Home
Site Map
Mobile
Learning Dutch?
There's Never Been
A Better Time
Pronunciation
Listening
Hear Names
Words
Phrases
Grammar
Search my site: Facebook

Dutch Phrases: Speaking Dutch, Talking about Dutch

 Lines and Phrases 
 The Verbs 
 In Groups 
 On The Telephone 
<<‑ Basic Dutch Phrases

Ik spreek geen Nederlands click to hear 2 I don't speak Dutch
Ik spreek helaas geen Nederlands click to hear 2 Unfortunately, I don't speak Dutch

I do hope you'll learn Dutch and won't need the two phrases above for long.
Dutchmen are often surprised or incredulous when a foreigner is speaking Dutch, wondering: Why would anyone want to learn Dutch? They would rather practice their English with you. But don't give up. I think Dutch is a beautiful language and you've come to the best place for learning Dutch. Where else can you hear so many sound files of good quality? Where else can you find helpful and fun pages like Easy Dutch and False Friends or Fun Things to Say next to the regular vocabulary, lessons and grammar like Basic Words - Colors - Time and Plurals?
Speaking is very good practice. I do hope that someday you can say with confidence that you're able to speak Dutch: "Ik spreek Nederlands" click to hear 2 and that people will say you speak it well: "Je spreekt goed Nederlands" click to hear 2

(het) Nederlands click to hear 2 Dutch
de Nederlandse taal click to hear 2 the Dutch language
Nederland click to hear 2 3 Holland, 'The Netherlands' ‑>>
Don't say 'Holland' when speqaking Dutch
Dus je wilt Nederlands leren? click to hear So you want to learn Dutch?
Nederlands is een mooie taal click to hear Dutch is a beautiful language
De beste plaats om Nederlands te leren. click to hear The best place for learning Dutch.
Ik geef Nederlands click to hear I'm teaching Dutch, I'm a teacher of Dutch
Zou U alstublieft Nederlands willen spreken? click to
 hear Could you please speak Dutch, Would you mind speaking Dutch (to me)? (polite)
Zou je alsjeblieft Nederlands willen spreken? click to hear Could you please speak Dutch, Would you mind speaking Dutch (to me)? (informal)
Ik probeer Nederlands te leren click to hear I'm trying to learn Dutch
Ik wil Nederlands leren click to hear 2 3 I want to learn Dutch
Nederlands leren click to hear learning Dutch
Ik wil graag Nederlands praten click to hear 2 3 I really want to talk Dutch (with people)
Ik spreek geen Engels click to hear 2 I don't speak English
Ik ben toch in Nederland? click to hear 2 3 4 I'm in Holland, isn't it?
We zijn toch in Nederland? click to hear We're in Holland, aren't we?
Zijn we in Nederland? click to hear Are we in Holland?
Dat zeg je niet zo click to hear 2 3 [You don't say it that way] It's not the right way to say that (pointing out a mistake)
Is er geen Nederlands woord voor? click to hear 2 3 Is there no Dutch word for it?
Er is geen Nederlands woord voor click to hear 2 There is no Dutch word for it
Er is geen goed Nederlands woord voor click to hear 2 3 There is not a good Dutch word for it, no straight equivalent
(de) spreektaal click to hear 2 3 the spoken language, the language as spoken, the colloquial language
Het is spreektaal click to hear 2 3 4 It is colloquial [language]
Wat zeg je? click to hear 2 3 What [do] did you say? (informal) - (Dutch uses the present tense)
Wat zegt U? click to hear 2 What [do] did you say? (polite)
Ik versta niet wat je zegt click to hear 2 I don't understand (can't hear) what you're saying - I don't understand the words (informal 'you')
Ik begrijp niet wat U zegt click to hear I don't understand (the meaning of) what you're saying, I hear and recognize the words but don't understand what you mean (polite 'you')
Ik begrijp niet wat je bedoelt click to hear 2 I don't understand, don't see what you mean
English 'to understand' has a double meaning. It can mean 'to know the how or why of something' - that meaning translates as begrijpen click to hear in Dutch. 'To understand' can also mean 'to hear what is said.' That meaning is verstaan click to hear 2. There may be some overlap in the meanings - more
Ik kan je niet verstaan click to hear 2 I [can't] don't understand (can't hear) what you're saying
Ik kan U niet goed verstaan click to hear I can't hear what you're saying
Ik kan het niet goed verstaan click to hear 2 3 I don't understand it very well, it doesn't make sense to me
Kunt U dat nog eens zeggen? click to hear Could you please say that again?
Zou U dat nog eens willen zeggen? click to hear 2 Would you mind [saying that once again] repeating that?
Zou U wat langzamer kunnen praten? click to hear 2 Could you please speak more slowly?
Zou U wat langzamer willen spreken? click to hear 2 Could you please speak more slowly?
U praat te snel voor mij click to hear 2 3 You're talking too fast for me
Het is te snel voor mij click to hear 2 It is too fast for me
Ik ken dat woord niet click to hear I don't know that word
Wat betekent 't? click to hear 2 What does it mean?
Wat is ...? click to hear 2 What is ...?
Wat betekent dat woord? click to hear 2 3 slow What does that word mean? What is the meaning of that word?
't Betekent ... click to
  hear It means ...
't Betekent heel iets anders click to hear 2 It means something [very] completely different
Kun je 't omschrijven? click to hear 2 Could you describe what it means? (When they don't know the translation)
Is er een ander woord voor? click to hear 2 Is there another word for it?
Ik begrijp niet wat je bedoelt click to hear 2 I don't understand what you mean (I hear the words but don't understand the idea)
Ik begrijp niet wat U zegt click to hear I don't understand what you're saying
Begrijp je wat ik bedoel? click to hear 2 Do you understand what I mean?
Ik begrijp wat je bedoelt. click to hear 2 I [understand] see what you mean.
Dat was niet wat ik bedoelde. click to hear That was not what I meant (to say.)
Hoe zeg je dat in het Nederlands? click to hear 2 How do you say that in Dutch?
Hoe zeg je dat precies? click to hear 2 3 How exactly do you say that?
't Is niet fout ... click to hear 2 It's not wrong ...
... maar je kunt 't eenvoudiger zeggen click to hear 2 3 ... but [you can say it more simply] there's a simpler way to say it
/or/ ... maar 't is niet mooi click to hear 2 3 ... but it's not pretty
Weet je hoe je 't moet uitspreken? click to hear 2 Do you know how to pronounce it? (if not, I can tell you)
Weet jij hoe je 't moet uitspreken? click to hear 2 3 Do you know how to pronounce it? (can you tell me?)  ‑>>
Begrijp je echt wat er staat? click to hear 2 Do you really understand what it says? (looking at a written text) ‑>>
Is 't wel goed Nederlands? click to hear 2 3 4 But is it good Dutch? (You're not sure)
't Is een beetje plat click to hear 2 It's not standard Dutch (but sloppy or dialect)
keurig Nederlands click to hear 2 3 proper, neat, polished, careful Dutch
Dunglish click to hear 2 3 the sloppy, lazy use of English words in Dutch
"De worst van twee werelds" click to hear 2
Nederlands ho maar! click to hear 'Not good Dutch' - commenting on the poor Dutch of an outrageous statement
gebrekkig Nederlands click to hear 2 3 ['lacking, incomplete' - faulty] poor Dutch
(het) steenkolenengels click to hear 2 3 'coal English' - a mixture ('pidgin') of Dutch and English, originally spoken on coal ships with mixed crews

