@Dutch4Beginners
This is indeed an excellent course, with great audio that is slow enough to really let you hear, and practice, every nuance of the word.
It is just that in a few instances this is overdone. My ear cringes when it is hit by “vollock” (said in English) for “volk”.
If there really is an intrusive ‘o’ in Dutch, as there is an intrusive ‘r’ in English, and Dutch people normally say “vollock” and not “volk”, well, then fine. I don’t know, I’m just a humble beginner. But if there isn’t, please change the audio.
In level 07, I tapped on “The fosterchildren” for “De pleegkinderen” and this registered as the wrong answer, with “The foster children” being the correct one. Yes. That is correct, but … I am trying to learn Dutch!
Also in level 07, there is a little typing error: “The foste rmother”, and the audio for “de echtgenoot” and “de echtgenote” is like twice as loud as the rest of the audio.
I’m afraid that the introduction of an extra syllable in the pronunciation of one syllable words like volk, melk, werk is rather common. It’s not wrong but it’s considered informal.
I just listened to this radio fragment Melk of mellek? (it will be too difficult to follow for a beginner in Dutch).
They say it’s regional both in Belgium and the Netherlands and a bit on the decline in the Netherlands.
Let me just say that you are quite right, that was indeed difficult to follow, but at least I tried! It is a funny feeling when your brain goes on-understand and off-blank continually through an acoustically striped landscape, so to speak.
It does give me some satisfaction to know that I do not have to learn to use mellek. I’ll stick to melk. Proost.
In Level 20-08-B-WL Phrases used in a restaurant, both ‘de tafel’ and ‘het tafeltje’ are taught. Please make both words acceptable as answers when revising as it is kind of frustrating to have otherwise correct answers marked as wrong.
@Dutch4beginners,
In Level 09-B-LM Open Questions,
the audio says “Waar werk jij?” and the correct alternative is … Wait for it! … “Where do you live?”.
Subsequently one also has to write “Waar werk jij?” in order to translate “Where do you live”.
@Dutch4Beginners,
In level 10-WL Animal related words, ‘de voelspriet’ is translated to ‘whisker’ in English.
This is not entirely correct.
‘De voelsprieten’ or ‘antennes’ are a part of insect anatomy and are called ‘feelers’ or ‘antennae’ in English.
Cats and dogs etc. have whiskers, which Wikipedia gracefully tells me are called ‘Snorharen’ or ‘tastharen’ in Dutch.
@Dutch4Beginners,
In 11-WL Banen, “the civil servant (male)” does not accept “de ambtenaar” as a viable answer in Dutch. Nope. It will only accept “The ambtenaar”. The.
Actually, if one opts to look at this as a general exercise in memory, then it is fine to have to remember when not to write the correct answer.
In 12-C-WL Op het vliegveld, the Dutch word ‘uitzwaaien’ is incorrectly translated to ‘wave out’ in English. Here, it should be ‘wave off’ or ‘wave goodbye’ (because I would not like to be in an airplane as it ‘swings out’!)
In level 55-TL De Engste Tijd van het Jaar,
Please let me suggest changing the English translation for ‘Allerheiligen’ from ‘All Hallows’ to ‘Halloween’ as this is much more widely known to people who do not speak English as their native language, or, maybe better, simply add it, i.e. ‘All Hallows / Halloween’.
By the way, was this level intentionally added as the very first level of the course or should it rather come at a later stage? It does show up before level 01.
‘Griezelen’ should be ‘to get the creeps’ (or ‘to shudder’) in English (not 'to get creeps).
‘Herdenken’ would, in this context, more closely be translated as ‘to rememeber’ than ‘to commemorate’. For example: Hier herdenken ze hun doden zeker. - This must be where they remember the dead. Onder deze groepen waren er ook helden, en zij worden terecht herdacht en geëerd. - There were some heroes among these groups and they are justly remembered and honored.
In level Level 47 13-PO-1 Kleding
the Dutch word ‘vest’ is translated as ‘cardigan’ (a knitted jacket which buttons up the front). While not incorrect, I believe that ‘tanktop, vest or waistcoat’ (sleeveless garments, the latter two worn immediately under the outer jacket) is more common. vest | translate Dutch to English - Cambridge Dictionary
However, I am not that familiar with the Dutch language and so I do not know what kind of garment the Dutch usually refer to when they say ‘vest’.
It is confusing that the same word is used for such different pieces of clothing. Is it used differently in different parts of the Netherlands?
@duaal,
Hello again, duaal. I really appreciate that you take the time to answer. I looked ‘vest’ up in several different online dictionaries but I didn’t get any wiser for it.
Is there a different word that is commonly used for a (usually) sleeveless undergarment? (vest / singlet / wife beater / undershirt) Het onderhemd?
And ditto for the kind of sleeveless, woven, buttoned garment that is worn on top of the shirt but under the jacket? (waistcoat / vest / gilet / jerkin)
My brain seems to be silently screaming in protest against having to wrap itself around one single word denoting three such different types of garments.
As for where I have posted this, isn’t this the right place? This is a community-created course and it seems to still be an unfinished project.
In level 13-PO-1 Kleding, I would like to suggest a small change to ‘de veter’ - ‘the lace’ by adding the word ‘shoe’, i.e. ‘shoelace’ so as to differentiate it from the other meaning of lace in English (lace - kant, kantwerk).
Dear @duaal,
Thank you so much! You have no idea what you just did.
The description “een driedelig pak, dat gevormd wordt door de combinatie colbert, pantalon en gilet” immediately brought me back to my grandparents’ house, full colour, smell, everything. My wonderful grandfather always wore a three-piece suit. Always. He would change into an old and worn three-piece suit if he was going to dig up some potatoes from the vegetable garden or chop some firewood. He is now long gone but thinking about him has placed a smile on my face.
There’s only one option left then: I’ll have to get used to it!