Amsterdam is located in the Netherlands, which is a small country in Europe. In fact, it's the capital of the country!
The Netherlands is sometimes also known as Holland, although Holland and Netherlands are not the same thing.
What's the native language in the Netherlands?
The people in the Netherlands, and therefore also in the capital Amsterdam, speak a language known as Dutch.
Dutch sounds like a mix between English and German and therefore, if you speak any of these two languages, you might understand some Dutch words. (which can sound pretty odd).
All the signboards, tickets, and information in the Netherlands, and ultimately in Amsterdam, are always described in Dutch.
Yet, as an English speaker, you are in luck!
Do they speak English?
Fortunately, most Dutch people understand and speak English fluently besides standard Dutch. Therefore, it will be easy for you to get around the city and country speaking only English.
In Amsterdam, we have only ever spoken English whenever we visited and we never had any issues.
This is due to the fact that English resembles the Dutch language, but also thanks to the progressive educational system in the country.
The Netherlands counts as one of the few mainland European countries where you can get away with speaking English in the countryside.
In the capital, Amsterdam, and cities like Rotterdam, you will find signboards, city descriptions, menu cards and so on in Dutch and English at the same time.
Tourist attractions in Amsterdam and the Netherlands are English language centered. This is to facilitate communication for visitors, which travel to the city and country from all over the world.
Yet, I recommend, if you need help in English from a local in the Netherlands, try approaching a younger person VS elderly people. This is because millennials and Gen Z learned English in school, while elder generations might not have had that privilege.
Do the Dutch speak other languages?
Yes, just like other people in Europe, the Dutch locals tend to speak a second language.
This can be German, French, the Flemish dialect spoken in Belgium and Plattdeutsch which is the lower German language (aka Saxon German).
Today, many 1st and 2nd Generation Dutch also speak Arabic and Turkish.
As a side note, if you speak and understand Pennsylvania Dutch, you will not understand the Dutch language. Pennsylvania Dutch comes from the German language, and it resembles German dialects the most.
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