Everyday manners and directness
In the Netherlands, people often communicate in a direct way. That means people usually say clearly what they think, what they want, or what the problem is. In daily life, this can sound short if you come from a culture where people speak more indirectly.
For the KNM exam, this topic is about knowledge of common social behaviour in Dutch society. The exam focus is not what you personally must do. The focus is what is common, accepted, or expected in the Netherlands.
A KNM question on this theme can ask about a habit or a general rule in society. The stem is often short and factual.
Example Dutch exam style question:
Wat is een gewoonte op een verjaardag in Nederland?
English meaning: What is a custom at a birthday in the Netherlands?
When you study this topic, pay attention to words like gewoonte (custom), omgangsvormen (manners), waarden (values), and normen (norms). DUO can test whether you recognise a social custom as a fact about Dutch society.
Equality: women's rights and LHBTI rights
The KNM exam now gives extra attention to equality, including women’s rights and LHBTI rights. You need to know that these rights are part of Dutch society and public life.
The exam spec says this theme includes the right of women to self-determination and LHBTI rights. So you should expect fact questions about whether women and men have equal rights in work and society, and whether LHBTI people have rights in the Netherlands.
One confirmed example from the exam research is this Dutch question:
Mogen vrouwen in Nederland hetzelfde werk doen als mannen?
English meaning: May women in the Netherlands do the same work as men?
Correct idea: Ja, dat mogen ze.
English meaning: Yes, they may.
This is the kind of KNM item DUO likes: short, concrete, and about a rule or right in Dutch society. You are not being tested on your opinion. You are being tested on whether you know the social and legal position in the Netherlands.
Questions in this area may use a Mag ...? or Mogen ...? stem. In KNM, those often test whether something is allowed, not allowed, or only allowed in a certain case. Read each option carefully.
When the law comes before religion or culture
A key KNM idea is that the law takes precedence over religious or cultural rules. In simple words, Dutch law comes first when there is a conflict.
This point appears in the exam spec in two places: under Omgangsvormen, waarden en normen and under Staatsinrichting en rechtsstaat. So this is not just a social topic. It is also part of how the Dutch rule of law works.
For the exam, DUO tests knowledge of the rule itself. The question is not whether a person agrees with it. The question is whether you know that in the Netherlands, the law is leading.
A KNM item here will often be a fact question with a short stem. It may ask what rule applies in the Netherlands, or which authority decides under the law. In other parts of KNM, wrong answers often name the wrong institution, such as the police, the judge, or parliament. So you need to connect rights and rules to the legal system.
Example Dutch exam style question:
Wat gaat in Nederland voor: de wet of een religieuze regel?
English meaning: What comes first in the Netherlands: the law or a religious rule?
Correct idea: De wet gaat voor.
English meaning: The law comes first.
What the KNM exam asks about this
DUO tests knowledge, not personal behaviour. That changed in the 2025 KNM reform. Older practice based on “what should you do?” can be partly outdated.
For this theme, the exam usually asks short factual questions about how Dutch society works. Common stem types in the research are:
- Wat is ...?
- Mag ...?
- Mogen ...?
- Wie ...?
- Waarom ...?
You’ll often see one photo, one Dutch question, and three answer options: A, B, and C. The picture gives context, but it usually does not give the answer by itself. You need to know the fact behind the situation.
For values and norms, focus on these exam-ready points from the spec:
Dutch example focus:
Wat is een gewoonte in Nederland?
English meaning: What is a custom in the Netherlands?
Rights example focus:
Mogen vrouwen in Nederland hetzelfde werk doen als mannen?
English meaning: May women in the Netherlands do the same work as men?
Law example focus:
Wat gaat voor in Nederland: de wet of religieuze of culturele regels?
English meaning: What comes first in the Netherlands: the law or religious or cultural rules?
When you practise, train yourself to spot the exam task fast. If the stem asks Mag ...? or Mogen ...?, think: allowed, not allowed, or only in some situations. If the stem asks Wat is ...?, think: definition or general fact. If the question is about women’s rights, LHBTI rights, or the law, choose the answer that matches Dutch society and Dutch law, not private opinion.
InburgeringPrep helps you practise exactly this kind of KNM question in simple steps. You see Dutch exam-style wording, clear answers, and repeated practice on the themes DUO asks about now.