Lesson 2 of 50 · A0 to A1 · Free
Goodbyes, courtesy and simple choices
The fastest way to sound rude in Dutch is not knowing how to leave.
A café goodbye becomes a ten-word courtesy speedrun. And the same please changes with the relationship.
13 minutes. No account needed for lesson 1. No rush.
02Today you will
- 1Leave a conversation in four different ways
- 2Say thank you, yes, no and maybe
- 3Choose the right please for the person in front of you
- 4Point someone left or right without hesitating
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.
dag
dakh
dag
day, and a quick hello or goodbye
Dag Els, tot ziens! Bye Els, see you!
goedendag
khoo-duh-DAKH
goedendag
good day
Goedendag, ik heet Noor. Good day, my name is Noor.
tot ziens
tot ZEENS
tot ziens
see you
Tot ziens! Tot morgen. See you! Until tomorrow.
trap word
doei
DOO-ee
doei
bye
Doei Sam, tot morgen! Bye Sam, see you tomorrow!
dank je wel
DANK yuh vel
dank je wel
thank you
Koffie? Ja, dank je wel. Coffee? Yes, thank you.
alsjeblieft
ahl-shuh-BLEEFT
alsjeblieft
please, or here you are (friendly)
Hier, alsjeblieft. Here you are.
trap word
alstublieft
ahl-stu-BLEEFT
alstublieft
please, or here you are (formal)
De koffie, alstublieft. The coffee, please.
ja
yah
ja
yes
Ja, ik ben nieuw hier. Yes, I am new here.
nee
nay
nee
no
Nee, het is niet goed. No, it is not good.
misschien
mi-SKHEEN
misschien
maybe
Misschien morgen. Maybe tomorrow.
links
links
links
left
Links of rechts? Left or right?
rechts
rekhts
rechts
right
Het huis is rechts. The house is on the right.
Leaving, from warm to formal
Dutch has a ladder of goodbyes. Pick by how well you know the person and how final the goodbye is. Nobody will mind if you stay one step too polite.
- casual
- doei · dag
- polite
- tot ziens · goedendag
Two pleases, one word
alsjeblieft and alstublieft are the same word wearing different clothes. The je version is for friends, family and anyone your own age. The u version is for strangers, staff, older people and anyone you want to treat with distance. Dutch people rarely correct you, but they do notice.
A café goodbye, done properly
Noor is leaving a café with a friend. 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
- voor for
- de koffie the coffee
- denk ik I think
- tegen to, towards
- een vriend a friend
- zeg je you say
- formeler more formally
- gewoon simply, just
Thirty seconds. Prove it.
Three words from this lesson. Answer before you doubt yourself.
Prove it · 1 of 3
doei
All 20 words in this lesson
dag
day
goedendag
good day
tot ziens
see you
tot
until
doei
bye
alsjeblieft
here you are
alstublieft
here you are (formal)
alsjeblieft
please
dank je wel
thank you
ja
yes
nee
no
niet
not
roken
to smoke
wel
does, is (confirming)
misschien
maybe
links
left
rechts
right
of
or
en
and
jij
you
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 end a conversation in four ways
- I can say thank you and mean it
- I can answer yes, no or maybe
- I can pick the right please for the person
- I can send someone left or right
Fifty fifty. We build it. You show up.
