How do you say goodbye in Dutch? This is a big question, because your parting words will leave a lasting impression, for better or worse. 

If you’ve been following our blog, you’ve already studied How to Say Hello in Dutch and How to Introduce Yourself in Dutch. Now it’s time to master the art of a perfect Dutch goodbye. Every situation—from leaving the office or chatting with friends, to parting ways with your Dutch lover—calls for a different type of goodbye. This article will teach you what to say, and what not to say, in any situation! 

Don’t be afraid; it doesn’t have to be that difficult. In fact, you can choose for yourself how difficult you want it to be. We’ve divided this article into sections that cover:

• The two most common ways to say goodbye in Dutch
• Six specific ways to say goodbye
• The weirdest Dutch goodbyes 
• Dutch goodbye gestures

Let’s avoid the awkward goodbyes. Make a grand exit with this useful guide on how to say goodbye in Dutch!

→ Of course, a great goodbye is nothing without a smooth hello, so be sure to check out our vocabulary lists on the Common Ways to Say Hello and 10 Lines You Need for Introducing Yourself. Once you know hello and goodbye in Dutch, there’s no stopping you!

Start with a bonus, and download the Must-Know Beginner Vocabulary PDF for FREE!(Logged-In Member Only)

Table of Contents

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Dutch
2. Specific Ways to Say Bye in Dutch
3. Untranslatable Goodbye Phrases in Dutch
4. Dutch Culture: Goodbye Gestures
5. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. The Two Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Dutch

While there are several ways to say goodbye in the Dutch language, there are two words we recommend you memorize right away: 

Dag	[Formal]	(“Goodbye”)
Doei	[Casual]	(“Bye”)

These two expressions can be used in almost any situation, whether formal or informal.

Are you leaving a work meeting, a dentist’s office, a fancy shop, or another type of formal environment? Then you can say Dag. Or are you saying goodbye to friends, family, colleagues, or someone else you’re casual with? Then you can say Doei.

These are two easy options, and we recommend sticking with them if you’re struggling with your Dutch. But you should still try to challenge yourself a bit more. In the next section, we’ll teach you how to use a variety of Dutch goodbye phrases for any situation. 

2. Specific Ways to Say Bye in Dutch

A- Casual Goodbyes

Let’s start with the most common way to say goodbye in a casual setting:

Doei!	[Casual]	(“Bye!”)
Instead of Doei, you can also use Doeg or Doe-Doei. These are playful alternatives with the same meaning and vibe. They’re perfect for more casual settings.

Now, let’s have a look at some alternative Dutch phrases for goodbye when dealing with friends, relatives, colleagues, or other people you know well.

Zie je (later).	[Very casual]	(“See you [later].”)
(Tot) Later.	[Very casual]	(“[See you] Later.”)
Tot gauw.	[Very casual]	(“See you soon.”)
Tot means “until,” so this basically translates to “until soon/later,” and it’s a casual way to say “See you soon/later.” It’s also common to only say Zie je or Later. Later is an easy goodbye for English-speakers, but be aware that the pronunciation is different (the a has a long sound).

Bye!	[Casual]	(“Bye!”)
Peace.	[Very casual]	(“Peace.”)
Bye and Peace have been integrated into the Dutch vocabulary. Bye is a rather common way to say goodbye. Peace is less common, and it’s mostly used by adolescents and younger people.

Houdoe!	[Casual]	(“Bye!”)
Have you been to the southern part of the Netherlands? Then you may have heard this special way of saying goodbye. It’s used in the dialects of parts of Noord-Brabant, Gelderland, and Limburg. Don’t ever say houdoe (“above the rivers“) when you’re in the northern part of the Netherlands, as people may make fun of you. But whenever you’re in the south and hear other people use it, feel free to say the cheerful Houdoe in casual settings!

B- The Formal Goodbye

Okay, let’s move on. Here’s how to say goodbye in Dutch when you’re in a more formal setting: 

Dag.	[Formal]	(“Goodbye.”)
Tot ziens.	[Formal]	(“Goodbye.” / “See you.”)
Tot ziens literally means “Until seeings,” and in English, it’s comparable to a more formal “See you.”

You can’t go wrong with these two common expressions!

C- Have a Good One

Let’s continue with this formal vibe. Another formal way to say goodbye is to wish the person a nice day, weekend, evening, etc.

Fijne dag.	[Formal]	(“Have a nice day.”)
Prettige dag.	[Very formal]	(“Have a pleasant day.”)
Prettig weekend.	[Very formal]	(“Have a pleasant weekend.”)
This is the blueprint for creating a variety of Dutch goodbye phrases. You can adjust it for any day or part of the week, keeping in mind that the adjectives Fijn/Fijne (“Nice”) and Prettig/Prettige (“Nice”) must agree with the object. You can just use Fijn(e) or Prettig(e) and add the appropriate word to the end. For example: dag (“day”), avond (“evening”), weekend (“weekend”), vakantie (“holiday”), verblijf (“stay”), etc.

D- Tot ___. (“See you ___.”)

As we already mentioned, we use tot for “see you” goodbyes. This is a very common way to say goodbye in the Netherlands, and it’s used to indicate that you’ll see, talk to, or meet the other person again. So don’t use it randomly with people you probably won’t see again, as the Dutch take this expression quite literally. 

If you will be seeing them again soon, you can use one of these Dutch goodbyes:

Tot straks.	[Neutral]	(“See you soon.”)
Tot later.	[Neutral]	(“See you later.”)
Tot gauw.	[Casual]	(“See you soon.”)
Tot zo.	[Neutral]	(“See you soon.”)
This is a friendly way to say goodbye if you know that you’re going to see the other person soon (like if you have an appointment with them or know that you’ll bump into them at work).

What if you will be seeing them again, but not very soon? Here are some phrases you can use and adjust as needed:

Tot de volgende keer.	[Neutral]	(“See you next time.”)
Tot morgen.	[Neutral]	(“See you tomorrow.”)
Tot vanavond.	[Neutral]	(“See you tonight.”)
Tot volgende week.	[Neutral]	(“See you next week.”)
Here, you can just use Tot and add the day of the week or time that’s applicable.  Learn more about Talking About Days in Dutch.

Finally, there’s another “see you” goodbye in Dutch that isn’t linked to a fixed moment. It refers, in a more general sense, to the next time you’ll see, hear, or write each other:

Tot horens.	[Neutral]	(“Until hearings.” / “Until we hear from each other again.”)
Tot mails.	[Neutral]	(“Until emailings.” / “Until we talk again by email.”)
Tot kijk.	[Neutral]	(“See you.” / “Until we see each other again.”)
As you can see, these goodbyes don’t refer to a specific moment in time. You assume that you’ll hear from, write, or see each other again, but you don’t exactly know when.

E- When in a Hurry… 

How do you say goodbye in Dutch when you’re in a hurry? You need to go soon, but you also want to be polite and say your goodbyes (you definitely don’t want to ghost your hosts and go without saying anything!). Here are some phrases you can use to excuse yourself:

Ik moet er vandoor.	[Casual]	(“I have to run.”)
Ik moet gaan.	[Neutral]	(“I have to go.”)
We recommend that you use one of these sentences, followed by one of the goodbyes we mentioned earlier. For example: Ik moet er vandoor, tot de volgende keer. (“I have to run, see you next time.”) Ik moet gaan, fijne dag! (“I have to go, have a nice day!”)

→ Would you like to practice these phrases? Have a look at our vocabulary list on The Most Common Ways to Say Goodbye in Dutch, with recorded examples to help you practice your pronunciation.

3. Untranslatable Goodbye Phrases in Dutch

Every language has its peculiarities, and Dutch is no exception. Here are some of the strangest ways to say goodbye in Dutch: 

De mazzel!	[Very casual]	(Literally, it means “The measles,” but it is used to say “Bye.”)
De ballen!	[Very casual]	(Literally, it means “The balls,” but it is used to say “Bye.”)
Aju paraplu!	[Very casual]	(“Adieu umbrella!”)
Toedeledokie!	[Very casual]	(Similar to “Cheerio”)
As you can see, these weird ways of saying goodbye in Dutch don’t have any logical direct translation in English. Take de mazzel or aju paraplu for example. They don’t make a lot of sense when translated into English, and they don’t really make much sense in Dutch either. They’re just weird and corny ways to say goodbye in Dutch.

These untranslatable goodbye phrases in Dutch aren’t used very often, so when you use them as a foreigner, you’ll definitely surprise the Dutch (and maybe even make them laugh). But remember to never use these in formal settings!

4. Dutch Culture: Goodbye Gestures

Like in many other countries, the most common gesture for saying goodbye in the Netherlands is to wave. That said, there are some settings in which it may be a bit impersonal. So what can you do if you want to make your goodbye more personal?

1- The handshake

The handshake is a perfect goodbye gesture in more formal Dutch settings: after finishing a business meeting, when saying goodbye to your physician, or for a goodbye after meeting your Dutch parents-in-law. 

Just give a firm (but not too firm!) handshake to the people present. If there are a lot of people, then it may be better to just wave; you shouldn’t shake hands with only a few people in a group, because this is seen as impolite. 

Men often shake hands in more casual settings (for example, between friends), while women only use it in more formal settings.

2- The kiss or the hug

One kiss or a hug may be given to close friends and family members when saying goodbye, but this varies between groups of friends and families. Sometimes, just saying goodbye with a wave is adequate; but in other social settings, people are used to giving each other a kiss on the cheek or a hug. 

Just try to copy the behavior of other people in the social setting. And whenever you’re in doubt, you can’t go wrong with a simple goodbye and a wave. 

→ Would you like to feel more confident speaking Dutch? Have a look at our vocabulary list on How to Improve Your Speaking Skills.

5. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you’ve learned everything you need to know about how to say goodbye in Dutch for a variety of situations. You even know the weirdest untranslatable Dutch goodbyes and the gestures you should do with them.

Do you know now how to say goodbye in Dutch? You’ve learned a lot, but do you feel ready to use this information to make your grand exit? 

Or would you like to improve your Dutch first? Have a look at DutchPod101’s many free resources, such as vocabulary lists with audio recordings. This way, you can practice your Dutch language skills and make sure you leave a great impression when you say hello and goodbye in Dutch.

Would you like a bit more help? DutchPod101 also offers personal one-on-one coaching through our premium MyTeacher service. Boost your Dutch speaking skills with your private teacher and the interactive exercises, personalized feedback, and useful tips he or she will provide you with.

Let’s say goodbye like a real Dutchie! Toedeledokie! 

Are fear and uncertainty keeping you from getting started with Dutch? 

This is a common issue for many potential Dutch-learners. They tend to wonder things like: “Is Dutch hard to learn?” and “Is learning Dutch really worth it?”  

If this sounds like you, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’re going to answer all of your questions and clear up any doubts you may be having. 

At first, Dutch might seem like a very difficult language, but it’s surprisingly easy for English- and German-speakers. Dutch has even been described as a combination of the English and German languages! This makes it one of the easiest languages to learn for speakers of either language. That said, learning Dutch will take some time and effort, no matter what your native language is. 

So, is Dutch hard to learn? No, it isn’t. And in this article, we’ll show you why. 

DutchPod101 will give you a clear overview of what things might make Dutch hard to learn, and which parts are easy-peasy for new learners. With the right tools, you can overcome even the more challenging aspects of the language. We’ll show you that you can master the Dutch language, and we’ll even tell you how.

Table of Contents

1. Is Dutch a Hard Language to Learn?
2. Why is Dutch Easy to Learn?
3. What are the Best Ways to Start Learning Dutch?
4. Why is DutchPod101 Great for Learning Dutch?
5. Summing it Up…

1. Is Dutch a Hard Language to Learn?

So, let’s start with the more challenging side of the Dutch language: Why is Dutch hard to learn? 

Every language has some tricky parts, and the only way to manage them is to be aware of them. In the long run, this will make learning Dutch a lot easier for you and provide you with a solid learning base. 

1. Tricky Pronunciation

Many new learners find Dutch hard to pronounce.

Even the most fluent foreign Dutch-speakers struggle with this, as the language has the weirdest combinations of letters. For example, there are consonant combinations like: nk, sch, ng, and nk. In addition, you’ll find some consonant combinations that form one sound, and others that form two sounds. 

Consonant combinations that form one sound:

Letter	(English) Pronunciation	Example
ng	It sounds like the [ng] in the English word “cling” or “thing.”	lang (“long”)
ch	The ch has three different pronunciations: 1) Like the Dutch “g,” 2) like [sh] in the English word “ship,” and 3) as [k] in the English word “Christ.”	1) licht (“light”), 2) douche (“shower”), and 3) Chris (“Chris,” the name)
sj	It’s pronounced like [sh] in the English word “ship.”	sjaal (“scarf”)

Now let’s look at the combinations that form two separate sounds:

Letter	(English) Pronunciation	Example
sch	It’s pronounced like an [s] followed by a harsh [ch], as in the Scottish word “loch.”	schaap (“sheep”)
nk	It’s the same sound as in the English word “link.”	pink (“little finger”)
kn	Unlike in English, a k before an n is pronounced. You’ll hear both sounds separately.	knoop (“button”)
ps	Unlike in English, a p before an s is pronounced. You’ll hear both sounds separately.	psycholoog (“psychologist”)

And it’s not just the consonants! There’s another tricky aspect to Dutch pronunciation: diphthongs. These are combinations of two vowels that make a fluid sound that no vowel makes on its own in Dutch:

Letter	(English) Pronunciation	Example
ai	This Dutch diphthong is pronounced  as [I] like in “I am” in English.	mais (“corn”)
au	It’s pronounced like [ow] in the English word “now.”	auto (“car”)
ei	It’s pronounced as the [i] in the English word “find.”	ei (“egg”)
eu	This sound doesn’t exist in English, but you may know it from the French word “beurre.”	leuk (“fun”)
ie	It’s pronounced like [ee] in the English word “bee.”	mier (“ant”)
ij	It’s pronounced exactly the same as the Dutch ei diphthong.	wijn (“wine”)
oe	It’s pronounced like [oo] in the English word “pool.”	moe (“tired”)
ou	This diphthong has exactly the same sound as the Dutch au diphthong.	koud (“cold”)
ui	This sound doesn’t exist in English, but it’s a combination of the [a] sound in “man” followed by a long Dutch u.	muis (“mouse”)

All you can do is practice, practice, and practice even more. Luckily, DutchPod101 is here to help.

→ Would you like to work on your Dutch pronunciation? Have a look at the Only Dutch Pronunciation Guide You’ll Ever Need or try to master this list of the Top 10 Hardest Words to Pronounce.

2. Confusing Word Order 

So let’s continue with another reason why people find the Dutch language hard to learn: the confusing word order.

Of course, simple sentences can just be made with a subject and a verb: 

Subject + Verb

• Ik praat. (“I talk.”)
• De jongen verft. (“The boy paints.”)

Adding a direct object to the mix is rather easy as well:

Subject + Verb + (Direct) Object

• Ik praat met mijn vader. (“I talk to my father.”)
• De jongen verft de deur. (“The boy paints the door.”)

The direct object in Dutch is called lijdend voorwerp (“leading entity/object”). It normally comes right after the verb.

