If you have landed on this article, chances are youâre ready to take a step up from beginner Dutch podcasts, to âregularâ podcasts about topics you find interesting. This is a great way to immerse yourself in Dutch and learn new vocabulary relevant to you and your interests without necessarily feeling like youâre studying.
Podcasts should be in every language learnerâs immersion toolkit.
They are great for focusing on pronunciation, accent, and word flow as demonstrated by a native speaker of your target language.
Podcasts directed at beginner Dutch learners are often about everyday Dutch life, culture, history, and sometimes even grammar. These are meant to help you with listening and comprehending Dutch at a slower pace.
Unlike the podcasts I recommended for beginners in this post, the following podcasts are all spoken at the pace of a native speaker, and (for the most part) do not include transcripts. Listening to these podcasts regularly will surely give you a boost in your Dutch comprehension.
Here are the podcasts that I currently recommend:
1. Een Beetje Nederlands
This podcast is the only one on the list which was specifically created for Dutch learners. It was launched by Robin van der Markt at the beginning of 2021, and has already uploaded over 20 episodes. Robin speaks often about well-known Dutch figures, holidays, and Dutch culture. He also features some bonus episodes of conversations with a special guest.
The podcast is spoken at a clear, moderate to native speed making it good for beginners but also anyone at the B1+ level.
Free transcripts are available for every episode at the podcast website.
The idea for the podcast was born out of Robinâs own experience of learning Norwegian. He found that practicing listening at B1 level was difficult â radio and TV was too difficult to understand, but many podcasts or childrenâs programs intended to teach Norwegian were too easy. As native Dutch speaker, he started Een Beetje Nederlands in his free time to help fellow language learners at the B1/B2 level.
Robin shares further links and information about the podcast topic on each episode page, or sometimes a list of difficult vocabulary from the episode. He also actively interacts regularly with listeners that leave questions or comments for each episode on his website.
| Number of episodes | 20+ |
| Episode length | 6-40 minutes |
| Subject | Dutch life, culture, history |
| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify eenbeetjenederlands.nl/ |
2. De Universiteit van Nederland
De Universiteit van Nederland podcast is an educational podcast with episodes that feature a short lecture by scholars from universities around the Netherlands. In about 15 minutes these experts give us the answer to questions about health, science, society & culture, and more.
Some lectures are specific to the Netherlands (e.g. âIs it âpatatâ or âfrietâ?â) but the majority are from a rather broad range of topics. Youâre sure to find some episodes that spark your interest from the 400+ episodes they have online and continue to post twice per week.
What is healthier: fresh or frozen fruit? Does social media make you unhappy? Can you get grey hairs from stress? Do you live longer if you speak two languages? The answers to these and many more questions can be found in this podcast.Â
The experts narrate each episode by themselves, which is a big advantage to this podcast compared with conversation-style podcasts on this list.
Being researchers and lecturers, I find they speak clearly with an emphasis on storytelling, making it ideal for listening practice.Â
| Number of episodes | 400+ |
| Episode length | 9-30 minutes |
| Subject | Social sciences |
| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts universiteitvannederland.nl podcastluisteren.nl |
3. Effe RelativerenÂ
Kaj Gorgels is the host of YouTube based podcast, âEffe Relativerenâ. He is a television presenter and YouTuber from Rotterdam who is well known from his participation in the eighteenth season of Expedition Robinson in 2017 (for which he later became a presenter).
In each episode, Kaj interviews a special guest â think Dutch athletes, influencers, musicians, artists, and other public figures (e.g. actors, television presenters).
His show is actually a great way to get to know other Dutch creators that you might enjoy following.
He has interviewed a few of the creators I mentioned in my post with 30 Dutch YouTube channels to follow when you want to immerse yourself in Dutch.
Because of the interview style, it is quite handy for us Dutch learners, as you seldom have to struggle to understand what two people are saying at the same time.
| Number of episodes | 70+ |
| Episode length | 55-90 minutes |
| Subject | Leisure, society & culture, interviews |
| Where to listen | Google Podcasts Spotify YouTube |
4. De Podcast Psycholoog
In De Podcast Psycholoog they discuss an important psychological theme in each episode and give tips and techniques that listeners can apply in daily life.
The podcast is co-founded and hosted by Marissa van der Sluis. Marissa obtained a Masterâs degree in both Social Psychology and Clinical Psychology from the University of Amsterdam. She then worked for many years as a therapist in Amsterdam and lecturer at the University of Amsterdam in the Department of Clinical (Forensic) Psychology.
Each episode features Marissa and a guest speaker â a psychologist, psychotherapist, writer, or lecturer, and is centred around topics such as: dealing with stress, negative self-image, improving relationships, or addiction.Â
Despite being an educational podcast about a seemingly complex discipline, so many of the episodes are about issues that many of us face on a regular basis. Psychology is, after all, the study of the mind and human behaviour. Occasionally you come across some technical vocabulary, but for the most part they use everyday language.
