Need help? The fastest way to reach us is by email at mail@deepsoft.online — we usually reply within a couple of days.

About the app

Ear Drills NL trains listening rather than reading. It holds 180 Dutch episodes from A1 to C2 — thirty at every level — and every one is recorded twice, once in Netherlands Dutch and once in Belgian Dutch. The speech runs at natural speed, because nobody outside the app will slow down for you. Everything is bundled in the app, so it works fully offline and collects no personal data.

Getting started

Frequently asked questions

Does the app need an internet connection?

No. Every recording and every word is bundled inside the app and works fully offline. The internet is used only to download the app, and to buy or restore the full collection.

What is free, and what do I pay for?

Levels A1, A2 and B1 are free in full — ninety episodes, enough to get from nothing to holding a conversation. B2, C1 and C2 give you the first two episodes of each level to try. The remaining eighty-four unlock with a single purchase, once, forever. It is not a subscription and there is nothing to cancel.

I bought the collection and it is asking me to buy again

Open Settings → Restore a previous purchase; the same button is on the unlock screen. Make sure you are signed in to the Apple Account you bought with. The unlock is permanent and works on every device that account signs in to. Refunds are handled by Apple at reportaproblem.apple.com.

The words are hidden and I cannot read along

That is the point, and it is the default. The three buttons above the transcript switch between Hidden, Dutch alone, and Both languages. Reading Dutch while hearing Dutch teaches you to read Dutch; the training happens in the gap before you reveal.

It is too fast for me

Two things help more than slowing it down. Replay a single line several times, and lengthen the gap between lines in Settings → Pause, which gives you thinking time without distorting the speech. Playback speed is there too if you still want it.

Netherlands or Belgian Dutch?

Both. Every episode is recorded twice and you can switch in Settings → Accent, or in the middle of an episode. The two takes differ in length by about a fifth, which is itself worth hearing.

My level counters are not going up

A level counts an episode once you have heard about three quarters of it. Skipping to the end does not count, and neither does opening the quiz without listening.

Are the voices real people?

No — every line is spoken by a synthesised voice. That is the trade that makes 180 episodes in two accents possible at this price. The per-word highlighting is generated from the audio itself, so it follows the voice that is actually playing.

Can I listen with the screen off?

Yes. Playback continues with the screen locked and in the background. The app does not currently appear in CarPlay.

Accessibility

The transport controls, the transcript switch and each episode’s status carry VoiceOver labels. Text does not yet scale with the system Larger Text setting — the type is currently a fixed size, which we know is a real limitation for an app you read while you listen, and it is on the list. If something is hard to use with an assistive technology, please tell us.

I found a mistake in a translation

Please send it — the episode title and the line — and it will go into the next update.

Is my data private?

Yes. The app collects no personal data and has no accounts, ads, or tracking. See our Privacy Policy.

Still need help?

We’re happy to help with questions, bug reports, or suggestions. When reporting a problem, it helps to mention your device model and iOS version.

Email: mail@deepsoft.online
Website: deepsoft.online/mobile/ear-drills-nl
Privacy policy: Ear Drills NL privacy policy