KNM Summary - Inburgering.org

Chapter 1 — Understanding the KNM Exam

What the KNM exam tests, how the test is built, the eight themes it covers, and how to study without memorising single questions.

Welcome to the KNM Course

Recognise what KNM stands for and what the exam measures
Know the exam format: 40 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes, 28 correct to pass
Recognise the eight themes that return in the questions
Know which Dutch organisation handles registration, results, and certificates (DUO)
Use theme-based study instead of memorising isolated questions

What the KNM Exam Tests

KNM stands for Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij — knowledge of Dutch society. The exam checks whether you recognise the normal, legal, or expected way to act in everyday Dutch situations: who to call when someone collapses, where to register a new address, who pays for a blood test, what to do when you are late for a huisarts appointment.

The questions are short and concrete. Each one shows a person in a real situation and asks you to pick the response that matches Dutch rules and habits. The Dutch in the questions stays at A2 level, so the work is recognising the situation, not decoding hard language.

The KNM exam is 40 multiple-choice questions in 45 minutes. You need 28 correct answers to pass. Every question has three options (A, B, C) and a small photo of the person or situation the question is about.

You take the exam on a computer at an official DUO test location. There is no speaking, no writing, and no listening — just reading the short situation, looking at the photo, and choosing one of the three answers.

The questions are spread across eight themes. The next ten modules of this course follow the same themes, so the practice you do here matches the situations on the exam.

Theme 1 — Health and healthcare: huisarts, apotheek, 112, consultatiebureau, eigen risico
Theme 2 — Manners, values, and norms: flag with schoolbag, being late, same-sex marriage
Theme 3 — Institutions and official services: gemeente, Belastingdienst, UWV, DUO
Theme 4 — Work and income: contract, payslip, holiday days, sick leave
Theme 5 — Housing: rent, huurtoeslag, registering an address
Theme 6 — Education and parenting: schools, leerplicht, kinderopvang
Theme 7 — History and geography: provinces, water and dikes, key historical facts
Theme 8 — Government and the rule of law: elections, Tweede Kamer, koning, basic rights

How to Choose the Right Answer

Most KNM questions are really asking one thing: what is the normal, legal, or expected response in the Netherlands? The best answer is usually the one that follows Dutch rules and habits, not the one that feels familiar from another country.

For each question, run three quick checks.

Let op — The longest option is not automatically the right one. Distractors are often long. Pick the option that matches the Dutch rule, not the one with the most words.

Which theme is this? Health, housing, work, government, etc. The theme already removes some of the three options.

Which Dutch organisation or rule belongs here? Huisarts, gemeente, Belastingdienst, UWV, 112, DUO — each has a clear job.

What is the standard Dutch response? Call 112 for life-threatening problems; go to the huisarts first for non-urgent health questions; register a new address at the gemeente within five working days.

Registration, Result, and Certificate

All inburgering exams, including KNM, run through DUO — the Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs. DUO lets you book the exam through your DUO account (mijn.duo.nl), runs the test locations, sends the result (usually within a few weeks), and issues the inburgeringsdiploma once all parts are passed.

If you fail, you can book the exam again at DUO. Each attempt costs a fee. There is no limit on attempts, but the deadline of your inburgeringsplicht keeps running, so do not push the next attempt too far back.

Inburgering — the official integration process. Inburgeringsdiploma — the certificate you get once all parts are passed. Gemeente — your local municipality (registers your address, marriage, birth). DUO — the organisation that handles exams, results, and the diploma.

How to Study This Course

Memorising single questions does not work well here. The exam pool is large and the wording changes. What works is recognising the situation.

While you study each theme, keep asking three questions: What is happening in this situation? Which Dutch organisation or rule belongs here? What is the normal Dutch response?

If you can answer those three questions on a fresh situation you have not seen before, you are studying the right way.

Samenvatting · Introduction

The KNM exam is a short, computer-based test on practical Dutch society. Forty multiple-choice questions in forty-five minutes, three options per question, twenty-eight correct to pass. The questions sit inside eight recurring themes; the next ten modules of this course teach those themes one by one.

The quickest way to study is to recognise the situation rather than memorise the wording: name the theme, name the Dutch organisation or rule, and name the standard Dutch response.

KNM stands for Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij
Format: 40 multiple-choice questions, 45 minutes, three options per question
Pass mark: 28 out of 40 correct
Questions cover eight themes: health, manners, institutions, work, housing, education, history/geography, government
DUO handles booking, results, and the inburgeringsdiploma
Study by recognising the situation, the Dutch organisation, and the normal Dutch response

The KNM exam has 40 multiple-choice questions and takes 45 minutes. You take it on a computer at an official DUO test location.

You need 28 correct answers out of 40 to pass. Twenty correct answers is not enough.

The KNM exam tests whether you know the normal, legal, or expected way to act in everyday Dutch situations — recognising the right Dutch organisation or response for each situation, not memorising question wording.

Chapter 2 — Your Arrival: First Steps in the Netherlands

The administrative chain that gets you set up after you move: register with the gemeente, receive your BSN, then activate your DigiD. Each one is the key to the next.

Recognise the gemeente as the office for registration and address changes
Know what a Burgerservicenummer (BSN) is and which everyday tasks need it
Know what a DigiD is and which services it unlocks
Put the three steps in the right order: gemeente, BSN, DigiD

Going to the Gemeente

Your first official stop after moving to the Netherlands is the gemeente (municipality). If you plan to live here for more than four months, you must register your address with the gemeente where you live, normally within five days of arrival. This registration is called inschrijving, and your details go into the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen), the Dutch population register.

You register at the stadhuis or a smaller stadsloket, usually after making an appointment online. Bring a valid passport or ID, and proof of address (a rental contract, or a permission letter from the main occupant if you live with someone else). Without registration, you cannot get a BSN, a bank account, or a contract for work — registration is what makes you officially present in the system.

The gemeente is also the place where you report later changes: when you move to a new address (verhuizen), when you start living together (samenwonen), or when your marital status changes. When something about where or how you live changes, you tell the gemeente.

Let op — The gemeente is not the same as the IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst). The IND handles your residence permit; the gemeente handles your registration in the BRP. Two different offices, two different documents.

Your BSN: The Citizen Service Number

After you finish your gemeente registration, you receive a Burgerservicenummer, almost always called a BSN. It is a unique personal number that the Dutch government uses to identify you. The BSN arrives by post a few days or weeks after your appointment.

The BSN is the key that unlocks everyday administrative life. You need it to start a job (your employer has to register your BSN), open a bank account (a Dutch bank cannot open one without it), arrange your zorgverzekering (basic health insurance), visit a huisarts or apotheek and have the visit recorded, and contact the Belastingdienst for tax returns, toeslagen, and similar requests.

Your BSN is on your Dutch ID card, your passport (if you have a Dutch one), and on letters from the gemeente and the Belastingdienst. Treat it like a piece of personal data — share it only with organisations that genuinely need it.

Let op — The BSN is your identification number. The DigiD is how you prove that you are the person behind that number when you log in online. The BSN is the number on paper; DigiD is the login.

DigiD: Your Online Identity

A DigiD is your personal login for almost every Dutch government and healthcare website. Without it, you cannot do most official tasks digitally.

You apply for a DigiD at digid.nl once you have your BSN and a Dutch address. After you fill in the request, an activation code is sent by post to your registered address within a few working days. You enter that code on the website to activate the account. From then on you log in with a username, a password, and usually a code by SMS or via the DigiD app.

DigiD opens the doors to MijnOverheid (your government mailbox), the Belastingdienst for tax returns and toeslagen, the UWV for unemployment-related matters, the gemeente for online forms, and your zorgverzekering and many huisarts patient portals.

Because DigiD gives access to so much, treat the password and SMS code like a bank PIN. Never share them, and be careful with emails or texts asking you to log in via a link.

Let op — A DigiD can only be issued to someone who is registered in the BRP with a Dutch address. So the order matters: gemeente registration → BSN → DigiD. If you do not have a BSN yet, you cannot apply for a DigiD.

