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Location, Direction

A new combination of existing material focusing on location and direction.
Follow the links ‑>> to more examples and/or explanation

(de) plaats click to hear
place, location
(de) richting click to hear 2
direction

waar? click to hear
where? ‑>>
waarheen? click to hear 2
where to? which way?

welk click to hear 2 (welke click to hear 2 - welk / welke click to hear 2) which ‑>>
Words like 'welk' click to hear 2 (which) in most positions get an E-ending (welk/welke click to hear 2) - except with singular 'het'-words; somewhat similar to Adjectives

 Place, Location 
 Direction 

(de) Plaats click to hear - Place, Location

(de) plaats click to hear place, location (point, spot, position, site, seat, town)
De beste plaats om Nederlands te leren click to hear The best place for learning Dutch Er is voor jou altijd plaats click to hear 2 3 There's always room, a place for you - You're always welcome, you can come by or visit anytime De plaats waar ik vandaan kom click to hear 2 [the place/town where I'm from] - 'My Home Town' ‑>> mijn geboorteplaats click to hear 'my birthplace' - rather formal
(de) geboorteplaats click to hear birthplace
Er is geen plaats voor click to hear 2 3 There is no room for it; there is no space for it - also figuratively: 'It's unacceptable, we can't allow it' pas op de plaats click to hear 2 ['step in place'] - moving but not going forward or backward (or sideways) - marking time (de) plaatsnaam click to hear 2 place name
Plaatsnamen - Place Names (in Holland and Belgium)
(de) vindplaats click to hear 2 [the place where something is found] - location, site (de) schuilplaats click to hear 2 hiding place
(de) voetgangersoversteekplaats click to hear 2 pedestrian crossing
(de) parkeerplaats click to hear 2 3 parking, parking place, perking spot (de) opslagplaats click to hear 2 3 depot, storage, dump (de) plaatsvervanger click to hear 2 temporary replacement (person)
in plaats van click to hear 2 3 instead of
plaatselijke verdoving click to
      hear local anaesthesia

desoriënterend click to hear 2 disorientating, disorienting, making you lose your sense of place and direction

hier click to hear 2
here
daar click to hear
(over) there
wij click to hear 2 / we click to hear
we, 'us'
zij click to hear 2 / ze click to hear
they, 'them'
‑>>
hier en daar click to hear here and there - usually this means: 'in some places'
Hier is 't warm, daar is 't koud click to hear Here it's warm, over there it's cold
't Is hier erg warm click to hear It's very hot (in) here
Hier hoort men goed Nederlands click to hear Here [you hear] you'll hear good Dutch
De beste plaats om Nederlands te leren click to hear The best place for learning Dutch
Hier is de ingang click to hear Here is the entrance
Daar is de uitgang! click to hear Over there is the exit
De uitgang is daar click to hear The exit is over there
Daar is een brievenbus! click to hear Over there is a mailbox!
Daar ben je! click to hear 2 (Ah!) There you are! (Now I see you, I found you)
Hé jij daar! click to hear Hey you! (not a friendly form of address, limited use)
Wie heeft er hier de leiding? click to hear Who is in charge here?
Hier ziet men de gevolgen click to hear 2 3 4 Here you see the consequences
Hier is alvast 'n voorschot click to hear 2 Here is already a prepayment, an advance payment
Hier zijn veel schepen vergaan click to hear 2 Here, in this area many ships were wrecked
We wonen nog maar kort hier click to hear 2 We've only been living here for a short time
Wij waren arm click to hear We were poor
Zij zijn rijk click to hear 2 They are rich
We zaten te luisteren click to hear 2 3 We were listening
Ze lagen te slapen click to hear They were sleeping
Personal Pronouns   Personal Pronouns Examples of Usage

the: de click to hear 2 / het click to hear 2 3 - 't click to hear ->>
Plurals always take 'de'
a: (een) - 'n click to hear / one: één click to hear 2 3

[a tree, a house and two cars - near by and far away]
hier click to hear 2
here
dit click to hear
this
deze click to hear
this, these
daar click to hear
there
dat click to hear
that
die click to hear
that, those

