Learning Dutch probably is not the easiest language in the world. Pronunciation is very difficult for many people. The good news is that its grammar and spelling follow strict rules, without too many exceptions, so they can be learnt quite easily.
If you plan on living in or having a serious career in Holland, you will need to learn at least the basics of Dutch. The major Dutch cities have plenty of language schools to help you learn Dutch. The many language institutions offer various courses with different techniques and at different costs. Also the focus of the programmes could vary from business courses for professionals to Dutch language training. Language schools can be found all over the Netherlands such as Berlitz Schools of Languages , the Volksuniversiteit , or Koentact , a popular language school in Amsterdam offering both in-class and online lessons to best suit your schedule.
Another way of learning the language is through a language buddy system. The organisation Het Begint Met Taal matches Dutch volunteers with foreigners who want to learn or improve their Dutch.
Additionally, online opportunities for learning Dutch are endless. You can find various online courses, some are even free, and chat/email communities for learning the language. You can also join Facebook groups, like this one , created specifically to bring together people who are interested in learning Dutch.
Another great way of learning a language is through language learning tools and apps. Duolingo and Busuu are two great free apps for getting started to make you familiar with Dutch. For more information about language learning apps and help choosing the best one, read this.
Television, films, radio, and literature are also very useful in order to practice. Watching DVDs is probably one of the most fun and easiest ways of learning a language. You can see the film in your language of choice and set the subtitles to the language that you want to learn or the other way around.
Conversing with native speakers is probably one of the best ways to learn a new language. Language exchange meetups offer you the opportunity to meet Dutch speakers. To find out if there is a language exchange meetup nearby where you live you could try websites such as Meetup.com or Scrabbin . Or have a look at the language section of our community forum and find an language tandem partner!
If you want to get the hang of it very quickly, you are probably best off doing all of the above. Take a serious Dutch course, practice at home with coursebooks, watch films and read magazines. Most importantly of all, practice with native speakers in everyday life situations.