I lived in the Netherlands for a year in the mid 1970s, and learned to speak a bit of (een beetje) Nederlands (Dutch). It is easier than German, which I had studied in school (but don't tell a Nederlander that it is 'German simplified'!). It also helps if you know a little 'old English' since some of the words are similar. Most Nederlanders can understand and speak German (also English and French, which are taught in their schools), but most Germans cannot understand Nederlands. Frisian is really a different language, not a dialect of Nederlands, but it is closer to English. The interesting thing is that there are many different dialects in this little country of Nederland. Most are understood by most Nederlanders, but the dialect around Maastricht (southeast) is not easily understood by others. Flemish is really a dialect of Nederlands and understood by most. My difficulty when I go to Germany is that when I try to speak German it comes out half in Nederlands, which confuses the heck out of the Germans (just what language are you speaking?).

Cheers, S. in Seattle