Dutch phrases – Here you will find the most common phrases in Dutch with translation. | Free & useful
Dutch phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, express gratitude, greet or say goodbye or simply to have a pleasant conversation.
They are an important part of Dutch culture and can be useful in different situations, both in private and business life.
Dutch phrases you should know
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Greet someone in Dutch
If you want to greet someone in Dutch, it’s actually quite easy:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome! in Dutch | Welkom! | [ˈʋɛl.kɔm] |
| Good day to you! in Dutch | Goedendag! | [ˌɣu.də(n)ˈdɑx] |
| Good morning to you! in Dutch | Goedemorgen! | [ˌɣu.dəˈmɔr.ɣə(n)] |
| Good evening! in Dutch | Goedenavond! | [ˌɣu.dəˈnaː.vɔnt] |
| Good to see you. in Dutch | Goed je te zien. | [ɣut jə tə ˈzin] |
| I’m glad to see you. in Dutch | Ik ben blij je te zien. | [ɪk bɛn blɛi jə tə ˈzin] |
If you are greeted in Dutch, the best way to respond is as follows:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Have a nice day too! in Dutch | Jij ook een fijne dag! | [jɛi oːk ən ˈfɛi.nə dɑx] |
| Thanks, it’s nice to see you too. in Dutch | Dank je, fijn om jou ook te zien. | [dɑŋk jə | fɛin ɔm jʌu oːk tə ˈzin] |
How is my dialogue partner?
As in any other country, it is polite to start by asking where the person you are talking to is located. Here’s how you do it:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| How are you doing? in Dutch | Hoe gaat het met je? | [ɦu ɣaːt ɦət mɛt jə] |
| Are you doing well? in Dutch | Gaat het goed met je? | [ɣaːt ɦət ɣut mɛt jə] |
If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with the following phrases:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Thank you for asking, I am fine. | Dank je dat je het vraagt, het gaat goed met mij. | [dɑŋk jə dɑt jə ɦət fraːxt | ɦət ɣaːt ɣut mɛt mɛi] |
| Thank you, I am fine. | Dank je, het gaat goed met mij. | [dɑŋk jə | ɦət ɣaːt ɣut mɛt mɛi] |
| Thank you, I am not doing so well. | Dank je, het gaat niet zo goed met mij. | [dɑŋk jə | ɦət ɣaːt nit zoː ɣut mɛt mɛi] |
| Thanks, I’m fine. How are you doing? | Dank je, met mij gaat het goed. Hoe gaat het met jou? | [dɑŋk jə | mɛt mɛi ɣaːt ɦət ɣut | ɦu ɣaːt ɦət mɛt jʌu] |
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How do I say goodbye to someone in Dutch?
Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Dutch is not that difficult. Just use the following phrases:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Goodbye! in Dutch | Dag! | [dɑx] |
| Take care of yourself! in Dutch | Zorg goed voor jezelf! | [zɔrx ɣut voːr jəˈzɛlf] |
| Goodbye in Dutch | Tot ziens | [tɔt ˈzins] |
| See you tomorrow in Dutch | Tot morgen | [tɔt ˈmɔr.ɣə(n)] |
| See you soon in Dutch | Tot snel | [tɔt ˈsnɛl] |
| See you later in Dutch | Tot later | [tɔt ˈlaː.təɾ] |
| Good night in Dutch | Welterusten | [ˌʋɛl.təˈrʏ.stə(n)] |
| Sleep well in Dutch | Slaap lekker | [slaːp ˈlɛ.kəɾ] |
| Talk to you later. in Dutch | We spreken elkaar later. | [ʋə ˈspreː.kə(n) ɛlˈkaːr ˈlaː.təɾ] |
| Nice to have met you! in Dutch | Aangenaam kennis te maken! | [ˈaːŋ.ɣə.nɑm ˈkɛn.ɪs tə ˈmaː.kə(n)] |
How do I introduce myself in Dutch?
When travelling in The Netherlands, sooner or later you will come into contact with local people. Naturally, you’ll want to introduce yourself in Dutch and know who you’re talking to.
