Honest answers (mostly).

What is StroopTaal?

StroopTaal is an app for learning Dutch, made for adults who live in the Netherlands or are moving there. It teaches the Dutch of daily life, work and the exams, from complete beginner to C1, with short lessons, word games and speaking practice with an AI conversation partner.

Who is StroopTaal for?

For anyone aged 16 or over who needs Dutch for life in the Netherlands: newcomers, people preparing for an exam, and people who want to feel more at ease at work, at the doctor's or with the neighbours. You can start from zero or at the level you already have.

How is StroopTaal different from other language apps?

It is made for one country. The lessons, words and conversations follow life in the Netherlands, you practise real situations such as a visit to the doctor or a job interview by speaking out loud with Taalmaatje, and you can prepare for the exams people there take.

Is StroopTaal an official or government app?

No. StroopTaal is an independent app. It is not DUO and not a government service, and it cannot register you for an exam. For official rules and dates, see inburgeren.nl.

Which devices does StroopTaal work on?

iPhone and iPad with iOS 18 or later, and Android phones and tablets with Android 8.0 or later. Both have home-screen widgets, and there is an Apple Watch app for quick word practice. There is no web or computer version.

Which languages can I use the app in?

English, Türkçe, Polski, Українська, العربية, Deutsch, Español. You can switch at any time in Settings > Preferences > Language.

Which levels does StroopTaal cover?

From A0, for complete beginners, up to C1, following the levels of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). Each level is a path of lessons that you follow in order.

How do I choose my starting level?

When you set up the app, you pick the description that matches what you can already do. Not sure? Start lower. You can change your level later in Settings: going down is instant, and going up to a level you have not reached yet takes a 40-question level-up test.

What is a lesson like?

A lesson is a short set of exercises: choosing and typing answers, putting words in order, filling gaps, matching, listening, writing down what you hear, spotting mistakes and speaking. After each answer you see why it is right or wrong. Grammar is part of the lessons, with tips, examples and conjugation tables, and each unit ends with a conversation from daily life.

Why does the app ask me to review before a new lesson?

When enough words or past mistakes are due, the path asks you to go over them before it opens the next new lesson. Reviews bring back what you learned just as it starts to fade, so it stays with you. Your words also come back in short daily reviews.

How does StroopTaal help me learn words?

Words from your lessons come back in reviews, spaced out over time. The Words tab has a dictionary, a word of the day, flashcards, a game for learning which article goes with a noun, and word puzzles, all free. You can save words you look up or hear in a podcast and practise them later.

Is there listening practice?

Yes. Lessons have listening exercises and dictation, where you write down what you hear. For longer listening there are podcasts with a transcript that follows the audio.

What are the real-life listening scenes?

Short recordings of situations in the Netherlands: a phone call, an announcement, a conversation at a counter or a voicemail. You answer questions about what you heard, save new words, and then act out the situation yourself. A scene opens once you finish the lesson it belongs to. The first two scenes of every level are free; Premium opens the rest.

Are there podcasts?

Yes. Each episode has a transcript that follows the audio. Tap a word to see what it means and save it, and play the audio slower or faster. Some episodes are free; Premium opens all of them.

Can I practise writing?

Yes. Lessons have typing and dictation exercises. With Premium, Sentence Check corrects sentences you write and explains why, and exam practice gives AI feedback on the writing part.

How much time do I need each day?

You choose a daily goal of 5 to 30 minutes and can change it in Settings. The app is built for a short session every day, and your streak counts the days you keep it up.

Can I use StroopTaal offline?

No. The app needs an internet connection for lessons, conversations and exam practice.

Can I practise speaking?

Yes. You can have voice conversations with Taalmaatje, act out situations such as a visit to the doctor, the town hall or a job interview, and get your pronunciation scored. These speaking features come with Premium.

Who is Taalmaatje?

Taalmaatje is the app's AI conversation partner. You call it and speak Dutch out loud, about everyday topics or a situation you want to practise, and you can read the conversation back afterwards. It is software, not a person, and says so before you start. Voice conversations come with Premium: up to 15 minutes a day, within a monthly limit.

Does the app check my pronunciation?

Yes. You say a word or a sentence and get a score with feedback on what to improve. Pronunciation scores come with Premium.

What are talk minutes?

Extra time for voice conversations, for when the 15 minutes a day included in Premium are not enough. When your included time runs out, the app offers packs of 45 or 120 minutes. Minutes you buy never expire; minutes you get for inviting a friend expire after 60 days.

Can I learn words from a photo?

Yes. Take a photo of a letter, a sign or a menu, and the app picks out the words so you can save and practise them. The photo itself is not kept. Photo scanning comes with Premium.

Is the content made with AI?

Much of it, yes. Lessons, questions and explanations are drafted by AI. Lessons and questions are checked automatically and reviewed in batches. Part of the content is also checked by native Dutch speakers. The conversation partner and the pronunciation feedback are AI as well, and AI can be wrong: if something looks off, report it with the flag on the question. More on our AI transparency page.

Which exams can I prepare for?

The inburgering exam at A2 and B1, with practice for reading, writing, listening, speaking and KNM (knowledge of Dutch society), and the Staatsexamen NT2 at B1 (Programma I) and B2 (Programma II). The official rules for the inburgering exam are on inburgeren.nl.

How does exam practice work?

You practise each part of the exam on its own, with a timer. The app grades your writing and speaking with AI and keeps your results, and a readiness score for each part shows where you stand. It is practice part by part, not a full mock exam. Exam practice comes with Premium.

