[Dutch flag]
colors
[plate of food]
Meals
[a house]
the house
[a path]
the outdoors
[books]
media
[jacket]
clothing
[a mirror]
beauty
[glasses, watch, etc.]
necessities

>>

Search my site: - New material added: February 2013

Dutch: Useful Words and Phrases for Travelers

A New Version - Conversations Template - Conversation Words - Fun Things to Say - Talking about The Weather - Sayings, Standard Phrases

Good morning Goedemorgen click to
      hear
Good afternoon Goedemiddag click to
      hear
Good evening Goedenavond click to
      hear
Mr. and Sir Meneer click to
      hear
Mrs. and Ma'am Mevrouw click to
      hear
Miss Juffrouw click to
      hear
(old-fashioned)
Mr. van Dijk Meneer van Dijk click to
      hear
Mrs. Jansen Mevrouw Jansen click to
      hear
Miss de Jong Juffrouw de Jong click to
      hear
hi, hello hallo click to hear
My name is ... Ik heet ... click to hear
My name is ... Mijn naam is ... click to hear
Hi - I am Marco Hallo, ik ben Marco click to hear
Hi - my name is Marco Hallo, ik heet Marco click to hear
My name is Daniel Mijn naam is Daniël click to hear
I'm from ... Ik kom uit ... click to hear >>
NEW:
'Dutch' First Names
How are you? (polite) Hoe maakt U het? click to hear
How are you? (informal)
Hoe gaat 't? click to
      hear
Hoe is 't ermee? click to hear
Please Alstublieft click to hear
Thank you (polite) Dank U wel click to hear
Thank you (informal) Dank je wel click to hear
Bedankt! click to hear
You're welcome,
My pleasure
Graag gedaan click to hear
No Problem, ('Minimal effort')
Don't mention it ('no reason to thank me')
Kleine moeite click to
      hear
Geen dank click to hear
Just a moment, please
just a moment ...
Een momentje, alstublieft click to hear
ogenblikje click to hear 2
Bless you! (Gesundheit!)
(what you say when somebody sneezes)
Gezondheid! click to
      hear
Best wishes Het beste ermee click to hear
Have fun Veel plezier click to
      hear
See you Tot ziens click to hear
Have a nice day Een prettige dag nog click to
      hear
Have a nice weekend Prettig weekend click to
      hear
Bon Appetit (Enjoy your meal) Eet smakelijk click to
      hear
Have a safe & pleasant trip Goede reis click to
      hear
Sleep well, Happy dreams Welterusten click to
      hear
I'm sorry Het spijt me click to
      hear 2
Wishing you a speedy recovery Beterschap click to hear
question vraag click to
      hear
answer antwoord click to
      hear
yes ja click to
      hear
no nee click to
      hear
maybe, perhaps misschien click to
      hear
I can't hear what you're saying Ik kan U niet goed verstaan click to
      hear
I don't understand what you're saying Ik begrijp niet wat U zegt click to
      hear
Could you please say that again? Kunt U dat nog eens zeggen? click to
      hear
Would you mind repeating that? Zou U dat nog eens willen zeggen? click to
      hear 2

In Dutch, we don't say something like '"How are you?" to about everyone you come across, like in America. Just say it to people you already know. Next to Heel goed, dank je click to
      hear 2, other possible answers to "How are you?" are: goed click to hear 2 ('good') - redelijk click to hear ('reasonably, relatively well') - niet zo goed click to hear ('not so good') - belabberd click to hear 2 ('pretty bad.')
Tot ziens click to hear is a the best all-purpose 'goodbye' and 'see you,' but it is a bit formal. With a more specific meaning you could say tot zo click to hear 2 ('see you in a moment') - tot straks click to hear 2 ('see you later') - tot vanmiddag click to hear ('see you this afternoon') - tot vanavond click to hear ('see you this evening') or tot maandag click to hear ('see you Monday.')
For 'goodbye' I can only think of the somewhat informal dag click to hear - which is often stretched out to da-ag click to hear - or even into a long goodbye dag - da-ag - dag hoor - nou, dag hoor click to hear 2. You may hear people say doei click to hear or doe-ie click to hear but I think it's a bit intimate. Originally from Groningen, but now a generally popular 'goodbye' is hoi click to hear or even moi click to hear. When I was a teenager, we said things like aju click to hear (from French 'adieu') - tabé click to hear (from Malay) or de mazzel! click to hear (from Hebrew 'mazzal,' luck) but those things went out of fashion.
I often say sterkte click to hear with a goodbye, it's like 'good luck.' Literally it means [wishing you] 'strength.'
Alstublieft click
to hear is the magic word 'please,' but it's also said when you hand someone something, like 'here you are,' and sometimes it's said in reply to a 'thank you,' in the sense of 'you're welcome, my pleasure.'
I have the impression people in England and America don't say something like "Enjoy your meal" to the other diners at the table, it's the waiter or waitress who says that; but in Holland, saying Eet smakelijk click to
      hear to your fellow diners is very common.