However, when the sentences get longer, the word order gets more confusing. It becomes especially difficult when there are several verbs in the mix, because you’ll have to start splitting the verbs—something you don’t do in English. So be aware.

How do you know if you should split a verb or not? Be cautious when using the present perfect, past perfect, future simple, future perfect, conditional, and conditional perfect verbs. When you use them, you may need to put a verb at the end of a sentence:

Subject + Working verb + Adverb + (Adjective +) Direct object + (Adjective +) (Indirect object +) Other verb

Here are examples for all six Dutch tenses that can make sentences end with a verb:

• Present perfect: 
  De jongen heeft in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf geverfd. 
  (“The boy has painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”)

• Past perfect: 
  De jongen had in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf geverfd. 
  (“The boy had painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”)

• Future simple: 
  De jongen zal in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf verven. 
  (“The boy will paint the yellow door in the house with black paint.”)

• Future perfect: 
  De jongen zal in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf hebben geverfd. 
  (“The boy will have painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”)

• Conditional: 
  De jongen zou in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf verven. 
  (“The boy would paint the yellow door in the house with black paint.”)

• Conditional perfect: 
  De jongen zou in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf hebben geverfd. 
  (“The boy would have painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”)

Do you find this very confusing? Try not to worry too much about it. When you’ve just started learning Dutch, you don’t have to worry about little details like this yet. For now, just be aware that these rules exist; it will help a lot when you’re a more advanced Dutch-learner.

→ Do you want to start learning Dutch? Then you should study more about Dutch sentence patterns. Check out this useful lesson series on the Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners.

3. De vs. Het – Two Ways to Say “The”

The Dutch language has two different ways to say the word “the”: de and het. In theory, all masculine and feminine words get de while all neuter words get het:

• De vrouw (“The woman”) 
• De man (“The man”)
• Het kind (“The child,” neuter) 

However, a lot of Dutch words don’t have a clear gender indication, so it can be quite challenging to know which word to use. It’s something you just have to hear, memorize, and develop a knack for. 

Here are some tips to help you overcome this confusing ordeal:

• All words referring to persons (individuals) are de-words (de voetballer = “the football player” / de president = “the president”).
• All plural words get de (de katten = “the cats” / de stoelen = “the chairs”).
• All words made smaller with (e)(t/d)je are neuter (het kindje = “the little child” / het bloemetje = “the little flower”).
• Words ending with -el or -er are often de-words (de tafel = “the table” / de bakker = “the baker”).
• All infinitive verbs that are used as a noun have the neuter het (het fietsen = “the cycling” / het schrijven = “the writing”).
• Words with standard prefixes like ge-, ver-, ont-, and be-, and those without an -ing ending, are neuter (het verhaal = “the story” / het ontslag = “the resignation”).
• Almost all words with the standard suffixes -ing, -ij, -ie, -e, and -heid are feminine (de politie = “the police” / de schoonheid = “the beauty” / de drukkerij = “the printing company” / de dame = “the lady”).

We know, we know. Why is Dutch so hard to learn? 

Now that we’ve shown you some of the trickier aspects of the Dutch language—and how to learn them well—let’s get to the good news.

2. Why is Dutch Easy to Learn?

You’ve just survived the three most challenging parts of the Dutch language, but we promise that it’s not all bad. Dutch is actually a pretty easy language to learn with the right tools. Let’s show you why.

1. Dutch is Very Similar to English and German

As we mentioned in the introduction, Dutch is very similar to English and German. We’re guessing that you already speak one of those two languages (probably English since you’re reading this article). That’s great! It means that you have a head-start: Dutch is one of the easiest languages to learn for native English– or German-speakers. 

Why is that? 

Dutch is part of the Indo-European family of languages and belongs to the Germanic branch, as do English and German. That’s why Dutch is quite similar to those languages (but without the difficult grammar of the German language, lucky for you).

2. You Already Know Some Dutch Words

You may not realize it, but you probably already know some Dutch words. 

Back in the day, the Dutch had quite some influence all over the world, and they brought their language with them. That’s why some English words have Dutch origins, as do some other languages such as German, Spanish, and French. 

But these won’t be the only words you already know! It also works the other way around, as the Dutch language adopts a lot of foreign words and expressions. German, English, and French words are often used in Dutch conversations.

Here are some examples:

• From German: Bühne (“Stage”), Folie (“Foil”), Föhn (“Hairdryer”)
• From English: Bar, Editor, Manager
• From French: Abonnement (“Subscription”), Actrice (“Actress”), Capuchon (“Hood,” of a jacket)

And don’t forget those more modern words that the Dutch adopt into their language: whatsappen (“to whatsapp”), bad hair day, out-of-the-box denken (“to think out of the box”), netflixen (“to Netflix”).

3. Dutch People Appreciate Your Efforts

The Dutch are used to foreigners speaking English with them. They don’t really mind it, as they accept that their language isn’t very popular or widely spoken. However, when foreigners (try to) speak Dutch, native speakers are pleasantly surprised and are happy to help. They’ll appreciate your effort, try to speak extra-slow, and help you whenever you get stuck. 

You might need to make it clear first that you really prefer to speak Dutch, as they’ll switch to English out of habit if you don’t. But once that’s cleared up, their willingness to help will turn out to be one of the best things about learning the language.

4. Your Pronunciation and Grammar Don’t Have to be Perfect 

The Dutch aren’t too picky or arrogant regarding their language. Mistakes are okay, and even Dutch natives can be quite sloppy with their own language. Grammar rules aren’t always taken into account and even pronunciation isn’t always perfect. 

The Netherlands may be a small country, but it has a lot of dialects and accents from region to region. That’s why there’s no such thing as perfect Dutch pronunciation. Take, for example, the hard g sound in the north and the soft g sound in the south.

Of course, you should try to learn Dutch the best you can, but it’s simply okay to make mistakes.

3. What are the Best Ways to Start Learning Dutch?

Would you like to learn Dutch? There are many reasons why you would benefit from learning the Dutch language: it broadens your mind, gives you new opportunities, and is a great way to get to know another culture.

With the right motivation and some useful learning tips, you’ll be able to master this not-so-complicated language. So how can you learn the Dutch language quickly and easily?

1. Create a Study Schedule and Set Some Goals

Learning a new language can be quite overwhelming—there’s so much to learn! So how can you approach this big task in an orderly manner? 

Structure is key. Many new language-learners get started quite unorganized. They start off strong, but after a few weeks, they begin to lose motivation. To avoid this fate, it’s very important that you create a clear study schedule and set some goals. Goals give you motivation and something to strive for; a study schedule gives you the consistency needed to achieve those goals.

2. Use Word Lists to Build Up a Solid Vocabulary Base

If you want to speak and understand Dutch, you need a solid vocabulary base. But with so many words to learn, where should you start? Luckily, there are some tools available to help you build up your vocabulary, such as our word lists.

Just choose a topic that you find interesting and learn words related to that topic, one at a time. DutchPod101 has vocabulary lists on nationalities, animal names, occupations, and so much more. 

You may even want to set yourself some learning goals. For example, to memorize one or two vocabulary lists a week, or one new word a day. 

3. Don’t be Afraid to Make Mistakes

As we said before, it’s okay to make mistakes. Everybody makes mistakes when they start learning a language, and it’s the only way to really start understanding it. So make mistakes, learn from them, and improve your Dutch. 

The most important thing is that you practice your Dutch; with time, those mistakes will happen less frequently.

→ Would you like to learn some more study strategies? Boost your Dutch with this list of the Top 10 Language Learning Strategies.

4. Practice is Key

Learning Dutch vocabulary and grammar is great, but it’s not everything. To really learn a language, it’s important that you take every opportunity you have to practice. Whether it’s with your private teacher or with the baker in your Dutch neighborhood, just try to talk and put everything you’ve learned into practice. You don’t need that many words or extensive knowledge of complicated grammar rules to communicate. It’s okay to make mistakes, as long as you keep on speaking, listening, reading, and writing Dutch.

Practice is the only way to improve your Dutch, so go ahead and dive into the Dutch language. Watch Dutch series, read books in Dutch, listen to Dutch music, or tune in for a podcast. Talk with every Dutchie you meet and start writing stories in Dutch. Practice at every opportunity! 

5. Make Learning Dutch Fun

Learning a new language shouldn’t be boring. When it’s boring, you definitely won’t be able to stick with it. So try to make learning Dutch as enjoyable as possible. 

Of course, you can’t ignore learning the Dutch grammar rules or those endless lists of verb conjugations. But you can mix some fun into your learning by combining this dry type of studying with things you enjoy. For example, watching a Dutch TV show with subtitles, or listening to Dutch music and trying to translate or understand the lyrics.

This way, you’ll be more inclined to study!

→ Would you like to start watching Dutch TV? Luckily, the Netherlands has some great Dutch TV shows and series for beginners, intermediate learners, and advanced learners.

4. Why is DutchPod101 Great for Learning Dutch?

To summarize, let’s go back to the main question: Is Dutch a hard language to learn? No, but like any language, it has its challenging parts. However, with the right tools, you’ll be able to learn it with little problem. This is where DutchPod101 comes in. We’ll make your Dutch learning experience fun, fast, and simpler than you think!

1. An Integrated Approach

DutchPod101 works with an integrated approach by blending several skills into every lesson. So in just one lesson, you’ll be working on your reading, listening, and writing skills. This is because we provide audio recordings for you to listen to, transcripts and vocabulary words to read, and writing exercises to try it out for yourself.

This will make your Dutch learning more natural and effective. In one solid package, you’ll be able to work on all of the most crucial language skills.

2. A Massive Offering of Free Content

Whatever your learning level, DutchPod101 offers a great collection of content to help you advance. After you take the assessment test, you’ll be directed to the level that matches your needs. There, you’ll find a wide variety of free content, from vocabulary lists to customizable flashcards. 

On DutchPod101.com, you’ll find many other free tools that can be tailored to your needs. Some of these resources can even be downloaded and used offline.

3. Premium Personal Coaching

So DutchPod101 offers great content to practice your reading, writing, and listening skills, but how about those important speaking skills? To practice your Dutch speaking, you can rely on premium personal coaching with our MyTeacher service. Improve your pronunciation with feedback from your own private tutor! 

And your tutor will focus on much more than your speaking skills. They’ll also guide you through the wonders of the Dutch language with interactive assignments and personalized exercises. Together, you’ll focus on the areas you need the most help with and improve your overall language skills.

5. Summing it Up…

So, is the Dutch language hard or easy? 

We’ve shown you the most challenging aspects of the Dutch language, and why it might be easier than you think, from similarities with English to patient Dutchies. Learning a language is always a challenge, but we think you’ll agree that Dutch’s lighter side will make the learning process fairly simple for you. 

Do you feel ready to start learning Dutch? Or do you need some more guidance?

Another important aspect of mastering a language is having the right learning tools. Make sure to explore DutchPod101.com, as we have plenty of free resources to help you practice your grammar and many useful vocabulary lists with audio recordings to learn new words.

Remember that you can also use our premium MyTeacher service for personal one-on-one coaching. This way, you can really practice your Dutch speaking skills with your own private teacher through interactive exercises and personalized feedback.

Get started with DutchPod101!

Are you afraid to make mistakes in Dutch? In your studies, you’re bound to make a few. And that’s no big deal! 

Making mistakes is human, and even Dutch natives make some of the mistakes we’ll cover in this article. It’s through expressing yourself and making mistakes that you’ll really master the language. So making mistakes in the first place is no problem, but always try to learn from them!

That said, wouldn’t it be nice to be aware of some of the most common mistakes in learning Dutch? 

This is exactly what DutchPod101 has in mind for you with this guide. Have a look at the ten most common Dutch mistakes and impress your new Dutch friends with your great language skills.

Table of Contents

1. Dutch Pronunciation Mistakes
2. Vocabulary – Dutch Word Mistakes
3. Word Order Mistakes
4. Common Dutch Grammar Errors
5. A Special Dutch Mistake
6. The Biggest Mistake in Dutch Language-Learning
7. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. Dutch Pronunciation Mistakes

Dutch pronunciation is tricky, even for fluent Dutch-speakers. Dutch is known for its weird sounds and long words with the strangest combinations of letters.

So, let’s have a look at two common pronunciation mistakes for Dutch-learners. 

1. Pronouncing diphthongs incorrectly

Do you remember those tricky diphthongs? A diphthong is the combination of two vowels that, together, make a particular sound—a sound that no vowel in Dutch makes on its own. 

A common mistake Dutch-learners make is to pronounce the letters separately, rather than as one fluid sound.

So let’s recap and master, once and for all, the challenging sounds of the nine Dutch diphthongs:

Letter	(English) Pronunciation	Example
ai	Pronounced as [I], as in “I am” in English	mais (“corn”)
au	Pronounced like [ow] in the English word “now”	auto (“car”)
ei	Pronounced as the [i] in the English word “find”	ei (“egg”)
eu	This sound doesn’t exist in English, but you may know it from the French word “beurre.”	leuk (“fun”)
ie	Pronounced like [ee] in the English word “bee”	mier (“ant”)
ij	Pronounced exactly the same as the Dutch ei diphthong	wijn (“wine”)
oe	Pronounced like [oo] in the English word “pool”	moe (“tired”)
ou	This diphthong has exactly the same sound as the Dutch au diphthong.	koud (“cold”)
ui	This sound doesn’t exist in English, but it’s a combination of the [a] sound in “man” followed by a long Dutch u.	muis (“mouse”)

2. Pronouncing sch as sk

As you’ve probably noticed, Dutch is a language with a lot of g-sounds, more than you’re probably used to in your own language. And those g-sounds may surprise you, as they even occur in the ch and sch consonant combinations. Well, you’re not alone in your struggle. The pronunciation of sch as sk is one of the most common pronunciation mistakes for Dutch-learners (who often make too much of a k-sound).

Let’s have a look at how you should pronounce this: 

Letter	(English) Pronunciation	Example
sch	Pronounced like an [s] followed by a harsh [ch], as in the Scottish word “loch.”	schaap (“sheep”)

→ Would you like to improve your Dutch pronunciation? Then read this list on How to Improve Your Speaking Skills or have a look at our Top 10 Hardest Words to Pronounce.

2. Vocabulary – Dutch Word Mistakes

You’re learning your Dutch vocabulary and are feeling quite confident. However, confusion is near. It may be because of words with multiple meanings or because of those extremely long Dutch words.

Let’s have a look at two common mistakes in learning Dutch vocabulary.

3. Confusing words with multiple meanings 

The Dutch language is full of words with multiple meanings (homonymes), so a common mistake of Dutch-learners is to not learn the different meanings of a Dutch word. Only by mastering the multiple meanings can you use and understand them correctly in a given context. 

Here are some funny examples:

Word	Meaning 1	Meaning 2
Arm	“Arm” (the body part)	“Poor”
Gerecht	“Dish”	“Court”
Kussen	“Pillow”	“To kiss” / “Kisses”
Kater	“Male cat”	“Hangover”
Weer	“Weather”	“Again”

→ Having trouble remembering the meaning of words? Then have a look at our useful tips and tricks on remembering Dutch words.

