Basic words and phrases in Dutch
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In this chapter you will learn some basic words and phrases in Dutch. Here you will learn several words you can use to say "thank you" as well as the words for "yes" and "no" in Dutch. Here you can also find some useful Dutch words and phrases that can be used in many situations, for example when visiting the doctor or when going to school.
The words for yes and no in Dutch are quite similar to the English words. If you speak German, you're in luck! The Dutch and German word for yes is exactly the same!
English | Dutch |
---|---|
Yes | Ja |
No | Nee |
Maybe | Misschien |
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There are a couple of words you can use to say "thank you" in Dutch. You use the formal words when you're talking to older people, or to people that you do not know very well. The word "bedankt" is both formal and informal.
English | Dutch |
---|---|
Thank you (formal) | Dank u |
Thank you (informal) | Dankje |
Thank you (formal/informal) | Bedankt |
Thank you very much | Hartelijk bedankt |
No, thanks | Nee, bedankt |
Please (formal) | Alstublieft |
Please (informal) | Alsjeblieft |
You're welcome | Graag gedaan |
These Dutch phrases can be used in many situation. Some of these words and phrases can be used in case you're not understanding something in Dutch.
English | Dutch |
---|---|
Welcome | Welkom |
Where are you from? | Waar kom je vandaan? |
I am from ... | Ik kom uit ... |
Good luck | Succes |
Cheers | Proost |
Have a nice day | Fijne dag (gewenst) |
Enjoy your meal | Eet smakelijk |
Have a good journey | Goede reis |
I understand | Ik begrijp het |
I don't understand | Ik begrijp het niet |
I don't know | Ik weet het niet |
Could you speak more slowly? | Kunt u langzamer praten? |
Could you repeat that? | Kunt u dat herhalen? |
Could you write that down? | Kunt u dat opschrijven? |
Do you speak English? | Spreekt u Engels? |
You can talk to me in Dutch. | U kunt Nederlands tegen mij praten. |
Excuse me | Excuseer mij |
Sorry | Sorry |
I miss you | Ik mis je |
I love you | Ik hou van je |
Get well soon | Beterschap |
Happy Birthday | Fijne verjaardag |
Congratulations | Gefeliciteerd |
The following words and phrases might come in handy when you have to visit the doctors.
English | Dutch |
---|---|
The doctor | De dokter |
The nurse | De verpleger |
The patient | De patiënt |
The pharmacy | De apotheek |
The waiting room | De wachtkamer |
The health insurance | De ziekteverzekering |
The medications | De geneesmiddelen |
To prescribe | Voorschrijven |
The pill | De pil |
The recipe | Het recept |
The hospital | Het ziekenhuis |
The ambulance | De ambulance |
The emergency call | De noodoproep |
English | Dutch |
---|---|
Healthy | Gezond |
Ill; sick | Ziek |
Tired | Moe |
The illness | De ziekte |
The inflammation | De ontsteking |
The Common Cold | De verkoudheid |
The flu | De griep |
The sore throat | De keelpijn |
The cough | De hoest |
The headache | De hoofdpijn |
The swelling | De zwelling |
The allergy | De allergie |
English | Dutch |
---|---|
What happened? | Wat is er gebeurd? |
What's the problem? | Wat is het probleem? |
What's hurting? | Wat doet er pijn? |
Where is your pain located? | Waar voel je pijn? |
How do you feel? | Hoe voel je je? |
I feel... | Ik voel me... |
My ... hurts. | Mijn ... doet pijn. |
To better describe your medical problems, you can use the chapter about body parts in Dutch.
English | Dutch |
---|---|
The school | De school |
The teacher | De leraar; de juf; de meester; de docent |
The student | De leerling; de student |
The homework | Het huiswerk |
The test | De toets |
The exam | Het examen |
The example | Het voorbeeld |
Easy / difficult | Makkelijk / moeilijk |
Correct / incorrect | Goed / fout |
The book | Het boek |
The schedule | Het rooster |
The lunch break | De lunchpauze |
English | Slovak |
---|---|
The subject | Het vak |
History | Geschiedenis |
Biology | Biologie |
Maths | Wiskunde |
The language | De taal |
Physical Education | Lichamelijke Opvoeding |
Geography | Aardrijkskunde |
Economics | Economie |
Now it is time to test your knowledge about basic Dutch words and phrases with some of our exercises!