Samenvatting · First Steps

Three offices, in this fixed order: gemeente for your registration, then the BSN that follows from it, then a DigiD that lets you act on that BSN online. Once these three are in place, almost everything else — work, banking, healthcare, taxes — can be set up step by step.

Register with the gemeente within five days if you will stay more than four months; bring passport and proof of address.
Your BSN arrives by post after registration and is needed for work, banking, healthcare, and the Belastingdienst.
DigiD is your secure login for government and healthcare websites; you can only apply for it once you have a BSN.
Tell the gemeente when you move, start living together, or your marital status changes — the BRP must stay up to date.
The gemeente handles your address. The IND handles your residence permit. Two different offices.

She must register her new address with the gemeente (municipality) in Utrecht within five days of arrival. She needs to bring a valid passport or ID and proof of address. This is called inschrijving and puts her details in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen).

Sami tells the gemeente (municipality) about his new address. The gemeente updates the BRP (population register). He must do this within five working days of moving.

A valid passport (or ID card) and a bewijs van adres — proof of address — such as a rental contract or a permission letter from the main occupant of the home.

Chapter 3 — The Netherlands: Land, People & Country

A first look at the country itself: the low-lying landscape shaped by water, the 17 million people who live in it, and the basic frame of Dutch government. The institutions and rules in later chapters all sit on top of this geography and this population.

Picture the Netherlands as a small, low-lying country with twelve provinces and a Randstad in the west
Recognise dijk, polder, and the Waddenzee as basic features of the Dutch landscape
Know that about 17 million people live here and that a large share has roots outside the Netherlands
Spot Frisian as the second official language, only in Friesland
Understand that the Netherlands is a democracy and a constitutional monarchy, with government and parliament in The Hague

The Netherlands is a small country in Western Europe. Germany sits to the east, Belgium to the south, and the North Sea to the west. From north to south it is only about 300 km — you can drive across the whole country in a single day.

The big fact about this landscape is water. About a fifth of the country is water, and a large part of the land lies below sea level. Big rivers like the Rijn and the Maas run through the country toward the sea, and in the north the Waddenzee separates the mainland from a string of islands. To keep the land dry, the Dutch build dijken (dikes) along the coast and rivers and pump water out of low areas. A piece of land won back from the water in this way is called a polder. The newest province, Flevoland, is almost entirely polder.

The country is divided into twaalf provincies (twelve provinces), each with its own capital city. In the west, four big cities — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, and Utrecht — sit close together in an area called the Randstad. Most people live here, and this is where most jobs, offices, and trains run. Amsterdam is the capital (hoofdstad), but the government works from Den Haag.

Let op — Amsterdam is the capital, but it is not the seat of government. The Dutch government and parliament work in Den Haag (The Hague). Two cities, two roles — the exam likes this distinction.

De mensen en de taal

About 17 miljoen people live in the Netherlands. The country is small, so this makes it one of the most densely populated places in Europe — busy trains, packed cycle paths, and not much empty space between cities.

The population has many backgrounds. More than one in ten people were not born here. Some came from other European countries for work or family, and large groups arrived from former Dutch territories such as Suriname and Indonesia. In the 1960s and 1970s, many people from Turkey and Morocco came as gastarbeiders (guest workers); a lot of them stayed and built families here. From the 1980s onward, vluchtelingen (refugees) arrived from countries like Iran, Iraq, Vietnam, and Somalia. Most of these people now hold Dutch nationality.

The national language is Nederlands (Dutch). In one province in the north, Friesland, there is also a second official language called Fries (Frisian); you'll see it on signs and hear it spoken locally, but you don't need it for the KNM exam.

Let op — Fries (Frisian) is an official language only in Friesland, not in the rest of the country. Outside Friesland, the official language is Dutch alone.

Een democratie met een koning

The Netherlands is a democratie (democracy). Every four years, citizens choose the people who sit in the parlement (parliament). The parlement checks the government and votes on new laws. The government — the prime minister and the ministers — runs the country day to day.

At the same time, the Netherlands has a koning (king). Today that is Willem-Alexander. The king is the head of state, but he does not make laws and he does not decide policy; the grondwet (constitution) limits his role. He signs laws, opens the political year, and represents the country abroad. This combination has a name: a constitutionele monarchie (constitutional monarchy).

The political centre of the country is Den Haag. The parlement and the government work in a complex called the Binnenhof. So when an exam question asks where the parlement sits, where the regering meets, or where the prime minister works — the answer is Den Haag, not Amsterdam.

Let op — The regering is the government — the ministers and the prime minister, plus the king as head of state. The parlement is the elected body that checks the government. They are not the same thing, and the exam often tests which one does what.

Samenvatting · Land en mensen

A small low country protected by dijken and polders, with about 17 miljoen people living mostly in the Randstad. The political system is a democratie plus a constitutionele monarchie, with the regering and parlement in Den Haag.

Nederland is a small, flat, low-lying country: large parts sit below sea level and are kept dry by dijken and polders.
There are twaalf provincies; in the west, four cities — Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag and Utrecht — form the Randstad.
Amsterdam is the hoofdstad, but the regering and parlement work in Den Haag, in the Binnenhof.
About 17 miljoen people live here; a large share has roots outside the Netherlands (Surinamese, Turkish, Moroccan, refugees from later decades).
Nederlands is the national language; Fries is a second official language only in Friesland.
Politically, the country is both a democratie (parlement elected every four years) and a constitutionele monarchie (king, but power limited by the grondwet).

The KNM exam has 40 questions. You must answer at least 28 correctly to pass. The exam takes 45 minutes on a computer at an official DUO test location.

The KNM exam takes 45 minutes on a computer at a DUO test location. There are 40 multiple-choice questions, each with three options (A, B, C).

DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs) issues the inburgeringsdiploma. DUO also handles exam bookings, test locations, and results.

Chapter 4 — How the Netherlands Works: Government & Politics

How the Netherlands is governed: a King who represents the country, a Prime Minister and cabinet who run it, a parliament that checks them, and a constitution that protects everyone's rights. This chapter walks you through the three things the KNM exam keeps asking: who does what, how elections work, and which fundamental rights you have.

Tell the King's role apart from the Prime Minister's role
Know which body is directly elected, how often, and from what age
Recognise the gemeenteraadsverkiezingen rule for non-Dutch residents
Name the rights protected by the Grondwet, including Article 1

A Kingdom That Is Also A Democracy

The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy and a democracy at the same time. The head of state is the King (Koning Willem-Alexander), but his real political power is small. He represents the country, signs new laws once parliament has approved them, and visits other countries officially. He does not decide taxes, choose ministers freely, or organise elections.

The day-to-day government is led by the minister-president (Prime Minister). Together with the ministers and state secretaries, he forms the kabinet. The kabinet meets every week and decides government policy. The political seat is Den Haag (The Hague) — that is where the King's working palace, the kabinet and parliament all sit.

Once a year, on the third Tuesday of September (Prinsjesdag), the King reads the Troonrede in The Hague: a speech that opens the political year and announces the government's plans.

Let op — The King is not the Prime Minister. Many exam questions ask which tasks belong to the King and which to the PM. The PM leads the weekly cabinet meeting; the King does not. The King receives foreign visits and signs laws; the PM does not sign new laws.

Parliament, Elections And How Laws Are Made

Parliament is called the Staten-Generaal and has two houses. The Tweede Kamer has 150 members and is directly elected by the people every four years. The Eerste Kamer has 75 members and is chosen indirectly by the provincial parliaments. The Tweede Kamer is the busy political house: it debates, checks the government, and votes first on every new law.

A new law follows a fixed path: a minister proposes the law → the Tweede Kamer debates and votes → if it passes, the Eerste Kamer votes → if both agree, the Koning signs it and it becomes law.

In the Netherlands you vote for a political party, not directly for a Prime Minister. Because no party usually wins a majority alone, several parties form a coalitie to govern together. Voting is not compulsory: you may vote, you don't have to. To vote, you must be 18 years or older.

