The real reason you're not speaking Dutch... yet.
You understand so much Dutch. But when it’s your turn to speak?
Panic. Freeze. English.
In this free 12-min video, I’ll show you the real reason you’re still not speaking – and the first step to finally speak up in Dutch.
‘After signing up I will send you awesome and exclusive Dutch inspiration to your inbox every week’
What’s possible at the Dutch Speaking Academy?
Exclusive activations, audios and the momentum to finally live in Dutch. For Dutch A2+ levels.
You’ve built a new life here.
But one sentence in Dutch still shuts you down.
You’ve taken the courses. You understand a lot of Dutch.
But one simple conversation with your Dutch colleague at the coffee machine?
You freeze.
You switch back to English immediately.
And you hate it.
You feel dumb, and like you failed, and that’s nothing like you.
But it’s NOT because you’re not trying hard enough.
Not because you’re not smart – god no.
It’s because you need a different kind of support, and a new method that will actually help you SPEAK Dutch.
It’s about feeling like yourself again. In Dutch.
Welcome to the Dutch Speaking Academy.
Where we fix what your other language courses ignored.
I'm the founder of the Switch-Dutch-method. The method that finally breaks the freeze - and gets you speaking Dutch with confidence, permanently.
No more smiling and nodding at school or work meetings, hoping no one asks you anything.
No more dreading birthdays with your in-laws, and feeling like the outsider at your own child’s party.
No more pretending to check your phone when the neighbour tries to chat at the BBQ.
With the Switch-Dutch Method:
You’ll feel in control during everyday conversations - even the unpredictable ones at the bakery or with your child's school teacher.
You’ll stop feeling like 'the expat' - and you’ll start being YOU: the one who tells stories in Dutch on birthday parties, jumps into conversations without fear, and finally feels seen for who she really is.
You won’t just understand Dutch life and culture - you’ll finally be part of it.
This is the missing piece.
After years of building your life here - learning the language, navigating the systems, adjusting to a new way of life - this is the moment it all clicks.
You’ll finally feel truly at home in Nederland.
Most Dutch courses are designed for learning more words and grammar...
…but this will never get you speaking.
Because you don’t need more grammar drills.
You don’t want childish conversations about pets and hobbies.
You want to walk into a room and not second-guess every Dutch word that comes out of your mouth.
But after a few of those ‘standard’ courses, most people give up.
They tell themselves:
“I’m too old.”
“I’m too busy.”
“Everyone speaks English anyway.”
And just like that – they stay stuck in English for years.
What I learned in 13+ years of teaching: Language is not about perfection.
It’s about connection.
It’s about joining conversations without rehearsing in your head first.
It’s about knowing what’s going on – at work, in your street, at your child’s school – and feeling like you can speak up as yourself.
That’s what we do here.
My method is personal. Direct. No nonsense.
And yes – we laugh a lot. Because making mistakes isn’t embarrassing.
It’s how you grow.
My job?
To make sure you feel strong, grounded, and ready to speak Dutch – not just in a classroom, but in your actual life.
The real reason you’re not speaking Dutch (yet).
In this free 12-minute video I share what I discovered after 13+ years of teaching internationals to speak Dutch.
By receiving the video you agree to the privacyverklaring (privacy statement). ‘After signing up I will send you awesome and exclusive Dutch inspiration to your inbox every week’
Hey, welkom bij de Dutch Speaking Academy
Mijn naam is Mariska, moeder van Cato (8), Hugo (5) en Elli (3) en getrouwd met (married to) Pieter. Together we live close to beautiful Amsterdam.
I’ve been a teacher since 2013 and helped hundreds of students to improve their Dutch. I still love it every day. My mission is to remove any stress and fear about learning a new language from the equation, so you can actually start speaking Dutch! We deal with enough stress as it is, let’s not make Dutch another stressor. Learning can be a fun and relaxing activity—if you have the right teacher.
Why do I do what I do? Because I believe that learning a language opens the gateway to the heart of a culture. And because I believe that it takes a bit of time to get to know the Dutch and their peculiarities, but the effort is 100 percent worth it.
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