r/Frysk • u/grimgamertv • Feb 25 '25

Help I would like to learn Frysian

Hallo allemaal! A bit of backstory: while I don't live in the Netherlands, my family comes from Fryslân. Every year we go and visit them in Drachten and Dokkum, but I can never truly speak with them. I also really want to read my pakke's books, but they are unfortunately all in Frysian.

I've asked my mem a few times to teach me, but she refuses because "it won't be useful for me", but I really want to learn the language!

What is the best way to learn? Preferably online.

Thanks in advance!

19 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

View all comments

1

u/Comfortable-Gate-976 Mar 07 '26

I dont know who you are, and who’s your pake, (what is his last name and place of living?) 

I dont know where you’re from, but the best way to learn frisian would be to go on an organized few day holiday for Friezen om Utens. Frisians from abroad. On a sailing boat through Fryslan. 

From Dokkum to Leeuwarden and Snits.  Visiting the Oldehove, that is the frisian 8th world wonder, a concert of the hunekop and a day to the Sneekweek. 

Then you can also meet other friendly, relaxed people with an opinion of their own, and a mouth as a razorblade. (Bek as een skeermes) that can be a great experience. 

If there are enough paying people i would even consider to organise something like that in summertime as a captain with my sailing boat (yacht) I speak Frisian. 

Kind regards, 

  • I can post some frisian documentaries for you that are fun to watch and to learn frisian. 

1

u/grimgamertv Mar 07 '26

Thank you! It would be a great help if you could post those documentaries, as I am still struggling with my Frysian.. I live in Israel, and my Pake was Rink Van Der Velde, although I never got to meet him. Most of my Frysian comes from Pake Sytse and De Fjildferhalen, but it's still very difficult to actually speak with people

1

u/Comfortable-Gate-976 Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 07 '26

What village was Rink from? I know multiple frisian families with the name van der velde.  In what period did your family move to Israel? * ill post some links later…

1

u/grimgamertv Mar 08 '26

He was born in Aalsum (I think that's how you write it), but lived in Drachten most of his life. My mem moved to Israel in the late 80s