Dutch Typing Test · Nederlands
De stad verandert compleet zodra de avond valt en de neonlichten beginnen te weerspiegelen in de natte straten na de regen. De restaurants openen hun deuren en de geur van allerlei kruiden verspreidt zich over de stoep, vermengd met muziek uit de cafés verderop. Straatverkopers duwen behendig hun karretjes door de menigte, en bieden warme hapjes aan mensen die moe terugkomen van hun werk. Toeristen lopen met kaarten in de hand op zoek naar de beste plek om te eten, terwijl de bewoners met zelfverzekerde pas verder lopen, want zij kennen elke hoek. Op de hoeken stemmen straatmuzikanten hun instrumenten voordat ze melodieën spelen die kleine groepjes nieuwsgierigen aantrekken. Het verkeer neemt langzaam af, en de stad, die overdag leek te rennen zonder rust, neemt een langzamer, bijna intiem ritme aan. Juist in die avondmomenten kun je echt het levende hart van zo'n grote en gevarieerde plek voelen.
Click the box and start typing to begin.
Dutch spelling relies on doubled vowels and consonants to mark sound length rather than accent marks, and its distinctive ij digraph — sometimes treated as a single letter unit and even capitalized together, as in IJsselmeer — trips up typists who aren't expecting it.
This test measures how quickly and accurately you can type real Dutch sentences, including its vowel-length spelling rules and the ij digraph.
Doubled Vowels Mark Long Sounds
Dutch spelling uses doubled vowels — aa, ee, oo, uu — to show a long vowel sound in a closed syllable, while a single vowel in that position marks a short sound: maan (moon) versus man (man), or boot (boat) versus bot (bone). This is a real spelling rule with grammatical consequences (plural and conjugated forms often shift between single and double vowels), not a random doubling, so dropping a letter changes the word rather than just looking careless.
The IJ Digraph Behaves Like a Single Unit
Ij represents a single diphthong sound in Dutch and is treated as a unit strong enough that both letters are capitalized together at the start of a sentence or name — IJsland (Iceland), IJmuiden — rather than only the first letter. Typing Nederland or a similar word with only I capitalized where IJ starts the word is a common and noticeable error for non-native typists.
Diaeresis Marks a Vowel Break
Dutch uses a diaeresis (two dots) over a vowel to show that it starts a new syllable rather than combining with the preceding vowel, as in coördinatie (coordination) or zeeën (seas). This is a pronunciation-clarifying mark required by standard spelling, not an optional accent, and appears often enough in ordinary formal writing to be worth deliberate practice.
The Dutch Keyboard Layout
The Dutch keyboard layout keeps the QWERTY letter arrangement but relocates several punctuation and symbol keys compared to a US layout, and it provides direct access to the diaeresis as a dead key. Confirming the active layout before a timed test avoids punctuation-position mistakes being confused with genuine language errors.
What Is a Good Dutch Typing Speed?
There is no published, verifiable universal benchmark for Dutch typing speed. Use your own first clean result as a baseline, and for a specific exam or employer's requirement, rely on that source's actual published rule rather than a generic number.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Dutch double so many vowels?
Doubled vowels (aa, ee, oo, uu) mark a long vowel sound in a closed syllable, while a single vowel marks a short sound. It's a real spelling rule, not random repetition, and often shifts between singular and plural or conjugated forms.
Is ij one letter or two?
Functionally it behaves as one unit representing a single diphthong sound, which is why both letters are capitalized together at the start of a word, as in IJsland.
What does the diaeresis do in Dutch?
It marks that a vowel begins a new syllable rather than blending with the previous one, as in coördinatie. It's a required spelling mark, not an optional accent.
What is a good Dutch typing speed?
There is no verified universal benchmark. Track your own progress over time and use a specific employer or exam's published requirement when one actually exists.
Kies je tijd, begin met typen en bekijk direct je snelheid en nauwkeurigheid.