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Dutch Conversations: Travel

The Most Basic Dutch Phrases - Conversations Template - Talking about the Weather - Eating and Drinking - Sleep - Sayings and Expressions

The Conversations and Phrases pages are of course only a template, suggestions and model sentences. You may have other preferences and priorities than I. I'm not a great traveler. Substitute other words to create your own narrative. Find more words on the pages linked to below or use the 'search' function (top left on most pages.)
Many people in Holland speak English reasonably well. There's no need to speak Dutch to staff in hotels, restaurants, café's, museums or to transportation personnel. This page is just meant to help you with casual conversations.

'Basic' Travel Words
Additional Words and Verbs
Links to My Other Pages with Travel Phrases and Vocabulary
On the Road, Useful Phrases
Narrative, Conversations

Words from the 'Basic Dutch' Pages

(de) fiets click to hear bicycle >>
(de) trein click to hear train >>
(de) bus click to hear bus
(de) tram (E) click to hear tram, streetcar
(de) auto (F) click to hear car
(het) vliegtuig click to hear airplane
(de) boot click to hear boat
(het) schip click to hear ship
(het) hotel click to hear hotel
(het) restaurant click to hear restaurant >>
(de) weg click to hear way, road >>
(de) spoorweg click to hear railroad
(het) kaartje click to hear ticket
(de) kaart click to hear map
(de) reis click to hear journey, trip
(de) haven click to hear harbor
(het) station click to hear station
(het) vliegveld click to hear airport
(de) brug click to hear bridge
naar click to hear to ‑>>
in click to hear 2 in ‑>>
lopen click to hear to walk >>
rijden click to hear to drive; to ride >>
vliegen click to hear to fly >>
varen click to hear 'to sail' >>
(het) noorden click to hear North
(het) oosten click to hear East
(het) zuiden click to hear South
(het) westen click to hear West
(het) volk click to hear nation, people
(de) taal click to hear language
(de) vlag click to hear flag
(het) land click to hear country; land
(de) berg click to hear mountain
(het) eiland click to hear island
(de) zee click to hear sea
(de) golf click to hear wave
(de) rivier click to hear river
As the list above states, 'de weg' is 'the road' - but as an adverb, weg click to hear can mean 'away, gone' and 'lost'
De pont is al weg. click to hear 'The ferry has already [gone] left.'
De sleutel is weg. click to hear 2 'The key is gone, lost'

Additional Words and Verbs

reizen click to hear 2 3 'to travel'
(de) reis click to hear 'journey, trip'
(reis/reizen click to hear 'trip/trips')
(de) reiziger click to hear 2 3 'traveler'
(de) reistijd click to hear 'travel time, duration'
gaan click to hear 'to go' ->>
rijden click to hear 2 'to drive' and 'to ride'
vliegen click to hear 'to fly' (usually in an airplane)
vertrekken click to hear 'to depart, to leave'
(het) vertrek click to hear 2 1.'departure' / 2. 'a room' (old-fashioned)
komen click to hear 'to come' ->>
aankomen click to hear 2 'to arrive'
(de) aankomst click to hear 2 'arrival'
(de) vertraging click to hear 2 'delay'
(de) bestemming click to hear 2 'destination'
(de) douane click to hear 2 3 'customs'
(de) bagage (Fr.) click to hear 2 'luggage'
(de) koffer click to hear 2 'suitcase'
koffers click to hear 'suitcases'
(de) tas click to hear 'bag'
(de) rugzak click to hear 2 'backpack'
(de) plunjezak click to hear 2 'duffel bag'
(de) chauffeur click to hear 'chauffeur, car driver
(de) buschauffeur click to hear 'bus driver' >>
(de) machinist click to hear 2 'engineer, train driver'
(de) conducteur click to hear 'conductor'
(de) gids click to hear guide
(de) passagier click to hear 'passenger'

op weg naar click to hear 2 3 'on the way to' - onderweg naar click to hear 2 3
onderweg click to hear 2 'on the [way] road' - while traveling