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| My name is Jonas. | Mijn naam is Jonas. | [mɛin naːm ɪs ˈjoː.nɑs] |
| What is your name? | Wat is jouw naam? | [ʋɑt ɪs jʌu naːm] |
| What is your surname? | Wat is jouw achternaam? | [ʋɑt ɪs jʌu ˈɑx.tər.naːm] |
| What is your first name? | Wat is jouw voornaam? | [ʋɑt ɪs jʌu ˈvoːr.naːm] |
| What is your surname? | Wat is jouw achternaam? | [ʋɑt ɪs jʌu ˈɑx.tər.naːm] |
If you want to tell people where you come from, the following sentences are useful:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Where do you come from? | Waar kom je vandaan? | [ʋaːr kɔm jə vɑnˈdaːn] |
| I am from London. | Ik kom uit Londen. | [ɪk kɔm œyt ˈlɔn.də(n)] |
| Are you from Birmingham? | Kom je uit Birmingham? | [kɔm jə œyt ˈbɪʁ.mɪ.ɣɛm] |
| No, I’m from Madrid. | Nee, ik kom uit Madrid. | [neː | ɪk kɔm œyt maˈdrit] |
| Great, I’m from Madrid too. | Geweldig, ik kom ook uit Madrid. | [χəˈʋɛl.dɪx | ɪk kɔm oːk œyt maˈdrit] |
| Where do you live? | Waar woon je? | [ʋaːr ʋoːn jə] |
| I live in Berlin. | Ik woon in Berlijn. | [ɪk ʋoːn ɪn bɛrˈlɛin] |
If you have problems with your Dutch, it is good to know which languages are still spoken:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Do you speak English? | Spreek je Engels? | [spreːk jə ˈɛŋ.əls] |
| Yes, I speak English. | Ja, ik spreek Engels. | [jaː ɪk spreːk ˈɛŋ.əls] |
| Yes, I speak some English. | Ja, ik spreek een beetje Engels. | [jaː ɪk spreːk ən ˈbeː.tʃə ˈɛŋ.əls] |
| No, I do not speak any English. | Nee, ik spreek geen Engels. | [neː ɪk spreːk ɣeːn ˈɛŋ.əls] |
| I only speak English. | Ik spreek alleen Engels. | [ɪk spreːk ɑˈleːn ˈɛŋ.əls] |
| I understand some Dutch. | Ik begrijp een beetje Nederlands. | [ɪk bəˈɣrɛi̯p ən ˈbeː.tʃə ˈneː.dɛr.lɑnts] |
Useful sentences with ‘I am…’
The following sentences will help you orientate yourself in Dutch and express your wishes and concerns:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I am English. in Dutch | Ik ben Engels. | [ɪk bɛn ˈɛŋ.əls] |
| I am injured. in Dutch | Ik ben gewond. | [ɪk bɛn ɣəˈʋɔnt] |
| I am here. in Dutch | Ik ben hier. | [ɪk bɛn ɦiːr] |
| I am hungry. in Dutch | Ik heb honger. | [ɪk hɛp ˈɦɔŋ.əɾ] |
| I am thirsty. in Dutch | Ik heb dorst. | [ɪk hɛp dɔrst] |
| I am a single person. in Dutch | Ik ben single. | [ɪk bɛn ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl] |
| I need help! in Dutch | Ik heb hulp nodig! | [ɪk hɛp ɦʏlp ˈnoː.dəx] |
| I am tired. in Dutch | Ik ben moe. | [ɪk bɛn mu] |
| I am happy. in Dutch | Ik ben blij. | [ɪk bɛn blɛi] |
