Dutch phrasebook

Dutch is a Germanic language spoken in the Netherlands, the northern part of Belgium (also called Flemish there) and parts of Suriname. It is the ancestor language of the Afrikaans spoken in South Africa, which is still quite similar to Dutch.

Difficulties

Since many Dutch and Flemish people like to practice their foreign languages it is very difficult to learn more than the basics. You will notice that even after having reached a reasonable level people continue to respond in English after having started the conversation in Dutch.

Older people generally don't speak English though, so a bit of Dutch can come in handy.

Differences between Flemish and Dutch

In Flanders it is much more common to use the polite form than in the Netherlands, where it is nowadays mostly reserved to address elderly people. However, since it could be a problem to use the casual form where the polite form is due, and the opposite might simply invoke some giggles, we use the polite form in this phrasebook unless mentioned otherwise.

The pronunciation of the G differs greatly between the Flemish and the Dutch. The Dutch G can sometimes sound a bit like someone cleansing his throat. The actual border of the soft/hard G lies between the Rhine and the Waal.

Pronunciation

Dutch has some vowel sounds that are not known in many other languages, so they can be hard to learn.

Short vowels

a: like 'a' in "calm", (but shorter)
e: like 'e' in "pen" or 'e' in "the" (at word endings)
i: like 'i' in "pin"
o: like 'o' in "dork"
u: like 'e' in "the"
y: like 'i' in "pin" or 'ee' in "deep"

Long vowels

a, aa: like 'aa' in "Afrikaans"
e, ee: like 'a' in "day" (without pronouncing the 'y'-sound at the end)
eu: similar to 'er' in "mercy"
ie: like 'ea' in "sea"
o, oo: like 'o' in "ago" (without pronouncing the 'w'-sound at the end)
oe: like 'oo' in "too"
u, uu: like 'ü' in German "München"

Diphthongs

au, ou: like 'ow' in "how"
eeuw: like 'a' in "day" (and substituting the 'y'-sound at the end with a 'w'-sound
ei, ij: like 'ay' in "say"
ieuw: like 'ea' in "sea" followed by a 'w'-sound
ui: like 'i' in "sir" followed by a 'y'-sound

Consonants

b: like 'b' in "bed"
c: like 'c' in "can" or the second 'c' in "success"
ch: like 'ch' in Scottish "loch"
d: like 'd' in "do"
f: like 'f' in "feel"
g: voiced 'ch'-sound
h: like 'h' in "have"
j: like 'y' in "you"
k: like 'k' in "kilo"
l: like 'l' in "low"
m: like 'm' in "man"
n: like 'n' in "no"
p: like 'p' in "pet"
q: like 'q' in "quick"
r: similar to 'r' in "row"
s: like 's' in "say"
sj: like 'sh in "she"
t: like 't' in "top"
v: like 'v' in "vein"
w: like 'w' in "we"
x: like 'x' in "axe"
y: like 'y' in "yes"
z: like 'z' in "zoo"

Phrase list

Basics

Hello.

Hallo. (HAH-low)

; How are you? : Hoe gaat het? (hoo GAHT hut?)

Fine, thank you.: Goed, dank u. (GOOT, dahnk uu)
Fine, thank you. (informal): Goed, dank je. (GOOT, dahnk yuh)
What is your name?: Hoe heet u? (hoo HAYT uu?)
What is your name?: Hoe heet je? (hoo HAYT yuh?)

; My name is _______________________________________________________________________________? (...)

expensive: duur (...)
cheap: goedkoop (...)
I can't afford it.: Dat kan ik niet betalen. (...)
I don't want it.: Ik wil het niet. (...)
You're cheating me.: Je belazert me. (...)
I'm not interested.: Ik ben niet geinteresseerd. (..)
OK, I'll take it.: OK, Ik neem het. (...)
Can I have a bag?: Can I have a bag? (...)
Do you ship (overseas)?: Do you ship (overseas)? (...)
I need...: I heb nodig... (...)
...toothpaste.: ...tandpasta. (...)
...a toothbrush.: ...een tandenborstel. (...)
...tampons.: ...tampons. (...)
...soap.: ...zeep. (...)
...shampoo.: ...shampoo. (shampoh)
...pain reliever. (e.g., aspirin or ibuprofen): ...aspirine. (...)
...cold medicine.: ...cold medicine. (...)
...stomach medicine.: ...stomach medicine. (...)
...a razor.: ...een scheermes. (...)
...an umbrella.: ...een paraplu. (...)
...sunblock lotion.: ...sunblock lotion. (...)
...a postcard.: ...a postcard. (...)
...postage stamps.: ...postzegels. (...)
...batteries.: ...batterijen. (...)
...writing paper.: ...schrijfpaper. (...)
...a pen.: ...een pen. (...)
...English-language books.: ...engelstalige boeken. (...)
...English-language magazines.: ...engelstalige tijdschriften. (...)
...an English-language newspaper.: ...een engelstalige krant. (...)
...an Dutch-English dictionary.: ...een Nederlands-Engels woordenboek. (...)

Driving

I want to rent a car.: Ik wil een auto huren. (...)
Can I get insurance?: Can I get insurance? (...)
stop (on a street sign): stop (...)
one way: eenrichtingsverkeer (...)
yield: geef voorrang (...)
no parking: niet parkeren (...)
speed limit: snelheidslimiet (...)
gas (petrol) station: tankstation (...)

Authority

I haven't done anything wrong.: Ik heb niks verkeerd gedaan. (...)
It was a misunderstanding.: Het was een misverstand. (...)
Where are you taking me?: Waar brengt u me heen? (...)
Am I under arrest?: Ben ik gearresteerd? (...)
I am an American/Australian/British/Canadian citizen.: Ik ben een Amerikaans/Australisch/Brits/Canadees staatsburger. (...)
I want to talk to the American/Australian/British/Canadian embassy/consulate.: I moet spreken met de/het Amerikaanse/Australische/Britse/Canadese ambassade/consulaat. (...)
I want to talk to a lawyer.: Ik wil een advocaat spreken. (...)
Can I just pay a fine now?: Kan ik direct een boete betalen? (...)

Nationalities, countries

American: Amerikaans
Argentine: Argentijnse
USA: Verenigde Staten
Australian: Australisch
Australia: Australië
British: Brits
Great Britain: Groot-Brittannië
Canadian: Canadees
Canada: Canada
Dutch: Nederlands
The Netherlands: Nederland
German: Duits
Germany: Duitsland
Indian: Indiaas
India: India
Russian: Russisch
Russia: Rusland
Serbian: Servisch
Serbia: Servië
Spanish: Spaans
Spain: Spanje

Learning more

The authors of this document are Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel, Evan Prodromou and the following WikiTravel users: Bemoeial, Dhum_Dhum, Gorath99, Guaka, PierreAbbat. The original version of this article can be seen at http://wikitravel.org/en/Dutch_phrasebook.