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As non-native parents it is certainly not easy to teach your children Dutch or to help with the fluency of the new language. Who wants some extra exercise for his children? I can help you with that. As their vocabulary becomes more and more extensive and their sentences become increasingly fluid, your children will get more and more self-confident. To speak well the Dutch language will surely benefit them now and later.
Do your children need some help with their homework, especially with their Dutch, then I can help with that.
Even as non-native-speaking adults, it is sometimes difficult to have enough exercise. That is why also adults who want to make progress in speaking the Dutch language are welcome here! We can practice the everyday language together.
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Liesbet's teaching is progressive and adapted to the level of the student. His working method is very efficient, dynamic and focused on areas for improvement. The material used is varied: texts, videos, grammar exercises, pronunciation and vocabularies (synonyms, antonyms, nuances, etc.). The lessons are always different and never look like. Punctuality and seriousness. I highly recommend.
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Why should you choose me? Take a look at what people say who have taken online classes with me.
Book lessons with me and
- prepare Dutch exams "Basisinburgering A1" and "Inburgeringsexamen A2". Your full commitment and my energetic, professional approach are the winning combination to help you succeed at once!
- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
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Elena is very good at keeping the conversation going, she nicely corrects my pronunciation mistakes (which I like) and teaches me new words and expresions useful for the conversation in question. I like how she adapts to my learning wishes and needs, prepares interesting subjects and promotes deep, professional and personal exchanges of ideas. Highly recommended!
Elena P.
Thank you for your feedback, David! I am happy to know that you are satisfied with the classes. Keep going because you are learning fast and well!
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It took me a long time to find my real passion in my (work) life. After studying in two universities, graduating in two bachelors, travelling the world and working abroad for several years I realized public education is where my heart lies. I went for the third time back to the university to get my teachers degree.
I have been a classroom teacher for 5 years in Dutch primary schools before I moved 4,5 years ago abroad to Colombia where I became specifically an English teacher. I am specialized in teaching in pre-, elementary, middle (secondary) and high school. I have been teaching in all different grades and all primary subjects in English and got specialised in Teaching English as a second language. Most schools where I have been working were inspired by the philosophy of 'Vygotsky'. A philosophy and methodology I also use in my private classes. Therefore they are dynamic and adapted to your personal needs.
Working in the Netherlands and Colombia in education and in several countries worldwide have allowed me to gain a variety of skill sets. These experiences also have provided me with the tools necessary for working abroad and online including adaptability, patience, dedication to my peer’s success, and respect for cultural and societal norms. Learning English as a second language from someone that is trained to teach the language like this and also once has learned the language herself as a second language (as my native language is Dutch), gives me a lot of benefits in comparison of learning the language from a native speaker.
Aside from this being my day to day job already for the past 10 years in Bilingual primary, middle and high schools, I started private classes to teach English as a second language in the afternoons. I am new to this platform as I haven't offered my services in the past through an official platform. With the recent changes worldwide I thought it is a good moment to focus more on online teaching and decided to dedicate all my time at the moment on online teaching. Therefore I have a wide availability Let me know which level you have and if there's anything specific you would like to focus on. I have experience in teaching all facets of the language.
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We found our first Dutch class with Lisa really helpful. She is very patient and made the class enjoyable. Looking forward to getting started :)
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My name is Job and Dutch is my native language.
I can help you with all the basics of speaking, reading and writing. I can also help you pass exams that require dutch, like your inburgeringscursus (NT2a or CNAVT). I can teach students from A1 up to B2 level. Also, I passed for my TEFL for the English language, so there will be no problem with explaining the Dutch language.
Discipline is the key to effective learning. I'm extremely organized, well-prepared for each of my lessons and I will never miss a single class. I have tons of study materials, which I hand out to my students after the class and customize lesson plans with.
Each learning objective is met by the end of the lesson. Grammar and a sufficient range of vocabulary are impossible to overlook, and I value it in my approach.
Dutch grammar can be tricky for non-native speakers. I go over concepts repeatedly until my students get the hang of it.
Why choose me as your tutor? I am:
--> Students passed for their exams with help of my lessons.
--> Organised; always prepared for every lesson.
--> Patient: we can continue as long as we need.
--> Friendly
--> Enthusiastic
--> Like meeting new people from the rest of the world.
My Methodology
My classes are normally up to one hour. It's possible to have longer lessons If you prefer this.
So far I have done over 1000+ lessons and gathered sufficient information that is useful in order to pass your exams or to get familiar with the language.
My materials comprise of speaking, writing, grammar, reading and listening. During our lessons we shall cover all of these aspects.
