Why Dutch colleagues always switch to English. And how to stop it.
If you are an expat working in the Netherlands, you have probably experienced this: you try to say something in Dutch, and within seconds your colleague smiles and responds in English. It is not rude. It is not a sign that your Dutch is hopeless. But it is frustrating and it can make you feel like you will never truly break through.
Here is what is really happening, and what you can do about it.
Why it happens
Dutch people are good at English. For many, switching to English in a professional conversation is an automatic act of helpfulness: they want to make things easier for you. It is a reflex, not a judgement. But this reflex also means that your Dutch rarely gets the chance to develop in a real professional context. You get stuck in a loop: not enough practice, so no progress; no progress, so no confidence; no confidence, so colleagues keep switching.
How to break the loop
The good news is that you can break this pattern and it does not require perfect Dutch to do it.
• Ask directly: 'Mag ik het in het Nederlands proberen?' (May I try this in Dutch?) Most colleagues will happily oblige if you simply ask.
• Start small: Do not try to hold complex discussions in Dutch from day one. Start with small, low-stakes moments: greetings, brief updates, asking a question.
• Signal that you want to practice: 'Ik probeer mijn Nederlands te oefenen.’ Wil je me corrigeren als ik iets fout zeg?' Colleagues often become enthusiastic language helpers once they understand your goal.
• Prepare key phrases for your work context: Meeting openers, ways to ask for clarification, how to give your opinion. These building blocks make a huge difference.
The deeper issue: confidence, not vocabulary
Most expats who struggle with Dutch at work do not have a vocabulary problem. They have a confidence problem. They know more Dutch than they think, but the pressure of a professional environment makes them freeze. This is precisely why personalized coaching works so much better than apps or open group classes for professionals. When your training is built around your actual work context - your meetings, your emails, your specific challenges - you build confidence where it matters most.
Ready to break the English loop?
At Confident Dutch, we help international professionals in Den Haag do exactly this: build the confidence to use Dutch at work, and keep using it, even when colleagues are tempted to switch.
Book a free intake through our website or by email at contact@confidentdutch.nl and let us find your voice together.