The translation into English of the verbs below would sometimes have been better in the continuous ('I am driving,' 'I was flying')

reizen to travel
ik reis I travel
wij reizen we travel
ik reisde I traveled
wij reisden we traveled
ik heb gereisd
ik ben gereisd
I have traveled
click to hear 2 >>
rijden to drive / to ride
ik rijd I drive/ride
wij rijden we drive/ride
ik reed I drove/rode
wij reden we drove/rode
ik heb gereden
ik ben gereden
I have driven/ridden
click to hear 2 >>
vliegen to fly
ik vlieg I fly
wij vliegen we fly
ik vloog I flew
wij vlogen we flew
ik heb gevlogen
ik ben gevlogen
I have flown
click to hear 2
gaan to go
ik ga I go
wij gaan we go
ik ging I went
wij gingen we went
ik ben gegaan I have gone
click to hear >>
komen to come
ik kom I come
wij komen we come
ik kwam I came
wij kwamen we came
ik ben gekomen I have come
click to hear >>
aankomen to arrive
ik kom aan I arrive
wij komen aan we arrive
ik kwam aan I arrived
wij kwamen aan we arrived
ik ben aangekomen I have arrived
click to hear
vertrekken to depart
ik vertrek I depart
wij vertrekken we depart
ik vertrok I departed
wij vertrokken we departed
ik ben vertrokken I have departed
click to hear 2 ‑>>

Aankomen click to hear 2 can also mean 'to gain weight.'
Ik ben met de Kerst vijf pond aangekomen click to hear 2 ('I gained 5 pounds over the Christmas holiday')

When speaking Dutch, call the country 'Nederland' click to hear - NOT: 'Holland' ->> - 'Belgium' is België click to hear 2
het buitenland click to hear 2 ('abroad,' 'foreign lands' - the world outside Holland and Belgium) ->>
(de) buitenlander click to hear 2 3 ('foreigner') - plural: buitenlanders click to hear
The bureaucrat's word for 'foreigner' is (de) vreemdeling click to hear - plural: vreemdelingen click to hear 2 but colloquially that word means 'stranger'
de wereld click to hear ('the world') - wereld click to hear 2 ('world')
geld wisselen click to hear (to 'change' money)
hemelsbreed click to hear 2 (['sky-wide'] - 'as the bird flies' - the straight distance between two points on a map)
afstand click to hear ('distance') - op loopafstand click to hear ('within walking distance') - via click to hear - via, by way of
overstappen click to hear 2 ('to change trains' - or buses or planes)
(de) ontdekking click to hear ('discovery') - ontdekkingsreizen click to hear 2 ['voyages of discovery'] ('explorations') - (de) ontdekkingsreiziger click to hear 2 ['voyager of discovery'] ('explorer')

[traffic (cars)] [streetcar]
traffic and transportation
- 2 - traffic and driving lines
[bicycle]
bicycling
[formalized map of the present-day Netherlands]
Basic Phrases - Maps - Dutch Place Names - Names of Foreign Places
miles
to
kilometers (km)
[a bar chart comparing miles and kilometers]
1 mile = 1.60934 kilometer 1 mile = 5280 feet = 1760 yards
1 kilometer = 0.62137 miles
1 kilometer = 1000 meters
[a bar chart comparing miles and kilometers]
Please drive safely

More Metric and Imperial Dimensions Compared

Fahrenheit
to
Celsius
[a bar chart comparing Fahrenheit and Celsius]
See also: medical

