Learn French in Amsterdam
French is one of the foreign languages that every havo and vwo school in the Netherlands must offer, so many Amsterdammers met it as teenagers. Brussels and Paris are a short train ride away, which keeps French useful for work and weekends.
French in Amsterdam
Dutch is the official language of Amsterdam, and English is widely spoken, but French has a firm place in education. Under national rules, havo and vwo pupils take two modern foreign languages besides English in their first years, and schools must offer both French and German. The Lycée Français Vincent van Gogh, a French state school run by the AEFE and based in The Hague, has an Amsterdam campus on Rustenburgerstraat in De Pijp. The Alliance Française Amsterdam teaches French and is the only official DELF and DALF centre in the city. The Netherlands also borders Belgium, where French is one of three official languages, so French is close at hand.
Why people in Amsterdam learn French
Many Amsterdammers return to French because they dropped it after school and miss it. Others work for companies with offices in Brussels, Paris or Luxembourg, where meetings often switch to French. Parents with children at the Lycée Vincent van Gogh want to keep up. Some plan to study or work in France or Belgium. Holidays matter too, since French makes travel in rural France and Wallonia much easier. People planning a move to Québec or Canada, or applying for French nationality, can take the matching TCF at the Alliance.
The French you'll hear
Amsterdam has no local French, so learners usually aim for the standard French of France, which the Alliance and the DELF use. Because Belgium is so close, Belgian French is also worth hearing: Belgians say « septante » for seventy and « nonante » for ninety, and « le déjeuner » often means breakfast rather than lunch. Dutch speakers tend to pronounce the French r well but need practice with nasal vowels and silent endings. Polite forms such as « je voudrais » and « pourriez-vous » are worth learning early.
- Je vais à Bruxelles en train demain.I am going to Brussels by train tomorrow.
- J'ai fait du français au lycée, il y a longtemps.I did French at school, long ago.
- En Belgique, on dit « septante ».In Belgium, they say "septante" (seventy).
- Je voudrais réserver un gîte en Dordogne.I would like to book a holiday cottage in the Dordogne.
- Je viens à vélo.I am coming by bike.
French exams in Amsterdam
Alliance Française Amsterdam describes itself as the only official examination centre for the DELF and DALF diplomas in Amsterdam. It also offers the TCF on computer in several versions: TCF Tout Public, TCF pour le Québec, TCF Canada and TCF Intégration, Résidence et Nationalité. Check its certifications pages for upcoming sessions.
Check dates and fees with the exam centre directly; they change every session.
Where to start in the course
French Ultimate is an online course, so you can follow it from Amsterdam or anywhere else. These topics are the most useful here:
Questions about learning French in Amsterdam
I had French at havo or vwo. How quickly can I get it back?
Often faster than you expect, especially reading. Many Dutch adults who studied French at school are at A2 or B1 on paper but rusty in speaking. A placement test helps. French Ultimate is an online course, with no school or teachers in Amsterdam, so you can revise grammar quickly and focus on speaking practice.
Should I learn Belgian French or French from France?
Learn standard French first. Belgian French uses the same grammar and spelling, with a few different words such as septante and nonante, and some accents. Once you are comfortable, listening to Belgian radio or colleagues will help you adapt. French Ultimate covers these differences in a unit on French around the world.
Which centre in Amsterdam runs the DELF and TCF?
Alliance Française Amsterdam is the official centre for the DELF and DALF in the city, and it also offers several versions of the TCF, including TCF Canada and the TCF used for French nationality applications. French Ultimate does not run exams, but it includes DELF and DALF mock exams to prepare.
Learn French from Amsterdam, at your own pace
Animated video lessons that stop for your answers, speaking practice, graded stories and DELF/DALF mock exams, from A1 to C2. Start with the free placement test to see where you are.
Take the placement test