'Deze' and  'die' are used for  'de' words and all plurals;
'dit' and  'dat' are used for singular  'het' words.
'Deze' and  'dit' indicate nearby items;
'die' and  'dat' indicate distant items.

de boom click to hear the tree
welke boom? click to hear 2 which tree?
deze boom click to hear this tree
deze boom hier click to hear 2 this tree here
die boom click to hear that tree
die boom daar click to hear 2 3 that tree over there
het huis click to hear the house
welk huis? click to hear 2 3 which house?
dit huis click to hear this house
dit huis hier click to hear this house here
dat huis click to hear that house
dat huis daar click to hear that house over there
de auto's click to hear the cars
welke auto's? click to hear 2 3 which cars?
deze auto's click to hear these cars
deze auto's hier click to hear 2 3 these cars here
die auto's click to hear those cars
die auto's daar click to hear 2 those cars over there
[an arrow pointing at a spot] op deze plaats click to hear
at this point,
in this spot

'Dat'  and 'die'  (and 'that') also have other meanings. See: Disambiguation: 'Dat'

[in front of, between, behind: 3 balls in a row]

voor click to hear in front of, before ‑>>
achter click to hear behind ‑>>
tussen click to hear between -and- among ‑>>
[between and among houses]
tussen de huizen click to hear among the houses / between the houses
Dutch 'tussen'  is both 'between' (two) and 'among' (more than two)

[3 balls (A,B,C) in a row, another ball (D) next to them]
naast click to hear next to, beside ‑>>
A is voor B en C click to hear A is in front of B and C
B is tussen A en C click to hear B is between A and C
C is achter A en B click to hear C is behind A and B
D is naast A click to hear D is next to A

[around a house]
voor click to hear in front of ‑>>
achter click to hear behind ‑>>
naast click to hear next to ‑>>
(het) huis click to hear house ‑>>
voor het huis click to hear in front of the house
achter het huis click to hear behind the house
naast het huis click to hear next to the house

[a tree in front of a house]
een boom voor het huis
[trees around/about a house]
om click to hear about ‑>>
rond click to hear around ‑>>
(de) boom click to hear tree
bomen click to hear trees ‑>>
een boom voor het huis click to hear a tree in front of the house
bomen om het huis click to hear trees about the house
bomen rond het huis click to hear trees around the house

[on top of, below, with]
boven click to hear over, on top of, above ‑>>
onder click to hear under, below ‑>>
bij click to hear 2 with, at ‑>>
[a cup of tea with a cookie]
een koekje bij de thee click to hear
a cookie with [the] your tea
[over/above, in, under:
  an air balloon, in the air over the water,
  a ship on the water,
  a swimmer in the water, a submarine under water]
boven click to hear over, above ‑>>
in click to hear in ‑>>
op click to hear on ‑>>
onder click to hear under, below ‑>>
(het) water click to hear 2 water
(de) lucht click to hear 2 air
boven het water click to hear over, above the water
in de lucht click to hear in the air
op het water click to hear on the water
in het water click to hear in the water
onder water click to hear under water

[an air balloon over a house, a person on top of a house]
boven click to hear over, above ‑>>
op click to hear on, on top of ‑>>
in click to hear in, inside ‑>>
binnen click to hear inside ‑>>
buiten click to hear outside ‑>>
onder click to hear under, below ‑>>
boven het huis click to hear above the house
op het huis click to hear on top of the house
op het dak click to hear on the roof
in het huis click to hear inside the house
buiten het huis click to hear outside the house
onder het huis click to hear under the house
[a bridge across a city canal]
[a car smashed against a tree]
tegen click to hear against ‑>>
tegen een boom click to hear
against a tree
over click to hear over, across, 'bridging' ‑>>
(de) brug click to hear bridge
(de) gracht click to hear city canal
een brug over de gracht click to
  hear
a bridge across the city canal
[a person sitting on a chair at a table, a bottle on the table, 
 a bottle under the table, a bottle under the chair]
op click to hear on ‑>>
onder click to hear under ‑>>
aan click to hear at ‑>>
(de) tafel click to hear 2 3 4 table
(de) stoel click to hear chair
op de tafel click to hear on the table
onder de tafel click to hear under the table
aan de tafel click to hear at the table
op de stoel click to hear on the chair
onder de stoel click to hear under the chair
aan tafel! click to hear 2 come to the table!
(food is served)