More Vocabulary

Overview

[a variety of items]
pictures dictionary

Numbers, Time and Days

Food

Family Tree - Birthday
Family & Relatives

Medical Conversations

Music Vocabulary

Words of Religion

Chemistry

Weather
Grammar
Sports
News and Politics

False Friends

goedemorgen
goedemiddag
goedenavond
hear
good morning
good afternoon
good evening

goejemorgen
môge
hear
D/J shift
mawning
tot ziens
tot gauw
hear
(see you)
(see you soon)

pardon
neemt u mij niet kwalijk
hear
excuse me
excuse me
(formal)
ja
nee
misschien
ben je daar zeker van?
natuurlijk!
hear
yes
no
maybe
are you sure? (of it)
of course!

alstublieft
alsjeblieft
dank U wel
dank je wel
hear
please (polite) - also: here you are
please (informal) - also: here you are
thank you (polite)
thank you (informal)
dank U wel
dank je wel
bedankt
hear
thank you (formal)
thank you (informal)
thanks (casual)

alstublieft
alsjeblieft
graag
heel graag
hear - take 2
please - also: here you are
please - also: here you are
please
yes, please!

I use 'alstublieft/alsjeblieft' when asking for something;
and I say 'graag' in a positive answer to a question:
"Twee koffie astublieft." ("Two cups of coffee please.")
"Wil je een kopje thee?" - "Heel Graag." ("Would you like a cup of tea?" - "Yes, please.")
'Alstublieft/alsjeblieft' is also said when handing someone something, like "Here you are."

ja, graag
nee, dank U
hear
yes, please
no, thank you

graag gedaan
kleine moeite
doe geen moeite
hear
you're welcome, my pleasure (lit. happy to do it)
don't mention it (lit. small effort)
don't bother (lit. make no effort)
hoe maakt U het?
hoe gaat 't?
hear

belabberd
hear - 2

how are you?(very formal)
how are you?(informal)

pretty bad


prima
uitstekend
heel goed
goed
gaat wel
niet zo goed
slecht
hear
couldn't be better
excellent
very good
OK
so-so
could be better
bad

meneer (mijnheer)
mevrouw
juffrouw
hear
Mr. and Sir
Mrs. and Ma'am
Miss

hallo
tot ziens
goede reis
't beste d'r mee
hear
hello
see you
have a nice trip
all the best
hartelijk gefeliciteerd
veel plezier
een prettige dag nog
hear
congratulations! ('from the heart')
have fun!
have a nice day!
welterusten
gezondheid!
beterschap!
hear - 2
happy dreams
bless you! (sneeze)
get well!

ho!
langzaam aan!
schiet op!
hear - 2
stop!
slow down!
hurry up!
eet smakelijk!
proost!
op je gezondheid!
hear
have a nice meal!
a toast
to your health!

