ACCESS NL > Education in the Netherlands > Learning Dutch > General questions on learning Dutch > What are the different levels in the Dutch language?

General questions on learning Dutch

I am an expat. Are there any government subsidised Dutch language courses available?

Is it important to learn Dutch? I am in doubt as to whether I should learn Dutch as everyone here seems to speak English.

What is the most effective way for me to learn Dutch? I am not a natural linguist, so I might find it hard to learn Dutch.

It is not compulsory for me to learn Dutch but I would like to learn it. Can you suggest some good language institutes and learning centres for me?

Who can attend classes at a volksuniversiteit?

Can I teach myself Dutch?

Is there any organisation that can help me practice my Dutch and help me feel at home?

What are the different levels in the Dutch language?

In the Netherlands, the different levels for Dutch are the six levels from the Common European Framework Reference (CEFR).  The levels are:

A1 and A2: basic user

B1 and B2: independent user

C1 and C2: proficient user

For a more detailed description of every level, please look at www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/table-1-cefr-3.3-common-reference-levels-global-scale