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Hi all,
I am seriously thinking about moving to the Netherlands in a next year or so and trying to do some research before I make my final decision...
My most concern is I CANNOT SPEAK DUTCH! Is it a big issue? I know like 90% of people there know english but what about the paperwork(doctors, insurance, job hunt) signs, books, tv etc..?
I'm not afraid of learning (after all not even english is my native language) it's more about at the beginning, communication, finding friends stuff that bothers me. Any thoughts on that? From foreigners coming to Netherlands... Or is there an area mostly inhabited by english speaking people?
Also I want to live in a warmer climate after living for six years in England but as I am reading more and more, looks like it is not too much better over there... or is it?
Thanks
Hi all,
I am seriously thinking about moving to the Netherlands in a next year or so and trying to do some research before I make my final decision...
My most concern is I CANNOT SPEAK DUTCH! Is it a big issue? I know like 90% of people there know english but what about the paperwork(doctors, insurance, job hunt) signs, books, tv etc..?
I'm not afraid of learning (after all not even english is my native language) it's more about at the beginning, communication, finding friends stuff that bothers me. Any thoughts on that? From foreigners coming to Netherlands... Or is there an area mostly inhabited by english speaking people?
Also I want to live in a warmer climate after living for six years in England but as I am reading more and more, looks like it is not too much better over there... or is it?
Thanks
If you want a warmer climate then Netherlands is not the best option.
Btw, Eindhoven, Breda and Maastricht have pretty warm summers, for Dutch standards obviously.
About the English well, you can get a job maded for foreigners and for EU members. So if you're from England quick up and apply to a job because if you will become a non EU member you will need lots of things to have a job in Netherlands, now is just come and work.
For almost all of jobs within NL you need to know Dutch, at least intermediate Dutch, with only English you can only achieve a temporary job for foreigners within an agency (and if you are very good they maybe can maintain you in that job) or if there is a specific needing for high qualified workers like a specific Engineer or programmer in Amsterdam, but you will need very high studies and experience.
About the paperwork, unless a few things, most are just in Dutch. Although you can translate them for a cheap price, or even free with your phone lol. But if you come with a temporary agency they will do anything related to bureaucracy. For the police, medics, etc you can handle it at 100% just with English (not for apply to a job in the police or in the health, I mean to talk with them).
Signs, books, tv, anything are 98% Dutch. It's something obvious btw it's our language. That doesn't mean that 95% of the people on the street doesn't speak English. Practically all of people knows English, at least from low-mid to high. Even the immigrants know English, as most learned it in the school. About the signs don't worry, traffic signs are very similar to the UK, and about the written ones finally you will know what they mean after seeing them many times. And with a fast Google Translate search with your phone you can translate anything you want. At least is latin script, it's all intelligible.
Bikes have also traffic signs. So take a look at this:
If you want a warmer climate then Netherlands is not the best option.
Btw, Eindhoven, Breda and Maastricht have pretty warm summers, for Dutch standards obviously.
About the English well, you can get a job maded for foreigners and for EU members. So if you're from England quick up and apply to a job because if you will become a non EU member you will need lots of things to have a job in Netherlands, now is just come and work.
For almost all of jobs within NL you need to know Dutch, at least intermediate Dutch, with only English you can only achieve a temporary job for foreigners within an agency (and if you are very good they maybe can maintain you in that job) or if there is a specific needing for high qualified workers like a specific Engineer or programmer in Amsterdam, but you will need very high studies and experience.
About the paperwork, unless a few things, most are just in Dutch. Although you can translate them for a cheap price, or even free with your phone lol. But if you come with a temporary agency they will do anything related to bureaucracy. For the police, medics, etc you can handle it at 100% just with English (not for apply to a job in the police or in the health, I mean to talk with them).
Signs, books, tv, anything are 98% Dutch. It's something obvious btw it's our language. That doesn't mean that 95% of the people on the street doesn't speak English. Practically all of people knows English, at least from low-mid to high. Even the immigrants know English, as most learned it in the school. About the signs don't worry, traffic signs are very similar to the UK, and about the written ones finally you will know what they mean after seeing them many times. And with a fast Google Translate search with your phone you can translate anything you want. At least is latin script, it's all intelligible.
Bikes have also traffic signs. So take a look at this:
Thanks for the reply!
I'm Czech so still in the EU luckily.
I dont want a temporary job, I want to actually live there. Are there jobs where I could do with very little dutch and mainly enlish? Hospitality or warehouse jobs etc..? I will study before I go surely (but how much can one learn not being with the natives... ) and would atend like a college or something while there to at least do basic communication and try to find a friend who would also help me at the begining. That was kinda my idea but not sure if it would be possible if I cant even get a job
well with the weather, I am in Edinburgh for few months now and Im just fed up with the all time gloomyness. Its so depressing. Also I love to play hockey but cannot tell you how many times a game had to be cancelled due to FROZEN PITCH. Im not looking for tropical weather just something mild/warm would do me!
well with the weather, I am in Edinburgh for few months now and Im just fed up with the all time gloomyness. Its so depressing. Also I love to play hockey but cannot tell you how many times a game had to be cancelled due to FROZEN PITCH. Im not looking for tropical weather just something mild/warm would do me!
It's not gonna be much different in the NL. The May-September period is a bit warmer and sunnier, but you won't notice a difference rest of the year.
Easy. My gf lives in NL for 3 years now and hardly speaks any dutch, because everyone including supermarket cashiers, authorities and colleagues do speak english very well. University lectures are in english anyways.
Easy. My gf lives in NL for 3 years now and hardly speaks any dutch, because everyone including supermarket cashiers, authorities and colleagues do speak english very well. University lectures are in english anyways.
That's sad, i honestly don't understand people that migrate to another country and doesn't learn the language. Don't mean to offend you but i can't grasp the concept of immigrating(temp or not) and not trying to learn the host country's language, specially when is a easy language.
That's sad, i honestly don't understand people that migrate to another country and doesn't learn the language. Don't mean to offend you but i can't grasp the concept of immigrating(temp or not) and not trying to learn the host country's language, specially when is a easy language.
Yeah, somehow true. I also never understand people who move to another country without learning the language. I mean, one gets lazy if people speak english so very well. Plus, during the weekends she usually doesn't stay there and most of her colleagues are university people who anyways speak english to each other. I mean, she is working as a professor for asian economy, moved there quite spontanously due to a job offer, usually her contact with people outisde of university or friend groups is very limited. She is planning to learn dutch but always busy ^^
From a climate perspective, NL is not really much better than UK. Maybe you should move to Malta or whatever.
In order to get a job you have to learn Dutch for like 99% of the jobs. Without at least basic knowledge of the language you just wont get hired.
In private life you can last a long time with English because everyone speaks good English. But not for ever. Eventually people expect you to speak Dutch and will be annoyed with you if your here for like four years and still don't speak any Dutch.
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) and would atend like a college or something while there to at least do basic communication and try to find a friend who would also help me at the begining. That was kinda my idea but not sure if it would be possible if I cant even get a job 
