Word
dutch
Phoneticsdutch
US/ˈdətʃ/
UK/dˈʌtʃ/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the language spoken in the Netherlands and parts of Belgium. It can also refer to the people who come from the Netherlands.
n. the West Germanic language spoken primarily in the Netherlands and Flanders; also used as a collective noun for the people of the Netherlands.
Examples
“She is learning Dutch because she wants to work in Amsterdam.”
“While many people in the Netherlands speak excellent English, learning some Dutch helps you integrate into the local community.”
“The historical evolution of Dutch shares many characteristics with Low German, yet it developed a distinct literary and formal standard during the seventeenth century.”
Examples
simple
“She is learning Dutch because she wants to work in Amsterdam.”
contextual
“While many people in the Netherlands speak excellent English, learning some Dutch helps you integrate into the local community.”
complex
“The historical evolution of Dutch shares many characteristics with Low German, yet it developed a distinct literary and formal standard during the seventeenth century.”
Usage
Uncountable when referring to the language. When referring to the people, it is used as a collective plural ('the Dutch') and does not take an 's'.
Pitfall
He is a Dutch.
He is Dutch.
When referring to a person's nationality, use the adjective 'Dutch' without an article, or use the noun 'Dutchman' or 'Dutchwoman'.
Etymology
PIE word *tewtéh₂ Derived from Middle English Duch (“German, Low German, Dutch”), from Middle Low German dütsch, düdesch (“German, Low German, Dutch”) and Middle Dutch dūtsch, dūtsc (“German, Low German, Dutch”), from Proto-West Germanic þiudisk, from Proto-Germanic þiudiskaz (“of one’s people”), derived from þeudō (“people”), from Proto-Indo-European tewtéh₂. Doublet of Deutsch and Doitsu. Compare Middle English thedisch (“native, endemic”) from Old English þēodisċ (“of one’s people”), Old Saxon thiudisk (German Low German düütsch (“German”)), Old High German diutisc (modern German deutsch (“German”)), modern Dutch Duits (“German”) alongside elevated Diets (“Dutch”) (a secondary distinction, fully accepted only in the 19th century). See also Derrick, Teuton, Teutonic. The pejorative senses (Dutch courage, Dutch wife, Dutch uncle, etc.) are said to stem from the Anglo-Dutch Wars and the accompanying rivalry.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/dutch