Of foreigners can be said:
Hij spreekt vloeiend Nederlands click to hear 2 [He speaks Dutch fluently] He is fluent in Dutch
Je spreekt goed Nederlands. click to hear 2 You speak Dutch well.
Hij spreekt goed Nederlands click to hear 2 3 He speaks Dutch well
Hij spreekt geheel onverwacht toch heel goed Nederlands click to hear 2 3 4 He quite unexpectedly speaks Dutch very well
Of a native speaker of Dutch who usually speaks 'rough,' lots of slang, city accent, but who turns out to be able to speak standard Dutch, it could be said:
Hij kan ook gewoon Nederlands praten click to hear 2 3 He can also speak regular Dutch

Nederlands is een mooie taal ...
maar misschien niet om te zingen click to hear
Dutch is a beautiful language ...
but maybe not for singing.
om te click to hear - reason for, aim or purpose, because of, in order to, with the intention ... ‑>>
More singing: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6A - 6B
This kind of bad singing is called 'blèren' click to hear 2 ('blaring'?) or 'kwelen' click to hear 2 3
hear poems and better singing - Birthday Songs - Dutch Santa Claus Songs

Verbs

praten to talk - page
ik praat I talk
jij praat you talk (singular, informal you)
hij praat he talks
wij praten we talk
jullie praten you talk (plural, informal you)
zij praten they talk
U praat you talk (polite you)
click to hear 2
(praten) to talk
ik praatte I talked
jij praatte you talked
hij praatte he talked
wij praatten we talked
jullie praatten y'all talked
zij praatten they talked
U praatte you talked
click to hear 2
With a verb stem already ending in T, the second and third person singular do not add another T
ik heb gepraat click to hear 2 I have talked
spreken to speak - page
ik spreek I speak
jij spreekt you speak (singular, informal you)
hij spreekt he speaks
wij spreken we speak
jullie spreken you speak (plural, informal you)
zij spreken they speak
U spreekt you speak (polite you)
click to hear 2
(spreken) to speak
ik sprak I spoke
jij sprak you spoke
hij sprak he spoke
wij spraken we spoke
jullie spraken y'all spoke
zij spraken they spoke
U sprak you spoke
click to hear 2 3
Like most strong verbs with A in the past tense, that A is short in the singular but long in the plural
ik heb gesproken click to hear I have spoken
zeggen to say - page
ik zeg I say
jij zegt you say (singular, informal you)
hij zegt he says
wij zeggen we say
jullie zeggen you say (plural, informal you)
zij zeggen they say
U zegt you say (polite you)
click to hear
(zeggen) to say
ik zei I said
jij zei you said
hij zei he said
wij zeiden we said
jullie zeiden y'all said
zij zeiden they said
U zei you said
click to hear
ik heb gezegd click to hear 2 I have said
vragen to ask - page
ik vraag I'm asking
jij vraagt you are asking (singular, informal you)
hij vraagt he is asking
wij vragen we are asking
jullie vragen you are asking (plural, informal you)
zij vragen they are asking
U vraagt you are asking (polite you)
click to hear 2
vragen to ask
ik vroeg I asked
jij vroeg you asked
hij vroeg he asked
wij vroegen we asked
jullie vroegen y'all asked
zij vroegen they asked
U vroeg you asked
click to hear
ik heb gevraagd click to hear 2 I have asked
ik ben gevraagd click to hear 2 I have been asked (to ...)