If you have Dutch nationality, you may vote in all elections from age 18. If you do not have Dutch nationality but live legally in the Netherlands for at least five years, you may also vote in the gemeenteraadsverkiezingen (and EU citizens may vote sooner).

Let op — The Tweede Kamer is the directly elected one (150 zetels). The Eerste Kamer (75 zetels) is not directly elected by the public. If a question says "the people choose them every four years", the answer is the Tweede Kamer.

Your Fundamental Rights And The Grondwet

The most important Dutch law is the Grondwet — the Constitution. Every other law in the country must agree with the Grondwet. It lists your grondrechten (fundamental rights), the rules that the government may not take away.

Artikel 1 — gelijke behandeling. Everyone in the Netherlands must be treated equally in equal cases. Discrimination on grounds of religion, beliefs, political opinion, race, sex, sexual orientation, disability, age, or any other ground is not allowed.

Other key rights: vrijheid van godsdienst — you are free to choose your religion, or to have none. Vrijheid van meningsuiting — you may say or write your opinion, including criticism of the government, as long as you do not break other laws. Recht op demonstratie — you may protest peacefully and go on staking (a strike). Mannen en vrouwen zijn gelijk — women and men have the same rights, also at work.

There is one important boundary: Dutch law is always above religious or cultural rules. If a religious or cultural practice conflicts with a Dutch law, the Dutch law applies.

Let op — Freedom of speech does not mean you can say anything you like without limit. You may criticise the government — that is allowed. You may not insult or threaten a specific group because of their religion or origin — that is discriminatie and against Artikel 1.

Samenvatting · politiek en bestuur

Three layers fit together. The Koning represents the country and signs laws. The regering and kabinet, led by the minister-president, run things day to day. The Tweede Kamer (150 zetels, directly elected) and Eerste Kamer (75 zetels) make sure laws are agreed. Above all of them, the Grondwet sets the limits — including Artikel 1, equal treatment for everyone.

King Willem-Alexander is head of state; the minister-president leads the kabinet in Den Haag.
The Tweede Kamer has 150 members, directly elected every four years; the Eerste Kamer has 75.
From age 18 Dutch citizens may vote; non-Dutch residents may vote in gemeenteraadsverkiezingen after five years of legal residence.
Artikel 1 of the Grondwet forbids discrimination; freedoms of religion, speech and protest are protected.
Dutch law always sits above religious or cultural rules when the two conflict.

The gemeente (municipality) registers your address in the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen). You must report there within five working days when you move to a new address or change your living situation.

Zonder een BSN (Burgerservicenummer) kun je geen DigiD aanvragen. The order is fixed: gemeente registration → BSN (arrives by post) → DigiD application at digid.nl.

The KNM exam has 40 questions. You need 28 correct answers to pass. The exam takes 45 minutes on a computer at a DUO test location.

Chapter 5 — Finding a Home: Renting, Buying & Utilities

Housing in the Netherlands: the social-rental track through a woningcorporatie, the private and buying track with makelaar and hypotheek, and the everyday admin of energy, water, address registration, and gemeente taxes once you have the keys.

Know where to register as a woningzoekende for a sociale huurwoning, and what huurtoeslag is for
Recognise the role of a makelaar and a hypotheek when buying a home or renting in the vrije sector
Know who arranges energy, water, and internet at a new address, and where to report a gas storing
Know what to do at the gemeente when you move to a new address

Renting: Social Housing and Huurtoeslag

Most affordable rental homes in the Netherlands are sociale huurwoningen, owned and managed by a woningcorporatie (housing corporation). The rent has a legal maximum, and you need a low or modest income to qualify. The corporation is not a normal landlord — it is a non-profit that has to rent to people on its waiting list.

To apply, you register as a woningzoekende (house-seeker) at a regional housing site such as WoningNet. Your place on the list is mostly based on inschrijfduur — how long you have been registered. Waiting times in big cities can run into years, so the rule is simple: register as early as you can, even if you do not need a home yet.

Once you sign a huurcontract with the corporation, two things start to matter. Huurtoeslag is a monthly rent allowance from the Belastingdienst for tenants with a low income and a rent under the limit — you apply for it online with DigiD. Huurcommissie is a separate body that helps if you disagree with the corporation about the rent, the service costs, or repairs.

Let op — Huurtoeslag comes from the Belastingdienst, not from the gemeente and not from the woningcorporatie. The corporation only rents the home; the tax authority pays the allowance.

Buying or Renting in the Private Sector

If your income is too high for a sociale huurwoning, or if you want to choose your home faster, you go to the vrije sector: the open private market. Both renting privately and buying run through a makelaar (real-estate agent).

A makelaar helps you find a home on sites like Funda or Pararius, view it, and negotiate the price or the rent. For buying, almost no one pays in cash. You take out a hypotheek — a long-term loan from a bank to buy a house. Once you and the seller agree on a price, a notaris (notary) signs the official ownership transfer. After that, you are a huiseigenaar: you pay the mortgage every month, and you pay for all maintenance yourself.

Let op — A makelaar is for buying or renting in the vrije sector. For a sociale huurwoning you do not need a makelaar — the woningcorporatie rents the home directly.

Utilities, Address, and the Gemeente

Once you have keys to a new home — rental or owned — you have to set up everything yourself. You choose and contact your own energiebedrijf for gas and elektriciteit, and there is one regional waterbedrijf for tap water. Most providers ask you to pay a fixed monthly amount (termijnbedrag). Once a year, you read the gasmeter and the elektriciteitsmeter, send the meterstand to the company, and receive a jaarrekening: a final bill that says whether you used more or less than the estimate.

When something goes wrong with the gas, electricity, or water network, you call the national Nationaal Storingsnummer, not the fire brigade and not the gemeente.

Finally, you tell the gemeente about the move to update your address in the BRP. The gemeente also collects local taxes (gemeentebelasting) for services such as waste collection (afvalstoffenheffing).

Let op — A storing (gas or electricity outage) is for the Nationaal Storingsnummer. The gemeente handles your address change and local taxes, not broken meters or no-gas situations.

Samenvatting · wonen

Two tracks for a home, one chain after the keys. The social track runs through a woningcorporatie, with an inschrijfduur wait and huurtoeslag from the Belastingdienst as the financial cushion. The private track — buying or vrije-sector renting — runs through a makelaar, plus a hypotheek and a notaris if you buy.

Sociale huurwoningen come from a woningcorporatie; you register as a woningzoekende and your inschrijfduur decides your spot.
Huurtoeslag is paid by the Belastingdienst, not by the gemeente or the woningcorporatie.
For buying or vrije-sector renting you go to a makelaar; a hypotheek is the bank loan, and the notaris signs the transfer.
You arrange energie, water, and internet yourself; once a year you send your meterstand and receive a jaarrekening.
A gas or electricity storing goes to the Nationaal Storingsnummer; an address change and gemeentebelasting go to the gemeente.

You need 28 correct answers out of 40 to pass the KNM exam.

You register your new address at the gemeente (municipality) within five working days of moving. This updates the BRP (Basisregistratie Personen) so that official organisations know your new address.

The Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives), with 150 members directly elected by the people every four years. It debates new laws, checks the government, and votes on legislation before it goes to the Eerste Kamer.

Chapter 6 — The Dutch Way: Social Rules & Traditions

Three pieces of everyday Dutch life that show up on the KNM exam: making appointments and calling when you run late, the legal rule that everyone is treated equally and chooses their own family life, and the small habits between neighbours — direct speech, congratulating a birthday, hanging a schoolbag on the flag.

Know what to do when you are running late for an afspraak (call, don't just show up).
Recognize that Dutch law lets people choose their own partner, religion, and work — Grondwet Article 1.
Read the flag-with-schoolbag and the birthday circle the way the exam expects.
Use the right Dutch words: afspraak, op tijd, gefeliciteerd, vlag met schooltas, verjaardagskring.