| I am sad. in Dutch | Ik ben verdrietig. | [ɪk bɛn fərˈdriː.təx] |
| I am in love. in Dutch | Ik ben verliefd. | [ɪk bɛn vərˈliːft] |
| I am ill. in Dutch | Ik ben ziek. | [ɪk bɛn zik] |
| I am ready. in Dutch | Ik ben klaar. | [ɪk bɛn klaːr] |
| I am busy. in Dutch | Ik ben druk. | [ɪk bɛn drʏk] |
| I am lost. in Dutch | Ik ben verdwaald. | [ɪk bɛn fərtˈʋaːlt] |
| I am a tourist. in Dutch | Ik ben toerist. | [ɪk bɛn tuˈrɪst] |
| I am new here. in Dutch | Ik ben nieuw hier. | [ɪk bɛn niʋ ɦiːr] |
| I am confident. in Dutch | Ik heb zelfvertrouwen. | [ɪk hɛp ˈzɛlf.fərˌtrʌu.ə(n)] |
| I am proud. in Dutch | Ik ben trots. | [ɪk bɛn trɔts] |
| I am a teacher. in Dutch | Ik ben leraar. | [ɪk bɛn ˈleː.raːr] |
| I am late. in Dutch | Ik ben te laat. | [ɪk bɛn tə laːt] |
| I am 30 years old. in Dutch | Ik ben dertig jaar oud. | [ɪk bɛn ˈdɛr.təx jaːr ʌu̯t] |
| I am in a hurry. in Dutch | Ik heb haast. | [ɪk hɛp ɦaːst] |
| I am happy. in Dutch | Ik ben blij. | [ɪk bɛn blɛi] |
| I am surprised. in Dutch | Ik ben verrast. | [ɪk bɛn vəˈrɑst] |
| I am angry. in Dutch | Ik ben boos. | [ɪk bɛn boːs] |
Apologising in Dutch
Here’s how to apologise to a Dutch speaker:
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| I apologise. | Mijn excuses. | [mɛin ɛkˈsky.zəs] |
| Sorry, that was not the intention. | Sorry, dat was niet de bedoeling. | [ˈsɔ.ri | dɑt ʋɑs nit də bəˈduː.lɪŋ] |
| Sorry, I did not do it on purpose. | Sorry, ik deed het niet expres. | [ˈsɔ.ri | ɪk deːt ɦət nit ɛkˈsprɛs] |
| Sorry, that was very clumsy of me. | Sorry, dat was erg onhandig van mij. | [ˈsɔ.ri | dɑt ʋɑs ɛrx ɔnˈɦɑn.dəx fɑn mɛi] |
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Useful signs and notices in Dutch
Useful signs and messages in Dutch that you will often see.
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance in Dutch | Ingang | [ˈɪn.ɣɑŋ] |
| Toilet in Dutch | Toilet | [twaːˈlɛt] |
| Exit in Dutch | Uitgang | [ˈœy̯t.ɣɑŋ] |
| Attention! in Dutch | Let op! | [lɛt ɔp] |
| Police in Dutch | Politie | [poˈliː.tsi] |
| Emergency services in Dutch | Hulpdiensten | [ˈɦʏlpˌdin.stə(n)] |
| Fire brigade in Dutch | Brandweer | [ˈbrɑnt.ʋeːr] |
| Passage forbidden. in Dutch | Doorgang verboden. | [ˈdoːr.ɣɑŋ fərˈboː.də(n)] |
| Caution! in Dutch | Voorzichtig! | [voːrˈzɪx.təx] |
| This building is under video surveillance. in Dutch | Dit gebouw is onder cameratoezicht. | [dɪt xəˈbʌu̯ ɛs ˈɔn.dər ˈkaː.mə.raː.tuˌzɪxt] |
Numbers to 25 in Dutch
Counting in Dutch is not that difficult. Here are the numbers in Dutch from 1 to 25.