4. Splitting up compound words 

Okay, let’s now continue with those confusing compound words. The Dutch language is known for its long words, so be aware of this common mistake of Dutch-learners: splitting up the compound words. 

All you can do here is be aware of this peculiar characteristic of the Dutch language and keep on improving your Dutch vocabulary. 

Here are some examples of compound words consisting of two, three, and even five parts:

Parts	Dutch Compound Word	Meaning in English
2	Broodmes	“Breadknife”
3	Langeafstandloper	“Long-distance runner”
… to 5	Kindercarnavalsoptochtvoorbereidingswerkzaamheden (This is the longest word in the Dutch language.)	“Preparation activities plan for a children’s carnival procession”

→ Are you having difficulties understanding compound words? Try to divide them into smaller parts and see if you can understand the different parts. 

3. Word Order Mistakes

Dutch word order can be confusing, possibly because of its similarities to English or because of its weird habit of splitting up verbs.

5. Using the word doe in yes/no questions

Dutch can be quite similar to English, so you’re bound to mix the rules up sometimes. This fifth most common Dutch mistake is to use the Dutch word doe (“to do”) in yes/no questions. 

Contrary to English, Dutch doesn’t use the auxiliary “do” in questions. So don’t use it, otherwise your Dutch question word order will be incorrect.

Here are some examples:

Example 1: “Do you like dancing?”

• Correct: Houd je van dansen?
• Wrong: Doe jij houden van dansen?

Example 2: “Do you want to marry me?”

• Correct: Wil je met me trouwen?
• Wrong: Doe jij met me willen trouwen?

Let’s have a look at the word order:

Working verb + Subject + (Object +) Other verb

Some simple examples:

• Kom je? (“Are you coming?”)
• Werkt hij? (“Does he work?”)

→ For more question examples, don’t forget to have a look at our list of the Top 25 Questions You Need to Know!

6. Not knowing when to split the verbs in sentences

Dutch word order can be even more confusing when a sentence has many words. Even more so when there are several verbs in the mix, in which case one part of the verb will be at the beginning of the sentence and other parts will be at the end. 

How do you know when to split a verb? Be cautious when using the present perfect, past perfect, future simple, future perfect, conditional, and conditional perfect verbs. Here, you may need to add a verb to the end of a sentence.

Let’s have a look at the sentence structure for these tenses:

Subject + Working verb + Adverb + (Adjective +) Direct object + (Adjective +) (Indirect object +) Other verb

Let’s give you an example for each of the six aforementioned Dutch tenses:

• Present perfect: 
  De jongen heeft in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf geverfd. 
  “The boy has painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”

• Past perfect:
  De jongen had in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf geverfd. 
  “The boy has painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”

• Future simple: 
  De jongen zal in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf verven. 
  “The boy will paint the yellow door in the house with black paint.”

• Future perfect: 
  De jongen zal in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf hebben geverfd. 
  “The boy will have painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”

• Conditional: 
  De jongen zou in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf verven. 
  “The boy would paint the yellow door in the house with black paint.”

• Conditional perfect: 
  De jongen zou in het huis de gele deur met zwarte verf hebben geverfd. 
  “The boy would have painted the yellow door in the house with black paint.”

→ Try to think of easy sentences that you can use like this. This way, you can improve your own Dutch sentence structures and learn how to avoid this common mistake of Dutch-learners.

→ Are you struggling with Dutch sentence patterns? Then have a look at this useful list of the Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners.

4. Common Dutch Grammar Errors

Grammar is a challenge in every language, and Dutch is no exception. Let’s learn from our mistakes! 

7. Mixing up the dt ending

Although the Dutch present tense might look easy, be aware of one of the most common Dutch grammar mistakes: mixing up the dt ending. 

So when should you use the dt ending? It has to be used with certain subjects when the verb used has a -d root ending.

Let’s take this mistake in Dutch grammar step-by-step:

How do you get the infinitive in Dutch? Well, Dutch infinitives are the plural and present tense verbs. They usually end with -en, as in lopen (“to walk”). Sometimes, they end with only -n, as in zijn (“to be”).

Before the Dutch infinitive, you can almost always put Ik kan (“I can”): 

• Ik kan fietsen.
  “I can cycle.”

Or:

• Ik kan antwoorden.
  “I can answer.”

So how do you get the root of your verb? You simply remove the -en ending. So in this case, fiets is the root of fietsen and antwoord of antwoorden.

Subject	Fietsen present tense (“to cycle”)	Antwoorden present tense (“to reply”)
Ik (“I”)	fiets	antwoord
Jij, u (“You”)	fietst	antwoordt
Hij, zij, het (“He, she, it”)	fietst	antwoordt
Wij (“We”)	fietsen	antwoorden
Zij (“They”)	fietsen	antwoorden

As you can see, in the verb antwoorden, because the root ends with a -d, it becomes -dt for the “you” and “he, she, it” subjects. So when in doubt, look at the conjugation of a verb that doesn’t end with a -d (such as fietsen), and you’ll know what to do. 

8. Making words plural with an -s instead of -en

English and Dutch have many similarities. Just like English, Dutch makes words plural by changing that word’s ending. However, avoid the common mistake in Dutch of making plural words with an -s instead of -en. 

There are some cases where we can add an -s, but most of the time, we add -en.

Singular	Plural
Kat (“Cat”)	Katten (“Cats”)
Kus (“Kiss”)	Kussen (“Kisses”)
Stoel (“Chair”)	Stoelen (“Chairs”)
Bord (“Plate”)	Borden (“Plates”)
Banaan (“Banana”)	Bananen (“Bananas”)

5. A Special Dutch Mistake

Every culture has its own peculiarities. So what’s a Dutch-learning mistake that’s closely connected to Dutch culture?

9. Switching to English every time you struggle speaking Dutch

This may not be a grammar or vocabulary blunder, but it’s a common mistake in learning Dutch. 

Many Dutch people speak English very well, so it might be tempting to switch from Dutch to English every time you start to struggle. Try not to do that too much, as you’ll only master Dutch if you really practice the language.

This impulse to switch to English may not even come from you, as the Dutch are always happy to speak English. When they see you struggle, or even notice the littlest hint of an accent, they’ll try to “help” you by suggesting you switch to English. So it can definitely be called a typical cultural challenge that Dutch-learners face. 

Instead of switching, just try to explain that you’re practicing their beautiful language. They’ll be patient, and maybe even flattered that you’re trying to speak their language (as a lot of foreigners don’t even bother). 

6. The Biggest Mistake in Dutch Language-Learning

Last, but definitely not least, try to avoid the biggest mistake: mixing up de and het.

10. “The” in Dutch: het vs. de

Mixing up articles: this is seen as the most common and most typical mistake of Dutch-learners.

In Dutch, there are two options for “the”: de and het. It’s very common to hear Dutch-learners mix them up, and for a good reason: the Dutch language lacks a clear explanation of which one to use in what situations. In theory, all masculine and feminine words get de, while all neuter words get het:

• De vrouw (“The woman”) 
• De man (“The man”)
• Het kind (“The child” – is neuter) 

However, in practice, this won’t help you that much as there’s not always a good explanation as to why a word is feminine, masculine, or neuter. Dutch words don’t have a clear gender indication. 

Luckily, there are a few indications that can help you:

• All words referring to people are de-words (de voetballer [“the football player”] / de president [“the president”]).
• All plural words get de (de katten [“the cats”] / de stoelen [“the chairs”]).
• All words made smaller with (e)(t/d)je are neuter (het kindje [“the little child”] / het bloemetje [“the little flower”]).
• Words ending with -el or -er are often de-words (de tafel [“the table”] / de bakker [“the baker”]).
• All infinitive verbs that are used as a noun have the neuter het (het fietsen [“the cycling”] / het schrijven [“the writing”]).
• Words with standard prefixes like ge-, ver-, ont-, and be-, and without an -ing ending, are neuter (het verhaal [“the story”] / het ontslag [“the resignation”]).
• Almost all words with the standard suffixes -ing, -ij, -ie, -e, and -heid are feminine (de politie [“the police”] / de schoonheid [“the beauty”] / de drukkerij [“the printing company”] /, de dame [“the lady”]).

Practice is key. When in doubt, look up the word in the dictionary (it will say [m], [v], or [o] behind the word). This way, you’ll learn the combinations, and with time, you’ll develop the instinct of when to use de and when to use het. 

In the meantime, remember that it’s okay to make mistakes in Dutch, because it means that you’re learning.

→ Would you like to improve your Dutch? Get active and boost your Dutch studies with our list of the Top 10 Language-Learning Strategies.

7. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you’ve learned all about the ten most common mistakes in Dutch. You know what to do and what not to do. We’ve made you aware of the most common mistakes and gave you some hints on how to avoid them. 

Yes, you’re bound to make mistakes in Dutch, but this guide has given you some tools to recognize them. From the common pronunciation mistakes for Dutch-learners, vocabulary word mistakes, and word order mistakes, to the “biggest mistake of all.”

So are you already feeling more confident about your Dutch? Which one of the mistakes do you make the most and how can you avoid it in the future?

Start avoiding these mistakes today with the help of DutchPod101.com. Boost your studies with our useful vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources.

Would you like some personal one-on-one coaching? Check out our premium MyTeacher service. We’ll connect you with a private teacher who will help you improve your Dutch through interactive exercises and personalized feedback.

Practice Dutch and learn from your mistakes with DutchPod101!

Are you in the Netherlands, wanting to get to know some nice Dutch people, but you don’t know how? Making friends and getting to know people can be hard, especially when you’re in another country. Luckily, there’s an easy way to break the ice: asking questions in Dutch. This is a great way to start conversations—and keep them going. 

Through asking questions, you’ll get to know your conversation partner, get personal, and maybe even become friends. And you’ll be able to practice your Dutch listening and speaking skills at the same time!

In this guide, you’ll learn everything about asking questions in Dutch, from the Dutch question words to making yes/no questions. We’ll also introduce you to the ten most common Dutch questions and the different answers you can give. By the end of this article, you’ll not only know how to make questions in Dutch, but also how to answer them!

Table of Contents

1. The Golden Rules of Dutch Questions
2. The 10 Most Common Dutch Questions
3. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. The Golden Rules of Dutch Questions

Before we go to our list of the ten most common Dutch questions, there are some basics you need to understand concerning how to make those questions in Dutch.

A- Questions Beginning with Dutch Question Words

How? What? Why? Where? Who? When? 

You know the English ones, so let’s learn more about question words in Dutch!

There’s a special Dutch question structure for questions that use interrogative words at the beginning. The question word comes first, the conjugated verb second, and the subject third: 

Question word + Verb + Subject 

Let’s have a look at two simple examples:

• Waarom lach je? (“Why do you laugh?”)
• Wanneer trouwt je zoon? (“When does your son get married?”)

Now have a look at more Dutch question words:

Hoe (“How”)	Hoe voel je je? (“How are you feeling?”)
Wat (“What”)	Wat doe je morgen? (“What are you doing tomorrow?”)
Waarom (“Why”)	Waarom is je vriendin boos? (“Why is your girlfriend mad?”)
Waar (“Where”)	Waar ligt Den Bosch? (“Where is Den Bosch?”)
Wie (“Who”)	Wie ben jij?(“Who are you?”)
Wanneer (“When”)	Wanneer is zijn verjaardag? (“When is his birthday?”)

B- Yes/No Questions

Another common question form Dutch people use is the yes/no question; as you know, these are questions that can be answered with a “yes” or a “no.” Questions like this have a different word order, with the verb coming first:

Verb + Subject 

For example:

• Kom je? (“Are you coming?”)
• Werkt hij? (“Does he work?”)

As you can see here, the subject and verb are inverted to create yes/no questions. 

Remember that when jij or je (“you”) follows the verb, the -t at the end of the verb is dropped: 

• Ga je morgen naar school? (“Are you going to school tomorrow?”)
  • Instead of: Je gaat morgen naar school. (“You are going to school tomorrow.”)
• Heb je vandaag met je oma gepraat? (“Did you talk to your grandmother today?”)
  • Instead of: Je hebt vandaag met je oma gepraat. (“You talked with your grandmother today.”)

→ For more Dutch question examples, don’t forget to have a look at our list of the top 25 questions you need to know on DutchPod101.com.

2. The 10 Most Common Dutch Questions

Now that you know the golden rules of forming basic Dutch questions, it’s time to dive into the ten most common questions in Dutch.

1. How are you?

This basic Dutch question is the most common way to start talking to someone, whether you’ve met before or not.

However, be aware that in the Netherlands, this question isn’t just a formality. In some cultures (such as Spanish or French), someone can ask this question without really expecting a comprehensive answer. This is not so much the case in the Netherlands. When the Dutch ask this question, they’re usually interested in the answer. Of course, your answer may be more or less detailed depending on how well you know the other person.

How are you?

• Hoe gaat het met je? [Casual]
• Hoe gaat het met u? [Formal]

Another informal way to ask this question is: Alles goed? (“Everything fine?”)

Possible answers for this question include:

► Het gaat goed met me. (“I am doing great.”)
► Ik voel me niet goed. (“I am not feeling well.”)
► Het gaat wel. (“I am fine.”)
► Ik heb het erg druk. (“I am very busy.”)

As you can see, we used the question word hoe (“how”), followed by the conjugated verb. 

As you go through the rest of this article, ask yourself which structure each question uses: the one with a question word at the beginning or the yes/no structure.

2. What are you doing?

If you know someone well and want to know what they’re up to, this question is perfect.

However, it’s not the way to go when talking with strangers, as this random Dutch question can seem quite invasive (especially with the sometimes distant Dutch people).

What are you doing?

• Wat doe je? [Casual]
• Wat doet u? [Formal]

Let’s see some possible answers:

► Ik lees. (“I am reading.”)
► Ik kijk een film. (“I am watching a movie.”)
► Ik ben aan het studeren. (“I am studying.”)
► Ik ben aan het koken. (“I am cooking.”)

In the ik ben aan het + verb structure, you can replace the verb (studeren or koken) with the verb that’s applicable to your situation.

→ Would you like to learn some more verbs? Have a look at these 50 most common verbs.

3. What’s your name?

Are you meeting someone new in the Netherlands? Then it’s crucial to be able to ask for their name. This is also a great ice-breaker, as it shows your interest in that person. And once the conversation’s been started, there will be plenty more questions to come! 

What’s your name?

• Wat is je naam?  [Casual]
• Wat is uw naam? [Formal]

Another way to ask this question in Dutch is: 

• Hoe heet je? [Casual]
• Hoe heet u? [Formal]

Let’s now have a look at the answers:

► Ik heet Sophie. (“My name is Sophie.”)
► Mijn naam is Sophie. (“My name is Sophie.”)
► Ik ben Sophie. (“I am Sophie.”)

4. Where are you from?

As a foreigner in the Netherlands, you’ll often hear this question. By learning how to ask this question in Dutch, you’ll have the perfect way to stimulate a conversation. While you can ask this to a foreigner, asking this to a Dutch person may help them open up about their hometown or the region they’re from.

Where are you from?