Afspraken and Being On Time

Almost every meeting in Dutch life runs on an afspraak — an agreed time written down in someone's calendar. The huisarts, the gemeente, the tandarts, the bank, even a coffee with a friend: you call or message first, you agree on a time, and you show up close to that time. Just dropping by someone's house is unusual, even for a quick visit.

Being op tijd (on time) matters. For a huisarts or gemeente appointment, arriving even ten minutes late can lose you the slot — the next person is already waiting. If you know you will be late, call ahead. A short phone call ("Ik ben een kwartier te laat") is normal and expected. Simply not turning up — a no-show — is treated as rude, and some huisartsen will charge you for the missed slot.

If you forget an appointment entirely and notice an hour later, the right move is the same: call the office now, apologise, and ask whether you can reschedule.

Afspraak — appointment, agreed meeting. Op tijd — on time. Te laat — late. Een kwartier — fifteen minutes. Bellen — to call (on the phone).

Let op — A no-show at the huisarts is not free. Many practices send a niet-nagekomen afspraak bill of around 25 to 50 euro. Calling, even when you are already late, is always cheaper and politer than silence.

Equal Treatment and Free Choice

Grondwet Article 1 says everyone in the Netherlands is treated equally and discrimination is forbidden. That rule shapes a lot of everyday Dutch family and working life.

Choosing a partner is your own choice. Two men can marry, two women can marry, a man and a woman can marry — the Dutch law treats them the same. People can also live together without being married (samenwonen); that's legal and common.

Religion is your own choice too. You may have a religion, change religion, or have none. Children of immigrants are not required to follow their parents' religion as adults.

Women decide whether they work. A wife does not need her husband's permission to take a job, sign a contract, open a bank account, or apply for a study programme.

The exam will sometimes give you a small story and ask whether something is allowed. The factual answer for the Dutch state is almost always dat mag (that is allowed).

Grondwet — the Constitution. Artikel 1 — Article 1 (equality, no discrimination). Trouwen — to get married. Samenwonen — to live together (unmarried). Vrije keuze — free choice. Dat mag — that is allowed.

Let op — The Dutch legal answer and a personal or religious view are not the same thing. The exam asks what Dutch law says, not what a specific community thinks. When a question asks "Wat staat hierover in de Nederlandse wet?", answer with the law.

Neighbours, Birthdays, and the Schoolbag on the Flag

Dutch neighbours are usually friendly but also private. People say hello at the door, lend a hand with a heavy box, and lower the music when someone asks — but they do not usually walk into each other's homes unannounced. Knock or ring the bell, even if the door is open.

When something goes wrong — loud music, a barking dog, a bike blocking the door — the Dutch tend to say it directly. This is not rude; it is the normal way to solve a small problem before it grows.

Birthdays are a small social event of their own. When someone has a birthday and people come over, you greet the birthday person with Gefeliciteerd — but you also congratulate the family members who are there. Everyone sits in a wide circle in the living room (a verjaardagskring, the birthday circle).

A visible sign you will see on the street: a Dutch flag with a schoolbag (schooltas) hanging from a window or pole. This means somebody in that house has just passed their final school exam (geslaagd voor school).

Gefeliciteerd — Congratulations. Verjaardag — birthday. Verjaardagskring — birthday circle. De buren — the neighbours. Aanbellen — to ring the doorbell. Vlag met schooltas — flag with a schoolbag (exam passed). Geslaagd — passed (the exam).

Let op — The flag-with-schoolbag is only for school exam results, not for moving house, not for a wedding, not for a new baby (that is the wooden stork in the garden). Mixing those up is a common exam trap.

Samenvatting · omgangsvormen

Three Dutch habits the exam keeps coming back to. Afspraken are written down and kept; if you cannot make it, you call. Gelijke behandeling is the legal default: same-sex marriage, samenwonen, women working, free choice of religion — dat mag. Around the house, neighbours are friendly but private: you aanbellen, you say things directly, you greet the whole birthday circle with Gefeliciteerd, and you read the vlag-met-schooltas as "someone passed the final exam".

If you will be late or have missed an afspraak, call the office yourself — do not wait for them to call you.
Grondwet Artikel 1 forbids discrimination; two men or two women may marry, and samenwonen without marriage is fully legal.
Women in the Netherlands work, study, and sign contracts without needing a partner's permission.
Always aanbellen and arrange a time, even with neighbours; direct speech about a small problem is normal, not rude.
A Dutch flag with a schoolbag hanging from a house means someone has passed the final school exam (geslaagd voor school).

The Koning represents the country abroad, reads the Troonrede on Prinsjesdag, and signs new laws after both chambers of parliament have approved them. The minister-president leads the weekly kabinet meeting and decides government policy — the King does not.

Artikel 1 van de Grondwet zegt dat iedereen in gelijke gevallen gelijk behandeld wordt. Discrimination on the basis of religion, race, sex, sexual orientation, or any other ground is not allowed.

Mila needs her DigiD to log in to the Belastingdienst website (belastingdienst.nl) and complete her belastingaangifte online. A DigiD requires a BSN, which she first gets after registering at the gemeente.

Chapter 7 — Dutch Healthcare: Who You Call, Where You Go

Healthcare in the Netherlands is built around a small set of fixed routes. Your huisarts is the first stop for almost everything. The apotheek hands out prescription medicines. 112 is for true emergencies; the huisartsenpost covers evenings and weekends. Health insurance is mandatory from age 18 and comes with its own rules about eigen risico and zorgtoeslag.

Know when to call the huisarts and when you first need a verwijsbrief for a specialist.
Recognise what the apotheek does, what a recept is, and how drogist is different.
Know who to call for an emergency: 112 for life-threatening, huisartsenpost outside office hours, SEH for serious injuries.
Understand how basisverzekering, eigen risico, and zorgtoeslag work together.

Your First Stop: The Huisarts

In the Netherlands, the huisarts (general practitioner) is your first contact for almost every health problem — sore throats, back pain, anxiety, a child's rash, a recurring headache. You do not go directly to a hospital specialist or to a hospital with a non-emergency complaint. The huisarts decides whether the problem can be treated locally or whether you need a verwijsbrief (referral letter) for a specialist. Without that referral letter, the hospital sends you home and your insurance will not pay.

Every resident chooses a huisarts in their own neighbourhood. You call the assistente (practice assistant) to make an afspraak (appointment). On the phone, have your name, your date of birth, and a short description of the problem ready. If you cannot come, cancel at least 24 hours in advance — late cancellations may be charged.

For babies and small children (0–4 years), routine check-ups and vaccinations happen at the consultatiebureau, not at the huisarts. The consultatiebureau tracks growth, gives standard vaccinations, and gives advice on feeding and sleep. The huisarts treats illness; the consultatiebureau handles healthy-child monitoring.

Let op — The huisarts is not the same as the apotheek. The huisarts diagnoses and writes the recept; the apotheek hands out the medicine. They are two separate places, in two separate buildings.

Medicines: The Recept and the Apotheek

Once the huisarts has decided what is wrong, they often write a recept (prescription). The recept is usually sent digitally to your chosen apotheek (pharmacy). At the apotheek counter (de balie) you show your zorgverzekeringspasje (insurance card) and your ID. The pharmacist (apotheker) hands you the medicine, explains how to take it, and warns you about side effects.

Many medicines are only available op recept — without a recept the apotheek will not give them to you. The pharmacist may give you a cheaper generiek medicijn (generic medicine) with the same active ingredient; the effect is the same.

Light everyday products (paracetamol, plasters, vitamins, cough drops, sunscreen) you can buy without a recept at a drogist (drugstore like Etos or Kruidvat). The drogist is a shop, not a pharmacy. They do not hand out prescription medicines.

Let op — Apotheek ≠ drogist. The apotheek hands out prescription medicines from the huisarts; the drogist is a shop for everyday products you can buy off the shelf.

Emergencies and Out-of-Hours Care

There are three different routes for urgent problems, and choosing the right one matters.

