Do I Need a Dutch Website? When English Is Enough and What to Add First

The Netherlands is often described as a country where English works everywhere, so an English-only website seems enough. That is half right and half risky, because being able to read English and searching in English are two different things.

This article tests the idea of an English-speaking country by asking who searches, at which stage, and in which language. It then gives a decision table by audience, shows how Dutch and English search terms differ, explains how to add Dutch without translating everything, and ends with how to treat machine translation and the minimum hreflang setup.

The main sources, all checked on 3 November 2026:

• EF English Proficiency Index 2025 (Netherlands page): first of 123 countries and regions
• European Commission, Eurobarometer 2023 survey (published May 2024): 47% of EU citizens say they can hold a conversation in English (self-reported)
• Google Search Central: hreflang requirements, one language per page, spam policy on low-value pages
• Algemene wet bestuursrecht, article 2:6 (wetten.overheid.nl): administrative bodies use Dutch by default
• CSA Research (2020, 29 countries): preference for buying where information is in the buyer's own language

1. Is the Netherlands really an English-speaking country for business?

The idea has a basis. Start with the reading and speaking side.

The English numbers are high, but check what they measure

In EF's English Proficiency Index 2025 the Netherlands ranked first of 123 countries and regions, with a score of 624. The skill scores were reading 634, listening 628, writing 554 and speaking 514. The index is built from people who chose to take EF's English test, so it is not a random sample of residents. That is our reading; we could confirm only part of EF's methodology note.

Other evidence points the same way. The European Commission's survey (September to October 2023, about 27,000 people, published in May 2024) found that 47% of people across the EU said they can hold a conversation in English (self-reported). The Netherlands is very likely well above that average, but the Commission's summary page gives no country figures, so we could not confirm the Dutch number itself.

From "can read" to "buys on an English site" is a long way

Reading English is not enough to make someone search, trust and buy in English. There are three steps in between.

English ability directly helps only with reading; these three steps cannot be closed by English ability alone. The search step gets its own chapter below.

Preference surveys exist, but not for the Netherlands alone

CSA Research's 2020 survey of 8,709 consumers in 29 countries was reported as finding that 76% prefer buying products with information in their own language and 40% never buy from websites in other languages. These are pooled figures, not Dutch ones, and we could not check the exact wording of the questions in the full report.

We found no recent public survey that directly measures language preference among Dutch consumers. So this article does not claim that Dutch people always prefer Dutch. Where numbers are missing, decide stage by stage and test on your own site.

2. Who looks, at which stage, in which language?

To test the idea, stop treating "the Dutch" as one group. Four stages show where the language is decided.

Stage 1: finding you (search, referrals, maps)

People find businesses through search boxes and map apps. Residents and companies type either in Dutch or in the English they use every day. Which one depends on the person and the purpose. A purchasing manager at an international company is likely to search in English; a household looking for a local builder is likely to search in Dutch.

Google says it determines a page's language from the visible content, not from the HTML lang attribute or the URL. A page written in English is treated as an English page, and Dutch queries tend to surface Dutch pages first. Google does not publish the details of ranking, so this cannot be stated as a certainty.

Stage 2: checking you (existence, prices, terms)

After finding you, visitors check the company: who runs it, how pricing works, what the terms say, how personal data is handled. In the Netherlands, terms of business are called algemene voorwaarden (general terms). For B2B, we think English terms often work, and a small Dutch business may feel more comfortable with Dutch terms. That is our judgement, not a surveyed figure. Consumer sales are different; see the next chapter.

Stage 3: contacting you (form, email, phone)

At the contact stage, form labels and the reply language matter. Many people can write in English, but a line saying "you may write in Dutch" makes some start more easily. If you cannot reply in Dutch, say honestly that you will reply in English.

Stage 4: contracting (quote, invoice, acceptance of terms)

Contracting adds legal text: the quote (offerte), the invoice (factuur), terms and personal-data notices. The language that matters changes a lot with the size of the counterparty, as the next chapter shows.

3. Decision table: do I need a Dutch website, by audience and sector

Here is the stage analysis as a decision table. It is DevNJ's framing, not a legal language requirement. "English only" means English pages alone are likely to support enquiries and sales.

