Book & 2 CDs. The native language of about 23 million people, Dutch is spoken in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Suriname (the three states of the Dutch Language Union), and holds official status in the Caribbean nations of Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, and St Maarten. Ideal for those new to the language, Beginner"s Dutch includes: a short primer on Dutch history and culture, twelve practical lessons with dialogues, vocabulary, and expressions, exercises for each lesson with answer key, alphabet and pronunciation guide, and English-Dutch and Dutch-English glossaries. Two companion audio CDs, with dialogues spoken by native Dutch speakers, aide pronunciation and listening comprehension.