Dutch Dialects: An Overview of Frisian, Limburgish, and More

Living in the Netherlands, you might think learning Dutch means learning one language. Surprise! This small country packs a big linguistic punch with many dialects and even a whole other language. In fact, about a quarter of Dutch residents speak a regional language or dialect at home instead of standard Dutch (CBS, 2022). As an English-speaking expat, you may have mastered saying goedemorgen only to have a local greet you with moi or houdoe. Don’t panic. You’ve just encountered a Dutch dialect!

Dialect or language? The line can be blurry. Essentially, dialects are regional varieties of Dutch, while a language is more distinct. The Netherlands has one notable separate language: Frisian, spoken in Friesland. Others, like Limburgish, are often called dialects but are so different that even some linguists label them separate languages (Séveno, 2024). Most dialects, however, still share roots with standard Dutch. Let’s explore the main ones you’ll hear in the Netherlands and how they differ from the Dutch you’re learning.

Frisian: The Other Official Language

Frisian (Frysk) is not a Dutch dialect at all but a language in its own right. It’s spoken by roughly 450,000 people in the province of Friesland and enjoys co-official status there (Osoblivaia, 2023). Frisian is actually the closest living language to English. For example, tsiis means “cheese,” which sounds much closer to English cheese than Dutch kaas! Despite these English-like quirks, Frisian isn’t mutually intelligible with Dutch. Locals grow up bilingual in Frisian and Dutch, so they’ll happily switch to Dutch when talking with outsiders. If you move to Friesland, you’ll notice bilingual signs and maybe even hear Frisian in local cafes, but you won’t be expected to speak it. Still, it’s pretty cool knowing the Netherlands holds a “secret” English cousin (Amarens, 2024).

For Dutch learners, the key point is: Frisians also speak perfect Dutch. Standard Dutch will serve you fine in Friesland. Think of Frisian as an interesting cultural bonus. You might pick up a fun Frisian word or two, but mastering Dutch is sufficient. (And if you ever do want to learn Frisian, it might give you bragging rights and a few extra Scrabble points!)

Limburgish: A Sing-Song Regional Dialect

Down in the deep south, in Limburg province, you’ll encounter Limburgish (Limburgs). This is a group of dialects so distinct that some experts say it’s a different language altogether (Séveno, 2024). About 800,000 people speak Limburgish (We Are Amsterdam, n.d.), and it’s recognized as a regional language in the Netherlands. So what’s it like? Imagine Dutch with a melodic twist. Limburgish has a “sing-song” intonation and uses a soft g sound (Séveno, 2024). It also blends in words from German and French, given Limburg’s proximity to both countries. For instance, a Dutch speaker might say wat is dat? (“what is that?”), but in a Limburgish dialect, it could sound like waat is dat? with a stretch and a lilt, or use different words entirely.

If you’re learning Dutch and end up in Maastricht or another Limburg town, you might initially be baffled. Don’t worry. Limburgish speakers also learn standard Dutch in school. You’ll notice locals chatting in a warm, musical tone among themselves, but they’ll use normal Dutch with you (likely with a pleasant accent). One tip: the Limburgish accent often makes statements sound like questions due to rising intonation. Don’t be thrown off. Your neighbor isn’t constantly questioning everything; that’s just the dialect’s melody!

Brabantian (Brabants): The Friendly Southern Accent

Head to Noord-Brabant (North Brabant) and you’ll hear Brabantian Dutch (Brabants). This dialect is generally easier for outsiders to grasp than Limburgish, but it still has its flavor. Brabants is known for its soft g (a gentler, almost “h-like” sound instead of the guttural g you learn in standard Dutch) (Séveno, 2024). This softer pronunciation gives Brabants a warm, friendly sound often compared to the Dutch spoken in Belgium. In fact, many in the Randstad (the Holland area) think the Brabant accent sounds “cute” or extra cozy.

Brabantian speakers have some fun slang too. You’ll hear “houdoe!” for “bye!”, practically the official parting phrase of Brabant, instead of the standard doei. The word kei is another Brabants staple, used to pump up adjectives. Something isn’t just gezellig (cosy); it’s kei gezellig (super cosy!). These localisms might confuse your textbook Dutch at first, but context usually makes them clear.

For learners, the good news is that Brabants is still Dutch at heart. A Brabantian will understand your standard Dutch perfectly and you’ll understand theirs, once your ear adjusts to the softer consonants and regional words. You might even find yourself adopting a bit of the accent. Don’t be surprised if you catch yourself saying “houdoe” to your colleagues after a while!

Embrace the Dialect Diversity

Ready to boost your Dutch to handle any region? Join our DutchFluency courses to build a strong base in standard Dutch, and practice listening to different accents with the DutchFluency app. You’ll soon be navigating conversations from Amsterdam to Maastricht with confidence. Learning Dutch opens up the whole country, dialects and all. Embrace the diversity and enjoy the journey to echt Nederlands fluency!

References

Amarens. (2024, October 31). The secret brother of English language [Blog post]. Europe Language Jobs. (Original work published on nationalityunknown.com)

Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek (CBS). (2022). What is the most spoken language or dialect at home? In The Netherlands in numbers 2022. https://longreads.cbs.nl/the-netherlands-in-numbers-2022/what-is-the-most-spoken-language-or-dialect-at-home/

Osoblivaia, T. (2023, August 31). Spoken Languages of Netherlands – Official, National, and Native. PoliLingua. https://www.polilingua.com/blog/post/spoken-languages-of-netherlands-official-national-native.htm

Séveno, V. (2024, September 23). From Haags to Hollandic: A guide to Dutch dialects and accents. IamExpat. https://www.iamexpat.nl/education/education-news/haags-hollandic-guide-dutch-dialects-and-accents

We Are Amsterdam. (n.d.). What language is spoken in Amsterdam? The many dialects and languages of the Netherlands… Retrieved May 6, 2025, from https://weareamsterdam.com/languages-of-the-netherlands/