• Waar kom je vandaan? [Casual]
• Waar komt u vandaan? [Formal]

Let’s have a look at some possible answers:

Foreign answers
► Ik ben Duits. (“I’m German.”)
► Ik kom uit Frankrijk. (“I’m from France.”)

Local answers
► Ik kom uit Amsterdam. (“I’m from Amsterdam.”)
► Ik ben een Rotterdammer. (“I’m a Rotterdammer.” – a person from Rotterdam)
► Ik kom uit Brabant. (“I’m from Brabant.”)

Has your interlocutor given you the name of a place you’re not familiar with? Then you can ask this: 

Where is it?

• Waar is dat?
• Waar ligt dat?
  
  
  ► In het Zuiden van Nederland. (“In the south of the Netherlands.”)
  ► Vlakbij Den Haag. (“Close to The Hague.”)
  ► Het is een stad in Noord-Italië. (“It is a city in northern Italy.”)

→ Have a look at the Dutch name of your country. Can’t find your country on this list? Then check out this extensive list of country names in Dutch.

5. Where do you live?

It’s nice to know where someone is from, but it may be more useful to know where someone is living. Let’s have a look at this common Dutch question:

Where do you live?

• Waar woon je? [Casual]
• Waar woont u? [Formal]
  
  ► Ik woon in Breda. (“I live in Breda.”)
  ► Ik woon in de provincie Groningen. (“I live in the province of Groningen.”)

→ Do you live in the Netherlands, but still struggle with the pronunciation of city names? Then have a look at our major Dutch cities list with audio recordings.

6. Have you been to [place]?

You’ve just told someone where you’re from or where you live. Let’s keep that conversation going and ask if they’ve ever been to that place. This way, you’ll show your interest and get to know more about someone’s (traveling) past.

Have you been to [place]? 

• Bent u in [place] geweest? [Casual]
• Ben je in [place] geweest? [Formal]

→ As you can see, this is a yes/no question that starts with the verb, followed by the subject.

Other ways to ask this question are:

• Ben je ooit in Brussel geweest? (“Have you ever been to Brussel?”)
• Heb je door Zuid-Amerika gereisd? (“Have you traveled through South America?”)

Possible answers include:

► Ja, ik ken [place] erg goed. (“Yes, I know [place] very well.”)
► Ja, ik ben er vorig jaar nog geweest. (“Yes, I went there last year.”)
► Ik ben er heel lang geleden geweest. (“I was there a long time ago.”)
► Nee, ik ben daar nog nooit geweest. (“No, I’ve never been there.”)

7. Do you speak Dutch?

The language question: another crucial Dutch question for any foreigner in the Netherlands. You’ll receive this question a lot yourself, but learning this structure will be useful for you too. You never know when you’ll need to communicate in your native language or a different common language.

Do you speak Dutch? 

• Spreek je Nederlands? (“Do you speak Dutch?”) – Casual
• Spreekt u Nederlands? (“Do you speak Dutch?”) – Formal
• Spreek je Engels? (“Do you speak English?”) – Casual
• Spreekt u Engels? (“Do you speak English?”) – Formal

Let’s have a look at some possible answers:

► Ik spreek een beetje Nederland. (“I speak a little Dutch.”)
► Ik spreek vloeiend Engels. (“I speak English fluently.”)
► Min of meer. (“So-so.”)

8. What do you do?

You know how your new acquaintance is doing, you know their name, and you know where they’re from and where they live. You even know the languages they speak. What’s left to ask? A logical followup question is to ask about someone’s work or study. 

What do you do?

• Wat doe je? [Casual]
• Wat doet u? [Formal]

If you’re in a bar and you just say Wat doe je? the other person could be caught off guard by this random Dutch question, and answer “I am drinking a beer, why?” So when you ask this question out of nowhere, it may be better to be a bit more specific:

• Wat voor werk doe je? (“What kind of work do you do?”)
• Wat is jouw baan? (“What’s your job?”)
• Waar werk je? (“Where do you work?”)
• Wat voor een studie doe je? (“What kind of study do you do?”)
• Wat studeer je? (“What do you study?”)
• Waar studeer je? (“Where do you study?”)

→ The questions from this point on are in the casual, more common Jij/Je form, but you could make them more formal by using U or Uw.

→ Would you like to learn when to use the formal or casual form in Dutch? Start by finding out what to say when you do business in the Netherlands.

Some possible answers are:

► Ik ben politieagent. (“I’m a police officer.”)
► Ik werk in IT. (“I work in IT.”)
► Ik werk in een kledingwinkel. (“I work in a clothing store.”)
► Ik studeer anthropologie. (“I study anthropology.”)
► Ik studeer aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam. (“I study at the University of Amsterdam.”)

→ Not sure how to talk about your job in Dutch? Have a look at our free vocabulary list on Jobs.

9. What are your hobbies?

For the Dutch, their work is important. But many believe that their hobbies and interests define them more than their work. So a great way to show your interest in the other person and find common ground is to ask them about their hobbies.

What are your hobbies? 

• Wat zijn je hobby’s?
• Wat doe je graag in je vrije tijd? (“What do you do in your free time?”)
  
  ► Ik ga graag naar de bioscoop. (“I like going to the cinema.”)
  ► Ik hou van wandelen. (“I love hiking.”)
  ► Ik maak foto’s. (“I take pictures.”)

→ Find your favorite hobbies in our free vocabulary list with audio recordings to practice your pronunciation.

10. Do you like ___?

Let’s get personal and find out what our Dutch acquaintance here likes or dislikes. There’s no better way to get to know someone! 

The Dutch are quite direct, and you can usually say whatever you’re thinking. However, try to stay respectful toward your host country. The Dutch don’t mind a bit of criticism, but don’t be too negative or you might hurt their feelings.

Do you like ___? 

• Houd je van winkelen? (“Do you like to shop?”) 
  • Literally, it says “to love,” but in this instance, it’s more similar to the English “to like.”
• Houd je van de Nederlandse keuken? (“Do you like Dutch cuisine?”)
• Houd je van bier? (“Do you like beer?”)

And possible answers:

► Ja, ik houd ervan! (“Yes, I love it!”)
► Nee, ik vind het niet echt leuk. (“No, I don’t really like it.”)
► Nee, ik haat het. (“No, I hate it.”)
► Het ligt eraan. (“It depends.”)
This answer is vague enough to keep yourself out of trouble!

Some other ways to ask this question:

• Vind je Nederland leuk? (“Do you like the Netherlands?”)
• Vind je je werk leuk? (“Do you like your work?”)
• Heb je het naar je zin in Amsterdam? (“Do you enjoy Amsterdam?”)

► Ja, ik houd van Amsterdam. (“Yes, I love Amsterdam.”)
► Ja, maar het is wel erg druk. (“Yes, but it’s quite busy.”)
► Het gaat wel. (“It’s fine.”)
► Nee, ik vind het niet leuk. (“No, I do not like it.”)

3. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you’ve learned how to make questions in Dutch, with plenty of example answers to keep that conversation going. You now have the tools to make conversation with your soon-to-be new Dutch friends.

So are you ready to put this useful knowledge into action? Do you feel ready to start asking basic Dutch questions using everything you’ve learned today?

You can start using and practicing these questions with the help of DutchPod101. Boost your studies with our useful vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources.

Would you like to practice with your own private teacher? Then make use of our premium MyTeacher service and get personal one-on-one coaching. Through interactive exercises, pronunciation advice, and personalized feedback, you’ll really master those Dutch questions! 

Start asking questions in Dutch (and getting answers) with DutchPod101!

Learning a new language can be tricky; there’s so much to learn. Where should you start? And what should you focus on? 

You may already be learning grammar rules, memorizing conjugation tables, and studying vocabulary lists. However, to really learn Dutch, it’s important that you speak it as early as you can. That’s the only way you’ll really improve your Dutch language skills.

Are you still hesitant to speak Dutch? Then try to learn some useful and easy Dutch sentence patterns. This will allow you to form hundreds of natural sentences that you can use in many daily situations. You’ll be able to communicate your thoughts, doubts, or opinions to your Dutch friends or colleagues with ease and confidence. Sure, it won’t enable you to express the most complicated lines of thought, but it will cover a wide range of typical day-to-day interactions. Moreover, it will give you the confidence boost you need to start speaking Dutch.

In this article, you’ll learn ten easy Dutch sentence patterns, covering situations from giving a description to expressing your desires. For each of these Dutch-to-English sentence patterns, we’ll include many examples. This way you’ll really have the tools to master the Dutch sentence structure and sentence patterns.

Good luck!

Table of Contents

1. Linking Two Nouns
2. Using Adjectives to Describe Something
3. Making a Comparison
4. Expressing Your Desires
5. Expressing Your Needs
6. Expressing Your Preferences
7. Giving Orders
8. Asking for Information
9. Asking About Time
10. Asking About Location or Position
11. How DutchPod101.com Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. Linking Two Nouns

We’ll start with an easy Dutch sentence pattern that will allow you to link two nouns: the “A is B” pattern. 

This can also be called the [A] [B] [C] pattern: A (noun/subject) + B (verb) + C (noun/object).

A noun (subject) is linked by a verb to a noun (object), giving substance to a sentence. The way to do this is to use the verb zijn (“to be”). You can find details about its conjugation right here.

Let’s have a look at some examples:

• Jan is mijn vriend. (“Jan is my friend.”)
• Charlotte was mijn baas. (“Charlotte was my boss.”)
• Mijn broer is politieagent. (“My brother is a police officer.”)
• Dit horloge is een cadeau van mijn vrouw geweest. (“This watch was a gift from my wife.”)
• Nederland is het land van mijn dromen. (“The Netherlands is the country of my dreams.”)

→ Would you like to learn some more nouns? Have a look at these 50 Most Common Nouns.

2. Using Adjectives to Describe Something

Okay, let’s continue with another basic Dutch sentence structure, similar to the one above. This sentence pattern has the same kind of structure (A is B). However, the verb zijn (“to be”) here doesn’t connect two nouns; instead, it connects a noun and an adjective. 

So the pattern is: A (noun/subject) is B (adjective).

Let’s look at some examples:

• Marlies is mooi. (“Marlies is beautiful.”)
• Kai is heel jong. (“Kai is very young.”)
• Deze baan was erg belangrijk voor mij. (“This job was very important to me.”)
• Hij zou nu erg oud zijn geweest. (“He would have been very old now.”)
• De film die we gisteravond hebben bekeken was eng. (“The movie we watched last night was scary.”)
  

→ Learn more useful adjectives with DutchPod101’s list of the 50 Most Common Adjectives. Or have a look at “Which Adjective Describes Your Personality Best?”

3. Making a Comparison

Let’s take it one step further with this more complex (but still easy) Dutch sentence pattern: A is [adjective] than B. 

Use this sentence pattern to make a comparison.

Let’s have a look at the different parts of this sentence pattern, that again is connected by the verb zijn (“to be”): A (noun/subject) + zijn (“to be”) + B (adjective in comparative form) + dan (“than”) + C (noun).

Let’s now see some examples of how to form Dutch sentences like this with the verb zijn:

• Ik ben mooier dan mijn zus. (“I am more beautiful than my sister.”)
• Mijn man was slimmer dan ik. (“My husband was smarter than me.”)
• Hij is grappiger dan mijn vader. (“He’s funnier than my dad.”)
• Nederland is leuker dan België. (“The Netherlands is nicer than Belgium.”)
• De vorige minister-president was beter dan de huidige. (“The previous prime minister was better than the current one.”)

However, you can also make comparisons with other verbs. For example:

• Mijn kat rent harder dan mijn hond. (“My cat runs faster than my dog.”)
• Hij loopt beter dan ik. (“He walks better than me.”)
• Deze achtbaan ging sneller dan de vorige. (“This roller coaster went faster than the last one.”)
• In Amsterdam praten ze duidelijker dan in Limburg. (“In Amsterdam, they talk more clearly than in Limburg.”)
  

4. Expressing Your Desires

Now let’s go another way and see a different kind of Dutch sentence structure. 

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could express your desires in Dutch? To be able to say things like “I want to go to the bathroom” or “I want a sandwich with gouda cheese.” Crucial stuff to know in the Netherlands.

For this Dutch sentence pattern, we use the verb willen (“to want”), and it works quite similarly to how it does in English. It uses the indicative mood for something you WANT and the subjunctive mood for something you WOULD LIKE:

• Ik wil (“I want”)
• Ik zou willen (“I would like”)

This sentence structure follows the pattern:

A [object] + willen + B (noun) 

or  

A [object] + willen + B (noun) + C (verb)

For example:

• Ik wil koffie. (“I want coffee.”)
• Ik wil je zien. (“I want to see you”.)
• Mijn broer wil Nederland bezoeken. (“My brother wants to visit the Netherlands.”)
• Ik zou van de wc gebruik willen maken. (“I would like to use the toilet.”)
• Hij zou graag de hond willen aaien. (“He would like to pet the dog.”)

And let’s not forget “I don’t want,” as the Dutch have no problem at all saying what they don’t want…

• Ik wil geen fruit. (“I don’t want fruit.”)
• Ik zou niet naar Groningen willen verhuizen. (“I would not want to move to Groningen.”) 

→ You can find the full conjugation table for willen right here.

5. Expressing Your Needs

Let’s add some urgency and learn one of the most important Dutch sentence structures: how to express your needs. This is something you’re likely to do daily, on a variety of occasions: at work (Ik heb meer tijd nodig – “I need more time”), at home (Ik moet de vaat nog wassen – “I need to wash the dishes”) or with friends (Ik heb echt een biertje nodig – “I really need a beer”). 

As you can see in these examples, there are different ways in Dutch to express your needs:

• Moeten (“To have to”)
  

Ik moet + Infinitive verb

Ik moet plassen. (“I have to pee.”)

• Nodig hebben (“To need to”)
  

Ik heb + Nominal + nodig

Ik heb jou nodig. (“I need you.”)

Here are some more Dutch sentence examples:

• Ik heb rust nodig. (“I need to rest.”)
• Ik moet met je praten. (“I need to talk to you.”)
• Ik heb een nieuwe jas nodig. (“I need a new jacket.”)
• We hadden gisteren jouw hulp nodig. (“We needed your help yesterday.”)
• Zij moesten vorige week onverwachts naar Duitsland reizen. (“They had to travel to Germany unexpectedly last week.”)
  

6. Expressing Your Preferences

You’ve expressed your desires and needs, now it’s time to talk about the things that you like or even love… 

Just like in English, we have a verb for “to like” (leuk vinden) and a verb for “to love” (houden van). In general, the Dutch are quite careful with their expressions of love; it’s quickly seen as dramatic or overdone to use this word. However, if you really like something or someone, you can use it, of course. 

• Leuk vinden (“To like [to]”)
  

Ik vind + Nominal + leuk	Ik vind mijn collega leuk. (“I like my colleague.”)
Ik vind + Infinitive verb + leuk	Ik vind tekenen leuk. (“I like to draw.”)

• Houden van (“To love [to]”)
  

Ik houd van + Nominal or Noun	Ik houd van jou. (“I love you.”)
Ik houd van + Infinitive verb	Ik houd van fietsen. (“I love to bike.”)