Marissa speaks clearly and at a nice pace for an intermediate Dutch speaker to understand. And due to the interview-like style of this podcast, it is rather easy to listen to.
| Number of episodes | 30+ |
| Episode length | 40-60 minutes |
| Subject | Self help, interviews |
| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts depodcastpsycholoog.nl podcastluisteren.nl |
5. Omdenken Podcast
The Omdenken Podcast is somewhat along the same lines of De Podcast Psycholoog. The difference is that in the Omdenken Podcast, the guest is the actual person with the problem. Itâs a little bit like sitting in on their therapy session.
Omdenken is not just a podcast. According to the founder (and host of the podcast) Berthold Gunster, it is a âcreative thinking technique that teaches you how to transform a problem into an opportunityâ. Next to the podcast, Berthold and his team give corporate training sessions and workshops, and he has written 13 books on this topic.
Guests on the podcast come with issues such as: not being fulfilled by work, having a child who games too much, or a fear of public speaking. Berthold asks plenty of questions and helps guests âomdenkenâ and get deeper on the issue at hand.
This is another interview style podcast and Bert gives plenty of space for guests to express themselves, making it a great addition to this list.
| Number of episodes | 60+ |
| Episode length | 25-40 minutes |
| Subject | Self help, interviews |
| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts omdenken.nl radioviainternet.nl |
6. Marc-Marie en Aaf vinden iets
This podcast is regularly in the top show/episode charts in the Netherlands. Itâs one I now listen to regularly, and not in a conscious effort to practice listening to Dutch â I genuinely enjoy it and look forward to new episodes.
It is hosted by Marc-Marie Huijbregts and Aaf Brandt Corstius.Â
Marc-Marie is a theatrical comedian, actor, and presenter from Tilburg. He is well known for his comedy shows and as co-host of the Dutch television show De Wereld Draait Door. Heâs also recognized for his unique, high-pitched voice (and singing voice).
Aaf is a columnist, translator, writer, publicist, and editor from Haarlem. Her regular column in de Volkskrant is actually another great recommendation for intermediate Dutch learners looking to practice reading and learn new vocabulary.
In each episode, Marc-Marie and Aaf discuss a main topic and each give it a rating of up to 5 stars. The topics are incredibly simple â e.g. sleep, biking, supermarkets, or classical music.
This is what makes it great for us Dutch students because although they speak at a native speed, it is typically about a familiar and non-complex subject.
Each episode begins with a catch-up with each other and how their week has gone, which is often accompanied by hilarious anecdotes and plenty of infectious laughter.
P.S. In episode #54. Vloerbedekking, Marc-Marie gives a shout-out to Canadians, saying weâre some of the kindest people on earth. So naturally I am a big fan!
| Number of episodes | 60+ |
| Episode length | 45-55 minutes |
| Subject | Comedy, leisure, society & culture |
| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Spotify YouTube Official website radio-nederland.nl radioviainternet.nl |
7. Dom Doen
In the podcast Dom Doen, friends Myra, Malika, and Sanne discuss their everyday troubles as a twenty-somethings. Having bonded while studying together in Utrecht, the three (now all living in Amsterdam) started this podcast soon after the start of the pandemic.
Each episode covers a trending topic or current event, for example, âhappiness at workâ â is it important that you do something that you are passionate about? Or is that perhaps a privilege?Â
In another episode they discuss how commonplace it has become to see the use of certain drugs at parties. They consider whether the use of drugs makes you complicit with the âunderworldâ and resulting violence that comes with it.
Recently the ladies reacted to the BOOS episode which was broadcast in January about the The Voice of Holland. They discuss their own experiences, how boundaries are personal to everyone, and contemplate the role we all play to address these issue in the future.
The ladies donât hold back, and do not shy away from sometimes conflicting opinions and heated discussion. But they keep it respectful and have fun while doing it!
| Number of episodes | 55+ |
| Episode length | 45-55 minutes |
| Subject | Leisure, society & culture |
| Where to listen | Apple Podcasts Spotify Google Podcasts SoundCloud radioviainternet.nl |
8. BROERS
The BROERS podcast is hosted by brothers Sam and Rijk Hofman. Every week they chat, share funny stories about dating, partying, sex, and everyday happenings while living in Amsterdam.Â
Thanks to the votes of their enormous following of 1.8 million monthly listeners, their show recently won the Gouden Podcast Award for the year 2021 at the Gouden RadioRing Gala.
Sam (26) is an app-developer and DJ who also appeared in the twelfth season of Hollandâs Next Top Model. Rijk (24) is a YouTuber and television presenter. His YouTube channel was featured on my list of 30 Dutch YouTube channels to follow when you want to immerse yourself in Dutch.
Because this podcast has a conversation style, it can be a bit chaotic compared to the others on this list. But if you find it to be your sense of humour, I think youâll find this a really easy podcast to listen to. Youâre also sure to pick up plenty of colloquial Dutch (spreektaal) if thatâs something youâre looking for.
| Number of episodes | 55+ |
| Episode length | 20-30 minutes |
| Subject | Leisure, society & culture, comedy |
| Where to listen | Spotify Google Podcasts podcastluisteren.nl |
Hopefully you discovered some new podcasts today to add to your study routine.
Is your favourite podcast not on the list? Iâm always looking for new ones to check out. Leave a comment and let me know what your go-to podcast is for learning Dutch!
