Dutch has been compared to a disease of the throat rather than a language. A sloppy pronunciation of seaside town Scheveningen was a way to catch out spies in the war (so the legend goes). Whatever your attitude to languages, learning Dutch is a crucial step to integration in the Netherlands and part of the immigration and integration (inburgering) procedure. Europeans, although not obliged to follow this procedure, can do the language classes on a voluntary basis.  Visit your local town hall to see where you fit in. (See www.dutchgrammar.com for firsthand recollections of doing the test.)

Despite what you might hear from fellow-pupils in your evening classes, people will reply in Dutch, not English, if you start a conversation. Persist! In no time at all, you’ll be appreciating the heady mishmash that is Dunglish (www.dunglish.nl) or checking out the latest thoughts from Dutch language pedants (http://taalpuristen.web-log.nl/taalpuristen/).

Joining a class is a friendly and supportive way to learn a new language, and because the makeup of classes is often international, you may well pick up linguistic niceties in several other languages as well.

There’s a wide choice of commercial language courses on offer to suit individual needs and budgets with courses ranging from ‘Dutch for Au Pairs’ to more intensive NT-2 (Nederlands als Tweede Taal) classes.  It is always worth asking about average class sizes. The smaller the class size (generally) the higher the fee. The language school can’t always predict class size in advance so you may be lucky, particularly if you’re learning in Amsterdam or Den Haag where competition between schools is high. Universities often provide beginner Dutch classes for non-students, although, as you would expect, a certain level of academic ability is required to keep up. These classes can progress quite fast.

Homework is an essential part of the learning process. But watching TV or DVDs with Dutch subtitles is also extremely helpful.

Institutions targeting business and professional users can often provide cross-cultural training programmes as well although there’s no shortage of “Dealing with the Dutch” type literature online or in the bookshops.

Some organisations fund language lessons as part of relocation, which might also include your partner. If you discover that you’re being sent to ‘the nuns’, fear not (indeed rejoice). The Sisters no longer teach at the Regina Coeli Institute in Vught, but the intense, individual Dutch language programmes are renowned.

Tips for learning Dutch

• Read with attention: Start with Dutch newspaper headlines and try to figure out what they mean. Later on, read articles and check out the verbs in the article. What tense is being used? What is the infinitive? Is it a regular or irregular verb?

• Listen with attention: Listen to the news, first in your own language and then switch to the Dutch channel. You can use teletekst 888 for Dutch subtitles, or watch the news online via www.nos.nl.

• Learn new words: Write new words on a post-its and place them strategically around your space. Note if nouns are ‘het' or ‘de' words.

• Practice whenever you can: In emails, sms or spoken conversations use the Dutch you know, however little. If you have a Dutch partner, agree that you speak in Dutch at least 10 minutes a day. Or that your partner speaks Dutch and you answer in your mother tongue/ English.

• Use the internet:: There are plenty of useful and free sites you can use to help you progress. Here are a few: www.taalklas.nl: an online course with videos and exercises. www.dutchgrammar.com: information and exercises in Dutch grammar. www.2bdutch.nl: Dutch videos with Dutch subtitles. www.schooltv.nl/beeldank: video clips on a variety of topics with text to read while you're listening.

Source: NedLes (www.nedles.nl)

 For more information on education in the Netherlands, join Expatica.com's Expat Education Fair , taking place at Amsterdam Bright City on 1 December.

The Expat Education Fair provides a unique opportunity for expats to gather essential information and networking contacts related to education in the Netherlands in one day.