Let’s have a look at some examples:

• Ik vind deze film leuk. (“I like this movie.”)
• Ik vind je leuk. ( “I like you.”)
• Mijn vader houdt veel van mijn moeder. (“My father loves my mother a lot.”)
• De kinderen hielden vroeger van buiten spelen. (“In the past, the children loved playing outside.”)
• Ik vind bier lekker, maar ik houd meer van wijn. (“I like beer, but I prefer wine.” Literally: “I love wine more.”)
  

7. Giving Orders

Would you like to get bossy in Dutch? Or just be able to express your limits? Then you need this sentence pattern with the Dutch imperative. For this, we use the present tense of the first person singular. However, in the case of regular verbs, the imperative is the verb stem.

This is the sentence pattern: A (imperative verb) + niet (+ B [noun]). In English, this means: Don’t + A (conjugated verb).

Let’s see this Dutch sentence construction in action:

Ga niet weg! (“Don’t go away!”)
• Lach niet. (“Don’t laugh.”)
• Wees niet onbeleefd. (“Don’t be rude.”)
• Vertel me niet wat ik moet doen. (“Don’t tell me what to do.”)
• Doe de deur niet dicht. (“Don’t close the door.”)
  

→ When you’re angry, it’s always good to know how to give negative orders. However, you should also look at these Phrases to Use When You’re Angry.

8. Asking for Information

Let’s now move on to some questions. Especially as a foreigner, it’s so important to be able to ask basic questions; you need to know how to ask for information. So what’s an easy way to do this in Dutch?

• Wat + zijn + A (noun)? (“What + to be + A [noun]?”)

As you can see, it’s quite similar to its English counterpart. Let’s see a few examples of this Dutch language sentence structure:

• Wat is dat? (“What is this?”)
• Wat is jouw naam? (“What is your name?”)
• Wat was haar beroep? (“What was her profession?”)
• Wat was het gerecht dat we de vorige keer aten? (“What was the dish we ate last time?”)
• Wat zou je ideale feest zijn geweest? (“What would have been your ideal party?”)

In the sentences above, note the conjugation of the verb zijn (“to be”). 

9. Asking About Time

After the “what” questions, it’s time to look at the “when” questions:

• Wanneer + zijn + A (noun)? (“When + to be + A [noun]?”)

This Dutch sentence pattern is also quite similar to the English version. The zijn (“to be”) conjugation is also crucial for this question. Let’s see some examples:

Wanneer is je verjaardag? (“When is your birthday?”)
• Wanneer is de vergadering? (“When is the meeting?”)
• Wanneer was jouw feest? (“When was your party?”)
• Wanneer was je boos op je zus? (“When were you angry with your sister?”)
• Wanneer zou jouw trein aankomen? (“When would your train arrive?”)
  

→ Would you like to learn more about the vocabulary for the days in Dutch? Have a look at this useful vocabulary list on Talking About Days with audio recordings.

10. Asking About Location or Position

Last, but definitely not least, a very useful Dutch sentence pattern is that for asking “where” questions. 

These are crucial for when you get lost and need to ask for directions, or when you just want to socialize with someone and ask them where in the Netherlands they’re from:

• Waar + zijn + A (noun)? (“Where + to be + A [noun]?”)

This question can also use different conjugations of the verb zijn (“to be”):

• Waar is dat? (“Where is that?”)
• Waar is de wc? (“Where is the toilet?”)
• Waar was ik gebleven? (“Where was I?”)
• Waar ben jij geboren? (“Where were you born?”)
• Waar ben jij het liefste op jouw verjaardag? (“Where do you prefer to be on your birthday?”)

→ Want to see more Dutch-to-English sentence patterns? Make sure to visit our vocabulary list on the Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners, with useful audio recordings to improve your pronunciation.

11. How DutchPod101.com Can Help You Learn More Dutch

You’ve just learned the top ten Dutch sentence patterns. You can use these patterns to form sentences for just about any situation! 

Are you ready to put this knowledge into practice? Do you feel like speaking in Dutch to complete strangers using these Dutch sentence patterns?

Make sure to explore DutchPod101.com, as we have many free resources that will help you form perfect sentences. Have a look at our vocabulary lists with audio recordings; they’re a great way to practice Dutch words and their pronunciation.

Remember that DutchPod101 also offers personal one-on-one coaching with our premium MyTeacher service. This way, you can practice the Dutch sentence structures with your own private teacher, through interactive exercises, personalized feedback, and much more.

Happy learning!

Adverbs bring some clarity, fun, and emotion to a language. Could you imagine a language without them? It would surely make everything much more ambiguous and boring. We need adverbs to form phrases, to express our emotions, to give some perspective, and to spice up our conversations. 

Luckily, there are plenty of Dutch adverbs to choose from. From adverbs describing time and frequency, to those useful adverbs that help you connect your thoughts. Through these fun adverbs, you’ll be able to explain yourself better and more clearly express your mood, opinions, and feelings.

Are you already intrigued? Then let’s start with a short guide on the use of Dutch adverbs. After this, we’ll continue with a useful Dutch adverbs list with 100 must-know adverbs. Enjoy!

Table of Contents

1. Dutch Adverbs User Guide
2. Adverbs of Time
3. Adverbs of Frequency
4. Adverbs of Place
5. Adverbs of Manner
6. Adverbs of Degree
7. Adverbs to Connect Thoughts
8. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. Dutch Adverbs User Guide

1- What are Adverbs?

Adverbs give more information about the words they’re connected to. They work together with a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, to change its meaning or to make its meaning more precise. Adverbs can change the tone of the sentence completely or set another mood.

So let’s show you some examples to help you understand the Dutch grammar of adverbs:

Combination of an adverb and a verb:

• Ik ga morgen naar school. (“I will go to school tomorrow.”)

Here, the adverb morgen (“tomorrow”) defines the verb gaan (“to go”).

Combination of Dutch adjectives and adverbs:

• Ik ben zeer goed in het leren van talen. (“I am very good at learning languages.”)

The Dutch adverb zeer (“very”) influences the word goed, which is an adjective.

→Learn more about the difference between adverbs and adjectives.

→Would you like to learn more Dutch adjectives? Have a look at this list of the 50 Most Common Adjectives. Want to take it a step further? Let’s have some fun and see Which Adjective Describes Your Personality Best.

Combination of an adverb with another adverb:

• Later deze week reis ik naar Nederland. (“Later this week, I travel to the Netherlands.”)

Here, you can see how the adverb later (“later”) and the adverb deze week (“this week”) define each other.

2- Dutch Adverb Order

For the Dutch adverb placement, it’s very common to place the adverb as closely as possible after the verb. For example:

• Ik spreek zachtjes. (“I speak softly.”)

However, if you’d like to emphasize the adverb, you can put it at the beginning of the sentence:

• Bovendien, heb ik al plannen. (“Moreover, I already have plans.”)

Do you want to use more than one adverb? Then the following Dutch adverb placement is most common:

Time-Manner-Place

So adverbs of time come before adverbs of manner, and adverbs of manner come before adverbs of place.

Now that you’ve learned something about the Dutch grammar of adverbs, let’s start with our Dutch adverbs list and dive into the different adverbs. In the following sections, we’ll be covering adverbs in Dutch related to time, frequency, place, manner, degree, and those special thought connectors.

2. Adverbs of Time

Adverbs of time will tell you when something takes place.

1.

Gisteren “Yesterday”

Gisteren was ik erg moe. “Yesterday, I was very tired.”

2.

Deze week “This week”

Deze week begin ik met mijn nieuwe baan. “This week, I start with my new job.”

3.

Straks “Later”

Ik bel je straks. “I’ll call you later.”

4.

Vandaag “Today”

Mijn zus gaat vandaag trouwen. “My sister gets married today.”

5.

Morgen “Tomorrow”

Ik kan niet werken morgen. “I can’t work tomorrow.”

6.

Dan “Then”

Hij komt dan naar huis. “He then comes home.”

7.

Later “Later”

Later als ik groot ben… “Later, when I grow up…”

8.

Vanavond “Tonight”

Ik heb een date vanavond. “I have a date tonight.”

9.

Nu “Right now”

Kom nu naar huis. “Come home right now.”

10.

Gisteravond “Last night”

Gisteravond gingen we laat slapen. “Last night we went to bed late.”

11.

Vanmorgen “This morning”

Vanmorgen kon ik mijn bed niet uit komen. “This morning, I couldn’t get out of bed.”

12.

Volgende week “Next week”

Volgende week reizen we naar Amsterdam. “Next week, we will travel to Amsterdam.”

13.

Al “Already”

Ik wacht al een uur op je. “I’ve already been waiting for you for an hour.”

14.

Onlangs “Recently”

Ik ben onlangs oma geworden. “I recently became a grandmother.”

15.

De laatste tijd “Lately”

De laatste tijd kan ik niet goed slapen. “Lately, I can’t sleep very well.”

16.

Snel “Soon”

Ik zie je snel. “I will see you soon.”

17.

Meteen “Immediately”

Ik duik meteen in het zwembad. “I immediately dive into the pool.”

18.

Nog “Still”

Hij is nog aan het bellen. “He is still calling.”

19.

Nog steeds “Still”

Ik ben nog steeds verliefd op jou. “I am still in love with you.”

As you can see, nog and nog steeds both mean “still.” However, nog steeds in general refers to a longer time, so something that continues over a longer time period.

20.

Geleden “Ago”

Zeven jaar geleden ging ik naar Argentinië. “Seven years ago, I went to Argentina.”

→Make sure to visit our vocabulary list on Talking about Time and discover the pronunciation of various Dutch adverbs of time.

3. Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs of frequency will give you some information on how often something takes place.

21.

Bijna “Almost”

Ik ga bijna nooit uit eten. “I almost never eat out.”

22.

Altijd “Always”

Zaterdag ga ik altijd winkelen. “I always go shopping on Saturday.”

23.

Vaak “Often”

Hij is vaak boos. “He is often angry.”

24.

Gewoonlijk “Usually”

Ik werk gewoonlijk tot zes uur. “Usually, I work until six.”

25.

Soms “Sometimes”

Ik kijk soms het nieuws. “I sometimes watch the news.”

26.

Af en toe “Occasionally”

Mijn vriend en ik gaan af en toe naar de bioscoop. “My boyfriend and I occasionally go to the movies.”

27.

Zelden “Rarely”

Mijn broer reist zelden met de auto. “My brother rarely travels by car.”

28.

Nooit “Never”

Ik ga nooit trouwen. “I will never get married.”

29.

Ooit “Someday”

Ooit wil ik graag de wereld over reizen. “Someday, I want to travel all over the world.”

30.

Meestal “Usually”

Ik ben meestal wel thuis. “I’m usually at home.”

31.

Bijna nooit “Almost never”

Ze liegt bijna nooit tegen me. “She almost never lies to me.”

32.

Regelmatig “Regularly”

Hij gaat regelmatig voetballen. “He plays football regularly.”

4. Adverbs of Place

Adverbs of place tell you more about where something takes place.

33.

Hier “Here”

Kom hier! “Come here!”

34.

Daar “There”

Ik ga daar niet naartoe. “I’m not going there.”

35.

Daarginds “Over there”

Daarginds woont mijn moeder. “My mother lives over there.”

36.

Overal “Everywhere”

Er zijn overal camera’s. “There are cameras everywhere.”

37.

Nergens “Nowhere”

De hond is nergens te vinden. “The dog is nowhere to be found.”

38.

Thuis “Home”

Hij is thuis. “He is at home.”

39.

Buiten “Outside”

Ik zit buiten. “I’m sitting outside.”

40.

Binnen “Inside”

Binnen is het lekker warm. “Inside, it’s nice and warm.”

41.

Ergens “Somewhere”

De sleutels liggen ergens in de la. “The keys are somewhere in the drawer.”

5. Adverbs of Manner

How does something happen? That’s what the adverbs of manner describe. 

42.

Nogal “Quite”

Ze was nogal boos. “She was quite mad.”

43.

Echt “Really”

Hij is echt geschrokken. “He is really shocked.”

44.

Snel “Quickly”

De man rijdt snel naar huis. “The man drives home quickly.”

45.

Voorzichtig “Carefully”

Ik maak de kast voorzichtig open. “I carefully open the cupboard.”

46.

Langzaam “Slowly”

Langzaam fietsen we door de sneeuw. “Slowly, we cycle through the snow.”

47.

Goed “Well”

Het gaat goed met mij. “I am doing well.”

48.

Hard “Fast”

Hij fietst hard door de bossen. “He cycles fast through the woods.”

49.

Liefdevol “Lovingly”

Ze kijkt liefdevol naar haar vriendje. “She looks lovingly at her boyfriend.”

50.

Nauwelijks “Hardly”

Ik kan je nauwelijks bijhouden. “I can hardly keep up with you.”

51.

Merendeels “Mostly”

De zoon woont merendeels bij zijn moeder. “The son mostly lives with his mother.”

52.

Samen “Together”

Wij gaan samen winkelen. “We go shopping together.”

53.

Alleen “Alone”

Ik ben niet graag alleen. “I don’t like to be alone.”

54.

Stom “Stupidly”

Hij lachte stom om haar flauwe grap. “He laughed stupidly at her silly joke.”

55.

Slecht “Badly”

Ik dans slecht. “I dance badly.”

56.

Mooi “Beautifully”

De vrouw zingt mooi. “The woman sings beautifully.”

57.

Kwaad “Angrily”

Hij liep kwaad weg. “He walked away angrily.”

6. Adverbs of Degree

Adverbs of degree tell you to what extent something happens or is true. 

58.

Heel “Very”

Onze hond is heel lief. “Our dog is very sweet.”

59.

Erg “Very”

Ik ben erg gelukkig met jou. “I am very happy with you.”

60.

Zeer “Very”

Ik vind mijn studie zeer interessant. “I find my study very interesting.”

As you can see, there are (at least) three different ways to say “very” in Dutch. Heel and erg are the most common ones. Zeer is a more serious way of saying “very.”

61.

Helemaal “Completely”

Hij eet zijn bord helemaal leeg. “He eats his plate completely empty.”

62.

Graag “Like” / “Gladly”

Zij wil graag met hem trouwen. “She would like to marry him.”

63.

Redelijk “Quite”

Het is al redelijk laat. “It is already quite late.”

64.

Vrij “Quite”

Ik ben vrij moe. “I am quite tired.”

65.

Absoluut “Absolutely”

Hij kan absoluut het beste koken. “He can definitely (absolutely) cook the best.”

66.

Veel “A lot”

In de doos zitten veel bloemen. “There are a lot of flowers in the box.”

67.

Weinig “Not much”

Ik zie hem weinig. “I don’t see him much.”

68.

Min of meer “More or less”

Ik ga min of meer twee keer per jaar op vakantie. “I go on holiday twice a year, more or less.”

69.

Genoeg “Enough”

Dat is genoeg. “That’s enough.”

70.

Nauwelijk “Hardly”

Je kunt het nauwelijks zien. “You can hardly see it.”

71.

Een beetje “A bit”

Ik ben een beetje teleurgesteld in jou. “I am a bit disappointed in you.”

