Dutch With Ease (Assimil Language Learning Programs, English Base)

Rating:
Summary: It is easy!
Review: Assimil's Dutch With Ease is exactly that...gemakkelijk! It is based on dialogs which students read and then look at the translation. While I'm not a fan of learning by translation, this method was helpful in the first few lessons until eventially I only had to look up the occasional word. Moreover, the text is amusing with little cartoons throughout the text written in Dutch to keep you motivated to learn. I've enjoyed the method so much that I've bought Assimil's "Le polonais sans peine" (Polish without Punishment: French version) and "German Without Toil" (1950s edition).

When I first undertook my lessons with this book, I had the help of native Flemish-Dutch speakers to guide me with the pronunciations. Dutch pronunciation is easy enough to learn, but I would recommend a native speaker's help rather than going at it on your own from the crude pronunciations guides most self-teaching language books offer. If a native speaker's help isn't available, you probably want to consider buying a cassettes with the book.

Veel geluk!