Note that vroeg click to hear may also mean 'early' - more hij is vroeg click to hear 2 - 'he is early' and vroeger click to hear means 'earlier' and 'in the past' - vroeger was alles beter click to hear
- 'everything was better in the old days'

Wat zeg jij d'rvan? click to hear 2 3 What do you say about it? What's your opinion on it? (informal)
Wat zegt U d'rvan? click to hear 2 3 4 What do you say about it? What's your opinion on it? (polite)
After a vowel, it's easier to say
"d'r" than "er" -
Wat zegt U ervan? click to hear 2

See also: Using Words and the individual verbs pages: - praten 'to talk, to chat' - spreken 'to speak' - zeggen 'to say' for more sample sentences
- Verbs General - Smartphone Verbs Home

In Groups

When you're the only foreigner in a group of Dutchmen, they may feel obliged to speak English so you won't feel excluded. Now I don't mind speaking English to other people, but I feel a bit silly speaking English to my fellow Dutchmen, and to let them hear my imperfect command of the language is somewhat embarrassing. I guess it's a general feeling. So if you understand Dutch, even if you don't speak it well, you could say:
Ik spreek niet goed Nederlands ... click to hear 2 I don't speak Dutch well ...
... maar ik kan het wel verstaan click to hear 2 3 ... but I do understand it
Ik kan het wel verstaan click to hear 2 I do understand it (the Dutch language)
Ik kan wel Nederlands verstaan click to hear 2 I do understand Dutch
Ik kan Nederlands wel verstaan click to hear I do understand Dutch
Jullie kunnen wel Nederlands praten click to hear 2 3 ['You can/may speak Dutch'] - It's alright with me if you guys speak Dutch
Jullie mogen wel Nederlands praten click to hear 2
['You can/may speak Dutch'] - It's alright with me if you guys speak Dutch
listening pages overview

On The Telephone

(de) telefoon click to hear 2 phone, telephone click to hear 2
(het) telefoonnummer click to hear 2 3 telephone number
See also: Telephone Spelling Alphabet
Traditionally, people in Holland would say their name (or men just their last name) picking up the phone when somebody calls, but I guess on a cell phone ((het) mobieltje click to hear) you can just say "hallo" click to hear 2
'To call,' using the telephone, is bellen click to hear 2 3 4 5 6 or 'to call up, start a call, to ring' is opbellen click to hear 2 3
Hij belt click to hear 2 3 - he is calling
Wie belde d'r? click to hear 2 3 - Who called?
Wie belde er? click to hear - Who called?
Verkeerd verbonden. click to hear 2 ['wrong connection'] "wrong number"
"sorry" (English) click to hear 'I am sorry'
"pardon" (French) click to hear 'I am sorry'
"het spijt me" click to hear 2 3 'I am sorry'
Met wie spreek ik? click to hear 2 [With whom am I speaking?] - Who's calling?
Ik zal U doorverbinden click to hear I'll transfer your call
Een ogenblikje click to
 hear Just a moment
Een ogenblikje, alstublieft click to
 hear Just a moment, please
Een momentje, alstublieft click to hear Just a moment, please
Wilt U via een tolk spreken? click to hear Would you like to speak through an interpreter?
Wilt U liever met een tolk spreken? click to hear Would you rather speak through an interpreter?
vertaler click to hear translator
Ik zat te wachten op een telefoontje click to hear I was waiting for a telephone call
Ik verwacht een telefoontje click to hear 2 I'm expecting a phone call
aanbellen click to hear to ring a doorbell
Ik belde aan bij de buren click to hear 2 3 I rang the doorbell at the neighbors'
<< previous
vorige
Send me your suggestions by email
More Phrases: The Most Basic - Weather - Food and Drink - Travel - Sleep - Various - Fun Things to Say
- Time - Jobs and Work - The Senses - Sayings and Idiom
Further Study: Basic Dutch Words - Pictures Dictionary - Easy Dutch - Lessons - Pronunciation - Listening - Reading - Grammar

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2012. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed, or hotlinked to.
Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2