72.

Wat “Something”

Ik heb zeker wat geleerd van mijn Nederlandse les. “I definitely learned something from my Dutch class.”

73.

Niets “Nothing”

Ik heb niets verkeerd gedaan. “I have done nothing wrong.”

74.

Minder “Less”

Hij is minder grappig. “He is less funny.”

75.

Onvoldoende “Not enough”

Ik heb onvoldoende gestudeerd. “I have not studied enough.”

→Learn How to Express Quantity with DutchPod101.com and have a look at which words are adverbs (see the words with “adv”).

7. Adverbs to Connect Thoughts

Some adverbs help you connect thoughts. With these, you’ll be able to form sentences and express opinions.

76.

Ook “Also”

Ik ben ook moe. “I am also tired.”

77.

Natuurlijk “Of course”

Hij is natuurlijk weer te laat. “He is, of course, too late again.”

78.

Echter “However”

Ik ben echter wel benieuwd. “However, I am curious.”

79.

Daarom “Therefore”

Daarom ga ik vandaag naar de dokter. “Therefore, I am going to the doctor today.”

80.

Aan de andere kant “On the other hand”

Aan de andere kant wil zij liever vrij zijn. “On the other hand, she would rather be free.”

81.

Ongetwijfeld “Undoubtedly”

Mexicaans eten is ongetwijfeld heel lekker. “Mexican food is undoubtedly very tasty.”

82.

In feite “In fact”

In feite is het helemaal niet zo ingewikkeld. “In fact, it’s not that complicated at all.”

83.

Eindelijk “Finally”

Ik studeer vandaag eindelijk af. “I’m finally graduating today.”

84.

Niettemin “Nevertheless”

Niettemin zal ik proberen vandaag plezier te hebben. “Nevertheless, I will try to have fun today.”

85.

Inderdaad “Indeed”

Het is inderdaad een uitdaging. “It is indeed a challenge.”

86.

In plaats van “Instead”

Zij kiest voor hem in plaats van haar beste vriendin. “She chooses him instead of her best friend.”

87.

Bovendien “Moreover”

Ik ga bovendien al over 2 dagen op vakantie. “Moreover, I will go on holiday in two days.”

88.

Ondertussen “Meanwhile”

Zij is ondertussen al getrouwd. “Meanwhile, she already got married.”

89.

Uiteindelijk “Eventually” / “In the end”

Uiteindelijk hebben ze gekozen voor iets nieuws. “In the end, they opted for something new.”

90.

Trouwens “Besides” / “By the way”

Trouwens, wist je al dat Bob en Kim uit elkaar zijn? “By the way, did you know Bob and Kim separated?”

91.

Zeker “Certainly”

Zij is zeker heel mooi. “She is certainly very beautiful.”

92.

Daarbij “In addition”

Daarbij ga ik graag naar school. “In addition, I like to go to school.”

93.

Niet “Not”

Dat is niet grappig. “That’s not funny.”

94.

Misschien “Maybe”

Ik ben misschien wel wat voorbarig geweest. “I was maybe a bit presumptuous.”

95.

Helaas “Unfortunately”

Helaas kan ik je niet verder helpen. “Unfortunately, I can’t help you further.”

96.

Eigenlijk “Actually”

Ik ben eigenlijk wel opgelucht. “Actually, I’m relieved.”

97.

Toch “Anyway”

Zij gaat toch naar huis. “She’s going home anyway.”

98.

Hè? “Huh?”

Dat vind je wel leuk, hè? “You like that, huh?”

Hè is a common Dutch catchword, and it’s a popular way to end a question.

99.

Zeg “Say”

Dat heeft ze goed gedaan, zeg. “She did well, I say.”

Zeg means “say,” and it’s usually used to put emphasis on something said before.

100.

Blijkbaar “Apparently”

Blijkbaar is zij verliefd op hem. “Apparently, she is in love with him.”

→Would you like to learn the pronunciation of some of the Adverbs and Phrases for Connecting Thoughts? Have a look here and practice your pronunciation with the audio recordings. It’s freely available on DutchPod101.com.

8. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, we’ve shown you the ins and outs of Dutch adverbs: Dutch adverb order, Dutch adverb placement in sentences, and a massive Dutch adverbs list. In our list of the 100 most useful Dutch adverbs, you learned all about the Dutch grammar of adverbs as well.

Are you ready now to take this new knowledge into your daily life? Are you ready to put these adverbs into practice? To do this, you need to be able to form sentences with Verbs and Pronouns.

Would you like some special attention? Remember that we also offer a Premium PLUS service with personal one-on-one coaching: MyTeacher. Let your private teacher help you with Dutch adjectives and adverbs, verbs, pronunciation, and much more. You’ll receive personalized exercises, constructive feedback, and interactive assignments.

Happy learning on DutchPod101.com!

Why is it so important to study Dutch verb conjugation? Verbs are a crucial aspect of any language, and Dutch is no exception. But to be able to use verbs well, you have to understand their conjugation. What verb form should you use, when and why? 

First, it’s important to understand the concept of conjugation and how it influences the Dutch language. After that, you can proceed to learning the different types of Dutch verbs. And with that information, you’ll have the tools to start understanding Dutch verb conjugation. 

Conjugation is a basic skill that you need to really understand the Dutch language. But don’t panic; we’re here to help you. In this Beginner’s Guide, we’ll take you by the hand and explain everything you need to know about Dutch verb conjugation.

Is making Dutch sentences still a challenge for you? Then have a look at our Top 10 Sentence Patterns for Beginners.

Table of Contents

1. What is Conjugation?
2. The Five Types of Verbs
3. Present Simple
4. Past Simple
5. The Present & Past Perfect
6. Future Simple
7. Future Perfect
8. Conditional
9. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

1. What is Conjugation?

Dutch verb conjugation defines how the verbs change depending on the person, the number of subjects, the politeness level, and the tense.

Okay, but what does that mean? Let’s give you some examples.

1- Persons, number of subjects, and politeness level

1st person singular	ik	“I”
2nd person singular	jij / u	“you” (casual) / “you” (formal)
3rd person singular	hij / zij	“he” / “she”
1st person plural	wij	“we”
2nd person plural	jullie	“you”
3rd person plural	zij	“they”

Quite similarly to English, Dutch regular verbs don’t change with every different person. However, irregular verbs are a different story.

For example, the irregular verb zijn (“to be”) in present tense:

• Ik ben (“I am”)
• Hij is (“He is”)
• U/Jij bent (“You are” formal/casual)
• Wij zijn (“We are”)
• Jullie zijn (“You are”)
• Zij zijn (“They are”)

As you can see, the Dutch verb conjugation also changes because of the number of subjects (for example, see the difference between “you” and “they”).

The politeness level doesn’t have such a big influence on the Dutch language, unless you use hebben (“to have”) in the present tense. Take a look at this brief Dutch conjugation table:

Dutch conjugation of hebben (“to have”)

Jij hebt (“you have” casual)

U heeft (“you have” formal)

2- The Dutch verb tenses

The Dutch language has two main tenses: the present simple and the past simple. Besides these two tenses, there are also some “semi-tenses.” The six semi-tenses appear when the present or past tense interacts with an aspect (temporary or continuing) or a mood (factual or hypothetical). 

Thus, the Dutch language has, in total, eight tenses. Each one has a different use:

The eight tenses of the regular verb praten (“to talk”)
1. Onvoltooid Tegenwoordige Tijd (“Present Simple”)	Used to describe something that is happening now.	Ik praat.	“I talk.”
2. Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd (“Past Simple”)	Used to describe a situation that happened in the past.	Ik praatte.	“I talked.”
3. Voltooid Tegenwoordige Tijd (“Present Perfect”)	Used to describe something that happened in the past and has already ended.	Ik heb gepraat.	“I have talked.”
4. Voltooid Verleden Tijd (“Past Perfect”)	Used to describe an action or event that happened in the past and ended in the past.	Ik had gepraat.	“I had talked.”
5. Onvoltooid Tegenwoordige Toekomende Tijd (“Future Simple”)	Used to talk about something that will happen in the future.	Ik zal praten.	“I will talk.”
6. Voltooid Tegenwoordige Toekomende Tijd (“Future Perfect”)	Used to describe an action that will have been completed before another action in the future.	Ik zal hebben gepraat.	“I will have talked.”
7. Onvoltooid Verleden Toekomende Tijd (“Conditional”)	Used in a “what if” scenario; used to speculate about something.	Ik zou praten.	“I would talk.”
8. Voltooid Verleden Toekomende Tijd (“Conditional Perfect”)	Used to describe a future hypothetical situation in the past.	Ik zou hebben gepraat.	“I would have talked.”

The Dutch verb praten is a regular (weak) verb, which makes the above exercise a bit easier. Let’s have a look at all of the five types of Dutch verbs.

2. The Five Types of Verbs

In the Dutch language, there exist five types of verbs:

• Irregular verbs
• Weak verbs of the T-class
• Weak verbs of the D-class
• Strong verbs
• Mixed verbs

1- Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are difficult as they’re quite unpredictable. Unfortunately, several important Dutch verbs are irregular. We already showed this before with the irregular verb zijn (“to be”). Another example of Dutch irregular verbs conjugation is the Dutch hebben (“to have”) conjugation:

• Ik heb (“I have”)
• Jij hebt (“You have” casual)
• U heeft (“You have” formal)
• Hij heeft (“He has”)
• Wij hebben (“We have”)
• Jullie hebben (“You have”)
• Zij hebben (“They have”)

Some other irregular Dutch verbs are willen (conjugation in Dutch) and mogen (conjugation in Dutch).

2- Weak verbs of the T-class

Luckily, not everything is irregular in the Dutch language. A great example of this are the weak verbs. 

Weak verbs are the most common type of verb in Dutch. They’re regular and end with -d or -t. Let’s first show you the Dutch weak verbs of the T-class; these always have a –t in the past tense:

Fietsen (“to bike”)

Ik fiets (“I bike”)

Ik fietste (“I biked”)

Ik heb gefietst (“I have biked”)

3- Weak verbs of the D-class

Let’s continue and have a look at the weak verbs of the D-class. These are regular verbs that always have a -d in the past tense:

Redden (“to save”)

Ik red (“I save”)

Ik redde (“I saved”)

Ik heb gered (“I have saved”)

4- Strong verbs

In strong verbs, the vowel changes when going from the simple present tense to other tenses. You can also recognize a strong verb in the past participle, which often ends with -en.

Let’s have a look at some examples in this Dutch verb conjugation chart:

Geven (“to give”)	Ik geef (“I give”)	Ik gaf (“I gave”)	Ik heb gegeven (“I have given”)
Lopen (“to walk”)	Ik loop (“I walk”)	Ik liep (“I walked”)	Ik heb gelopen (“I have walked”)
Sluiten (“to close”)	Ik sluit (“I close”)	Ik sloot (“I closed”)	Ik heb gesloten (“I have closed”)

5- Mixed verbs

Last but not least, there are also verbs that have a mixture of strong and weak elements. These so-called “mixed verbs” are quite common in the Dutch language.

The most common mixed verb form is the one that has a weak past tense, but a strong past participle ending with -en:

Vouwen (“to fold”)	Ik vouw (“I fold”)	Ik vouwde (“I folded”)	Ik heb gevouwen (“I have folded”)
Lachen (“to laugh”)	Ik lach (“I laugh”)	Ik lachte (“I laughed”)	Ik heb gelachen (“I have laughed”)

However, there also exist a smaller group of verbs with the reverse situation: a strong past tense, but a weak past participle.

Vraag (“to ask”)	Ik vraag (“I ask”)	Ik vroeg (“I asked”)	Ik heb gevraagd (“I have asked”)
Jagen (“to hunt”)	Ik jaag (“I hunt”)	Ik joeg (“I hunted”)	Ik heb gejaagd (“I have hunted”)

Okay, we know all about the different types of Dutch verbs. Let’s now dive into the wonderful world of Dutch verb conjugation. 

→Would you like to improve your Dutch vocabulary so you can really use the verb conjugation? Visit our vocabulary lists on the Most Useful Pronouns, 50 Most Common Adjectives, and 50 Most Common Nouns.

3. Present Simple

→Used to describe something that is happening now.

1- Weak and strong verbs

In the present simple tense, you can’t see the difference between strong verbs, weak verbs of the T-class, or weak verbs of the D-class. Let’s have a look at the Dutch present tense conjugation of weak and strong verbs. 

To conjugate the singular form (I, you, he, she, it), you can take the infinitive, remove the -en to get the crude stem, and add the -t. However, it’s not always this easy. There are some exceptions:

• Does the crude stem end with a -z? Then the first person singular ends with an -s. For example: Reizen – ik reis (“To travel” – “I travel”).
• Does the crude stem end with a -v? Then the first person singular ends with an -f. For example: Schrijven – ik schrijf (“To write” – “I write”).
• Is there a double-consonant ending? Then remove one of the consonants. For example: Vallen – ik val (“To fall” – “I fall”).
• Does the vowel of the crude stem sound different than the vowel of the infinitive? Then this must be adapted by changing the vowel. For example, a becomes aa or o becomes oo. Let’s have a look: Lopen – ik loop (“To walk” – “I walk”).

In the case of the plural form (we, you, they), you can use the infinitive directly.

Simple Present – Dutch verb conjugation chart For weak and strong verbs  Example: voelen (“to feel”)
Singular		Plural
I + stem (“I feel”)	Ik + stem (Ik voel)	We + infinitive (“We feel”)	We/Wij + infinitive (We/Wij voelen)
Casual –  You + stem + t  (“You feel”) Formal –  You + stem + t  (“You feel”)	Jij + stem + t (Jij voelt) U + stem + t (U voelt)	You (plural) + infinitive (“You feel”)	Jullie + infinitive  (Jullie voelen)
He/She/It + stem + t (“He/She/It feels)	Hij/Zij/Het + stem + t  (Hij/Zij/Het voelt)	They + infinitive (“They feel”)	Zij + infinitive (Zij voelen)

→Do you need some help recognizing the infinitive of a Dutch verb? When you look up a verb in the Dutch dictionary, you’ll find the infinitive. The Dutch infinitives are the plural and present tense verbs. They usually end with en, like in praten (“to talk”), and sometimes with only n, like in zijn (“to be”). 

→Is the verb separable? Then remove the separable prefix from the verb, and add it to the end of the phrase as a separate word (for example: aanbellen (“to ring”) – ik bel aan).

2- Verbs having an –aan ending

Does the infinitive of a verb have an -aan ending? Then remove the -n to get the stem.

Let’s look at an example of a verb with an -aan ending:

Gaan (“to go”) in simple present
Singular		Plural
“I go”	Ik ga	“We go”	We gaan
“You go”	Jij gaat	“You go”	Jullie staan
“He goes”	Hij gaat	“They go”	Ze gaan

In the first person conjugation, it looks like a letter is missing, but the pronunciation of a or aa is the same in Dutch. Therefore, this is the correct spelling.

3- Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are unpredictable. All you can do is memorize them. The Dutch language has six completely irregular verbs. 

