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I recently moved to the Netherlands to study, and I experience that a lot. Despite almost all official information everywhere being written in both Dutch and En

I recently moved to the Netherlands to study, and I experience that a lot. Despite almost all official information everywhere being written in both Dutch and English, in-train announcements are only done in Dutch. I have to constantly listen to the announcements and try to understand based off their vibe if they sound like something critical or not.

derfniw 10mo ago
Yep, only semi-consistent exception is that Amsterdam Central & Schiphol are usually also announced in english. Including delays related to these stations. But, for example, Rotterdam or Utrecht are already a lot less likely to be announced in english.
- mcv 10mo ago
  I was once in a train that announced Schiphol in 5 languages. That's how you announce an international airport.
nephihaha 10mo ago
Dutch announcements in the Netherlands. Fancy that. Almost like it's the national language or something.
- tzs 10mo ago
  The Netherlands is in the EU. English is the most widely spoken language in the EU, even after the UK left, because it is by far the most common second language. Nearly half of the people in the EU can speak it. In Northern Europe the percentage is even higher. In the Netherlands there are almost as many people who speak it as there are Dutch speakers. Taking into account people from other EU countries who are there on business plus tourists there is a good chance that if only one language was to be used for train announcements more people on the train would understand if it was in English then if it was in Dutch.
  - prmoustache 10mo ago
    Thanksfully, dutch is reasonnably easy to understand (not to speak) if you know english and the actual context. Or maybe that is just me having grown to understand dutch and flemish as a cyclocross rider and spectator.
  - trvz 10mo ago
    Ideally announcements should be bilingual, but if there’s only one language, it’s better to inconvenience any number of foreigners than even a single native who doesn’t speak English.
    - mort96 10mo ago
      Nobody suggested that dutch announcements should be removed. You can make announcements in two languages.
      - nephihaha 10mo ago
        Why have Dutch at all? "They all speak English."
        mort96 9mo ago
        Not everyone speaks English though. The point of an official language is that the government makes it as convenient as possible living your life knowing only that language. It wouldn't be that unreasonable IMO to switch official language to English, but seeing as NL is a democracy, that ought to be a democratic decision. A referendum of some kind would probably be best. It's not a small decision to be taken lightly. But it's still nice to offer information in other languages in certain situations. Infrastructure used heavily by tourists and recent immigrants who don't speak the language yet should be made as usable as possible to people who don't know Dutch. Making important announcements in both English and Dutch on trains is an example of that.
    - Matumio 9mo ago
      In Switzerland, on some trains there are trilingual announcements: German, Italian, French.
- flexagoon 10mo ago
  Yes, I'm obviously not mad with them using their own language, and I am studying it since I live there. But it's in the EU, and there is a lot of international tourists on the train, who shouldn't be expected to learn the national language of every country they visit just to navigate it.
  - nephihaha 10mo ago
    Yeah, why bother using their own language at all? They all speak English and are just pretending. I want all the people in all the places I visit to be just like me.
integralid 10mo ago
Since you moved to Netherlands is understandable they speak Dutch. You should consider learning it off you want to get by in the society.
bradley13 10mo ago
In Switzerland, the major train lines announce in English (as well as German and French). Minor train lines often only announce in the local language. Honestly, I don't see the problem. As a tourist, you have to be prepared with apps, or you can ask someone for help. Happens all the time, and most people are happy to help. Someone living here needs to learn the local language.

derfniw 10mo ago

Yep, only semi-consistent exception is that Amsterdam Central & Schiphol are usually also announced in english. Including delays related to these stations. But, for example, Rotterdam or Utrecht are already a lot less likely to be announced in english.

mcv 10mo ago
I was once in a train that announced Schiphol in 5 languages. That's how you announce an international airport.

nephihaha 10mo ago

Dutch announcements in the Netherlands. Fancy that. Almost like it's the national language or something.

tzs 10mo ago
The Netherlands is in the EU. English is the most widely spoken language in the EU, even after the UK left, because it is by far the most common second language. Nearly half of the people in the EU can speak it. In Northern Europe the percentage is even higher. In the Netherlands there are almost as many people who speak it as there are Dutch speakers. Taking into account people from other EU countries who are there on business plus tourists there is a good chance that if only one language was to be used for train announcements more people on the train would understand if it was in English then if it was in Dutch.
- prmoustache 10mo ago
  Thanksfully, dutch is reasonnably easy to understand (not to speak) if you know english and the actual context. Or maybe that is just me having grown to understand dutch and flemish as a cyclocross rider and spectator.
- trvz 10mo ago
  Ideally announcements should be bilingual, but if there’s only one language, it’s better to inconvenience any number of foreigners than even a single native who doesn’t speak English.
  - mort96 10mo ago
    Nobody suggested that dutch announcements should be removed. You can make announcements in two languages.
    - nephihaha 10mo ago
      Why have Dutch at all? "They all speak English."
      - mort96 9mo ago
        Not everyone speaks English though. The point of an official language is that the government makes it as convenient as possible living your life knowing only that language. It wouldn't be that unreasonable IMO to switch official language to English, but seeing as NL is a democracy, that ought to be a democratic decision. A referendum of some kind would probably be best. It's not a small decision to be taken lightly. But it's still nice to offer information in other languages in certain situations. Infrastructure used heavily by tourists and recent immigrants who don't speak the language yet should be made as usable as possible to people who don't know Dutch. Making important announcements in both English and Dutch on trains is an example of that.
  - Matumio 9mo ago
    In Switzerland, on some trains there are trilingual announcements: German, Italian, French.
flexagoon 10mo ago
Yes, I'm obviously not mad with them using their own language, and I am studying it since I live there. But it's in the EU, and there is a lot of international tourists on the train, who shouldn't be expected to learn the national language of every country they visit just to navigate it.
- nephihaha 10mo ago
  Yeah, why bother using their own language at all? They all speak English and are just pretending. I want all the people in all the places I visit to be just like me.

integralid 10mo ago

Since you moved to Netherlands is understandable they speak Dutch. You should consider learning it off you want to get by in the society.

bradley13 10mo ago

In Switzerland, the major train lines announce in English (as well as German and French). Minor train lines often only announce in the local language. Honestly, I don't see the problem. As a tourist, you have to be prepared with apps, or you can ask someone for help. Happens all the time, and most people are happy to help. Someone living here needs to learn the local language.