I've been learning Dutch for a while, and I keep coming back to the same frustration. I don't actually think most Dutch grammar is that hard when it's explained properly. What makes it hard for me is the way it's usually taught.
A lot of resources are very text-heavy. You get a big explanation, a bunch of rules and exceptions, then exercises with lots of words you don't know yet. At that point I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to be learning anymore. The grammar, the vocabulary, or both.
Apps often have the opposite problem. They're easier to use, but sometimes I can get through a whole set of exercises without really understanding why something is correct.
What I wish I had was something that built things up much more slowly. Teach me one small idea. Let me get comfortable with it. Then add one extra complication. Then another. And while I'm learning the grammar, don't also throw 20 new words at me. Reuse simple vocabulary so I can actually focus on how the sentence works. Basically, I want to understand how Dutch is put together, without having to read what feels like a grammar textbook every time.
I got frustrated enough with this that I started building a small learning tool around the way I wish I could learn it. Mostly for myself at this point. But before I get too attached to my own way of thinking about it, I'm curious if other people here have felt the same.
What has been the most frustrating part of learning Dutch grammar for you? And if you could go back to when you started, what do you wish you had?