The table

Two questions reduce the "unsure" rows.

1. In which language do current customers write their first message?
2. Are your target search terms typed more in Dutch or in English?

The first can be answered from your inbox and enquiry history. The second is covered in the next chapter.

With public bodies, the other side sets the language

For public bodies the question is less the website language than the language of documents. Article 2:6 of the Algemene wet bestuursrecht (General Administrative Law Act) says administrative bodies and the people working under their responsibility use Dutch unless a statutory provision says otherwise. Another language may be used if that is more efficient and does not disproportionately harm third parties (the version in force from 15 August 2026, checked on 3 November 2026).

That article governs the authority's own language. It does not oblige private companies to publish Dutch websites. But if you deal with public bodies, the language of submitted documents follows their rules. Public tenders are published on TenderNed, and each notice sets out its own language rules, so check the documents of the specific tender.

No general Dutch-language duty for private sites was found

Within what we checked, we found no rule that requires Dutch on private business websites. Consumer sales do carry specific obligations, such as pre-contract information, so this is not a complete legal survey. Before you sell to consumers, take professional advice.

For consumers there are two pointers on language. business.gov.nl, the Dutch government's portal for businesses, requires distance sellers to give "clear, correct and understandable" information about the business before a purchase, but that page does not say which language to use. And on 28 July 2022 the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) reported that, after its action, AliExpress rewrote its terms for Dutch consumers in Dutch. That is one case, not a general duty. The conclusion stands: we found no blanket duty, but for consumers there is pressure to present terms in a form they can understand. For the wider EU picture on prices, withdrawal rights and GDPR, see EU website requirements for non-EU companies: 12 checks.

4. Dutch search terms and English search terms

Now to search. The same need is expressed with different words in different languages.

The same demand takes a different shape

The table shows how people might phrase the same need in each language. These are shapes of phrases, not search volumes. Check actual numbers in Search Console or a keyword tool.

The Dutch examples often use a verb such as laten maken (have made) and a city name. The English examples tend to include a country name. We read this as a difference in the searcher's position: people inside the country add a city, people outside add the country. That is DevNJ's view, not a measured figure.

What happens with English pages only

English pages match English queries. For Dutch queries they are likely at a disadvantage compared with Dutch pages, but Google does not publish the mechanics. Check real impressions on your own site.

1. In Search Console's performance report, filter by the Netherlands.
2. Split queries by hand into Dutch and English and compare impressions.
3. Look for Dutch queries among those already reaching your English pages.
4. If there are some, the Dutch page that answers them is your first candidate.

This needs only free tools. If your site has few impressions, there may be too little data to decide; then decide from the language of your enquiries.

English search terms have strengths too

English reaches people who search across borders. If a company based in the Netherlands receives enquiries from other countries, English pages are the main act. Adding Dutch does not weaken the English pages.

5. When an English website in the Netherlands is enough

Now the decision table in detail, starting with when English alone works.

Specialist B2B

Parts, software, machinery and lab equipment, where buyers source internationally, often work in English alone. Buyers are used to English documentation and search in English. Before adding Dutch, make the English richer: specifications, real case studies, lead times and support arrangements.

Readers who are expats

Many people in the Netherlands live in English. Services for them, such as housing help, paperwork support, language teaching or health information, work with English as the main language. Add Dutch for local-name searches or when you must explain Dutch documents.

Japan-related offers

Introductions to Japanese culture, food, design or tourism reach an international audience in English. Dutch becomes relevant when you start a local shop or class.

6. When a Dutch-language website for business is needed

Next, where English alone is thin.

Local services

Salons, restaurants, builders, advisers and classes, which operate locally, need to appear in Dutch searches. Queries take the form of service plus city and also appear in map results. For a ZZP without a shopfront that wants local visibility without publishing a home address, see Setting up Google Business Profile in the Netherlands.

B2B selling to small businesses

ZZP (self-employed) and small companies are a borderline case. The buyers read English, but we expect they find Dutch terms and quotes more reassuring. A Dutch main service page and contact page lowers friction at both the finding and contacting stages. See also Website checklist for ZZP in the Netherlands.