>>1

>>2
koffie
thee
melk
slagroom
suiker
koffie verkeerd
hear
coffee
tea
milk
whipped cream
sugar
café au lait

brood
broodje kaas
broodje ham
friet
pannekoek
haring
hear
bread
cheese sandwich
ham sandwich
French fries
pancake
herring
weiland
sloot
gracht
dijk
windmolen
hear
(meadow)
(ditch)
(city canal)
(dike)
(windmill)

stad
dorp
gehucht
platteland
hear
(city, town)
(village)
(hamlet)
(countryside)

bos
hei
polder
rivier
hear
(forest)
(heath, moor)
(reclaimed land)
(river)
zee
strand
duinen
meer
hear
(sea)
(beach)
(dunes)
(lake)

water
zand
golf
branding
zon
hear
(water)
(sand)
(wave)
(surf)
(sun)

fiets
trein
tram (Engl.)
bus
auto
vliegtuig
hear
(bicycle)
(train)
(streetcar)
(bus)
(car)
(airplane)
reis
vertrek
aankomst
hear
(trip)
(departure)
(arrival)

eten
drinken
praten
hear
(to eat) more
(to drink)
(to talk, to chat)

winkelen
wandelen
fietsen
hear
(to shop) more
(to go for a walk) more
(to ride a bicycle) more
slaapkamer
bed
kussen
lakens
deken
dekbed
hear
(bedroom)
(bed)
(pillow)
(sheets)
(blanket)
(comforter)
>>

badkamer
W.C.
bad
douche (Fra.)
handdoek
hear
(bathroom)
(toilet)
(bath)
(shower)
(towel)
>>

zeep
shampoo (~Engl.)
wasmiddel
was
hear
(soap)
(shampoo)
(detergent)
(laundry)
>>
Not every Dutch bathroom has a toilet.
[a picture of the back of a house between trees and bushes]
A House of Dutch - come on in!

[Marco Speaking Dutch]
Speaking Dutch click to hear

[a bottle of water]
een flesje water click to hear
[a mug of milk]
een beker melk click to hear
[a glass of orange juice]
een glas sinaasappelsap click to hear - 2
[a cup of tea]
een kopje thee click to hear
[a cup of coffee]
een kopje koffie click to hear
slang: 'n bakkie troost
[a spooonful of sugar over a glass]
suiker click to hear
[a bowl of whipped cream, with whisk and spoon]
slagroom click to hear - 2
[a spoonful of whipped cream about to be added to a cup of coffee]
slagroom op de koffie click to hear - 2
Would you like a cup of tea? Wil je een kopje thee? click to hear 2 - Food and Drink

Useful Phrases

What's your name?
polite: Wat is Uw naam? - hear - 2
informal: Hoe heet je? - hear
What's going on?
Wat is er aan de hand? - hear
I think ... (In my view ..., "According to me ...")
Volgens mij ... - hear
Where is the bathroom?
Waar is de WC? - hear
Often, a sign on that door will say 'Heren' (or old-fashioned 'Heeren') ('Gents') or 'Dames' ('Ladies')
I have a cold.
Ik ben verkouden. - hear
There's always something. (Things never go entirely right.)
't Blijft tobben. - hear
That's good news.
Dat is goed nieuws. - hear
I'm happy to hear that.
Ik ben blij dat te horen. - hear
It cannot be helped [There's nothing to be done about it.]
Er is niks aan te doen. - hear
It doesn't matter.
't Geeft niet. - hear 2
That takes the cake/biscuit. (Expression of amazement)
Nou breekt m'n klomp. - hear
(Literally: Now that makes my wooden shoe fall apart.)
The best horsemen have their feet on the ground.
De beste stuurlui staan aan wal. - hear (Lit.: The best ship officers are on shore, i.e. it's easy to criticize from a distance, when you're not involved.)
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year!
Prettige Kerstdagen en Een Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! - hear - 2
Happy Holidays!
Prettige Feestdagen! - hear - 2
Happy New Year!
Gelukkig Nieuwjaar! - hear - 2 - 3 - New Year's Resolutions
Blessed Easter / Happy Easter!
Zalig Pasen (said by Roman Catholics) / Prettige Paasdagen - hear
Merry Easter Holiday!
Vrolijk Pasen click to hear
Happy birthday! (informal)
Hartelijk gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag! - hear - more Birthday
'gezellig' - pleasant, nice, enjoyable, gregarious, cosy (there is no exact English equivalent for this word.)
gezellig - click to hear 2 3
A person can be gezellig: een gezellige man click to hear a gregarious guy;
a space can be gezellig: een gezellige kamer click to hear a cosy room;
time spent together can be gezellig: een gezellige avond click to hear an enjoyable evening,
or: een gezellig etentje click to hear 2 3 a cosy, enjoyable dinner (in or out);
also used as an adverb: Gezellig dat je meedoet click to hear 2 3 It's so nice that you're joining us.