Let’s have a look at them in the present simple tense in this Dutch verb conjugation chart:

Subject	Hebben conjugation Dutch (“to have”)	Kunnen conjugation Dutch (“can”)	Mogen conjugation Dutch (“to be allowed to”)	Willen conjugation Dutch (“to want”)	Zijn conjugation Dutch (“to be”)	Zullen conjugation Dutch (“shall”)
Ik	heb	kan	mag	wil	ben	zal
Jij, u	hebt	kunt	mag	wilt	bent	zult
Hij, zij, het	heeft	kan	mag	wil	is	zalzal
Wij	hebben	kunnen	mogen	willen	zijn	zullen
Jullie	hebben	kunnen	mogen	willen	zijn	zullen
Zij	hebben	kunnen	mogen	willen	zijn	zullen

→Do you find it difficult to memorize verbs? Find some useful tips on remembering words.

4. Past Simple

→Used to describe a situation that happened in the past.

1- Weak verbs

A weak verb can either belong to the T-class or D-class. But how can you recognize which class a weak verb belongs to?

• Step 1: Remove the -en to get the crude stem.
• Step 2: Have a look at the last letter of the crude stem.
• Step 3: Check if it is one of the following: f, ch, s, t, k, p. 
• Step 4: Is it? Then it’s a T-verb. If not, it’s a D-verb. 

For example, see the verb voelen (“to feel”). The crude stem is voel, the last letter of the crude stem is –l, and this isn’t one of the endings mentioned. Therefore, it belongs to the D-class: Ik voelde (“I felt”).

Another example is the verb haten (“to hate”). The crude stem is haat (add an a to make the vowel sound the same as in the infinitive), and the last letter of the crude stem is -t, making it a T-verb: Ik haatte (“I hated”).

Simple Past for Weak Verbs of the T-class – Dutch Verb Conjugation Chart Stem + te (singular) or Stem + ten (plural)
Singular		Plural
I stem + te	Ik stem + te	We stem + ten	We stem + ten
You stem + te (casual) You stem + te (formal)	Je stem + te  U stem + te	You stem + ten (plural)	Jullie stem + ten
He stem + te She stem + te It stem + te	Hij stem + te  Ze stem + te  Het stem + te	They stem + ten	Ze stem + ten

You can replace the stem with the stem of a T-class verb. For example, zet from the verb zetten (“to put”): 

• Ik zette 
• Je zette 
• Hij zette 
• We zetten 
• Jullie zetten 
• Ze zetten

Simple Past for Weak Verbs of the D-class – Dutch Verb Conjugation Chart Stem + de (singular) or Stem + den (plural)
Singular		Plural
I stem + de	Ik stem + de	We stem + den	We stem + den
You stem + de (casual) You stem + de (formal)	Je stem + de  U stem + de	You stem + den (plural)	Jullie stem + den
He stem + de She stem + de It stem + de	Hij stem + de  Ze stem + de  Het stem + de	They stem + den	Ze stem + den

You can replace the stem with the stem of a D-class verb. For example, voel from the verb voelen (“to feel”): 

• Ik voelde 
• Je voelde 
• Hij voelde 
• We voelden 
• Jullie voelden 
• Ze voelden

2- Strong verbs

As in the present tense, vowel changes can also occur in the past tense. The Dutch language has a lot of different strong verbs; however, we’ve divided them into groups in this Dutch verb conjugation table.

Groups of strong verbs	Verb	Example
e in the infinitive gets ie in the past form.	Werpen (“to throw”)	Ik wierp (“I threw”)
ij in the infinitive gets ee in the past form.	Blijven (“to stay”)	Ik bleef (“I stayed”)
e in the infinitive gets o in the past form.	Vechten (“to fight”)	Ik vocht  (“I fought”)
e in the infinitive gets a in the past form.	Nemen (“to take”)	Ik nam (“I took”)
i in the infinitive gets a in the past form.	Bidden (“to pray”)	Ik bad (“I prayed”)
a in the infinitive gets ie in the past form.	Slapen (“to sleep”)	Ik sliep  (“I slept”)
ui in the infinitive gets oo in the past form.	Sluiten (“to close”)	Ik sloot (“I closed”)
a in the infinitive gets oe in the past form.	Dragen  (“to carry”)	Ik droeg  (“I carried”)
Ik droeg  (“I carried”)	Vergeten   (“to forget”)	Ik vergat  (“I forgot”)
a in the infinitive gets i in the past form.	Vangen (“to catch”)	Ik ving  (“I caught”)
o in the infinitive gets ie in the past form.	Lopen (“to walk”)	Ik liep (“I walked”)
iez in the infinitive gets oor in the past form.	Vriezen  (“to freeze”)	Ik vroor  (“I froze”)
i in the infinitive gets o in the past form.	Drinken  (“to drink”)	Ik dronk  (“I drank”)
ends in -cht in the past form.	Denken  (“to think”)	Ik dacht  (“I thought”)

3- Irregular verbs

This Dutch verb conjugation chart shows you the conjugation of the six Dutch irregular verbs in the past tense:

Subject	Hebben conjugation Dutch (“to have”)	Kunnen conjugation Dutch (“can”)	Mogen  conjugation Dutch (“to be allowed to”)	Willen conjugation Dutch (“to want”)	Zijn conjugation Dutch (“to be”)	Zullen conjugation Dutch (“shall”)
Ik (“I”)	had	kon	mocht	wilde	was	zou
Jij, u (“you”)	had	kon	mocht	wilde	was	zou
Hij, zij, het (“he, she, it”)	had	kon	mocht	wilde	was	zou
Wij (“we”)	hadden	konden	mochten	wilden	waren	zouden
Jullie (“you”)	hadden	konden	mochten	wilden	waren	zouden
Zij (“they”)	hadden	konden	mochten	wilden	waren	zouden

5. The Present & Past Perfect

1- The past participle

There are different rules for the past participle of weak and strong verbs.

Let’s start with the weak verbs. Here, the following rule applies:

ge- (prefix) + stem + -t/-d (ending)

→Regarding the prefix, if the verb already starts with a prefix (ge-, be-, er-, her-, ver-, ont-), then you don’t have to add the ge-.
→Regarding the ending, have a look at the stem of the verb. Does it end with one of these letters: f, ch, s, t, k, p? Then the past participle ends with a -t. If not, then it ends with a -d.
→Does the stem end in -t or –d? Then no extra -t or -d has to be added.

For example, the verb voelen (“to feel”): voel is the stem and gevoeld is the past participle.

For example, the verb fietsen (“to bike”): fiets is the stem and gefietst is the past participle.

The strong verbs have the following past participle rule:

ge- (prefix) + stem + -en (ending)

For example, the verb lopen (“to walk”): loop is the stem and gelopen is the past participle.

For example, the verb zingen (“to sing”): zing is the stem and gezongen is the past participle.

→Remember, in strong verbs, the vowel may change! 
→Remember, if the verb already starts with a prefix (ge-, be-, er-, her-, ver-, ont-), then you don’t have to add the ge-.

2- Present perfect

→Used to describe something that happened in the past and has already ended. 

To master the Dutch verb conjugation rules for present perfect, you need to know the following things:

• The present tense of zijn (“to be”) or hebben (“to have”).
• The past participle of your verb.

So, the present perfect is:

Subject + present tense of zijn/hebben + past participle

Let’s have a look at some examples:

Ik heb gelezen (“I have read”) — Present tense of the Dutch hebben conjugation + past participle of strong verb lezen

Hij is gegroeid (“He has grown”) — Present tense of zijn (notice that in Dutch, we say “He is grown”) + past participle of weak verb groeien

3- Past perfect

→Used to describe an action or event that happened in the past and ended in the past. 

To be able to use the past perfect, you need to know:

• The past tense of zijn (“to be”), hebben (“to have”), or worden (“to become”).
• The past participle of your verb.

So, the past perfect is:

Subject + past tense of zijn/hebben/worden + past participle

Let’s give you some examples:

Hij had gewacht (“He had waited”) — Past tense of the Dutch hebben conjugation + past participle of weak verb wachten

We zijn begonnen (“We have started”) — Past tense of zijn (in Dutch, we say “We are started”) + past participle of strong verb beginnen

Ik werd gebracht (“I was brought”) — Past tense of worden + past participle of weak verb brengen

6. Future Simple

→Used to talk about something that will happen in the future. 

Follow this simple rule to make the Dutch simple future:
Present tense zullen (“shall”) + infinitive

Subject	Form	Schrijven  (“to write”)	Kijken  (“to watch”)
Ik (“I”)	zal + infinitive	Ik zal schrijven	Ik zal kijken
Jij, u (“you”)	zult + infinitive	Jij zult schrijven	Jij zal kijken
Hij, zij, het (“he, she, it”)	zal + infinitive	Zij zal schrijven	Zij zal kijken
Wij (“we”)	zullen + infinitive	Wij zullen schrijven	Wij zullen kijken
Jullie (“you”)	zullen + infinitive	Jullie zullen schrijven	Jullie zullen kijken
Zij (“they”)	zullen + infinitive	Zij zullen schrijven	Zij zullen kijken

7. Future Perfect

→Used to describe an action that will have been completed before another action in the future.

Knowing the simple future, you can now also make the future perfect:

Future simple of Dutch conjugation hebben or zijn + past participle 

Or…

Zullen (“shall”) + Dutch conjugation of hebben or zijn + past participle

Subject	Form	Lachen (“to laugh”)	Gaan (“to go”)
Ik (“I”)	zal + hebben/zijn + past participle	Ik zal hebben gelachen	Ik zal zijn gegaan
Jij, u (“you”)	zult + hebben/zijn + past participle	Jij zult hebben gelachen	Jij zult zijn gegaan
Hij, zij, het (“he, she, it”)	zal + hebben/zijn + past participle	Hij zal hebben gelachen	Hij zal zijn gegaan
Wij (“we”)	zullen +hebben/zijn + past participle	Wij zullen hebben gelachen	Wij zullen zijn gegaan
Jullie (“you”)	zullen +hebben/zijn + past participle	Jullie zullen hebben gelachen	Jullie zullen zijn gegaan
Zij (“they”)	zullen +hebben/zijn + past participle	Zij zullen hebben gelachen	Zij zullen zijn gegaan

8. Conditional

→Used in a “what if” scenario; used to speculate about something.

Follow the following rule to make the Dutch conditional tense:

Zouden (“would”) + infinitive

Subject	Form	Rennen (“to run”)
Ik (“I”)	zou + infinitive	Ik zou rennen
Jij, u (“you”)	zou + infinitive	Jij zou rennen
Hij, zij, het (“he, she, it”)	zou + infinitive	Hij zou rennen
Wij (“we”)	zouden + infinitive	Wij zouden rennen
Jullie (“you”)	zouden + infinitive	Jullie zouden rennen
Zij (“they”)	zouden + infinitive	Zij zouden rennen

1- Dutch conditional perfect 

→Used to describe a future hypothetical situation in the past.

The conjugation of the Dutch conditional perfect is very similar to the conjugation of the future perfect tense. The following rule is used to form the conditional perfect:

Zouden (past tense of zullen [“shall”]) + Dutch conjugation of hebben/zijn + past participle

Subject	Form	Schreeuwen (“to scream”)	Verdronken (“to drown”)
Ik (“I”)	zou + hebben/zijn + infinitive	Ik zou hebben geschreeuwd	Ik zou zijn verdronken
Jij, u (“you”)	zou + hebben/zijn + infinitive	Jij zou hebben geschreeuwd	U zou zijn verdronken
Hij, zij, het (“he, she, it”)	zou + hebben/zijn + infinitive	Zij zou hebben geschreeuwd	Hij zou zijn verdronken
Wij (“we”)	zouden + hebben/zijn + infinitive	Wij zouden hebben geschreeuwd	Wij zouden zijn verdronken
Jullie (“you”)	zouden + hebben/zijn + infinitive	Jullie zouden hebben geschreeuwd	Jullie zouden zijn verdronken
Zij (“they”)	zouden + hebben/zijn + infinitive	Zij zouden hebben geschreeuwd	Zij zouden zijn verdronken

→Would you like to learn more verbs and their pronunciation? Then listen to this podcast on twenty-five verbs that are used every day in Dutch.
→Do you want to conjugate more verbs? Use an online verb conjugator.

9. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn More Dutch

In this guide, you’ve learned all about the Dutch verb conjugations, from the five different types of Dutch verbs to the eight Dutch tenses. You now know how to deal with all of them.

Are you ready to rumble and start using the Dutch verb conjugation in your daily life? Or would you like to get some more help?

Make sure to explore DutchPod101.com as it has a lot to offer, such as the multiple vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other useful free resources. Start practicing Dutch conjugations with DutchPod101’s tools, and learn new words and verbs while you’re at it. Practice is key! 

Would you like some one-on-one coaching? Remember that DutchPod101 also has the MyTeacher Premium PLUS service. Here, you can practice Dutch verb conjugation with your own private teacher and really master the Dutch tenses. Through personalized feedback and pronunciation advice, you can master the Dutch language in no time.

Have you read DutchPod101’s articles on 100 Nouns, 100 Adjectives, and Pronouns? By reading this series of articles, you’ll slowly but surely learn more and more about the Dutch language. Learning a language is like completing a big puzzle, piece by piece. Nouns, adjectives, and pronouns are of course crucial pieces, but how can you use them without knowing some common Dutch verbs? 

Have you ever been in a situation where you were trying to speak Dutch using the words that you just learned, but you were incapable of expressing yourself because you didn’t remember a verb? Verbs are a vital part of speech for connecting words. By learning some key Dutch verbs, you’ll expand your capacity to build phrases, creating a good basis for your daily interactions in Dutch. 

Don’t despair, the help of DutchPod101 is near! We present to you this article on the top 100 most common Dutch verbs. To help you even more, we’ll start by giving you some useful tips to help you understand and master Dutch verbs. 

→ Want to improve your Dutch vocabulary? Make sure to visit our vocabulary lists on the Most Useful Pronouns, 50 Most Common Adjectives, or 50 Most Common Nouns.

Table of Contents

1. Mastering Dutch Language Verbs
2. The 100 Most Useful Verbs in Dutch
3. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn Better Dutch

1. Mastering Dutch Language Verbs

Are you a bit intimidated by Dutch verbs and grammar? Are you unsure of how to start and where to start? Don’t worry. With some easy tips and tricks, we’ll help you master Dutch verbs.

A. How can you recognize a Dutch verb? 

So, let’s start at the beginning: What is a verb? Verbs are action words. In sentences, these action words describe what the subject is doing. Therefore, verbs, together with nouns, are a crucial part of a sentence. Even the most simple sentences have a verb! For example: 

• Ik ben Tom.

“I am Tom.”

A verb can also be a sentence on its own: 

• Zing! 

“Sing!”

or 

• Kom! 

“Come!”

So how can you recognize verbs? You can recognize them by looking for the part of the sentence that explains the action taking place. This can either be something that someone is doing, such as in the words rennen (“to run”), eten (“to eat”), and gaan (“to go”), or something that happens, such as in the words sneeuwen (“to snow”) or waaien (“to blow”). 