Here's a normal lesson plan with me if you're a beginner:
- Vocabulary (5 min): discussing new learned verbs.
- Pronounciation (10 min): reading a short story and building on vocabulary and articulation.
- Writing (15 min): Q and A sessions where I write your answers down and further discuss sentence structures and mistakes.
- Speaking (20 min): eloquently answering questions which are commonly asked in the exams.
-Listening (10 min): listening to an audio of a short story and answering questions.
The lesson plan varies according to your level of Dutch. Naturally, more advanced speakers focus on speaking and writing.
I always make sure I'm prepared before our lesson starts, so we can start right away and make the most of your time.
If you wish to have a well-organized and disciplined tutor who can help you achieve your goals and express yourself authentically - you can count on me!
I will make sure you're on track and every minute of your learning experience is valuable. Dutch is a pretty straight-forward language, and so am I - do ask me anything you'd like to know!
If you wish to have a well-organized and disciplined tutor who can help you achieve your goals and express yourself authentically - you can count on me!
I will make sure you're on track and every minute of your learning experience is valuable. Dutch is a pretty straight-forward language, and so am I - do ask me anything you'd like to know!
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Thanks to Job I feel more confident with the Dutch language. He has a lot of different materials to practice grammar, reading, speaking and writing. so far i did 20 lessons with Job and I will definitly continue. I recommend job as a tutor to everyone who wants to know the basics of language or need to prepare for exams.
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Why should you choose me? Take a look at what people say who have taken online classes with me.
Book lessons with me and
- prepare Dutch exams "Basisinburgering A1" and "Inburgeringsexamen A2". Your full commitment and my energetic, professional approach are the winning combination to help you succeed at once!
- learn Dutch because you live in the Netherlands (or are planning to move there) and still don’t speak the language properly or haven’t started yet. You’ll enjoy your environment more!
- learn Italian for work or because you will move to this beautiful country or simply because you just love it. Let me help you experience the language!
- study Spanish for pleasure, work or because you have to prepare an exam for school and you need to get confident to perform optimally
- get confident in useful daily conversations, meetings at work, exams, and presentations
- overcome the fear of failure; if you have learning problems, feel shy or need a boost of energy you’ll get confident enough to achieve your goals
My lessons are based on conversations. My method is to help you practice the language from the very beginning in spontaneous and direct conversations, using often role plays.
With books, articles, songs, and other interesting and stimulating material I will encourage conversation, develop grammar in a simpler way, and improve pronunciation.
Learning a foreign language is not a matter of doing much effort, but rather of being consistent, enjoying the lessons and allowing your intuition to work with you. You will book immediate results while having fun!
I've been teaching Dutch, Spanish and Italian for many years, in The Netherlands, for private institutes, for the integration of foreigners into society (Inburgering), and online from Italy, where I currently live.
Contact me for a free trial and let me know how I can help you.
CANCELATION POLICY
If you cancel a reservation please do it at least 24 hours before the session
(otherwise I would have to charge you for the lesson).
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Elena is a truly excellent teacher and a compassionate and supportive mentor. She was able to adapt her lessons to my unpredictable schedule and did her best to maintain consistency. She also provides different types of material to help with the learning process and focuses on speaking as a key element for learning and using the language. I 100% recommend choosing her, and building together a learning plan! Thank you for your work and dedication!
Elena P.
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You are welcome, Ioana! I am happy to know that you are so satisfied about our collaboration. You've done good progress and I am sure you will, eventually, achieve your goals. Look forward to continue to guide you in this!
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Hello there,
I'm Eveline Debouvere, polyglot and a world citizen! It would be my pleasure to help you improving your Dutch or German language skills. Tell me what you want to learn and I'll adapt my course to your needs. As I am working as a sales person for the Scandinavian and German markets in a medium-sized company, I am able to improve my own language skills every day. Knowing the importance of learning languages in a good, but fun way makes it easier to teach myself. On top of that I've already taught different languages to different students. All of them were amazed by the way the course is adapted to their needs during the teaching process.
Do you want to find this out yourself? Please contact me!
Until then I wish you all the best!
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It was great. We went through the first introduction round, then through important base of language - alphabet and "double sounds" to improve my pronunciation. Then we read article - to improve my pronunciation and understanding. It was a great lesson and I am looking forward to the next one.
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Marjolein is a great, patient and supportive teacher that adapted perfectly to my level. She could provide a personalized course for me according to my initial requests. I can only recommend her. Keep up the good work!