Consumer webshops

When you sell to consumers, explanations of returns, delivery, payment and personal data are what many people want in their own language. CSA Research's survey also points to a preference for own-language information (pooled across 29 countries). Before translating every product description, start with returns and terms.

Public bodies and large buyers

Public bodies follow the language of the tender documents. Large companies may have internal rules. Before bidding, ask the procurement contact in which language documents must be submitted.

7. Adding Dutch without translating everything

Now the practical steps. The point is not translating all of it. Every extra page multiplies maintenance by the number of languages, so begin where results are easiest to see.

Four steps, in this order

Swap the order to suit the business. A local service starts with the local page; a B2B firm with heavy contracts may start with terms.

What to watch before moving to the next step

After each step, check the signal below before deciding to continue. We set no numeric targets, because sites differ too much for one rule.

Contact comes first because it takes the least effort and lowers the barrier for people who are already reaching out. The search entry points are built second and third.

Results can take weeks to months. Do not judge after a few days.

Do not mirror the English page

A Dutch page need not be a word-for-word copy. Lead with what a Dutch reader wants to know. For a local page, that means the area covered, how meetings or visits work, and real local references. The English page can stay focused on international readers.

8. What goes on each added page

Once the order is set, decide what each page contains.

Contact: labels and a reply promise

Put field labels and notes in Dutch, and state the reply language and expected response time near the form.

Only promise a reply time you can keep. Two working days is just an example.

Main service: one page, finished

Do not translate all services. Pick the one service you most want to be hired for and finish it in Dutch: who it is for, what you do, how it runs, how time is estimated, and common questions. If you cannot state a price, explain how pricing is decided and point to a request for a quote.

Local page: more than a city name

A local page that only inserts a city name risks being treated as a thin page. Google's spam policy targets large numbers of low-value pages however they are made. Include what only that area would need.

• The area you cover and how you visit
• Questions customers in that area often ask
• Real references, shown with permission
• Where you work; if you do not publish an address, describe the service area

Terms: decide the content before translating

Decide the terms before translating them. Dutch terms typically cover governing law, payment period, cancellation and limits on liability. That is legal territory, so have a local professional review the Dutch text. If terms exist in several languages, state in the terms which one prevails.

9. Is machine translation safe for a Dutch-language website?

A common mistake is to publish machine translation as it comes. For how to design translation workflows, see Automating translation and updates on a bilingual website; here we cover only the decision.

What it can and cannot do

Machine translation is not banned. Google's spam policies mention machine translation as an example of automated transformation when pages offer little value. The problem is mass-producing thin pages. A few pages, carefully reviewed, are less likely to be the mass production the policy targets.

Native review can stay small

You do not need native review of every page. Limit it to the first four pages and any text with legal weight. Reviewers should check three things:

1. Does it make sense, with no mistranslations?
2. Does the industry wording fit?
3. Does anything sound rude or stiff?

This check can reduce the friction a Dutch reader feels. If you cannot find a reviewer, make the English page richer instead of adding unchecked Dutch.

No half-translated pages

Google recommends one language per page. Do not translate only the navigation while the body stays English. If you add Dutch, make the whole page Dutch at its own URL.

10. URLs and the minimum hreflang setup

Once the pages exist, tell search engines that language versions of the same content exist.

URL structure

Google describes both country-code domains (example.nl) and subdirectories (example.com/nl/). A country domain makes the target country clear but costs more to run. A subdirectory is simple and low-maintenance. For a small start, subdirectories are practical.

Whether to translate the home page is a common dilemma. It is a strong entry point and shows results quickly, but it also adds maintenance. Waiting until the first four pages show a response is fine.

Minimum hreflang

hreflang tells search engines that another language version of the same content exists. The minimum requirements, following Google's documentation:

For a Dutch and English pair:

<link rel="alternate" hreflang="nl" href="https://example.com/nl/contact" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="en" href="https://example.com/en/contact" />
<link rel="alternate" hreflang="x-default" href="https://example.com/en/contact" />

Add it only to pages that have a counterpart. A page with no Dutch version gets no hreflang. This is our reading, derived from Google's condition that versions point at each other.