For a life-threatening emergency — someone is unconscious, has chest pain, can't breathe, has a serious accident, or there is a fire — call 112. The operator asks which service you need (politie, ambulance, brandweer), where you are, and what happened. Stay on the line. The number 112 is free and works from every phone.

For an urgent problem outside huisarts office hours — evenings, nights, weekends, holidays — that cannot wait until the next working day, you call the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service). You call first; they decide whether you need to come in. Do not drive straight to the hospital.

The spoedeisende hulp (SEH, emergency room) at the hospital is for serious injuries: a broken bone, a deep cut, a bad burn. In an acute emergency you can arrive by ambulance or be sent by your huisarts or the huisartsenpost.

Let op — Call 112 only when life is in danger. For a sore throat or an earache at 22:00, call the huisartsenpost — not 112, and not the hospital directly.

Health Insurance: Basisverzekering and Eigen Risico

Everyone aged 18 or over who lives in the Netherlands must take out basisverzekering (basic health insurance) with a private insurer. You choose the insurer yourself, but the package is fixed by the government: huisarts, hospital, standard medicines, maternity care, ambulance, and so on. Children under 18 are covered for free under a parent's policy.

You pay a monthly premie to the insurer. On top of that there is an eigen risico — a fixed amount of your healthcare costs that you pay yourself each year before the insurance starts paying. In 2026 the standard eigen risico is around €385. Visits to your own huisarts do not count towards the eigen risico, but hospital care, prescription medicines, and most other costs do.

If your income is low, you can apply for zorgtoeslag at the Belastingdienst. Zorgtoeslag is a monthly contribution that helps you pay your premie. You apply with your DigiD on the Belastingdienst website.

The basisverzekering does not include routine adult dental care, most physiotherapy, or glasses. People who want those covered take out an extra aanvullende verzekering (optional).

Let op — The huisarts is free under the basisverzekering — going there does not eat into your eigen risico. Hospital visits, medicines from the apotheek, and ambulance rides do count and you pay the first ~€385 yourself each year.

Samenvatting · gezondheidszorg

Dutch healthcare runs on fixed routes. Almost everything starts with your huisarts, who treats common problems and writes a verwijsbrief when you need a specialist. The apotheek hands out prescription medicines; the drogist is a shop for everyday products without a recept. For emergencies the number is 112; outside working hours the huisartsenpost decides whether you need to come in; the spoedeisende hulp is for serious injuries. Basisverzekering is mandatory from age 18, with an annual eigen risico of around €385 (the huisarts is exempt). Zorgtoeslag from the Belastingdienst helps low-income residents pay their premie.

Huisarts first: any non-emergency complaint, plus the verwijsbrief that opens the door to a specialist.
Apotheek for medicines op recept; drogist for off-the-shelf products like paracetamol and plasters.
112 is only for life-threatening emergencies and fire; the huisartsenpost covers evenings, nights, and weekends.
Spoedeisende hulp (SEH) is for serious injuries — usually you arrive there via ambulance or huisartsenpost referral.
Basisverzekering is mandatory from 18; the huisarts visit itself is free, but most other care counts towards your eigen risico.
Zorgtoeslag is applied for at the Belastingdienst with DigiD — it does not arrive automatically.

Amsterdam is the official hoofdstad (capital) of the Netherlands, but the regering (government) and the parlement (parliament) work in Den Haag (The Hague), in the Binnenhof. The King also has his working palace there. Two cities, two roles.

De Nederlandse Grondwet (Constitution) is the most important law. It contains the grondrechten (fundamental rights), including vrijheid van meningsuiting (freedom of speech), vrijheid van godsdienst (freedom of religion), and Artikel 1 (equal treatment, no discrimination).

Fatima moet zich inschrijven bij een woningcorporatie via een regionale woonsite zoals WoningNet. Her place on the waiting list is determined by her inschrijfduur (how long she has been registered), so she should register as early as possible.

Chapter 8 — Your Child's Future: The Education System

How school works for children in the Netherlands: when school becomes compulsory, what the school years look like, how to register at a basisschool, how parents stay in contact with the school, and how kinderopvang and the kinderopvangtoeslag fit together.

Know that school is compulsory (leerplicht) from age 5 to 16, with kwalificatieplicht continuing to 18
Recognise the main school types: basisschool and voortgezet onderwijs (vmbo, havo, vwo)
Know how to register a child at a basisschool and where peuteropvang or voorschool fits in
Know how parents stay in contact with the school through oudergesprek, rapport, and ouderbijdrage
Know that kinderopvangtoeslag comes from the Belastingdienst, not the gemeente

Leerplicht and the School Years

In the Netherlands, children must go to school. The legal name for this rule is leerplicht (compulsory education). Leerplicht starts on the first day of the month after a child turns 5, and it continues until the end of the school year in which the child turns 16. Most children actually start at age 4 because the basisschool accepts them then, but the obligation only kicks in at 5.

After 16, a second rule called kwalificatieplicht takes over. A young person must keep going to school until they either turn 18 or earn a startkwalificatie — a havo, vwo, or mbo level 2 diploma.

The school years split into two big stages. The basisschool is primary school: eight years, Groep 1 through Groep 8, roughly from age 4 to 12. After Groep 8 children go to voortgezet onderwijs (secondary school), which has three main routes: vmbo (four years, leads to mbo), havo (five years, leads to hbo), and vwo (six years, leads to the universiteit).

Let op — Leerplicht and kwalificatieplicht are two different rules. Leerplicht is the obligation to attend school (ages 5–16). Kwalificatieplicht is the obligation to keep learning until 18 or until a startkwalificatie is earned. Taking a child on holiday during the school term is not allowed under leerplicht and can result in a fine.

Choosing a Basisschool and Getting Started

Parents in the Netherlands can choose which basisschool their child attends. There is no fixed school for each address. You can pick a openbare school (public, no religious foundation), a bijzondere school (founded on a religion or worldview — Catholic, Protestant, Islamic, Montessori, Jenaplan), or a private alternative method.

The practical steps: visit one or more schools (many hold an open dag), inschrijven (register) your child around their third birthday (popular schools can have a waiting list), and from age 4 the child can start full days, even though leerplicht only starts at 5.

Before age 4, children often go to a peuterspeelzaal or voorschool — a few mornings a week of play-based learning, especially useful for children whose home language is not Dutch.

Let op — Do not confuse inschrijven op een basisschool with inschrijven bij de gemeente. The school registration is at the school's own office; the gemeente registration is the BRP record. Both use the word inschrijven, but they are two different actions with two different organisations.

Parents and the School

Dutch schools expect parents to stay in contact with the teacher. The two big communication moments are het oudergesprek (also called a tien-minutengesprek) — a short one-to-one meeting two or three times per year to talk about how the child is doing — and het rapport, a written report card the child brings home.

In Groep 8, the teacher gives a schooladvies — a binding recommendation for which level of voortgezet onderwijs the child should follow.

Schools also ask parents to pay the ouderbijdrage — a voluntary parental contribution that funds extras like a Christmas dinner or a museum visit. The ouderbijdrage is voluntary; a school cannot refuse a child because the parents do not pay it.

Let op — The oudergesprek is for the parent and the teacher, not for the child. If you cannot make the time, contact the teacher (juf for a female teacher or meester for a male teacher) directly — by message in Parro or by email through the school office.

Kinderopvang and the Kinderopvangtoeslag

When parents work or study, kinderopvang (childcare) lets the child stay somewhere safe and structured during the day. The main forms are kinderdagverblijf (kdv) for children aged 0 to 4, buitenschoolse opvang (BSO) for school-aged children before and after basisschool hours, and gastouder — a registered childminder.

Kinderopvang is not cheap. To make it affordable, the government gives the kinderopvangtoeslag — a monthly amount that pays for part of the childcare bill. The kinderopvangtoeslag is arranged through the Belastingdienst (Tax Authority) via toeslagen.nl — not through the gemeente. Parents apply online with their DigiD. The amount depends on income: the more the household earns, the lower the toeslag.