On the Road, Useful Phrases

Goede reis! click to hear 'Have a safe journey and a nice trip'
(Goeie reis! click to hear 2) 'Have a safe journey and a nice trip'
Veel plezier! click to hear 'Enjoy yourself! Have fun!'
Tot ziens! click to hear 2 See you!
Tot gauw! click to hear See you soon!
We waren net op tijd. click to hear 2 3 'We were just in time.'
We waren net op tijd voor de pont. click to hear 'We were just in time for the ferry'
We hebben de bus net gemist. click to hear 2 3 fast 'We just missed the bus.'
We staan te wachten op een taxi. click to hear 2 3 'We're waiting for a taxi.'
De pont is al weg. click to hear 'The ferry has already [gone] left.'
De trein is meestal op tijd. click to hear 2 'The train is usually on time'
Zorg dat je op tijd bent. click to hear 2 3 'Take care, make sure to be in time'
Heb je al kaartjes? click to hear 2 3 Do you already have the tickets?
(het) kaartje click to hear 2 'ticket' - also for concerts or movies (trains no longer have paper tickets)
Wanneer gaat de volgende trein? click to hear 2 3 'When [goes] is the next train?'
Hoe laat gaat de volgende trein? click to hear 2 'What time is the next train?'
De volgende trein gaat om half twaalf click to hear 2 'The next train is at 11:30' - telling time
De volgende bus gaat over een halfuur click to hear 2 3
'The next bus is in half an hour'
de laatste trein click to hear 2 'the last train' (of the day)
de eerste bus click to hear 2 'the first bus' (of the day)
Kunt U mij zeggen wanneer de laatste trein gaat? click to hear 2 3 4 'Could you please tell me what time the last train [goes] leaves?
De laatste trein gaat om tien over twaalf click to hear 2 3 The last train leaves at 10 past 12
ver click to hear far
ver weg click to hear 2 3 far away
Hoe ver is het? click to hear 'How far is it?'
Is het ver? click to hear 2 'Is it far?'
Het is niet ver click to hear 2 'It's not far'
Het is nogal ver click to hear 'It is quite (rather?) far'
Hij is ver weg click to hear 2 'He is far away' - more 'ver'
Zijn we d'r nog niet? click to hear 2 3 'Are we not "there" yet?' (at our destination)
We zijn er bijna ... click to hear 2 'We're almost there ...'
... maar nog niet helemaal click to hear 2 ['... but not quite'] - still a little way to go
We zijn dicht bij de grens click to hear 'We're close to the border'
Waar is 't? click to hear 2 'Where is it?'
Waar is het station? click to hear 2 'Where is the station?'
Ik ben verdwaald click to hear 2 3 4 I'm lost, I lost my way, I don't know where I am and how to get where I want to go'
Ik ben de weg kwijt click to hear 2 'I'm lost, I lost my way, I don't know where I am and how to get where I want to go'
Ze vroegen naar de weg click to hear 2 3 They asked for [the way] directions
Ik moet naar ... click to hear 2 3 'I [have to] want to go to ...'
Waarheen? click to hear 2 Where to?
Hierheen! click to hear 2 3 This way!
Welke kant op? click to hear 2 3 'Which way?' (which direction?) >>
Wie weet de weg? click to hear 'Who knows the way?'
Ik ben er niet bekend click to hear 2 3 'I'm not familiar with that place, I don't know my way around there'
Waar is de ... click to hear 2 'Where is the ...'
Waar is ... click to hear 2 'Where is ...'
Waar zijn de ... click to hear 2 'Where are the ...'
Waar zijn ... click to hear 'Where are ...'
We gaan weg click to hear ['we're going away'] - 'we're leaving'
Ik ben op weg naar Assen. click to hear 2 'I'm on my way to Assen.'
Ik ben onderweg naar Ede. click to hear 2 'I'm on my way to Ede.'
Onderweg drinken we een kopje koffie. click to hear 2 'We'll have a cup of coffee on the road.'
We zijn van plan ... click to hear ['We are planning ...'] The plan is ...
We zijn van plan om morgen weg te gaan. click to hear The plan is to leave tomorrow.
Ik ga om acht uur weg. click to hear 2 3 I'm leaving at 8.
You can also say: Ik ga weg om acht uur. click to hear I'm leaving at 8.
Ik moet om acht uur weg. click to hear 2 I have to leave at 8.
Moeten we al zo gauw weg? click to hear 2 3 Do we have to leave that [quickly] soon?
We komen om vier uur aan. click to hear 2 3 We'll arrive at 4.

