Dutch phrases | Most common phrases for everyday life

Dutch phrases — the most common phrases in Dutch with translation and pronunciation, plus typical Dutch sayings you won’t find in a textbook. Free & useful.

Dutch phrases are short expressions or idioms often used in speech to be polite, greet, say goodbye or simply have a pleasant conversation. They are a key part of Dutch culture and useful in both private and business life — and a handful of typical Dutch expressions like gezellig and lekker have no clean English translation at all.

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!	Welkom!	[ˈʋɛl.kɔm]
Good day to you!	Goedendag!	[ˌɣu.də(n)ˈdɑx]
Good morning to you!	Goedemorgen!	[ˌɣu.dəˈmɔr.ɣə(n)]
Good evening!	Goedenavond!	[ˌɣu.dəˈnaː.vɔnt]
Good to see you.	Goed je te zien.	[ɣut jə tə ˈzin]
I’m glad to see you.	Ik ben blij je te zien.	[ɪk bɛn blɛi jə tə ˈzin]
Hi! (informal)	Hoi! / Hallo!	[hɔi] / [hɑˈloː]

If you are greeted in Dutch, the best way to respond is as follows:

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
Have a nice day too!	Jij ook een fijne dag!	[jɛi oːk ən ˈfɛi.nə dɑx]
Thanks, it’s nice to see you too.	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 how the person you are talking to is doing:

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
How are you doing?	Hoe gaat het met je?	[ɦu ɣaːt ɦət mɛt jə]
Are you doing well?	Gaat het goed met je?	[ɣaːt ɦət ɣut mɛt jə]

If you are asked how you feel, you can answer with:

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 about you?	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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More information on our Dutch language course guide.

How do I say goodbye to someone in Dutch?

Saying goodbye to a friend or stranger in Dutch is not that difficult. Note the difference between formal and informal:

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
Goodbye! (informal, most common)	Doei! / Doeg!	[dui] / [dux]
Bye!	Dag!	[dɑx]
Take care of yourself!	Zorg goed voor jezelf!	[zɔrx ɣut voːr jəˈzɛlf]
Goodbye (formal)	Tot ziens	[tɔt ˈzins]
See you tomorrow	Tot morgen	[tɔt ˈmɔr.ɣə(n)]
See you soon	Tot snel	[tɔt ˈsnɛl]
See you later	Tot later	[tɔt ˈlaː.təɾ]
Good night	Welterusten	[ˌʋɛl.təˈrʏ.stə(n)]
Sleep well	Slaap lekker	[slaːp ˈlɛ.kəɾ]
Talk to you later.	We spreken elkaar later.	[ʋə ˈspreː.kə(n) ɛlˈkaːr ˈlaː.təɾ]
Nice to have met you!	Aangenaam kennis te maken!	[ˈaːŋ.ɣə.nɑm ˈkɛn.ɪs tə ˈmaː.kə(n)]

Insider tip: Dutch people almost never say tot ziens to friends — that sounds like something out of a customer-service manual. Doei (or the cheerful sing-song doeg) is what you’ll hear in real life.

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]

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 the other person speaks:

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 don’t speak 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. (nationality — see note)	Ik ben Engelsman / Engelse.	[ɪk bɛn ˈɛŋ.əls.mɑn] / [ɪk bɛn ˈɛŋ.əl.sə]
I speak English. (language)	Ik spreek Engels.	[ɪk spreːk ˈɛŋ.əls]
I am injured.	Ik ben gewond.	[ɪk bɛn ɣəˈʋɔnt]
I am here.	Ik ben hier.	[ɪk bɛn ɦiːr]
I am hungry.	Ik heb honger.	[ɪk hɛp ˈɦɔŋ.əɾ]
I am thirsty.	Ik heb dorst.	[ɪk hɛp dɔrst]
I am single.	Ik ben single.	[ɪk bɛn ˈsɪŋ.ɡəl]
I need help!	Ik heb hulp nodig!	[ɪk hɛp ɦʏlp ˈnoː.dəx]
I am tired.	Ik ben moe.	[ɪk bɛn mu]
I am happy.	Ik ben blij.	[ɪk bɛn blɛi]
I am sad.	Ik ben verdrietig.	[ɪk bɛn fərˈdriː.təx]
I am in love.	Ik ben verliefd.	[ɪk bɛn vərˈliːft]
I am ill.	Ik ben ziek.	[ɪk bɛn zik]
I am ready.	Ik ben klaar.	[ɪk bɛn klaːr]
I am busy.	Ik ben druk.	[ɪk bɛn drʏk]
I am lost.	Ik ben verdwaald.	[ɪk bɛn fərˈdʋaːlt]
I am a tourist.	Ik ben toerist.	[ɪk bɛn tuˈrɪst]
I am new here.	Ik ben nieuw hier.	[ɪk bɛn niʋ ɦiːr]
I feel confident.	Ik heb zelfvertrouwen.	[ɪk hɛp ˈzɛlf.fərˌtrʌu.ə(n)]
I am proud.	Ik ben trots.	[ɪk bɛn trɔts]
I am a teacher.	Ik ben leraar.	[ɪk bɛn ˈleː.raːr]
I am late.	Ik ben te laat.	[ɪk bɛn tə laːt]
I am 30 years old.	Ik ben dertig jaar oud.	[ɪk bɛn ˈdɛr.təx jaːr ʌu̯t]
I am in a hurry.	Ik heb haast.	[ɪk hɛp ɦaːst]
I am surprised.	Ik ben verrast.	[ɪk bɛn vəˈrɑst]
I am angry.	Ik ben boos.	[ɪk bɛn boːs]