However, there also exist verbs that don’t include such a clear action. For example, these can be verbs that describe an opinion, an emotion, a possession, or a state of being: voelen (“to feel”), zijn (“to be”), hebben (“to have”), or houden van (“to love”).

Another way to recognize a verb is to find its location compared to the subject. In sentences, verbs almost always come after a noun or pronoun (the subject): 

• Hij denkt aan school.

“He thinks about school.”

B. What is the Dutch infinitive?

What is the entire verb (the infinitive) in Dutch? Well, Dutch infinitive verbs are the plural and present tense verbs. They usually end with -en, as in lopen (“to walk”). Sometimes, they end with only -n, as in zijn (“to be”).

Before the Dutch infinitive, you can almost always put Ik kan (“I can”): 

• Ik kan fietsen.

“I can cycle.”

or 

• Ik kan werken.

“I can work.”

C. The Dutch verb tenses

So, how many tenses are there in Dutch?

Dutch has two main tenses: the present and the past. However, there exist some “semi-tenses” that appear when these two tenses (present or past) interact with a mood (factual or hypothetical) or an aspect (temporary or continuing). Through these combinations, six other tenses are created, giving Dutch a total of eight basic tenses:

The eight tenses of the verb praten (“to talk”)
1. Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (“Present Simple”)	Ik praat	“I talk”
2. Onvoltooid verleden tijd (“Past Simple”)	Ik praatte	“I talked”
3. Voltooid tegenwoordige tijd (“Present Perfect”)	Ik heb gepraat	“I have talked”
4. Voltooid verleden tijd (“Past Perfect”)	Ik had gepraat	“I had talked”
5. Onvoltooid tegenwoordige toekomende tijd (“Future Simple”)	Ik zal praten	“I will talk”
6. Voltooid tegenwoordige toekomende tijd (“Future Perfect”)	Ik zal hebben gepraat	“I will have talked”
7. Onvoltooid verleden toekomende tijd (“Conditional”)	Ik zou praten	“I would talk”
8. Voltooid verleden toekomende tijd (“Conditional Perfect”)	Ik zou hebben gepraat	“I would have talked”

Is this Dutch conjugation table a bit intimidating? Praten is one of the Dutch regular verbs—it can get more complicated for irregular verbs. Don’t worry, let’s take it step by step. It gets easier when you start learning the logic and patterns of Dutch grammar and verbs.

D. How to learn Dutch verbs effectively

So let’s take a step back and first give you an idea of the most common Dutch verbs. Don’t worry yet about Dutch verb conjugation, the rules and the exceptions. Pass through this Dutch verbs list of 100 must-know verbs and ask yourself the following questions: 

• How does the infinitive end?
• How does it end now that it’s conjugated with a pronoun?
• Is it like one of the Dutch regular verbs, or could it be irregular?

To keep it easy, we’ll stick to the Tegenwoordige tijd (“Present Simple”) for all of the examples in this article.

Last but not least, look for the basic and most useful Dutch verbs, like the verb “to have” in Dutch (hebben), or “to be” (zijn). These are the first verbs you should know when you start to learn Dutch.

→ Would you like to learn by listening to the verbs? Listen to this podcast on twenty-five verbs that are used every day in Dutch.

2. The 100 Most Useful Verbs in Dutch

Let’s start diving into the 100 most useful Dutch verbs. To create a logical Dutch verb list, we’ve listed the verbs in alphabetical order (based on the Dutch spelling). This way, you can easily find the verb you’re looking for.

1.

Accepteren “To accept”

Ik accepteer het aanbod. “I accept the offer.”

2.

Annuleren “To cancel”

Wij annuleren onze vakantie. “We cancel our holiday.”

3.

(Be)antwoorden “To answer”

Ik antwoord je bericht nu. “I answer your message now.”

4.

Arriveren “To arrive”

De trein arriveert. “The train arrives.”

5.

Beginnen “To start”

Hij begint vandaag met zijn nieuwe werk. “He starts today with his new work.”

6.

Begrijpen “To understand”

Zij begrijpt haar vriendje. “She understands her boyfriend.”

7.

Bijten “To bite”

De hond bijt de kat. “The dog bites the cat.”

8.

Blijven “To stay”

Ik blijf vandaag thuis. “I stay at home today.”

9.

Bouwen “To build”

De bouwvakkers bouwen mijn huis. “The builders build my home.”

10.

Brengen “To bring”

De bezorger brengt ons onze pizza. “The delivery driver brings us our pizza.”

11.

Denken “To think”

Ik denk aan jou. “I think about you.”

12.

Doen “To do”

De man doet huishoudelijk werk. “The man does housework.”

13.

Douchen “To shower”

Het kind doucht niet graag. “The child doesn’t like to shower.”

14.

Draaien “To turn”

Ik draai me om. “I turn around.”

15.

Eten “To eat”

Wij eten altijd om 6 uur ‘s avonds. “We always eat at six o’clock in the evening.”

16.

Foto’s maken “To take pictures”

De jongen maakt foto’s van bands. “The boy takes pictures of bands.”

17.

Gaan “To go”

Wij gaan morgen op vakantie. “We go on holiday tomorrow.”

18.

Gebruiken “To use”

Ik gebruik voor mijn werk de nieuwste gadgets. “I use the newest gadgets for my work.”

19.

Geloven “To believe”

Zij gelooft in mij. “She believes in me.”

20.

Geven “To give”

Hij geeft me altijd cadeautjes voor mijn verjaardag. “He always gives me presents for my birthday.”

21.

Halen “To get”

De vrouw haalt brood bij de bakker. “The woman gets bread at the bakery.”

22.

Hangen “To hang”

De klok hangt aan de muur. “The clock hangs on the wall.”

23.

Hebben “To have”	De vrouw heeft te veel spullen in haar handen. “The woman has too many things in her hands.”
Here it is, the verb “to have” in Dutch. Learn this to improve your basic speaking skills!

24.

Helpen “To help”

We helpen het oude vrouwtje met oversteken. “We help the old lady with crossing the road.”

25.

Herinneren “To remember”

Ik herinner me het als de dag van gisteren. “I remember it as if it were yesterday.”

26.

Heten “To be called”

Hij heet Mathias. “He is called Mathias.”

27.

Horen “To hear”

We horen heel veel roddels over jou. “We hear a lot of gossip about you.”

28.

Vasthouden “To hold”	Het meisje houdt een baby vast. “The girl is holding a baby.”
Vasthouden is one of the Dutch separable verbs. Let’s see if you can find more of them!

29.

Houden van “To love”

Hij houdt van zijn werk. “He loves his work.”

30.

Kennen “To know”

Zij kennen hun buren al sinds jaren. “They’ve known their neighbors for many years.”

31.

Kijken naar “To watch”

Wij kijken naar het programma op tv. “We watch the show on the television.”

32.

Klimmen “To climb”

Het jongetje klimt in de boom. “The boy climbs the tree.”

33.

Koken “To cook”

Hij kookt erg goed. “He cooks very well.”

34.

Komen “To come”

We komen vandaag niet naar huis. “We are not coming home today.”

35.

Kopen “To buy”

Ik koop mijn kleding altijd online. “I always buy my clothes online.”

36.

Kunnen “Can”

Wij kunnen goed samenwerken. “We can work together very well.”

37.

Kwetsen “To hurt”

Ik kwets je niet graag. “I don’t like to hurt you.”

38.

Lachen “To laugh”Lachen “To laugh”

Wij lachen om de grapjes van onze vader. “We laugh at our father’s jokes.”

39.

Laten “To let”

Wij laten onze kinderen hun eigen beslissingen maken. “We let our kids make their own choices.”

40.

Leren “To learn”

Ik leer Nederlands. “I learn Dutch.”

41.

Lesgeven “To teach”	Ik geef Nederlandse les. “I teach Dutch.”
Yes! Lesgeven is another one of the Dutch separable verbs!

42.

Leven “To live”

Hij leeft in alle luxe in Amsterdam. “He lives in luxury in Amsterdam.”

43.

Lezen “To read”

Wij lezen veel boeken op vakantie. “We read a lot of books on holiday.”

44.

Liggen “To lie”

De baby ligt in zijn ledikant. “The baby lies in his crib.”

45.

Lopen “To walk”

Wij lopen samen door de stad. “We walk together through the city.”

46.

Luisteren (naar) “To listen to”

Ik luister naar de muziek van de Beatles. “I listen to the music of the Beatles.”

47.

Maken “To make”

Hij maakt kunst. “He makes art.”

48.

Moeten “To have to”

Je moet naar me luisteren. “You have to listen to me.”

49.

Mogen “To be allowed to”

Mijn zoon mag in de avond TV kijken. “My son is allowed to watch television in the evening.”

50.

Nemen “To take”

Ik neem altijd zonnebrandcrème mee naar het strand. “I always take sunscreen to the beach.”

51.

Nodig hebben “To need”

Je hebt me niet nodig. “You don’t need me.”

52.

Ontvangen “To receive”

We ontvangen vandaag het pakketje. “We receive the package today.”

53.

Openen “To open”

Hij opent de brief. “He opens the letter.”

54.

Opmerken “To notice”

Zij merkt me niet op. “She doesn’t notice me.”

55.

Plannen “To plan”

Ik plan de bruiloft van mijn zus. “I plan the wedding of my sister.”

53.

Praten “To talk”

Wij praten over onze gevoelens. “We talk about our feelings.”

57.

Proberen “To try”

Mijn broer probeert zich te concentreren. “My brother tries to concentrate.”

58.

Rennen “To run”

De jongen rent door het bos. “The boy runs through the forest.”

59.

Rijden “To drive”

We rijden in de auto. “We drive the car.”

60.

Rusten “To rest”

Mijn oma rust op bed. “My grandmother rests in bed.”

61.

Schrijven “To write”

Jij schrijft hem een brief. “You write him a letter.”

62.

Slapen “To sleep”

Ik slaap 8 uur per dag. “I sleep eight hours a day.”

63.

Spelen “To play”

De kinderen spelen samen. “The kids play together.”

64.

Spreken “To speak”

De baas spreekt met zijn werknemers. “The boss speaks with his employees.”

65.

Springen “To jump”

De kat spring op de kast. “The cat jumps on the cupboard.”

66.

Staan “To stand”

Ik sta naast mijn broer. “I stand next to my brother.”

67.

Studeren “To study”

Wij studeren voor ons examen. “We study for our exam.”

68.

Sturen “To send”

Het bedrijf stuurt me de rekening per post. “The company sends me the bill by mail.”

69.

Telefoneren “To call”

Ik telefoneer elke dag met mijn zus. “I call my sister everyday.”

70.

Tekenen “To draw”

Het jongetje tekent een draak. “The boy draws a dragon.”

71.

Terugkeren “To return”	De soldaat keert terug naar huis. “The soldier returns home.”
Terugkeren is another one of the Dutch separable verbs.

72.

Tillen “To carry”

De moeder tilt haar zoon. “The mother carries her son.”

73.

Trekken “To pull”

Haar vriendin trekt aan haar jas. “Her friend pulls her jacket.”

74.

Uitleggen “To explain”	De lerares legt de Nederlandse grammatica en werkwoorden uit. “The teacher explains the Dutch grammar and verbs.”
Bingo! The verb uitleggen is also one of the Dutch separable verbs.

75.

Vallen “To fall”

Ik val van de trap. “I fall down the stairs.”

76.

Vangen “To catch”

De rugbyspeler vangt de bal. “The rugby player catches the ball.”

77.

Voelen “To feel”

Ik voel me niet lekker. “I don’t feel well.”

78.

Vergeten “To forget”

Hij vergeet zijn huiswerk. “He forgets his homework.”

79.

Verlaten “To leave”

De vrouw verlaat haar man. “The woman leaves her husband.”

80.

Verslaan “To beat”

Ik versla je gemakkelijk in dit spel. “I beat you easily in this game.”

81.

Vertellen “To tell”

Wij vertellen je de waarheid. “We tell you the truth.”

82.

Verwijzen “To refer”

De dokter verwijst haar naar een specialist. “The doctor refers her to a specialist.”

83.

Verzamelen “To collect”

De kinderen verzamelen stickers. “The kids collect stickers.”

84.

Vinden “To find”

Ik vind mijn sleutels in de la. “I find my keys in the drawer.”

85.

Vragen “To ask”

Jij vraagt me uit. “You ask me out.”

86.

Wachten op “To wait for”

De hond wacht thuis op zijn baasje. “The dog waits for his owner at home.”

87.

Wakker worden “To wake up”

Ik word wakker met een lach. “I wake up smiling.”

88.

Wassen “To wash”

Hij wast zijn handen voor het avondeten. “He washes his hands before dinner.”

89.

Wensen “To wish”

Ik wens je een leuke verjaardag. “I wish you a nice birthday.”

90.

Werken “To work”

Wij werken te veel. “We work too much.”

91.

Weten “To know”

Mijn vader weet niets van technologie. “My father knows nothing about technology.”

92.

Willen “To want”

Het stel wilt trouwen. “The couple wants to get married.”

93.

Wonen “To live”

Ik woon in Nederland. “I live in the Netherlands.”

94.

Worden “To become”

Mijn vriendin wordt binnenkort zwanger. “My girlfriend will become pregnant soon.”

95.

Zeggen “To say”

Hij zegt dat hij van haar houdt. “He says that he loves her.”

96.

Zien “To see”

Ik zie je op de foto. “I see you in the picture.”

97.

Zijn “To be”	Ik ben verdrietig. “I am sad.”
As you can see, the verb “to be” in Dutch isn’t one of the Dutch regular verbs, it’s irregular. This is one of the first verbs you should learn, as it’s one of the most basic ones! Find here the Dutch verb conjugation of the verb zijn.

98.

Zingen “To sing”

Wij zingen altijd tijdens het koken. “We always sing while cooking.”

99.

Zitten “To sit”

Jij zit op de bank. “You sit on the couch.”

100.

Zoeken “To look for”

Zij zoeken hun hond. “They look for their dog.”

→ Learn more about the pronunciation of Dutch verbs with our free Dutch verbs list with handy audio recordings: Vocabulary for the 25 Most Commonly Used Verbs of Any Language or 50 Common Dutch Verbs.

→ Do you need help with Dutch verb conjugation? Use an online verb conjugator, or check out DutchPod101’s upcoming article on how to conjugate Dutch verbs!

3. How DutchPod101 Can Help You Learn Better Dutch

In this guide, you’ve learned all about Dutch verbs: recognizing Dutch verbs, understanding the infinitives, and even having a little peek into the different Dutch tenses. And as the icing on the cake, this guide offered you a wide selection of the 100 must-know Dutch verbs, with some useful examples to get familiar with them.

Are you ready to start using your new Dutch verbs vocabulary in your daily conversations with the Dutch? Or do you need some more help?

DutchPod101 has much more to offer, such as the multiple vocabulary lists with audio recordings and other free resources. Boost your Dutch with these easy and useful DutchPod101 tools.

Want more? DutchPod101 also has the MyTeacher premium service. Let your own private teacher help you practice Dutch grammar, verbs, and Dutch verb conjugation, through personalized exercises, fun assignments, and useful recorded audio samples. Improve your Dutch quickly with this personal one-on-one coaching.

Happy learning!