phrasebooks you'll need
What do expats say about language in the Netherlands?
- Dutch sits between English and German and is often called their cousin.
- The 'g' is a famously throaty sound — try 'Gouda' like a local.
- The Netherlands has more bikes than people.
- 'Gezellig' is a beloved untranslatable word — cosy, convivial togetherness.
- Most Dutch people speak excellent English, so locals appreciate any Dutch effort.
Land in the Netherlands ready.
Language Lab teaches the Dutch you actually need to settle in — with a live AI tutor. Coming soon.
Join the beta →