Study plan

A2 · Elementary Dutch study plan

All 73 A2 lessons in order, with reading texts and grammar exercises after each unit.

Unit 1 · The past

What did you do? (perfect) — The tense Dutch speakers use most for the past.
Telling a story (simple past) — Describe how things were.

Unit 2 · Health

The body — Body parts and saying what hurts.
At the doctor's — Make an appointment and describe symptoms.

Unit 3 · Work & opinions

Work — Jobs, colleagues — and why: sentences with omdat.
Opinions & comparing — Say what you think and compare things.

Unit 4 · Home & plans

Home — Rooms, renting and moving house.
Plans & the future — Holidays, plans and what you’re going to do.

Unit 5 · Free time

Hobbies — Say what you like doing — and what you like best.
Invitations & plans — Invite friends, accept, decline and agree on a time.

Unit 6 · Travel

Travelling — Trains, planes, tickets and delays.
At the hotel — Book a room, check in and ask for things politely.

Unit 7 · Getting things done

Groceries — Buy the right amount at the market, the cheese shop or the supermarket.
Cooking — Follow a recipe and tell someone what to do in the kitchen.
On the phone — Answer the phone, ask for someone and leave a message.

Unit 8 · People

Describing people — Say what someone looks like and who they take after.
Personality — Describe what people are like — and say how much.

Unit 9 · De or het?

Het-word patterns — Groups of nouns that are het by rule.
De-word patterns — Groups of nouns that are de by rule.
Common het-words (1) — Everyday het-words that follow no rule — and tricks to remember them.
Common het-words (2) — More frequent het-words — and how compound nouns get their article.

Unit 10 · Life admin

At the town hall — Register at the gemeente, fill in forms and understand the instructions.
At the bank — Manage your account, pay, transfer money and talk about amounts.
Parcels & post — Send letters, track parcels and understand delivery messages.
Emergencies — Call for help, report an accident or a theft, and understand urgent instructions.

Unit 11 · Going out

At the restaurant — Order a full meal, mention allergies and ask for something with or without.
Sport — Talk about the sports you do, matches and injuries.
Film & culture — Films, theatre and exhibitions — and saying what you thought of them.
Last weekend — Tell someone what you did at the weekend.

Unit 12 · Living in the Netherlands

Public transport — Travel by bus, tram and train: check in, change and deal with delays.
Shopping online — Order online, track a delivery and send things back.
Repairs at home — Report what's broken and get it fixed — by yourself or by someone else.
School — Talk about your children's school, grades and parents' evenings.

Unit 13 · Nature & relationships

Nature — Describe the landscape and say where you go for a walk.
Camping — Go camping, put up a tent and make suggestions.
Relationships — Talk about partners, love, marriage and your in-laws.
Life events — Talk about births, graduations, weddings and funerals — and say the right thing.

Unit 14 · Health & wellbeing

At the pharmacy — Buy medicine, understand dosage instructions and ask about side effects.
At the dentist — Make a dentist appointment, explain what hurts and understand the treatment.
Stress & wellbeing — Talk about stress, worries and relaxing — and say when something is too much.
Healthy eating — Talk about what's in your food and how to eat more healthily.

Unit 15 · Working life

Office life — Describe your working day, your team and your office routines.
Calling in sick — Call or email your manager to say you're ill — and to say you're back.
Time off — Ask for a day off, request leave and talk about dates and how long you'll be away.
Small talk with colleagues — Chat at the coffee machine, catch up after the weekend and join in at the borrel.

Unit 16 · Around town

Neighbours — Meet the neighbours, borrow and lend things, and complain about noise politely.
Cycling — Get around by bike: directions, traffic rules and fixing a flat tyre.
At the library — Join the library, return and renew books — and avoid a fine.
At the hairdresser — Book a haircut and explain exactly how you want it.

Unit 17 · Media & online

Social media — Post, share, like and follow — and talk about it in Dutch.
Staying safe online — Recognise scams and give clear warnings about links, codes and fake messages.
Music — Talk about songs, bands, instruments and gigs.
Books & reading — Talk about what you're reading and what you thought of it.

Unit 18 · Home & garden

Moving house — Pack your boxes, organise the move and sort out the paperwork.
Furnishing a flat — Furnish your new place, assemble flat-pack furniture and say where things go.
In the garden — Talk about gardening: sowing, weeding, mowing and watering.
Cleaning & maintenance — Give the house a thorough clean: stains, windows, drains and bin bags.

Unit 19 · On the road & in the air

The car & driving — Talk about driving, parking, filling up and traffic jams.
At the garage — Get your car serviced and repaired, and understand what the mechanic says.
At the airport — Check in, go through security and find your gate.
The weather forecast — Understand the weather forecast and talk about tomorrow's weather.

Unit 20 · Out & about

Opening hours & queues — Ask politely when places open, wait your turn and take a number.
A museum visit — Visit a museum: tickets, tours, the cloakroom and the house rules.
Festivals & events — Talk about festivals, parades and fairs, and say what you think and hope.
A city trip — Plan a city break: sights, towers, squares and the best views.

Unit 21 · Health & care

Sports injuries — Say what happened when you got hurt, and talk about treatment and recovery.
At the gym — Sign up at the gym, join a class and talk about fitness and sore muscles.
Test results & referrals — Follow up on a doctor's visit: results, referrals, specialists and waiting lists.
Babysitting — Look after children: bedtime, nappies, toys and friendly instructions.

Unit 22 · Money & community

Money & saving — Talk about saving, spending, budgets and making ends meet.
Insurance basics — Understand the basic words for insurance and what you must or needn't have.
Volunteering — Talk about volunteer work and explain why you do it.
Learning Dutch — Talk about learning a language: lessons, mistakes, pronunciation and practice.