At A2, the thing that usually breaks the plateau is regular speaking with a real person, not another app streak. You already know enough words and grammar to hold a simple conversation; what stalls is producing sentences under time pressure. Use structured input and a course to support that, and treat apps as filler between conversations.
Why A2 feels like a wall
A2 is the level where passive knowledge outruns active use. You can read a menu, follow a slow podcast, understand a shop assistant. Then someone asks you a question at normal speed and the sentence you could have written in ten minutes does not arrive in two seconds. Apps are good at recognition and repetition, which is why they got you here. They are weak at forcing spontaneous production, which is what B1 demands.
So the question is not which format is best in general. It is which format adds the thing you are missing. For most A2 learners that is hours of low-stakes talking with correction.
Speaking first: the strongest default
If you can find a person to talk to weekly, do that before buying anything else. Conversation practice at A2 should be frequent, short and forgiving. You want someone who corrects gently and keeps you talking.
Het Begint met Taal is the obvious free starting point: a national program matching learners with volunteer taalcoaches for regular conversation. It suits learners who want structure-free practice and can commit to a schedule. It is less useful if you need exam-specific correction or business vocabulary, since volunteers are not necessarily teachers.
For paid one-to-one practice, italki Dutch Tutors gives you a large marketplace and the freedom to book single lessons. It fits learners who want to test a few teachers before committing. It does not fit people who want a fixed curriculum handed to them. Preply Dutch Tutors works similarly, with filters by goal such as conversation or NT2, which helps if you already know what you need.
If you want a tutor with a track record, the verified pro tutor list includes people like Carl, Jacqueline V. and Aline S.. Verified Pro here means 3,000+ lessons and a 4.9+ rating on their platform. That is a useful signal of consistency, not a guarantee of teaching style, so book a short trial and judge for yourself.
Courses: when structure is the missing piece
A course helps when your problem is not confidence but gaps: shaky word order, weak listening, no sense of progression. Small-group teaching gives you correction plus a syllabus.
The Square Mile Amsterdam runs business and conversational Dutch for professionals, with fast-track corporate programs and intensives. It fits working professionals in Amsterdam who want pace and a professional context. It is a poor match if you want a slow, cheap, casual evening class.
Learn Dutch in Maastricht keeps groups small, six to twelve, with private and in-company options and practical communicative teaching. That suits learners who want classroom time with real speaking, and it is less relevant if you are not in or near Maastricht or able to join online.
In Amsterdam, Sagènn Language Institute takes a small-scale, personal approach focused on speaking confidence for expats. Good if confidence is your bottleneck; less so if you want a large school with many levels running in parallel.
Berlitz Brussels uses the Berlitz Method for immersive training, in person and online, with business and conversational focus. It fits learners in Brussels or those wanting an immersion-style method. It is general rather than A2-plateau-specific, so ask how they handle learners exactly at your level.
Apps and input: support, not the engine
Easy Dutch is genuinely useful at this stage: street interviews with native speakers, subtitled, part of the Easy Languages network. It trains listening in real speech and gives you phrases people actually use. It will not correct your output, so pair it with speaking. It is a poor substitute for conversation if talking is your weak point.
Quick comparison
| Option | Type | Levels | Format | Best for | Fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Het Begint met Taal | Community | A1 to B1 | Online, in person | Free regular conversation | 79/100 |
| italki Dutch Tutors | Tutor platform | A1 to C1 | Online | Flexible one-to-one practice | 79/100 |
| The Square Mile Amsterdam | School | A1 to B2 | Online, in person | Professionals wanting pace | 81/100 |
| Learn Dutch in Maastricht | School | A1 to B2 | Online, in person | Small-group communicative classes | 78/100 |
| Easy Dutch | Resource | A2 to B2 | Online | Real-world listening input | 80/100 |
A practical order of investment
Start with speaking. Book two or three trial lessons across platforms, or apply to Het Begint met Taal, and commit to one session a week for a month. Add Easy Dutch for listening between sessions. If after a month you still feel unstructured, add a course, ideally one that puts speaking at the centre. Check prices directly with each provider; none are listed here.
If your goal is an exam rather than general fluency, the target matters. Staatsexamen NT2 Programma I is B1, Programma II is B2. Inburgering under the 2021 Act is B1 on the standard route, with A2 possible after substantial effort. Naturalisation needs A2 in 2026, with a B1 move planned but no confirmed date. See our inburgering and NT2 prep pages, and check the official source.
Not sure where you sit? The path finder and the full directory can narrow it down, and cities helps if you want something local.
How we know this: the options come from The Dutch Directory listings checked on 2026-11-14, and fit scores are editorial, not user ratings.