Let op — Kinderopvangtoeslag goes through the Belastingdienst, not the gemeente. If the exam asks where you apply for kinderopvangtoeslag, the answer is always the Belastingdienst (via toeslagen.nl).

Samenvatting · onderwijs

School in the Netherlands is built around two simple ideas. First, every child has to be in school from 5 to 16, with kwalificatieplicht keeping them learning until 18 or until they earn a startkwalificatie. Second, parents pick the school, register early, and stay in contact through the oudergesprek, the rapport, and the schooladvies in Groep 8. For working parents, kinderopvang fills the day, and the kinderopvangtoeslag from the Belastingdienst keeps it affordable.

Leerplicht runs from age 5 to 16; kwalificatieplicht continues to 18 or until a startkwalificatie.
Basisschool covers Groep 1–8; voortgezet onderwijs splits into vmbo, havo, and vwo.
Parents choose the basisschool and register the child around their third birthday.
Schools and parents stay in contact through the oudergesprek, the rapport, and Parro-style portals; the ouderbijdrage is voluntary.
Kinderopvang costs money; kinderopvangtoeslag is arranged through the Belastingdienst (toeslagen.nl), not the gemeente. A higher income usually lowers the toeslag.

Yara should register as a woningzoekende at a regional housing site such as WoningNet, which is managed by a woningcorporatie (housing corporation). She should register as early as possible because the waiting list is based on inschrijfduur (how long she has been registered).

Sara belt de huisarts vóór de afspraaktijd. She calls the practice to let them know she will be 10 minutes late. Simply arriving late or not showing up without calling is not acceptable — some practices charge for missed or very-late appointments.

It means someone in that house has passed their final school exam (geslaagd voor school). The flag with a schoolbag (vlag met schooltas) is the Dutch tradition for celebrating a child's exam success. It is not used for other occasions like a new baby or a move.

Chapter 9 — Werk en Inkomen: Looking For Work, Contracts, Pay, And Banking

The everyday side of working in the Netherlands: how you find a job and present yourself, what a Dutch work contract usually looks like, how your pay turns into a payslip after tax, and the small banking habits that make daily money work.

Know who to contact when you look for work: UWV, an uitzendbureau, or a vacancy ad
Recognise the difference between a vast contract and a tijdelijk contract
Read the most important rows on a Dutch loonstrook (brutoloon, nettoloon, loonbelasting)
Tell loonbelasting from BTW, and recognise the Belastingdienst as the office for both
Use a Dutch bankrekening with an IBAN, a pinpas, and automatische incasso safely

Looking For Work: UWV, Uitzendbureau, And Applying

Most people in the Netherlands find a job in one of three ways: they reply to a vacature (vacancy) on a job site or company page, they sign up with an uitzendbureau (temp agency), or they register with the UWV if they are unemployed and want help. Many newcomers use all three at the same time.

When you reply to a vacancy, you usually send two documents: your cv (curriculum vitae) and a sollicitatiebrief (a short cover letter). A common mistake is sending only a cv — the brief is what shows you read the vacancy.

If you are invited to a sollicitatiegesprek (job interview), be on time, shake hands once at the start, look the interviewer in the eyes, and wear neat clothes.

The UWV is the government agency for work. If you lose your job, the UWV is where you register as a werkzoekende (job seeker) and apply for a WW-uitkering (unemployment benefit). An uitzendbureau is private, not government: a commercial agency that places workers with companies for short jobs.

Let op — The UWV and an uitzendbureau are not the same. The UWV pays benefits and helps you search; an uitzendbureau hires you out to a company. You go to the UWV if you are unemployed and need a benefit. You go to an uitzendbureau if you want short or flexible work.

Work Contracts And The Workplace

Once you are hired, you sign an arbeidscontract (work contract) before you start. The contract names the job, the hours, the salary, and the start date. It also sets a proeftijd (trial period) of usually one or two months.

The most important distinction: a vast contract has no end date — it continues until one side ends it for a good reason. A tijdelijk contract has a fixed end date (einddatum): on that date the contract simply ends. A nul-urencontract is a flexible contract with no fixed hours each week.

Many jobs are covered by a cao (collectieve arbeidsovereenkomst), a sector-wide agreement that sets minimum salary, working hours, and holidays.

Let op — A vast contract has no end date — it continues until one side ends it. A tijdelijk contract ends automatically on its einddatum. If the exam asks "Wat voor contract heeft X?" and X has no end date, the answer is vast.

Pay And Taxes: The Loonstrook

Every month, your employer sends a loonstrook — your payslip. The most important difference is between your brutoloon and your nettoloon.

Brutoloon is your gross pay: the agreed salary in your contract, before anything is taken off. Nettoloon is your net pay: what actually arrives in your bank account each month.

The difference is taken off your pay by the employer and sent directly to the government. The biggest piece is loonbelasting — the income tax on your wages. Once a year, you usually do a belastingaangifte (tax return) with the Belastingdienst to settle the exact amount.

Besides income tax, you constantly pay BTW (belasting over de toegevoegde waarde), the value-added tax already included in the price tag on almost everything you buy in a shop.

Let op — Loonbelasting and BTW are both collected by the Belastingdienst, but they are not the same. Loonbelasting is income tax on your salary, taken off by your employer. BTW is the tax on goods and services, already included in the shop price.

Banking And Everyday Money

To get paid, pay rent, or set up health insurance in the Netherlands, you need a bankrekening (bank account) at a Dutch bank. To open one you need your BSN, an ID, and proof of your address.

Every bank account has an IBAN — a long account number that always starts with NL. The IBAN is what you give to anyone who needs to transfer money to you.

Day-to-day, you pay with a pinpas (debit card) by holding the card to a card reader and typing your pincode. In some shops, supermarkets, and on public transport, alleen pinnen (card only) is the rule.

Many regular bills — rent, energy, internet, insurance — are paid by automatische incasso. You authorise the company once, and they take the amount from your bank account each month automatically.

Let op — Your IBAN is safe to share with people who need to pay you — your employer, the Belastingdienst, a friend. Your pincode and your DigiD password are never safe to share. Banks never ask for your full pincode by phone or email.

Samenvatting · werk en inkomen

Work in the Netherlands runs through a small set of institutions and documents. You find a job through a vacature, an uitzendbureau, or the UWV; you sign an arbeidscontract that is either vast or tijdelijk; you read your loonstrook to see brutoloon, nettoloon, and loonbelasting; and you handle pay and bills through a bankrekening with an IBAN and automatische incasso.

UWV pays benefits and helps job seekers; an uitzendbureau is a private agency that places workers in short jobs.
Send a cv plus a sollicitatiebrief when you apply; be on time and dressed neatly for the sollicitatiegesprek.
A vast contract has no end date; a tijdelijk contract ends on its einddatum.
Nettoloon (on your bankrekening) is always lower than brutoloon — loonbelasting and premies are taken off first.
The Belastingdienst collects both loonbelasting (income tax) and BTW (the tax already included in shop prices).
Share your IBAN with people who pay you; never share your pincode or DigiD password.

Nora calls the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service). Her own huisarts is closed on Sunday evening. She calls first; they decide whether she needs to bring the child in. She does not call 112 (only for life-threatening emergencies) and does not go directly to the hospital without being referred.

Sara belt (calls) the praktijk (practice) before her appointment time to say she will be ten minutes late. Calling ahead is the correct and expected behaviour in the Netherlands — not sending a message afterwards or simply arriving late.

Dat mag — that is allowed. The Netherlands was the first country in the world to legalise same-sex marriage (in 2001). Grondwet Artikel 1 forbids discrimination, so two men or two women may legally marry in the Netherlands.

Chapter 10 — The Bigger Picture: Dutch History & Values

Four landmarks that shape the Netherlands today: the fight for independence under Willem van Oranje, the Golden Age and the VOC, the years of German occupation in World War II, and the post-war values written into the grondwet.