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Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
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Hello, I’ve had two lessons with Monique till now but I’d like to keep having lessons with her. She is an exceptional experienced teacher and I like her learning approach, as well as the material she uses in order to help me reach my goals. She is also patient, communicative, supportive and she encourages me to become even better. I am really looking forward to keep up learning Dutch with Monique.
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Hi! I live in Germany since 2014, I live in the Frankfurt am Main area. I teach German to refugees since the beginning of 2017 and I have been teaching Dutch at several language schools, at peoples homes and in-house at several companies. I passed the C1-level Test for German at the Goethe Institut.
It is my goal to adapt my lessons as much as possible to the wishes of the student. This means that, besides offering regular learning methods, I am open to initiatives like talking about subjects that are of interest to the student, for example reading and discussing articles, watching and discussing educational videos and/or current happenings in the world.
I look forward to meeting you online!
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Marlijn is a great teacher. I feel much more confident to talk in Dutch. She is very helpful and patient.
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¡Hola! I’m Paul from Venezuela. I’ve been living in France since 2012, where I work as a fully qualified Spanish teacher at the university level, with up-to-date training.
I have extensive experience preparing students for DELE, SIELE, Bright, and CLOE exams, as well as general Spanish practice.
I specialize in helping students improve their Spanish pronunciation and grammar, assisting many in developing a more natural and fluid way of speaking.
I have worked for various universities and associations for over 10 years. Currently, I teach online for CoLanguage and engineering schools in France, mainly to university and high school students.
My sessions focus on encouraging students to use Spanish effectively, building their confidence, and helping them find their own natural way of expressing themselves in my language.
Looking forward to seeing you!
Paul
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Paul is a great teacher, very patient and motivating. The lessons are prepared and personalised. I definitely recommend taking lessons with Paul!
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Hello,I would love to help you improve your knowledge of English.I adapt the lessons following your wishes : are you a beginner and need to get some basic knowledge with grammar and easy texts or do you want to improve your conversation skills. I can help you either way.Looking forward to meeting you !
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I have been with franscoise for nearly 20 lessons now. She has excellent command of English so it is easy to learn the Dutch expression equivalent to the one in english. She can focus on routine grammar stuff as well as useful daily conversation phrases such as “don’t jump the queue “ etc . She can definitely tailor the programme according to my need but in a discreet manner . Franscoise would give me homework such as exercise from the text or essay to help me consolidate what I have learnt , or simply prepare for the next lesson. She travelled a lot and has international perspective as well as cultural sensitivities but keeping her sense of humour. A kind and understanding person to be with. Definitely has a passion to teach and to share. Definitely not a money grabber ! Lucky to have her in my journey of Dutch learning.
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Hi, Mi name is Paul. I'm a certified (TEFL, ELE) teacher with over 10 years of experience in language teaching. I am actually teaching business clients and individuals.
I always try to keep the classes informal and relaxed. It's important that the students like the class, and that they feel comfortable. That results in progress, and that's exactly what we want.
The focus is on conversation (so pronunciation!) and understanding but also reading and writing are important to improve active vocabulary.
Now grammar is also important to understand the structure of a language, but I only touch grammar when needed, so that depends a lot on the level (from A1 to C2).
For lower-level students who still need some native language in class, I speak fluently Spanish, Dutch and some German and French.
The first class is free of charge, so just try it! I'm sure you'll like it.
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Paul has done well gauging my level and then setting up lessons to match. With a combination of grammar, pronunciation, and learning new words. And now with more focused work and being able to come up with sentences.
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Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
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I have only had a few lessons with Monique so far, but I couldn’t be happier. I didn’t really believe in online teaching before, but I have been learning dutch so fast and so easily with her!
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Hi there
My name is Lieneke Jansen and I am 56 years old.
I am from a small country in Europe called the Netherlands
I am a TEFL certified English language coach with experience in teaching both children and adults.
Although I am a non-native speaker, I have learned English since high school, and practicing it on a daily basis from then on.
I have over 30 years of working experience in several international companies on a high professional work and think level.
I am specialised in business conversation and practicing speaking skills on every possible level
Looking forward to meet you as my student.
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Miss Lien is a wonderful teacher. She teaches Dutch to my 10 year old son. She takes the time to tailor each lesson to his needs and she is also lovely. My kid loves her lessons. 100% recommended.
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Linda is a nice, flexible and professional teacher. She is always well prepared for the lesson and she can explain Dutch grammar very well. I enjoy learning with Linda because I can also choose the topics that interest me the most.
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