Doe NormaalHow to stop Dutch people switching to English
Updated
You say Hoi, mag ik een koffie? and the answer comes back in English. It happens to almost everyone who learns Dutch, and it's not about you: most Dutch people switch to be helpful, or just to be quick.
The fix is simple, but you have to do it out loud: say that you want to speak Dutch, in Dutch, and then keep going. These are the sentences for it.
Ask for Dutch
Said with a smile, any of these works. Most people switch back at once.
Mag ik mijn Nederlands oefenen?
Can I practise my Dutch? The friendly one, and it works on everybody.
Sorry, mag ik mijn Nederlands oefenen? Ik ben het aan het leren.
Sorry, can I practise my Dutch? I'm learning it.
Zullen we Nederlands praten?
Shall we speak Dutch? For people you know: colleagues, friends, a date.
Zullen we Nederlands praten? Anders leer ik het nooit.
Shall we speak Dutch? Otherwise I'll never learn it.
Liever in het Nederlands
I'd rather do this in Dutch. For when they've already switched.
Liever in het Nederlands, als je het niet erg vindt.
I'd rather do this in Dutch, if you don't mind.
Stay in Dutch when it gets hard
People mostly switch when you go quiet or look lost. These buy you time without leaving Dutch.
Kun je iets langzamer praten?
Could you speak a bit more slowly?
Kun je iets langzamer praten? Dan kan ik je beter volgen.
Could you speak a bit more slowly? Then I can follow you better.
Ik moet even nadenken
I need a moment to think. Say it instead of going silent.
Ik versta je wel, ik moet alleen even nadenken.
I do understand you, I just need a moment to think.
Hoe zeg je dat in het Nederlands?
How do you say that in Dutch? Better than switching for one missing word.
Ik zoek een woord. Hoe zeg je 'appointment' in het Nederlands?
I'm looking for a word. How do you say 'appointment' in Dutch?
Wat betekent dat?
What does that mean?
Sorry, dat woord ken ik niet. Wat betekent dat?
Sorry, I don't know that word. What does that mean?
Why Dutch people switch to English
Mostly to help. They hear an accent, assume English is easier for you, and want the conversation to go smoothly. It's meant kindly, even when it feels like a verdict on your Dutch. (The app has a culture note about it: when the Dutch switch to English.)
They're also very good at it. The Netherlands came first out of 123 countries in the 2025 EF English Proficiency Index. For a lot of Dutch people, English takes no effort at all.
And sometimes it's just speed: the queue is long and English is quicker.
What works
Say it early. Use one of the sentences above right at the start, before anyone has switched. Keeping a conversation in Dutch is easier than pulling it back.
Keep answering in Dutch. If they reply in English, carry on in Dutch anyway. It feels odd for about two sentences, and it isn't rude. Most people follow you back.
Prepare the first ten seconds. The switch usually comes after a hesitation at the start. Practise the openings you need most (ordering, asking the way, small talk at work) until they come out without thinking.
Don't switch for one word. Describe it, or ask Hoe zeg je dat in het Nederlands? Once you've said a full sentence in English, the conversation is in English.
Pick your moments. A busy cashier at five o'clock is not your teacher. Colleagues at lunch, neighbours, the market stall, the hairdresser: people with time are happy to help.
Appoint one person. Ask a friend, a colleague or your partner to speak only Dutch with you, always. One person you can count on is worth more than twenty strangers.
Where nobody switches
A taalcafé. Many Dutch public libraries run one, usually every week and free. You talk Dutch with volunteers and other learners, and English isn't an option.
A taalmaatje (language buddy): a volunteer who meets you regularly to talk Dutch. Ask at your library or at the town hall (gemeente).
A badge. It sounds silly, but it exists: the 'Spreek Nederlands! Met mij!' button was started by a language school in The Hague in 2013, for exactly this problem. You point at it when the shop assistant switches. It's a conversation starter more than a cure.
In writing. In a chat, nobody hears your accent and you get time to think. Text your Dutch friends in Dutch, shorthand and all.
Both sides, in Doe Normaal
Two of the (fictional) dating profiles in our app show both sides. Sanne's bio says Swipe naar rechts voor Engels 😉: swipe right for English. Emma's says Ik praat gewoon Nederlands met je, ook als het nog niet perfect gaat 🫶: I'll just speak Dutch with you, even if it's not going perfectly yet.
Find yourself an Emma. Until then, the app is a place to practise where nobody switches: you read how Dutch people really text, and you can say your replies out loud before you need them in a shop.