Study plan

B1 · Intermediate Dutch study plan

All 54 B1 lessons in order, with reading texts and grammar exercises after each unit.

Unit 1 · Grammar in context

The word “er” — One little word, four big jobs.
Relative clauses — Join sentences with die, dat, wat and waar.
The passive — Focus on what happens, not who does it.

Unit 2 · Expressing yourself

Te + infinitive — Try to, forget to, in order to — and what you're busy doing.
Reflexive verbs — Verbs with zich: feeling, remembering, getting dressed.
If I were… (zou) — Hypotheses, wishes and polite advice.

Unit 3 · Society & culture

Holidays & traditions — Koningsdag, Sinterklaas, Oud en Nieuw — and saying when things happen.
The environment — Climate, waste and energy — with the more…, the more… and both… and….
Job interview — Vacancies, CVs and interviews — and reporting what people say and ask.
The past perfect — Say what had already happened before something else in the past.

Unit 4 · Communicating well

Little words: maar, even, toch, hoor — The small words that make Dutch sound friendly, natural and less blunt.
Linking words — Link sentences with daarom, bovendien, echter, kortom — and get the word order right.
Formal emails — Write to an employer, landlord or the council in the right register.
Meetings & discussions — Make proposals, give your view and agree or disagree politely.

Unit 5 · News & society

The news — Read headlines and news reports — and say who said what with volgens.
Politics — Talk about elections, parties and government — and give your opinion formally.
Numbers & trends — Describe rising and falling numbers, percentages and fractions.
Education — Talk about studies, exams and internships — with the right prepositions.

Unit 6 · Grammar workshop

Although & despite — Say “although”, “despite” and “even so” — and build a balanced argument.
Building words — Make new words with -heid, -ing, -baar, -loos, on-, -lijk, -er/-ster and -achtig.
If I had known… — Talk about what would have happened — and about regrets.
Verbs with fixed prepositions — Twelve more verbs that always come with the same preposition.

Unit 7 · Speaking & writing well

Discussing & debating — Defend a point of view, admit a point and draw a conclusion.
Making a complaint — Complain about a faulty product or bad service — politely but firmly.
Negotiating — Make offers, set conditions and meet each other halfway.
Telling a story — Tell what happened to you — with suspense, a twist and an ending.

Unit 8 · Grammar workshop 2

Verbs at the end — Put two or three verbs in the right order at the end of a sentence.
Someone, nothing, everything — Talk about someone, no one, everyone, somewhere and everywhere.
Iets moois: adjectives as nouns — Say “something nice”, “nothing new” and “the good thing is…”.
I had to / I could have — Say what you had to do, couldn't do — and should have done.

Unit 9 · Grammar workshop 3

Participles as adjectives — Say “the stolen bike”, “a boiled egg” and “a laughing child”.
Where does niet go? — Put niet in the right place — at the end, or before the part it negates.
Nouns with fixed prepositions — Learn nouns that always come with their own preposition.
Formal vs informal Dutch — Recognise and use the formal words of letters, forms and official emails.

Unit 10 · Housing & community

Buying a house — Talk about viewings, asking prices and mortgages, and give careful advice.
Problems with your rental — Report leaks and mould, talk about rent increases and know your rights as a tenant.
Neighbourhood & community — Talk about your neighbourhood, local initiatives and getting involved.
The municipality & local politics — Understand how your municipality works: the mayor, permits, objections and local plans.

Unit 11 · Health, sport & food

The healthcare system — Understand Dutch health insurance, referrals and the eigen risico, and ask the right questions.
Mental health — Talk about how you feel, mental health problems and getting help.
Sports clubs & volunteering — Join a club, pay your membership fee and help out as a volunteer.
Food culture & diets — Talk about eating habits, vegetarian and vegan food, and intolerances.

Unit 12 · Travel & culture

Travel stories — Tell others about a trip: where you went, what you saw and what went wrong.
Travel problems — Deal with cancelled flights, lost luggage and claims, and explain what happened.
Art & museums — Describe paintings and sculptures, and say what a work of art makes you think of.
Films & series — Review films and series: the story, the actors and whether it's worth watching.

Unit 13 · Career & learning

Career development — Talk about your ambitions, skills and the next step in your career.
The performance review — Get through your annual review: feedback, points for improvement and asking for a raise.
Starting a business — Talk about going freelance: clients, invoices, VAT and the risks of working for yourself.
Learning as an adult — Talk about courses, retraining and learning Dutch, and say how you learn.

Unit 14 · Modern life

Parenting & generations — Talk about raising children, childcare and how things were different in the past.
Technology & privacy — Talk about apps, personal data and protecting your privacy online.
Saving energy at home — Talk about your energy bill, insulation and simple ways to use less gas and electricity.
Giving a presentation — Structure a short presentation, guide your audience and handle questions.