[front, back and sides] [top, sides and front] [bottom, sides and front]
(de) kant click to hear side
(de) voorkant click to hear front
(de) zijkant click to hear 2 side
(de) achterkant click to hear 2 back
(de) bovenkant click to hear top
(de) onderkant click to hear 2 bottom
(de) linkerkant click to hear 2 left (hand) side
(de) rechterkant click to hear 2 right (hand) side
(de) lange kant click to hear 2 3 (the) long side
(de) korte kant click to hear 2 3 4 (the) short side of rectangular items Aan beide kanten click to hear 2 3 'on both sides'
Two sides of an argument:
Aan de ene kant click to hear 2 3 'on the one [side] hand'
Aan de andere kant click to hear 2 3 'on the other hand'
- ander click to hear 'other' ‑>>
(het) kant click to hear 'lace'

terzijde click to hear on the side, aside
Dutch (de) zijde click to hear for 'side' is a little old-fashioned. It also means 'silk.'
(de) zij click to hear 2 can also mean 'body side'
And of course, zij click to hear 2 also means 'she' and 'they' ‑>>
Zij- click to hear 2 can also be used as a prefix, meaning 'side-'
(de) zijingang click to hear 2 side entrance ‑>>
opzij! click to hear 2 3 "to the side! Get out of the way!"
But in compound nouns, 'bij' click to hear 2 as a prefix meaning 'side' is more common: 'secondary,' not the main, dominant or most interesting part, 'annex,' 'sub-'
(het) bijgerecht click to hear 2 3 'side dish' ‑>>
Een dubbeltje op z'n kant click to hear 2 [A dime on its edge] - the outcome is or was very uncertain

overal click to hear 2
everywhere ‑>>
ergens click to hear 2
somewhere ‑>>
nergens click to hear 2
nowhere ‑>>

Waar je ook kijkt - overal water click to hear Wherever you look - water everywhere Ik heb ergens gelezen dat ... click to hear 2 (3) I read somewhere that ... Ik kan 't nergens vinden click to hear 2 [I can find it nowhere] - I can't find it anywhere

ondersteboven click to hear 2 [downside-up] upside down
op de kop click to hear 2 [on the head] - upside-down
op z'n kop click to hear 2 3 on its head, upside-down
achterstevoren click to hear 2 backward
binnenstebuiten click to hear 2 inside-out
achterom click to hear 2 around the back, through the back door
andersom click to hear the other way 'round
verkeerdom click to hear the wrong way 'round
omgekeerd click to hear 'turned around,' upside-down
tegenovergesteld click to hear (tegenovergestelde click to hear 2) opposite
(het) tegenovergestelde click to hear 2 (the) opposite ‑>>
de omgekeerde wereld click to hear 2 3 the world turned upside-down

(de) Richting click to hear 2 - Direction

(de) richting click to hear 2 direction
(de) bestemming click to hear 2 destination
See also: Travel

[a road sign pointing to Amsterdam]
naar click to hear to ‑>>
uit click to hear from ‑>>
naar Amsterdam click to hear to Amsterdam
uit Amsterdam click to hear from Amsterdam
[(de)] weg click to hear way, road // away ‑>>
weg uit click to hear 2 out of, away from
terug click to hear back (returning) ‑>>
Waar ga je heen? click to hear 2 3 Where are you going? - more 'heen'
We gingen naar huis click to hear 2 We went home ‑>>
Ik ga naar Parijs click to hear 2 I'm going to Paris
Ik kom uit Amerika click to hear I'm from the US
Ik kom uit Engeland click to hear I'm from England
Hij gaat naar Rotterdam click to hear 2 He's going to Rotterdam
Ik wil weg uit Amsterdam click to hear 2 3 4 [I want to get out of A.] - I want to leave Amsterdam
Ik ga weg uit Nederland click to hear 2 3 I'm leaving Holland (and not coming back)
Place Names in Holland and Belgium   Dutch Names of Foreign Lands and Places
de weg terug click to hear 2 3 the way back