See also: traffic and driving lines

Narrative, Conversations

Ik was op reis. click to hear 2 3 'I was traveling, I was on a trip.'
Toen was ik op reis. click to hear 2 3 'I was traveling at the time.
Dan ben ik op reis click to hear 2 3 'Then I will be traveling.'
Waar ben je geweest? click to hear 2 3 'Where have you been, where did you go?' - a travel question
Waar ben je? click to hear 2 'Where are you?'
Waar was je? click to hear 2 'Where were you, where have you been?' - an everyday question
Ik ben in Schiedam. click to hear 2 3 'I'm in Schiedam.'
Ik was in Friesland. click to hear 2 3 'I was in Friesland (Frisia?)'
Hij is in België click to hear 2 'He's in Belgium.'
Waar ga je heen? click to hear 2 3 'Where are you going?' (Asking about a destination,
Waar ga je naar toe? click to hear 2 3 'Where are you going?' (Asking about a destination, 'heen' click to hear or 'naar toe' click to hear 2 are added to 'waar' click to hear when it's a destination. 'Waar ga je?' is not good Dutch
Ik ga naar Parijs click to hear 2 I'm going to Paris
Hij is naar Parijs geweest click to hear 2 3 He's been to Paris
Hij gaat naar Rotterdam click to hear 2 He's going to Rotterdam.
Morgen gaat hij naar Den Haag click to hear 2 Tomorrow he's going to The Hague
Hij gaat morgen naar Afrika click to hear He's going to Africa tomorrow
Hij vertrekt morgen naar Afrika click to
  hear He's leaving for Africa tomorrow
Ik vertrek om negen uur van Schiphol click to hear 2 3 I'm leaving from Schiphol at 9
We gaan overmorgen op reis click to hear We'll be traveling the day after tomorrow
We gaan donderdag op vakantie click to hear 2 3 We'll go on vacation on Thursday
Donderdag gaan we op vakantie click to hear Thursday we'll go on vacation word order
Wanneer kom je terug? click to hear 'When will you be back?'
terug van weggeweest click to hear 2 3 4 'back!' [from having been away]
Op de heenweg click to hear 2 'On the way "there," on the way to our destination'
Op de terugweg click to hear 2 3 'On the way back (home)'
Ik zit in de trein click to hear 2 3 4 I'm on a train
Waar gaan jullie heen op vakantie? click to hear Where are you going on vacation? ('jullie' is the plural 'you')
Vorig jaar zijn we in Duitsland op vakantie geweest. click to hear Last year we were on vacation in Germany.
Volgend jaar gaan we naar Engeland. click to hear Next year we'll go to England.
Dit jaar gaan we naar Frankrijk. click to hear This year we'll go to France.
Ben je wel eens in Denemarken geweest? click to hear Have you ever been to Denmark?
Ben je ooit in Memphis geweest? click to hear Have you ever been to Memphis?
Ik wil ook nog een keer naar Amerika. click to hear I would also like to visit the US sometime. ('America')
Ik wil nòg een keer naar Jeruzalem click to hear 2 3 I would like to visit Jerusalem again. (stressing 'nog' changes the meaning from 'sometime' to 'again')
nòg een keer click to hear one more time, again
Heb je 't leuk gehad in Brussel? click to hear Did you enjoy yourself in Brussels?
Ik heb nog een koffer in Berlijn (staan) click to hear 2 3 'I still have a suitcase in Berlin,' 'there's still a suitcase of mine in Berlin.' - after a German song by Hildegard Knef
Ik ben nog nooit in Rome geweest. click to hear I've never been to Rome.
Het is vaak bewolkt in Nederland. click to hear It's often [cloudy] overcast in Holland. weather talk
In Nederland is het vaak bewolkt. click to hear It's often [cloudy] overcast in Holland.
Als je ooit deze kant op komt ... click to hear 'If you ever come this [side] way ...'