What's the price (for this)?
Hoe duur is dit? (How expensive is this?) - hear
- or: Hoeveel kost dit? (How much does this cost?) - hear
- you could also say: Wat is de prijs? (What's the price?) - hear
(A Dutchman would not often say it like that, but you will be prefectly understood.)
Who's next? (Whose turn is it?)
Wie is er aan de beurt? - hear
What would you like to drink?
Wat wil je drinken? - hear - 2
Would you like something to eat?
Wil je wat eten? - hear
Did you enjoy your meal?
Heb je lekker gegeten? - hear

As a foreigner trying to speak Dutch you'll meet with surprise or incredulity. Why would anyone want to learn Dutch? Dutchmen would rather practice their English with you.
I'm trying to learn Dutch.
Ik probeer Nederlands te leren. - hear
Could you please speak Dutch (to me)?
polite: Zou U alstublieft Nederlands willen spreken? - hear
informal: Zou je alsjeblieft Nederlands willen spreken? - hear

To like, love (or not): - houden van - hear - more
Ik houd van ... - hear - I like, I love .... (fill in any subject)
Now many people in Holland (myself included) usually leave out the D when saying 'ik houd' - feel free to do that too.

ik houd van soep click to hear
ik houd erg van Bach click to hear
ik houd niet van sport click to hear
ik heb een hekel aan roddelen click to hear 2
ik ben allergisch voor katten click to hear 2
(-d)
(-d)
(-d)
-
-
2
2
2
-
-
I like soup
I like Bach very much
I do not like sports
I really dislike gossip
I'm allergic to cats
Hij houdt niet van spruitjes click to hear 2
Hij houdt erg van soep click to hear 2
Ik ben gek op drop click to hear 2 3
He doesn't like Brussels sprouts
He really likes soup, he likes soup a lot
I really like liquorice, I'm crazy about liquorice
"Houd jij van opera? - Ik niet." -hear - "Do you like opera? - I don't."

fantastisch!
geweldig!
buitengewoon
erg lekker
héél erg lekker
hear
(marvelous)
(great)
(exceptional)
(very good (food))
(superlative (food))

te koop
gratis
aanbieding
opruiming
uitverkoop
hear
(for sale)
(free)
(on sale)
(clearance)
(clearance)
regen
wind
hagel
sneeuw
hear
(rain)
(wind)
(hail)
(snow)

bliksem
donder
onweer
storm
hear
(lightning)
(thunder)
(thunderstorm)
(gale, high winds)

De zon schijnt
't Regent
't Vriest
Nachtvorst
't Dooit
hear
(The sun is shining)
(It is raining)
(It is freezing)
(Frost at night)
([It is thawing] It stopped freezing)

The Article

In Dutch, the definite article 'the' is either 'de' click to hear (for 'male' and 'female' words, and for all plurals) or 'het' click to hear (for singular, 'neutral' words) - often shortened to " 't " click to hear
The majority of words are 'de'-words. Dimunitives (ending in '-je') are always 'neutral,' but otherwise you'll just have to memorize which are the 'de'- and 'het'-words.
The indefinite article 'a' is: 'een' (also written as: " 'n ") click to hear - or for emphasis: 'één' click to hear 'one'

de
het
't
hear
the
the
the

de man
de vrouw
het kind
't mannetje
hear
the man
the woman
the child
'the little man'

een, 'n
hear - 2
a, an
één
hear
one






rood click to hear
oranje click to hear
geel click to hear
groen click to hear
blauw click to hear
paars click to hear







(de) kleur click to hear (color)
plural:
kleuren click to
  hear (colors)
colors - adjectives - flowers
zwart click to hear wit click to hear bruin click to hear grijs click to hear roze click to hear
Welcome Learning Dutch? - Lesson 1 Site Map Pronunciation Words and Phrases Hear Dutch Names
[grapes]
food
[pan]
kitchen
[rose]
flowers
[cows]
animals
[a building]
buildings
[bus]
traffic
[flame]
fire
[lightswitch]
electricity

>>

email - copyright © 1999-2006 Marco Schuffelen - All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Don't be a dief (thief) - dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2