[to the house, into the house, away from the house]

[into the room, through the door, out of the room]

[through the house]
door click to hear through ‑>>
door het huis click to hear through the house
naar click to hear to ‑>>
naar ... toe click to hear to, towards ‑>>
van click to hear from, away from ‑>>
van ... weg click to hear away from
in click to hear in, into ‑>>
binnen click to hear inside ‑>>
naar binnen click to hear into ‑>>
buiten click to hear outside ‑>>
naar buiten click to hear out ‑>>

naar het huis click to hear to the house
naar het huis toe click to hear towards the house
van het huis click to hear from the house
van het huis weg click to hear away from the house
van me af click to hear 2 3 away from me
naar me toe click to hear 2 3 towards me
het huis in click to hear into the house
het huis binnen click to hear into the house
het huis uit click to hear out of the house
ze liep naar het huis toe click to hear she walked towards the house
hij ging het huis in click to hear he went into the house
hij ging het huis binnen click to hear he went inside the house
hij liep het huis uit click to hear he walked out of the house
Hij liep uit de vergadering click to hear He walked out of the meeting
(de) deur click to hear 2 door
(de) kamer click to hear room ('chamber')
door de deur click to hear through the door
de kamer in click to hear into the room
in de kamer click to hear in the room
de kamer uit click to hear out of the room

[stairs, an elevator, floors]
boven click to hear upstairs, above ‑>>
naar boven click to hear up ‑>>
omhoog click to hear up ‑>>
beneden click to hear downstairs ('beneath') ‑>>
naar beneden click to hear down
omlaag click to hear down ‑>>
(de) trap click to hear stairs
(de) lift click to hear elevator

links click to hear left ‑>>
rechts click to hear right ‑>>
(de) linkerkant click to hear 2 left (hand) side
(de) rechterkant click to hear 2 right (hand) side
linksaf click to hear 2 3 to the left, left turn
rechtsaf click to hear 2 to the right, right turn
[left hand]
(de) linkerhand click to hear 2
[right hand]
(de) rechterhand click to hear 2
In compound words, links click to hear 'left' and rechts click to hear 'right' usually become linker- click to hear 2 3 and rechter- click to hear
Ik schopte gisteren op het voetbalveld de bal met m'n linkervoet tegen de paal. click to hear Yesterday on the soccer field I kicked the ball against the goal post with my left foot.

[arrows pointing left, straight, right and back]
links click to hear left
rechts click to hear right
rechtdoor click to hear straight
terug click to hear back

vooruit click to hear forward
achteruit click to hear backward
[arrows along a road pointing forward and back]

verkeer van rechts heeft vaak voorrang click to hear 2 3 traffic from the right often has the right of way
neem de tweede weg rechts click to hear take the 2nd road to the right
neem de tweede weg links en dan de derde weg rechts click to hear take the 2nd road to the left
and then the 3rd to the left
ga bij 't kruispunt rechts click to hear take a right at the intersection
sla linksaf op 't kruispunt click to hear 2 turn left on the intersection
aan het eind van de straat gaan we rechtsaf click to hear At the end of the street we'll go right
Kijk vooruit, niet achteruit click to hear Look forward, not backward ‑>>
Hij reed achteruit de garage in click to hear 2 He drove into the garage backwards
(de) vooruitgang click to hear 'progress'
See also: 'Left' and 'Right' in Politics

[windvane]
(de) windwijzer click to hear 2
[windvane]
(de) windwijzer click to hear 2
[compass - North etc.]
(het) kompas click to hear 2