Place the Eighty Years' War and Willem van Oranje in Dutch history
Recognise the Gouden Eeuw and the VOC as the wealthy trading 17th century
Know what 4 mei and 5 mei mean and why both dates exist
Name the three core values protected by the grondwet: vrijheid, gelijkheid, tolerantie

Willem van Oranje and the Eighty Years' War

Modern Dutch identity begins with a fight against a foreign king. In the 16th century the Low Countries belonged to the Spanish Habsburg empire. Willem van Oranje (William of Orange) became the leader of the revolt against Spanish king Filips II. The war that followed is called the Tachtigjarige Oorlog (Eighty Years' War, 1568–1648). Willem was assassinated in 1584 in Delft, but the Dutch kept fighting until Spain finally recognised an independent Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden in 1648. The Dutch still call Willem the Vader des Vaderlands (Father of the Fatherland), and the national anthem Wilhelmus is named after him.

A second feature of the new Republic was religious tolerance. The state was officially Protestant, but Catholics, Jews, and other groups were largely left in peace. That habit of letting people believe what they want is one root of modern Dutch godsdienstvrijheid (freedom of religion).

Let op — Willem van Oranje from the 16th century is not the same person as the current king. The current king is Willem-Alexander. Both belong to the Oranje-Nassau royal family; the original Willem lived 400 years earlier.

The Golden Age and the VOC

After independence the new Dutch Republic became, for about a hundred years, one of the richest places in the world. This 17th century is called the Gouden Eeuw (Golden Age). Cities like Amsterdam, Delft, and Leiden grew quickly. Painters like Rembrandt and Vermeer produced art that hangs today in the Rijksmuseum and the Mauritshuis.

The motor behind the wealth was overseas trade, and the most famous company was the VOC (Verenigde Oost-Indische Compagnie, the Dutch East India Company). The VOC sailed to Asia, especially Indonesia, and is sometimes called the first multinational company in the world.

This story has a darker side. The VOC and the parallel WIC (West India Company) also took part in slavernij (slavery), forcing African people to work on plantations in Suriname and the Caribbean. The Netherlands officially abolished slavery in its colonies in 1863. In recent years the Dutch government has formally apologised for this part of the past.

Let op — The Gouden Eeuw and the VOC belong together: the wealth of the 17th century came largely from VOC trade. Do not confuse the VOC (East India Company) with the WIC (West India Company); the exam usually asks about the VOC.

World War II and Remembrance

The Netherlands tried to stay neutral, but on 10 mei 1940 the German army invaded. After five days of fighting and the bombing of Rotterdam the country surrendered. The German bezetting (occupation) lasted until 5 mei 1945.

During the occupation Dutch Jews were registered, isolated, and deported. About six million Jewish people across Europe were murdered in the Nazi camps; in the Netherlands roughly three quarters of the Jewish population did not survive. The most famous personal story is Anne Frank, a Jewish girl who hid for two years with her family in an Amsterdam canal house. Her diary was published after the war, and her hiding place is now the Anne Frank Huis museum.

The Netherlands remembers this period every year on two consecutive days. 4 mei is Dodenherdenking: at 20:00 the country falls silent for two minutes to remember everyone killed in wars and peace operations since World War II. 5 mei is Bevrijdingsdag: a national holiday with festivals and concerts to celebrate the liberation.

Let op — The two dates are easy to mix up. 4 mei is the day of herdenken (remembering, sober, two minutes of silence). 5 mei is the day of bevrijden (celebrating freedom, party, music). If a question mentions silence and remembrance, the answer is 4 mei; if it mentions celebration and liberation, the answer is 5 mei.

Post-War Values and the Grondwet

The Netherlands after 1945 helped found the Verenigde Naties (United Nations, VN) and later joined the early projects that grew into the Europese Unie (EU). Today the Netherlands is one of the founding members.

The rights that protect people inside the country are written in the grondwet (constitution). The grondwet names three values that the exam asks about repeatedly.

Vrijheid (freedom): people may choose their own religion, their own opinion, and their own way of life, as long as they respect the law and other people's rights. Godsdienstvrijheid (freedom of religion) and vrijheid van meningsuiting (freedom of speech) are part of this.

Gelijkheid (equality): everyone in the Netherlands must be treated equally by the law. Discriminatie on grounds of religion, origin, skin colour, gender, or sexuality is forbidden. In 2001 the Netherlands became the first country in the world where two men or two women could legally trouwen (marry).

Tolerantie (tolerance): people accept that others live differently from them. Tolerance means that as long as someone else respects the law, you let them live their life. Violence, threats, and acts like huiselijk geweld (domestic violence) or eerwraak (honour killing) are never tolerated and are punished as crimes.

Let op — Tolerantie has a limit. You may believe what you want and live how you want, but you may not hurt other people. Domestic violence, discrimination, and forced behaviour are crimes, not opinions.

Samenvatting · geschiedenis

Four landmarks: an 80-year fight for independence under Willem van Oranje, a wealthy 17th century built on VOC trade, five years of German occupation in World War II, and a post-war Netherlands held together by the values written in the grondwet: vrijheid, gelijkheid, tolerantie. Two dates almost always come back on the exam: 4 mei for remembering, 5 mei for celebrating.

1568–1648: Tachtigjarige Oorlog against Spain, led by Willem van Oranje.
17th century: Gouden Eeuw, wealth from VOC trade and famous Dutch art.
1940–1945: German occupation; Anne Frank's diary becomes the best-known personal story.
4 mei is Dodenherdenking (two minutes of silence); 5 mei is Bevrijdingsdag (celebration).
The grondwet protects vrijheid, gelijkheid, and tolerantie — the limit is the rights of other people.

It means someone in that house has passed their final school exam (geslaagd voor school). The vlag met schooltas (flag with schoolbag) is the Dutch tradition for celebrating exam success. It does not signify a move, wedding, or new baby.

Souad calls the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service). This is the correct route for urgent but non-life-threatening problems outside office hours (evenings, nights, weekends). She calls first; the huisartsenpost decides whether she needs to come in.

Je moet een kinderopvangtoeslag aanvragen bij de Belastingdienst (via toeslagen.nl) om opvangkosten te helpen betalen. You apply online with your DigiD. The amount depends on your income — a higher income means a lower toeslag.

Chapter 11 — Instanties: Belastingdienst, UWV, Politie

Module 02 covered the gemeente, BSN, DigiD, and the IND. This module covers the rest of the institutions the KNM exam keeps coming back to: the Belastingdienst for taxes and toeslagen, the UWV for unemployment and job-seeking help, and the politie for emergencies and aangifte doen.

Know that toeslagen (huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag, zorgtoeslag) are arranged at the Belastingdienst, not the gemeente
Recognise the UWV as the office for werkloosheidsuitkering and job-seeking support — and how it differs from a private uitzendbureau
Use the right police number: 112 for emergencies and crime in progress, 0900-8844 for non-urgent matters
Know what aangifte doen means and when you do it
Pick the correct institution or website when the exam describes a real-life situation

The Belastingdienst: Taxes and Toeslagen

The Belastingdienst is the Dutch tax authority. Two things sit under one roof here: collecting taxes and handing out toeslagen — government allowances that help people with a low or middle income pay for fixed costs.

The taxes you meet most often are loonbelasting (income tax taken from your salary) and BTW (the value-added tax baked into shop prices, usually 21% or 9%). Once a year, most adults file a belastingaangifte — a tax return — before 1 May. Filing on time is normally compulsory if the Belastingdienst sends you a letter asking for it.

The toeslagen most newcomers hear about: huurtoeslag helps pay rent (for low-income renters), zorgtoeslag helps pay basic health insurance (for low- and middle-income adults), and kinderopvangtoeslag helps pay childcare (for working parents using registered childcare). All three are arranged on toeslagen.nl, which is part of the Belastingdienst. You log in with your DigiD.

