#126 | Why you still don’t speak Dutch (and it has nothing to do with your level) Dutch podcast B1

You understand Dutch.

But speaking? That’s where you freeze.

In this episode I share something personal.

Not a language tip. Not a grammar rule.

But an identity shift.

After spending a month in New Zealand with my family, something clicked for me.

A belief I had held for years quietly disappeared.

And that matters for you too.

Because the reason you still don’t speak Dutch is often not your level.

It’s the story you tell yourself about who you are when you speak.

In this episode you’ll hear:

- Why your identity around speaking Dutch is not fixed, and how the story “I understand Dutch but don’t speak it” is something you learned, not who you are.

- Why more studying won’t help anymore, because knowledge is no longer the problem; hesitation is.

- What actually needs to shift - so you stop freezing, stop switching to English, and start speaking even when it’s not perfect.

- How an identity shift creates real movement - without forcing yourself or “just pushing through.”

If you’ve been living in the Netherlands for years, understand almost everything, and still hesitate every time you open your mouth - this episode is for you.

At the end, I’ll also tell you about the Dutch Breakthrough Week:

a focused challenge where we work on identity, mindset, perfectionism and finally speaking - instead of staying stuck in your head.

Get in via https://dutchspeakingacademy.nl/dutch-challenge/  

And if this lands: follow the show, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs this shift too.