Why vocabulary matters more at A0, and grammar matters more at A1
When you start learning Dutch from scratch, your first goal is simple: understand and be understood. That requires words. In the first few weeks, building a core vocabulary of 200–300 high-frequency words will move you further than studying grammar rules you have no words to apply.
At A1, the balance shifts. You have enough words to form sentences — but without grammar, those sentences don't make sense. From A1 onward, grammar and vocabulary grow together.
Category 1: Greetings and everyday phrases
These are the words you'll use from day one. Learn them as complete phrases, not individual words.
- Hallo / Hoi — Hello / Hi (informal)
- Goedemorgen / Goedemiddag / Goedenavond — Good morning / afternoon / evening
- Dag / Doei — Goodbye (formal) / Bye (informal)
- Tot ziens / Tot straks — See you / See you later
- Alsjeblieft / Alstublieft — Please (informal/formal)
- Dankjewel / Dank u wel — Thank you (informal/formal)
- Graag gedaan — You're welcome
- Sorry / Pardon — Sorry / Excuse me
- Hoe gaat het? — How are you?
- Goed, dankjewel — Good, thank you
Category 2: Numbers 1–20
Numbers come up constantly. Memorise 1–20 as quickly as possible.
een, twee, drie, vier, vijf, zes, zeven, acht, negen, tien, elf, twaalf, dertien, veertien, vijftien, zestien, zeventien, achttien, negentien, twintig
Pronunciation note: The Dutch ij in vijf and vijftien sounds like English "eye". The ei in tein sounds similar.
Category 3: Question words
Master these early — they unlock every type of conversation.
- Wie — Who
- Wat — What
- Waar — Where
- Wanneer — When
- Hoe — How
- Waarom — Why
- Welk / Welke — Which
- Hoeveel — How many / How much
Category 4: High-frequency verbs
These 20 verbs cover the vast majority of everyday sentences at A0–A1.
- zijn — to be
- hebben — to have
- gaan — to go
- komen — to come
- doen — to do
- maken — to make
- zeggen — to say
- weten — to know (a fact)
- kennen — to know (a person/place)
- willen — to want
- kunnen — can / to be able to
- moeten — must / to have to
- mogen — may / to be allowed to
- werken — to work
- wonen — to live (reside)
- spreken — to speak
- eten — to eat
- drinken — to drink
- zien — to see
- heten — to be called (Ik heet...)
Category 5: People and relationships
- man / vrouw — man / woman
- vader / moeder — father / mother
- zoon / dochter — son / daughter
- broer / zus — brother / sister
- vriend / vriendin — male friend / female friend (or boyfriend/girlfriend)
- collega — colleague
- buurman / buurvrouw — male/female neighbour
Category 6: Places and directions
- huis (het) — house
- straat (de) — street
- stad (de) — city
- winkel (de) — shop
- supermarkt (de) — supermarket
- station (het) — train station
- links / rechts — left / right
- rechtdoor — straight ahead
- dichtbij / ver weg — nearby / far away
How to make vocabulary stick
1. Learn words in sentences, not in isolation. Ik woon in Amsterdam is more memorable than wonen = to live in a list.
2. Use spaced repetition. Review new words after 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days. This schedule matches the natural forgetting curve and converts short-term to long-term memory efficiently.
3. Always learn nouns with their article. Say de straat, not just straat. Say het huis, not just huis. The article is part of the word.
4. Prioritise high-frequency words. The 500 most common Dutch words account for roughly 75% of everyday spoken Dutch. Focus there before expanding to specialist vocabulary.
NederPro's vocabulary section organises Dutch words by category (daily life, work, travel, emotions) with built-in spaced repetition and audio pronunciation.