Let op — A common exam trap: toeslagen are not handled by the gemeente or the woningcorporatie. Huurtoeslag sounds like a housing topic, but you apply for it at the Belastingdienst (via toeslagen.nl). Same for kinderopvangtoeslag — it is paid by the Belastingdienst, not by the school or the childcare centre.

The UWV: Unemployment and Job Help

The UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen) is the government office that handles two things: paying out a werkloosheidsuitkering (the WW-uitkering, an unemployment benefit) and helping people who are looking for work. If you lose your job and you have worked long enough, you register as a werkzoekende at the UWV and apply for a WW-uitkering. As long as you receive the benefit, you have a sollicitatieplicht — the duty to keep applying for jobs and to prove it.

The UWV also runs werk.nl, a job-search site, and helps people who need extra coaching or career advice.

The UWV is not the same as an uitzendbureau. An uitzendbureau is a private temp agency — a commercial company that hires you out to other companies. It does not pay benefits. Money troubles after losing a job → UWV. Wanting short-term work fast → uitzendbureau. To log in to the UWV website you use your DigiD.

Let op — The UWV is government, pays a WW-uitkering, and helps you search. An uitzendbureau is private and hires you out to other companies — no benefit, just paid work. The exam tests this difference directly.

The Politie: 112, 0900-8844, and Aangifte

The politie is there for safety and crime. There are two contact numbers, and the exam tests the difference between them.

For an emergency, crime in progress, or someone in danger — call 112. This is for a fire, a serious accident, or a robbery happening now. The same number reaches the politie, the brandweer (fire brigade), and the ambulance.

For a non-urgent police matter — a stolen bike noticed yesterday, ongoing noise from neighbours, a question for the politie — call 0900-8844.

If something has been stolen or if you have been attacked, you can aangifte doen — make an official report at the politie. You do this in person at a politiebureau (often on appointment) or sometimes online for simple thefts. Your insurance company will usually only pay out for stolen items if you can show this politierapport, so aangifte doen is the first step after a theft, before you call the insurer.

From age 14, everyone has to carry a valid identiteitsbewijs (ID) — a Dutch ID card, a passport, or a residence permit — and show it if a politieagent asks.

Let op — 112 is only for emergencies and things happening right now. For a past theft, a noise complaint, or a non-urgent question, the politie wants you on 0900-8844. Calling 112 for a non-emergency blocks the line for real emergencies.

Samenvatting · Instanties

Three offices the KNM exam keeps coming back to. The Belastingdienst takes the taxes and pays out the toeslagen on the same site, toeslagen.nl. The UWV handles unemployment benefit and job-seeking help, and is different from a private uitzendbureau. The politie answers 112 for emergencies and 0900-8844 for non-urgent matters; you go to them to aangifte doen after a theft or other crime. All three log you in with the same DigiD you set up in module 02.

Toeslagen — huurtoeslag, kinderopvangtoeslag, zorgtoeslag — are arranged at the Belastingdienst on toeslagen.nl, not at the gemeente.
Belastingaangifte is filed once a year before 1 May, usually compulsory when the Belastingdienst sends you a letter.
The UWV pays the werkloosheidsuitkering (WW) and helps you search for work; an uitzendbureau is private and hires you out instead.
Both UWV and Belastingdienst log you in with DigiD, not with a separate account.
112 is for now: fire, danger, crime in progress. 0900-8844 is for later: past thefts, noise complaints, non-urgent questions.
Aangifte doen is the first step after a theft, because your insurance asks for the politierapport before paying out.

Leerplicht (compulsory education) starts from age 5 in the Netherlands. Most children start basisschool at age 4 (the school accepts them from then), but the legal obligation only begins on the first day of the month after the child turns 5. Leerplicht continues until the end of the school year in which the child turns 16.

Eva calls the huisartsenpost (out-of-hours GP service). This is the right route for urgent but non-life-threatening problems outside regular office hours (evenings, nights, weekends, holidays). She calls first; they assess the situation and tell her whether to come in. She does not call 112 (only for life-threatening emergencies).

Op zijn bankrekening komt het nettoloon — an amount lower than €2.900. The difference is made up of loonbelasting (income tax) and premies (social insurance contributions) that the employer deducts and sends directly to the Belastingdienst. This is normal and required, not a mistake on the payslip.

Chapter 1 — Understanding the KNM Exam

Welcome to the KNM Course

What the KNM Exam Tests

Exam Format

Practise this skill in the app

The Eight Themes

How to Choose the Right Answer

Registration, Result, and Certificate

How to Study This Course

Samenvatting · Introduction

Self-check

How many questions are on the KNM exam and how long does it take?

How many correct answers do you need to pass?

Which kind of knowledge does the KNM exam mainly test?

Chapter 2 — Your Arrival: First Steps in the Netherlands

What You'll Learn

Going to the Gemeente

Your BSN: The Citizen Service Number

DigiD: Your Online Identity

Samenvatting · First Steps

Self-check

Layla is verhuisd naar Utrecht en blijft daar langer dan vier maanden. Wat moet zij doen?

Sami gaat verhuizen naar een andere stad in Nederland. Bij welke instantie geeft hij zijn nieuwe adres door?

Voor een afspraak bij de gemeente moet je een geldig paspoort meenemen en een bewijs van ____.

Chapter 3 — The Netherlands: Land, People & Country

What You'll Learn

Land en water

De mensen en de taal

Een democratie met een koning

Samenvatting · Land en mensen

Self-check

Hoeveel vragen heeft het KNM-examen, en hoeveel moet je goed beantwoorden?

Het KNM-examen duurt ____ minuten op een computer bij DUO.

Mehmet wil weten welke organisatie zijn inburgeringsdiploma uitgeeft. Welke is dat?

Chapter 4 — How the Netherlands Works: Government & Politics

What You'll Learn

A Kingdom That Is Also A Democracy

Parliament, Elections And How Laws Are Made

Your Fundamental Rights And The Grondwet

Samenvatting · politiek en bestuur

Self-check

Welke instantie regelt de inschrijving van je adres in de BRP?

Zonder een ____ kun je geen DigiD aanvragen.

Hoeveel vragen telt het KNM-examen en hoeveel goede antwoorden heb je nodig om te slagen?

Chapter 5 — Finding a Home: Renting, Buying & Utilities

What You'll Learn

Renting: Social Housing and Huurtoeslag

Buying or Renting in the Private Sector

Utilities, Address, and the Gemeente

Samenvatting · wonen

Self-check

From chapter 1: the KNM exam has 40 questions in 45 minutes. How many correct answers do you need to pass?

You register your new address at the ____ within five working days.

From chapter 3: which body is elected every four years and checks the regering?

Chapter 6 — The Dutch Way: Social Rules & Traditions

What You'll Learn

Afspraken and Being On Time

Equal Treatment and Free Choice

Neighbours, Birthdays, and the Schoolbag on the Flag

Samenvatting · omgangsvormen

Self-check

Welke taak hoort bij de Koning, niet bij de minister-president?

Artikel 1 van de Grondwet zegt dat iedereen in gelijke gevallen ____ behandeld wordt.

Mila wil online haar belastingaangifte doen bij de Belastingdienst. Wat heeft ze daarvoor nodig?

Chapter 7 — Dutch Healthcare: Who You Call, Where You Go

What You'll Learn

Your First Stop: The Huisarts

Medicines: The Recept and the Apotheek

Emergencies and Out-of-Hours Care

Health Insurance: Basisverzekering and Eigen Risico

Samenvatting · gezondheidszorg

Self-check

Amir leest dat de regering in Den Haag zit, en niet in Amsterdam. Welke uitleg klopt?

De Nederlandse ____ is de belangrijkste wet; daarin staan onder andere de grondrechten zoals vrijheid van meningsuiting.

Fatima zoekt een sociale huurwoning met een lage huur. Bij welke organisatie moet zij zich inschrijven?

Chapter 8 — Your Child's Future: The Education System

What You'll Learn

Leerplicht and the School Years

Choosing a Basisschool and Getting Started

Parents and the School