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 in Dutch | een | [eːn] |
| 2 in Dutch | twee | [tʋeː] |
| 3 in Dutch | drie | [dri] |
| 4 in Dutch | vier | [viːr] |
| 5 in Dutch | vijf | [vɛi̯f] |
| 6 in Dutch | zes | [zɛs] |
| 7 in Dutch | zeven | [ˈzeː.və(n)] |
| 8 in Dutch | acht | [ɑxt] |
| 9 in Dutch | negen | [ˈneː.ɣə(n)] |
| 10 in Dutch | tien | [tin] |
| 11 in Dutch | elf | [ɛlf] |
| 12 in Dutch | twaalf | [tʋaːlf] |
| 13 in Dutch | dertien | [ˈdɛr.tin] |
| 14 in Dutch | veertien | [ˈveːr.tin] |
| 15 in Dutch | vijftien | [ˈvɛi̯f.tin] |
| 16 in Dutch | zestien | [ˈzɛs.tin] |
| 17 in Dutch | zeventien | [ˈzeː.və.tin] |
| 18 in Dutch | achttien | [ˈɑx.tin] |
| 19 in Dutch | negentien | [ˈneː.ɣə.tin] |
| 20 in Dutch | twintig | [ˈtʋɪn.təx] |
| 21 in Dutch | eenentwintig | [ˈeː.nə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx] |
| 22 in Dutch | tweeëntwintig | [ˈtʋeː.ə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx] |
| 23 in Dutch | drieëntwintig | [ˈdriː.ə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx] |
| 24 in Dutch | vierentwintig | [ˈviː.rə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx] |
| 25 in Dutch | vijfentwintig | [ˈvɛi̯.fə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx] |
The colours in Dutch
The most common colours in Dutch with phonetic transcription for pronunciation.
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Red in Dutch | Rood | [roːt] |
| Blue in Dutch | Blauw | [blʌu̯] |
| Green in Dutch | Groen | [ɣrun] |
| Yellow in Dutch | Geel | [ɣeːl] |
| Black in Dutch | Zwart | [zʋɑrt] |
| White in Dutch | Wit | [ʋɪt] |
| Orange in Dutch | Oranje | [oːˈrɑ.njə] |
| Purple in Dutch | Paars | [paːrs] |
| Pink in Dutch | Roze | [ˈrɔː.zə] |
| Brown in Dutch | Bruin | [brœy̯n] |
Days of the week, months and seasons in Dutch
Of course, you will also need the days of the week in Dutch and the pronunciation of the months and seasons in dialogues and daily communication in Dutch.
| English | Dutch | Phonetic (IPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Monday in Dutch | Maandag | [ˈmaːn.dɑx] |
| Tuesday in Dutch | Dinsdag | [ˈdɪn.stɑx] |
| Wednesday in Dutch | Woensdag | [ˈʋun.stɑx] |
| Thursday in Dutch | Donderdag | [ˈdɔn.dər.dɑx] |
| Friday in Dutch | Vrijdag | [ˈvrɛi̯.dɑx] |
| Saturday in Dutch | Zaterdag | [ˈzaː.tər.dɑx] |
| Sunday in Dutch | Zondag | [ˈzɔn.dɑx] |
| January in Dutch | Januari | [ˌjaː.nyˈʋaː.ri] |
| February in Dutch | Februari | [ˌfeː.bryˈʋaː.ri] |
| March in Dutch | Maart | [maːrt] |
| April in Dutch | April | [aːˈprɪl] |
| May in Dutch | Mei | [mɛi̯] |
| June in Dutch | Juni | [ˈjy.ni] |
| July in Dutch | Juli | [ˈjy.li] |
| August in Dutch | Augustus | [ʌu̯ˈɣʏs.tʏs] |
| September in Dutch | September | [sɛpˈtɛm.bər] |
| October in Dutch | Oktober | [ɔkˈtoː.bər] |
| November in Dutch | November | [noːˈvɛm.bər] |
| December in Dutch | December | [deːˈsɛm.bər] |
| Spring in Dutch | Lente | [ˈlɛn.tə] |
| Summer in Dutch | Zomer | [ˈzoː.mər] |
| Autumn in Dutch | Herfst | [ɦɛr(ə)fst] |
| Winter in Dutch | Winter | [ˈʋɪn.tər] |
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If you want to learn these Dutch phrases interactively, we recommend the free language course demo from 17-Minute-Language, where you can learn Dutch phrases and dialogues.
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More information about the Dutch Business Course.
Additional links
- Learn Dutch with Mondly
- Learn Dutch with Babbel
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