German vs Dutch: Which Is Easier, and How Similar Are They?

Key takeaways

• Dutch is the easier of the two for English speakers (Foreign Service Institute Category I against II).
• A good share of their everyday vocabulary is shared: roughly 4 in 10 everyday words look alike, so many German words will feel familiar if you know Dutch, though plenty will not.
• Start with the one you will actually use; if speed is the goal, Dutch asks for fewer hours.

How hard is each one?

For an English speaker Dutch is the easier of the two: the Foreign Service Institute puts it at 552–690 class hours against 828 for German. These are the figures behind the how long does it take to learn a language calculator, from the US Foreign Service Institute's published language training times.

The hours are for a native English speaker in full-time classes aiming at professional working proficiency. Useful everyday conversation comes sooner, and the calculator breaks the time down by level.

How much do the words overlap?

A good share of their everyday vocabulary is shared: roughly 4 in 10 everyday words look alike, so many German words will feel familiar if you know Dutch, though plenty will not.

A few everyday words that look alike in German and Dutch:

And a few everyday words that look completely different:

Writing system and grammar

• Both use the Latin alphabet, so neither asks you to learn a new script, though each has its own spelling rules and special letters.
• Noun cases are a bigger part of the grammar in one than the other (see the table).

Which should you learn first?

If your main aim is the fastest route to holding a conversation, Dutch asks for fewer hours. If you want to reach a particular place, a person or a job, start with the one you will actually use: steady motivation counts for more than the difference in hours. Because they share so much, you do not need to pick one forever. Learning one first makes the other noticeably quicker, and the main risk is mixing the two up, so give the first a solid base before starting the second.

Frequently asked questions

Is German easier than Dutch?

For an English speaker Dutch is the easier of the two: the Foreign Service Institute puts it at 552–690 class hours against 828 for German. Hours are for a native English speaker reaching professional working proficiency in full-time classes; casual learning gets you to useful conversation well before that.

How similar are German and Dutch?

A good share of their everyday vocabulary is shared: roughly 4 in 10 everyday words look alike, so many German words will feel familiar if you know Dutch, though plenty will not. They are both Germanic languages, like English.

Should I learn German or Dutch first?

If your main aim is the fastest route to holding a conversation, Dutch asks for fewer hours. If you want to reach a particular place, a person or a job, start with the one you will actually use: steady motivation counts for more than the difference in hours. Because they share so much, you do not need to pick one forever. Learning one first makes the other noticeably quicker, and the main risk is mixing the two up, so give the first a solid base before starting the second.

Can speakers of German and Dutch understand each other?

Some can, to a degree, but it varies a lot from person to person and with practice. Written text is usually easier to follow than fast speech.

Keep going

• How long does it take to learn German?
• Free German vocabulary lists
• German vocabulary test
• German quiz
• How long does it take to learn Dutch?
• Free Dutch vocabulary lists
• Dutch vocabulary test
• Dutch quiz
• Why 'Der, Die, Das' Matters More Than the Noun
• Why 'De' or 'Het' Is Never a Coin Flip

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