Key Phrases in Dutch and English
Learn Dutch greetings and farewells for both formal and informal situations. These phrases are useful for travelers and Dutch language learners alike!
in the Netherlands, the first and most common option for greeting someone is just that – saying “hallo”
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| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello |
| Hoi | Hi (casual or close relationships) |
| Goedemorgen | Good morning |
| Goedenmiddag | Good afternoon |
| Goedenavond | Good evening |
| Dag | Bye |
| Tot ziens | See you later |
| Doei/doeg | Cheers (casual) |
The magic words in Dutch :
Key Phrases in Dutch and English
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Alstublieft | If you please (formal) |
| Alsjeblieft | If you please (informal) |
| Pardon | Pardon/excuse me |
| Dank u wel | Thank you (formal) |
| Dank je wel | Thank you (informal) |
| Bedankt | Thanks |
| Ja | Yes |
| Nee | No |
Getting around:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Open | Open |
| Gesloten | Closed |
| Kaartje | Ticket |
| Waar is het toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
| Links | Left |
| Rechts | Right |
| Rechtdoor | Straight (pronounced like “wreck-door”) |
| Hoeveel kost deze? | How much is this? |
| Geldautomaat | ATM |
| De bushalte | Bus stop |
| Treinstation | Train station |
Miscommunications:
Now, all the reading in the world still won’t necessarily make you a native Dutch speaker before your trip. So, we thought it might be useful to include some common phrases to help you get out of sticky situations where miscommunication seems inevitable.
Ik spreek geen Nederlands – I don’t speak Dutch
(this one is a lifesaver if you master the other phrases so well that locals start chatting away in their home language!)
Spreekt je Engels? – Do you speak English?
Key Phrases in Dutch and English
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Het spijt me, ik spreek geen Nederlands | I am sorry, I don’t speak Dutch |
| Ik leer Nederlands | I’m learning Dutch |
| Ik begrijp Nederlands | I understand Dutch |
| Maar ik kan het niet goed spreken | But I cannot speak it well |
| Ik spreek Nederlands, maar niet zo goed | I can speak Dutch but not very well |
| Spreek je Engels? | Do you speak English? |
| Kun je dat herhalen? | Can you repeat that please? |
| Zeg het nog eens! | Say again! |
| Je spreekt te snel voor me | You speak too quick for me |
| Spreek iets langzamer alsjeblieft | Speak more slowly please? |
| Wat betekent dat? | What does it mean? |
| Wat betekent …..? | What does ….. mean? |
| Ik heb hulp nodig met de Nederlandse taal | I need help with the Dutch language |
| Ik ben net begonnen Nederlands te leren | I just started learning Dutch |
| Hoe zeg je dat in het Nederlands? | How do you say that in Dutch? |
| Hoe spreek je dat uit? | How do you pronounce that? |
| Kun je het voor me uitspreken? | Could you pronounce it for me? |
| Hoe spel je dat woord? | How do you spell that word? |
| Kun je me wat Nederlands leren? | Can you teach me some Dutch? |
| Is Nederlands een moeilijke taal om te leren? | Is Dutch a difficult language to learn? |
| Ik vind de uitspraak moeilijk | I find the pronunciation difficult |
| Ik vind de grammatica makkelijk | I find the grammar easy |
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