Learning Dutch?

I would say the best starting point for learning Dutch is at my website. No book or course on tape or audio CD will offer this ease of hearing words pronounced at a click of the mouse.
Please feel free to learn in any way you think best: set your own goals, follow your own timetable, or just pick up a few words or phrases as needed. My pages are meant as a resource.
But if you'd like some suggestions or guidance, find my method below:

Dutch Lessons (Suggested Method)

Then listen to a few longer Dutch texts, like a few poems and songs, readings from my Dutch short stories, or The Lord's Prayer (no religious endorsement implied) - just to hear the language.
Watching Dutch movies with English subtitles is also a good way to get an idea of Dutch, and will also be helpful later on.

I think it's best to take the instruction in small doses, like ten minutes once or twice a day. For most people that will be much more effective than a few long sessions.

It's probably best to study the pronunciation first. How are the letters said in Dutch? Listen to the sound files.
Wouldn't pronouncing Dutch words be a nice way to spend some time with a friend? Compare with how I say the words and rate each other's efforts.

Then I would recommend to familiarize yourself further with the spelling rules. This is not as hard as it may look, for Dutch spelling is much more straightforward than English - but still, Dutch has exceptions too.

After that, work on the pronunciation exercise. Try to say the words correctly, then listen to how I say them; invite a friend and work on it together. Listening to the sound files on this page is also good for getting a sense of the language.
Also hear the Listening Exercise.

At this point it would be good to learn some common Dutch phrases like "Good morning," "Thank you," "Please" and "What's the price?"

From there, I would recommend you try to memorize ten to fifteen words a day from the 'Everyday Dutch' pages (The nice thing is, it's not like in school, that you have to learn all the words in the list. Choose words from a field that interests you or that you think will come in useful. ) You'll probably need Food Words too.

These pages have pictures with words:

colors, materials

meals

food

kitchen

bicycles

tools

animals

chess

more

Take breaks from your daily words lists to:

• Learn the basic numbers, the days of the week, telling Dutch time etc.

• Familiarize yourself with basic verbs for Dutch 'to be' and 'to have'

• After 'to be' and 'to have' it's time to learn the personal pronouns and the general verb rules

• There will be a time you'll have to start studying the Word Order: where do the components in Dutch sentences go?

From time to time, revisit old pages like spelling and pronunciation.
Dutch Vowel Sounds Compared - Dutch Consonants Review - exceptions.

Imaginary conversations are a good tool to learn a language, they'll make you to think of the everyday words and structures you'll need.

Once you have a basic knowledge of Dutch you could start reading something simple, maybe Annie MG Schmidt's children's stories, like 'Jip and Janneke,' or 'Pluk van de Petteflet.' Some of her books are also available in audio versions.
You can find Dutch books at abebooks or at Amazon.com special orders (see below.)
When visiting Holland, do step into a bookstore; you could also look in at the 'HEMA' supermarket chain for their 'Jip and Janneke' series and other children's books and CDs (or order online)
The children's Bibles 'Kijkbijbel' (graphics by Kees de Kort) or 'Bijbelse Verhalen voor Jonge Kinderen' (by D.A. Cramer-Schaap and Annemarie van Haeringen) might also be useful. Unfortunately there's no 'Basic Dutch,' so you'll have to start with children's books.

2BDutch.nl short Dutch videos with both Dutch and English subtitles

If not now, when?
Als je 't nu niet doet, wanneer dan wel? - - 2
[If you don't do it now, when are you?]

Dutch Pronunciation
Dutch Vowel Sounds Compared - - Dutch Consonants Review
Exercises: Pronunciation - Listening
The Spelling Logic (explained.)
The Dutch Verb
NEW: Word Order (Sentences)

NEW: Conversation Subjects

English, Dutch and German Words From a Common Root
Easier-to-Remember (?) - and Hear Differences in Pronunciation

The Dutch Family
The Dutch Birthday

Hear Longer Dutch texts (most with English translation):

• Dutch Poems Read, Dutch Songs Sung
• from my Dutch short stories
• 'Our Father' three versions of The Lord's Prayer and two other short Bible texts; 'credo' and a few words of religion

Hear Dutch Names:
Old New York - Rembrandt - Vermeer
Sailors and Ships of The 17^th Century
A Mixed Bag of Names and Words
Names and 'Old' Spelling
NEW: The Diary of Anne Frank

Going to Pieces/Pulp A Short Story in Dutch with a Re-Write in English (no sound files)

Maps of the Netherlands with names spoken

Weights and Measures

Read about Holland in my Christmas Stories:
Last Christmas in Siberia - Christmas under The Crescent

Don't wait!