KNM (knowledge of Dutch society): how to answer questions

Kennis van de Nederlandse Maatschappij tests everyday knowledge about the Netherlands. DUO (Dienst Uitvoering Onderwijs, the Dutch education service) (External site, opens in a new tab) gives questions on different themes, such as wonen (housing) and werk en inkomen (work and income). For the full format, read the KNM exam guide.

The official KNM requirements (External site, opens in a new tab) cover the following areas, grouped here for study:

• Work and income; housing; healthcare.
• Norms and values; institutions; government and the rule of law.
• History and geography; education and parenting.

Some practice questions ask what to do. Others ask you to recognise a Dutch fact, right or institution. Use the question to decide which kind of answer you need.

The eight patterns below are study groups based on practice questions.

Match the problem to the office, website or professional responsible for it. These examples show different services:

• toeslagen (allowances): apply through Mijn toeslagen (My allowances). Read how to apply for toeslagen (External site, opens in a new tab).
• gemeente (municipality): report a move (External site, opens in a new tab) to the municipality where you will live.
• gemeente: if you are a Dutch citizen living in the Netherlands, apply for a Dutch passport (External site, opens in a new tab) at your registered municipality.
• UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen, Employee Insurance Agency): apply for unemployment benefit through UWV (External site, opens in a new tab).
• Sociale Verzekeringsbank (SVB, Social Insurance Bank): apply for kinderbijslag (child benefit) through SVB (External site, opens in a new tab).
• Juridisch Loket (Legal Services Counter) (External site, opens in a new tab): use its website for legal information. Free personal advice is for people with low income and few assets.

When a question asks what to do first, choose an action that addresses the problem. For example, make an appointment, call if you are late or ill, register with the gemeente, or report a move. For a small disagreement, consider whether talking calmly with the person is a suitable first step.

You choose your own huisarts (general practitioner) and tandarts (dentist). For care in daily life, read the guide to finding and using a huisarts.

You often arrange your own energy contract, job search and housing registration.

Call 112 for an emergency (External site, opens in a new tab), such as immediate danger, serious injury, fire or someone who does not respond. If urgent medical care is needed without danger to life, call your huisarts during opening hours. Outside those hours, call the huisartsen-spoedpost (out-of-hours general practitioner service).

For an ordinary illness, the huisarts is your first contact. For tooth problems, contact the tandarts. For medicine, you may need the apotheek (pharmacy).

Rights and duties questions cover equality, freedom of religion, stemrecht (voting rights), leerplicht (compulsory education), identification, traffic rules and the courts. For document questions, learn rijbewijs (driving licence).

Women and men have equal rights, including at work. Two men or two women may marry. People may choose their religion. These freedoms exist alongside the duty to follow the law and respect other people’s rights.

A change in income or household can affect toeslagen or an uitkering (benefit). If a question says someone starts a job, moves or begins living with a partner, check which payment it describes. The effect depends on that payment’s rules. Dienst Toeslagen (allowances service) explains which changes affect allowances (External site, opens in a new tab).

Learn these money terms by topic:

• Pay: bruto (gross) and netto (net).
• Care and insurance: eigen risico (insurance excess) and verzekering (insurance).
• Housing and payments: huur (rent), huurtoeslag (rent allowance), kinderbijslag and toeslag (allowance).
• Tax: belastingaangifte (tax return) and Belastingdienst (Tax Administration).

A tijdelijk contract (temporary contract) (External site, opens in a new tab) ends on an agreed date or when the agreed project finishes. You can end a temporary contract early if this was agreed beforehand and you follow the notice rules. A vast contract (permanent contract) has no fixed end date.

An employed job does not require registration with the Kamer van Koophandel (KvK, Chamber of Commerce) (External site, opens in a new tab). If you also run a business, you may need to register it. Registration depends on the business activities, rather than whether you also have an employed job.

Use the picture together with the question. These examples from practice show what a picture can help you recognise:

• A Dutch flag with a school bag can point to someone who has passed their school exams.
• A DigiD (Dutch digital identity) logo points to logging in to a public service.
• A gas meter can show the reading you need to give your energy supplier.
• A calendar date can point to a Dutch holiday.

DigiD explains how its login identifies you (External site, opens in a new tab). A picture gives information about the situation; the question tells you what to answer.

For history and geography questions, learn provinces, national holidays and the Wilhelmus (Dutch national anthem). Also study water protection, World War II, remembrance and liberation, and the roles of the king, parliament and prime minister.

The advice about a first action applies only when the question asks what to do.

Use these five steps for each practice question:

1. Name the theme: healthcare, work, housing, institutions, school, history or rights.
2. Find the problem or fact the question asks about: illness, moving, money, work, an appointment or an emergency.
3. Match each answer to the situation. For an action question, check what the person needs to do first.
4. Check words such as “always”, “never”, “only if married” and “automatically”. Decide whether the rule applies to this person.
5. Use the Dutch keywords to check which service, right or document the answer names.

When you review a wrong answer, check for these five mistakes:

• Choosing a hospital for an ordinary illness: start by checking the huisarts answer.
• Expecting the gemeente to arrange a private service: check who chooses the doctor, dentist, energy supplier or housing provider.
• Ignoring a change in income or household: check whether the payment can change.
• Overlooking a legal right: check equality, marriage and freedom of religion.
• Choosing from the picture alone: read what the question asks you to decide.

Start with DUO’s official KNM practice exams (External site, opens in a new tab) to try the questions and computer format. DUO recommends using a desktop computer.

1. Try an official KNM practice exam.
2. Review your mistakes by theme. Use the free KNM study summary for extra explanations.
3. Try the free KNM mock exam for extra mixed practice from Inburgering.org. Use a 45-minute timer.

If you know the Dutch words but choose the wrong service or rule, review that theme before another timed exam. If you know the rule but misread the question, practise the five answer steps. Use the picture as supporting information and check the question before choosing.

• KNM exam guide
• KNM practice-exam guide
• Free KNM mock exam