(de) windrichting click to hear 2 3 4 [wind direction] - 'point of the compass'
De windstreken click to hear 2 'the points of the compass'

het noorden click to hear 2 the North
noord click to hear north, nothern
noordelijk click to hear 2 north, northerly
het oosten click to hear 2 the East
oost click to hear east, eastern
oostelijk click to hear 2 3 east, easterly
het zuiden click to hear 2 the South
zuid click to hear south, southern
zuidelijk click to hear south, southern, southerly
het westen click to hear 2 3 the West
west click to hear west, western
westelijk click to hear 2 west, western, westerly

ten noorden van click to hear 2 to the North of
in 't westen click to hear 2 in the West
buiten westen click to hear ['out in the West'] - unconscious. Stoett says the expression is from the old days before clocks and sextants, Dutch sailors who lost sight of the coast in the East
Oost west, thuis best click to hear [East, West, at home is best] Home sweet home
'om de Noord' click to hear 2 3 'around the North' - the search for a Northern route from Europe to Asia, the 'Northeast-' and 'Northwest Passage'
met de Noorderzon vertrokken click to hear 2 [Departed at the North Sun hour] - 'Secretly disappeared at midnight' (leaving unfinished business and/or debts behind)

de Noordpool click to hear 2 The North Pole
De Poolster click to hear 2 The North Star, Pole Star
de Noordzee click to hear 2 The North Sea
de Noordoostpolder click to hear 2 The North-East Polder ‑>>
Noord-Amerika click to hear North America
Noord Holland click to hear 2 'North Holland' (a province ‑>>)
Noord-Brabant click to hear 2 North Brabant (a province)
't Noorderlicht click to hear 2 the Northern Lights
de Oostzee click to hear 2 [The East Sea] The Baltic Sea
Oostenrijk click to hear Austria
Oostelijk Flevoland click to hear 2 Eastern Flevoland (a polder) ‑>>
Oostvaardersplassen click to hear 2 3 (a lakes area) *
Het Midden-Oosten click to hear the Middle East
't Verre Oosten click to hear 2 The Far East
(de) Verenigde Oostindische
Compagnie click to hear 2
United East India Company
(de) VOC click to hear United East India Company
de Zuidpool click to hear The South Pole
Zuid-Afrika click to hear South Africa
Zuid-Amerika click to hear South America
Zuid Holland click to hear 2 'South Holland' (a province ‑>>
Zuid-Limburg click to hear South Limburg (an area)
Zuidelijk Flevoland click to hear Southern Flevoland (a polder)
(de) Zuiderzee click to hear 2 3 Zuyder Zee * ‑>>
(de) zuidwester click to hear sou'wester (raingear)
't Westland click to hear a glasshouses area South of The Hague
West-Friesland click to hear 2 the North of the province of Noord-Holland
(de) West-Indische
Compagnie click to hear
West India Company
(de) WIC click to hear West India Company
(de) westerling click to hear 2 3 westerner

Maps:

[map of the Netherlands]
Nederland click to hear 2 3 ‑>>
Place Names

[a map showing Holland in Europe]
Europa click to hear ‑>>
[Holland in the world map]
De Wereld click to hear ‑>>
Dutch Names of Foreign Lands and Places
(de) afstand click to hear distance dichtbij click to
    hear close by ver click to hear 2 3 far / ver weg click to hear 2 3 far away ‑>>

Waar ben je? click to hear 2 Where are you?
Waar was je? click to hear 2 Where were you?
Waar ben je geweest? click to hear 2 3 Where have you been? ‑>>
Ik ben in Schiedam click to hear 2 3 I'm in Schiedam
Ik zit in de trein click to hear 2 3 4 I'm on a train - more Dutch 'in'
Ik was in Oosterbeek click to hear 2 I was in Oosterbeek
Hij is naar Parijs geweest click to hear 2 3 He's been to Paris - more travel
Waar kom je vandaan? click to hear 2 3 Where are you (coming) from? (either country of origin or recent travel)
Ze komt uit Engeland click to hear 2 She's from England
Waar is het station? click to hear 2 Where is the station?
Waar is de sleutel? click to hear 2 3 Where is the key?
Weet je waar de sleutel is? click to hear Do you know where the key is? - Do you happen to know?
Weet jij waar de sleutel is? click to hear 2 Do you know where the key is? - Are you the one who knows? ‑>>
De sleutel is terecht click to hear The key (that was missing) has been found

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Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2