Dutch FluencyLesson 17 of 50 · A0 to A1 · Free
Birthdays, Amsterdam and city culture
One birthday can take you through all of Amsterdam.
A birthday chase moves from canal to museum to concert. A city becomes memorable when it carries a story.
12 minutes. No account needed for lesson 1. No rush.
17Today you will
- 1Learn the birthday verbs: zingen, dansen, winkelen
- 2Map Amsterdam: gracht, brug, plein, pont
- 3Survive saying gracht, twice in one breath
- 4Plan a whole birthday in the city
The 12 words you actually use
Dutch first, said out loud. Say each word before you flip the card, then check yourself. Every card speaks.
de verjaardag
duh vur-YAHR-dakh
de verjaardag
the birthday
Het is mijn verjaardag! It is my birthday!
zingen
ZING-un
zingen
to sing
We zingen voor Sam. We sing for Sam.
dansen
DAHN-sun
dansen
to dance
We dansen op het plein. We dance on the square.
winkelen
VING-kuh-lun
winkelen
to go shopping
Winkelen in de stad. Shopping in the city.
trap word
de gracht
duh KHRAKHT
de gracht
the canal
De gracht is mooi 's avonds. The canal is beautiful in the evening.
de woonboot
duh VOHN-boht
de woonboot
the house boat
De woonboot ligt in de gracht. The house boat lies in the canal.
de pont
duh PONT
de pont
the ferry
De pont is gratis. The ferry is free.
de rondvaart
duh RONT-vahrt
de rondvaart
the canal cruise
De rondvaart duurt een uur. The canal cruise takes an hour.
het museum
ut mew-ZAY-um
het museum
the museum
Het museum is open op zondag. The museum is open on Sunday.
het concert
ut kon-SERT
het concert
the concert
Het concert is om acht uur. The concert is at eight.
het plein
ut PLAYN
het plein
the square
Het plein is vol. The square is full.
de brug
duh BRUKH
de brug
the bridge
De brug is open. The bridge is open.
de water, het culture
Everything ON the water here takes de. The culture stops take het. Read each column out loud; the split is almost too neat.
- de (water)
- de gracht · de brug · de pont · de rondvaart · de woonboot
- het (culture)
- het museum · het concert · het plein · het paleis
gracht: two throat sounds, one word
g at the front, cht at the back, and one r rolling in between: khr-a-kht. It is the hardest word in this lesson and the most Amsterdam one. Say it slowly three times, then fast once. Bonus culture: Dutch bridges open for boats, so de brug is open means you wait.
A birthday through Amsterdam
One birthday, one city, no wasted hours. Read it once for the shape. Read it again out loud.
- 01
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 02
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 03
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 04
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 05
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 06
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 07
tap the Dutch to check yourself
- 08
tap the Dutch to check yourself
Helper words in this story
- vandaag today
- stil quiet
- gratis free (no cost)
- Noord North (Amsterdam-Noord)
- ligt lies
- vol full
- tot laat until late
- het beste the best
- het cadeau the present
- open open
Thirty seconds. Prove it.
Three words from this lesson. Answer before you doubt yourself.
Prove it · 1 of 3
de gracht
All 20 words in this lesson
de kunst
art
de verjaardag
the birthday
zingen
to sing
dansen
to dance
winkelen
to go shopping
Amsterdam
Amsterdam
de gracht
the canal
het grachtenpand
the canal house
de woonboot
the house boat
wonen
to live
het paleis
the palace
de pont
the ferry
de rondvaart
the canal cruise
het museum
the museum
het concert
the concert
het gebouw
the building
het concertgebouw
the Concertgebouw
het plein
the square
het fietspad
the bicycle track
de brug
the bridge
Hear all 20, then say them back
The interactive lesson plays every word, walks the story line by line, records your voice next to a native one, and remembers the ones you find hard. Lesson 1 needs no account.
- I can sing and dance my way through a Dutch birthday
- I can name the canal world: gracht, brug, woonboot, pont
- I can say gracht with both throat sounds
- I can plan a day of Amsterdam culture
- I can say where the concert and the museum are
Fifty fifty. We build it. You show up.