Heb je een goede reis gehad? click to hear 2 'Did you have a good trip, was the traveling pleasant?'
Was 't vliegtuig vol? click to hear 2 'Was the plane full?'
Was 't druk? click to hear 2 3 'Was it crowded?'
Ik had vertraging click to hear 2 3 'I was late' (there was a delay)
't Leidde tot veel vertraging click to hear 2 3 It led to much delay, it caused much delay
Moet je overstappen? click to hear Do you have to change trains? (or buses or planes)
Ik moet in Zwolle overstappen click to hear 2 I have to change trains in Zwolle
Moest je overstappen? click to hear 2 3 Did you have to change trains? (or buses or planes)
Waar kom je vandaan? click to hear 2 3 Where are you from? - either origin or recent point of departure
Ik kom uit ... click to hear I'm from ... >>
Ik was in Oosterbeek click to hear 2 I was in Oosterbeek
Ik ben een Amerikaan. click to hear I'm (an) American.
Ik kom uit Amerika. click to hear I'm from the US.
Ik ben een Engelsman. click to hear I'm an Englishman.
Ik kom uit Engeland. click to hear I'm from England. >>
Ik woon in Amerika. click to
  hear I live in the US.
Hij woont in Engeland. click to hear He lives in England.
Ik ben in Nederland geboren. click to hear 'I was born in Holland.'
Ik ben in Nederland geboren en opgegroeid. click to hear 'I was born and ('bred') grew up in Holland.'
Ik heb tot m'n 37ste in Nederland gewoond. click to hear 2
(zevenendertigste)
'I have lived in Holland till age 37.'
En toen ben ik naar Amerika gegaan. click to hear 'Then I [went] moved to the US.' ('Amerika' is of course the whole New World, but it often means just 'the US.')
Dit zijn de ruimtereizen ... click to hear 2 3 These are the voyages ...
van Den Haag naar Rotterdam click to hear 2 from The Hague to Rotterdam (the journey)
van Gouda tot Schoonhoven click to hear 2 from Gouda to Schoonhoven (the area, or the distance)
China is een groot land - het grote land click to hear 2 China is a large country - the large country
Brazilië is een groot land - het grote land click to hear 2 Brazil is a large country - the large country
Nederland is een klein land - het kleine land click to
 hear Holland is a small country - the small country
Waarin een klein land groot kan zijn click to hear "A small country can be big in some things"
Ik ga naar huis click to hear I'm going home
Ik wil naar huis click to hear 2 I want to go home
Ik blijf thuis click to hear 2 3 I'm staying home
Ik ga nooit meer terug click to hear 2 3 I'll never go back (again)
Ik kom nooit meer terug click to hear 2 I'm never coming back, I'll never return
Ik ga nooit meer weg click to hear 2 I'm never going to leave again, I'll never leave (again)
Ik heb de reis moeten afzeggen click to hear 2 3 I've had to cancel te trip
Oost west, thuis best click to hear 2 ['East, West - home is best'] 'Home sweet home, there is no place like home'
Zoals 't klokje thuis tikt, tikt het nergens click to hear 2 3 4 5 ['There is no place where the clock ticks like at home'] 'Home sweet home'

More Phrases: The Most Basic Phrases - Weather - Food and Drink - Sleep - Various - Fun Things to Say
- Speaking Dutch, Speaking about Dutch - Jobs and Work - The Senses - Sayings and Idiom
- Time - Life - Change
Further Study: Basic Dutch Words - Pictures Dictionary - Easy Dutch - Lessons - Pronunciation - Listening - Reading - Grammar
Other Pages You Might Like: Mail - Shopping - Medieval - Fairy Tales

[Dutch flag]
colors
[rose]
flowers
- 2
[tree]
trees
[a path]
the outdoors
[cows]
animals
- 2
[a house]
the house
- 2 3

email - Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2013. 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