About NT2Prep

A free Dutch de/het article trainer built for expats and inburgering candidates.

NT2Prep exists because of a problem almost every Dutch learner runs into: the language has two definite articles, de and het, and there is no reliable rule for predicting which noun takes which one. Native speakers learn it by ear over a childhood of exposure. Adult learners preparing for the NT2 inburgering exam don't have that luxury — they have a test date.

The official NT2 writing exam grades article errors directly. Getting de/het wrong repeatedly costs real marks, yet most textbooks treat it as a footnote rather than something worth dedicated, repeated practice. That gap is what this app tries to close.

How it works

NT2Prep uses a simple flashcard format: you see a Dutch noun and choose de or het. Get it right, you build a streak and earn XP. Get it wrong, you see the grammar pattern behind that word — common endings, semantic categories, and other cues that make certain noun groups more predictable than they first appear. The format is built around frequent, active recall rather than passive reading, since actively choosing the article yourself builds faster, more durable recall than just reading the answer.

The app covers 500 words spanning A2 through B1/B2 vocabulary, organized loosely around the topics that come up in daily Dutch life and in NT2 exam contexts — work, bureaucracy, health, relationships, and so on.

Why it's free

NT2Prep is supported by light, non-intrusive advertising rather than a mandatory paywall, so anyone studying for the exam can use the core trainer at no cost. There are no accounts, no logins, and no requirement to hand over personal information just to practice.

Who's behind it

NT2Prep is built and maintained by an expat living in the Netherlands who went through the inburgering process firsthand and built the tool that didn't exist yet. It's a small, independent project — not a product of a language school or test-prep company.

Questions, corrections, or word suggestions are always welcome — see the contact page.