Is StroopTaal enough to pass the exam?

No app can promise that you will pass, and we do not publish pass rates or how long it takes to pass. StroopTaal gives you lessons, speaking practice and practice for each part of the exam. Use it together with the official information and practice material from DUO at inburgeren.nl.

Is there a free KNM practice test?

Yes, on this website: the KNM practice test has 40 questions and a 45-minute timer, with an explanation for every answer. You do not need an account, and nothing is saved.

Can I book my exam through StroopTaal?

No. StroopTaal is for practice only: it cannot register you for an exam or book a date. How to sign up is explained on the official websites, such as inburgeren.nl.

How do streaks and streak freezes work?

Your streak counts the days in a row on which you practise. A streak freeze keeps it going on a day you miss; you get some for free, and Premium gets more. On iPhone and iPad, Premium can sometimes restore a streak that has just broken: the app offers it when it can.

What are stroopwafels for?

Stroopwafels 🧇 are your score. You earn them with lessons, reviews and conversations, and they decide your place in the league. They have no money value, and you cannot buy them.

Is there a leaderboard?

Yes. The league ranks learners by week, by month and of all time, and you can compare yourself with friends. Joining is optional: you choose the name others see, and learners who have not joined appear anonymously. The weekly league starts over every Monday.

Do I get a certificate?

Yes. When you finish every lesson of a level, you get a certificate for that level with a link anyone can use to check it. It records what you did in StroopTaal; it is not an official language certificate and does not replace an exam.

How can I follow my progress?

Every Monday the app gives you a recap of your week, and you can get it by email as well. Premium adds a detailed report that AI writes from your own progress. You can turn the emails off in Settings.

Can the app remind me to practise?

Yes. Turn on the daily reminder in Settings and choose the time. The app asks for permission to send notifications after your first lesson.

Is StroopTaal free?

You can download it and learn for free: the lesson path in order, word games and flashcards, your daily reviews, some podcasts, the culture quiz, the league and your certificates. Premium adds the AI features, such as voice conversations and pronunciation scores, and exam practice. The store shows the price before you pay.

What does Premium add?

Voice conversations with Taalmaatje (up to 15 minutes a day, within a monthly limit), roleplay chats, pronunciation scores, Sentence Check, exam practice with a readiness score, a personal study plan, photo word scanning, all podcasts and a detailed weekly report. You can also skip ahead in the lesson path by passing a unit test. AI features have a fair-use limit of 500 requests a day.

How much does Premium cost?

Prices differ by country and by store and can change, so the App Store or Google Play shows you the current price before you confirm. There are monthly and yearly plans, and they renew automatically until you cancel.

Is there a free trial?

If you are eligible, the app offers a free trial and shows how long it lasts before you start. Cancel at least 24 hours before it ends and you pay nothing; otherwise it turns into a paid subscription. A free trial can be used once.

How do I cancel Premium?

The App Store or Google Play manages your subscription, so you cancel it there; Settings > Manage Subscription in the app takes you to the right place. Cancel at least 24 hours before the renewal date. You keep Premium until the end of the period you paid for, and your progress stays. Deleting the app or your account does not cancel a subscription.

Can I get a refund?

Refunds are handled by Apple or Google, which took the payment: ask Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com, or Google through your order history in Google Play. We cannot refund a store purchase ourselves. If a refund is granted, Premium ends.

I paid, but the app does not show Premium. What now?

Go to Settings > Subscription and tap Restore Purchases, signed in to the same Apple or Google account you paid with. If Premium still does not show, contact us through support.

What do I get for inviting a friend?

Share your invite code from the app. When your friend signs up with it and finishes 3 lessons, they get 14 days of Premium, at the earliest one day after entering the code. You get 30 days of Premium, or 30 talk minutes if you already subscribe, up to 6 times a year, and you both get 200 stroopwafels.

Do I need an account?

Yes. You sign in with Apple, Google or your email address; with email we send you a one-time code, so there is no password to remember. Sign in with Apple is only on iPhone and iPad. Your progress is saved to your account.

Can I use StroopTaal on more than one device?

Yes. Sign in with the same account and your progress comes with you. Your subscription belongs to the store you bought it in: on another device of the same kind, sign in to that Apple or Google account and use Restore Purchases.

How do I delete my account?

In the app, go to Settings > Danger Zone > Delete My Account and confirm. Your account and its data are erased for good after 7 days; signing in again before then cancels the deletion. Deleting your account does not cancel a subscription, so cancel that in your store first.

What happens to my data?

We do not sell your data, and the app shows no ads. It is stored on servers in Germany, in the EU. You can ask for a copy of your data, or for a correction, through support. The privacy policy explains what we collect and why.

What happens to what I say or show to the AI?

In a voice conversation your phone connects directly to the AI provider, so the audio does not pass through our servers; we keep the written transcript and feedback. Recordings for pronunciation checks and photos you scan are not kept. Please do not share sensitive details such as ID numbers or medical information. More on our AI transparency page.

How do I contact support?

In the app, go to Settings > Contact support. Our reply appears in the app and comes by email too. You can also use the support form on this website or write to [email protected]. Replies are written by a person.

I found a mistake in a lesson. What should I do?

Tap the flag on the question and tell us what is wrong. A person reads every report, and the question is fixed or taken out. You can follow your report and our answer under My reports in the app.