Do not redirect automatically

Google advises against automatically redirecting visitors to a language guessed from their browser, and recommends a visible switch so people choose. A small "Nederlands / English" switch at the top is enough.

11. How the cost is shaped

This section is about what drives the cost, not about amounts.

What drives cost

When comparing quotes, ask about the effort of updating as well as the number of pages. Translation never ends, because prices, terms and services change.

Decide the exit rule too

Set a rule for pages that get no response, for example: "after three months, if no Dutch queries appear, review that page." The figure depends on the business, so we give no target.

12. Common pitfalls

13. What not to do

14. Checklist

• Counted the language of recent enquiries
• Filtered Search Console by the Netherlands and looked for Dutch queries
• Used the decision table to decide English-only or not, by audience and stage
• Chose the page order: contact, main service, local, terms
• Named a native-speaker reviewer
• Planned local professional review for the terms
• One language per page, each on its own URL
• hreflang on pages with a counterpart, pointing both ways
• No automatic redirect, and a language switch in place
• Set a date to review results in weeks to months

15. Summary

• "English works in the Netherlands" is right for reading; at the finding stage the language splits
• Whether English is enough depends on audience, sector and stage: specialist B2B and expat services lean English, local services gain from Dutch
• Search terms change shape by language: a city name inside the country, a country name from outside
• Do not translate everything: contact, main service, local page, terms, one page each
• Machine translation is a draft; native speakers and professionals review anything with legal weight
• hreflang goes on pages with a counterpart, both ways, with full URLs; no automatic redirects
• Where figures are missing, use your own Search Console and enquiries

If you are unsure whether to add Dutch, or which page to start with, we can work through your audience and goals together. See our services, and send your situation via contact. More articles are in the column index.

Sources

English ability and language surveys

• EF English Proficiency Index 2025: 123 countries and regions in the ranking, about 2.2 million test takers
• Netherlands — EF English Proficiency Index 2025: first of 123 countries and regions, score 624, skill scores
• Europeans strive toward multilingualism — European Commission: 47% can speak English across the EU, survey of September to October 2023, published May 2024
• Survey of 8,709 Consumers in 29 Countries — CSA Research: 76% and 40% own-language preference (July 2020, pooled across 29 countries)
• The Dutch culture and business climate — business.gov.nl: the Dutch government's note on a multilingual workforce

Law and public bodies

• Algemene wet bestuursrecht, article 2:6 — wetten.overheid.nl: administrative bodies use Dutch; the exception (version in force from 15 August 2026, checked 3 November 2026)
• Long-distance sales and purchases — business.gov.nl: the duty to give clear, correct and understandable information before purchase (it does not specify a language)
• AliExpress adjusts terms in favour of consumers after ACM action — ACM: 28 July 2022 announcement; terms for Dutch consumers written in Dutch
• TenderNed: public procurement notices; the language is set in each tender's documents

Search and multilingual guidance (Google, W3C)

• Tell Google about localized versions of your page — Google Search Central: hreflang requirements, self-reference, return links, full URLs, x-default
• Managing multi-regional and multilingual sites — Google Search Central: one language per page, country domains versus subdirectories, language detection
• Spam policies for Google web search — Google Search Central: mass-produced low-value pages, machine translation as an example
• Choosing a Language Tag — W3C Internationalization: keep language tags short
• Declaring language in HTML — W3C Internationalization: why the html element carries lang
• Tags for Identifying Languages (RFC 5646) — IETF: the language tag standard (how nl and en are written)
• Document structure — web.dev Learn HTML: declaring lang helps translation services and screen readers

Related articles

• EU website requirements for non-EU companies: 12 checks: language choice across Europe, prices, GDPR
• Automating translation and updates on a bilingual website: translation memory, machine translation versus human review, hreflang mistakes
• Setting up Google Business Profile in the Netherlands: local search
• Website checklist for ZZP in the Netherlands: checks for sole traders

All checked on 3 November 2026. Rules and indices change, so confirm on each page before deciding. This article is not legal advice. We could not confirm EF's full methodology, the Netherlands-specific figure in the Commission's survey, or the full text of the CSA Research report. The Dutch and English search phrases are examples of wording, not search volumes. Figures 1 to 3 were made by DevNJ.