Note on nationality vs. language. In Dutch, Engels is the language (“English”). For nationality, Dutch uses Engelsman (male) or Engelse (female). Saying Ik ben Engels is heard, but strictly it means “I am English (the language)”. If you want to say you’re English by nationality, prefer Ik ben Engelsman or Ik ben Engelse.

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 my intention.	Sorry, dat was niet de bedoeling.	[ˈsɔ.ri | dɑt ʋɑs nit də bəˈduː.lɪŋ]
Sorry, I didn’t 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]

Typical Dutch expressions you won’t find in a textbook

This is where Dutch becomes actually interesting. A handful of everyday words carry so much weight in Dutch culture that native speakers use them dozens of times a day — and many of them have no clean English translation. Learn these ten, and you’ll sound less like a phrasebook.

Dutch	What it really means
Gezellig [ɣəˈzɛ.ləx]	The single most Dutch word. Cosy, sociable, warm-atmosphere — a dinner, a café, a Christmas evening, a good conversation. There is no English equivalent. If a Dutch host calls something gezellig, that’s the highest praise.
Lekker [ˈlɛ.kəɾ]	Officially means “tasty” — but Dutch people apply it to almost everything. Lekker weer (nice weather), lekker geslapen (slept well), lekker bezig (doing well). If in doubt, throw a lekker in front of it.
Alsjeblieft / Alstublieft	Means both please AND here you go. When someone hands you your coffee, they say alsjeblieft. The formal version alstublieft is for strangers and elderly people. This is the single most useful word to learn first.
Doei / Doeg [dui] / [dux]	The everyday goodbye. Tot ziens is textbook Dutch; doei is what real people say. Often sung on two notes: doe-oei!
Hoor [ɦoːr]	A little softener at the end of a sentence, roughly like the English “eh” or “you know”. Dat is prima, hoor = “that’s fine, really”. Once you notice it, you’ll hear it everywhere.
Prima [ˈpriː.maː]	“Fine, great, no problem”. Used constantly to agree or accept something. Way more common than goed in casual conversation.
Even wachten [ˈeː.və(n) ˈʋɑx.tə(n)]	“One moment” / “hold on”. You’ll hear this at the counter, on the phone, everywhere. Even (“briefly”) is a very Dutch modifier — Dutch people love it.
Tikkie [ˈtɪ.ki]	Modern Dutch: a small payment request via the Tikkie app. Ik stuur je een tikkie = “I’ll send you a payment link for your share”. Splitting the bill is national sport.
Zeg maar [zɛx maːr]	Filler phrase meaning roughly “let’s say” or “like”. Dutch people use it while thinking, same way English speakers use “like” or “you know”.
Fijne dag (verder)!	“Have a nice (rest of the) day!” The standard cheerful sign-off from cashiers, colleagues, waiters. Reply with Jij ook! (“you too!”).

Famous Dutch sayings

Dutch has a rich vein of proverbs and idioms that reflect the national mindset — direct, pragmatic, allergic to showing off. A few of the most quoted:

Dutch	Literal	What it means
Doe maar normaal, dan doe je al gek genoeg.	Just act normal, that’s crazy enough.	The ultimate Dutch philosophy — don’t show off, stay humble.
Doe maar rustig aan.	Take it easy.	Advice you’ll receive constantly. Dutch people prize calm over hustle.
Helaas pindakaas.	“Sadly, peanut butter.”	A cheerful way to say “too bad” or “tough luck”. Rhymes in Dutch, doesn’t make literal sense — that’s the joke.
Nu komt de aap uit de mouw.	Now the monkey comes out of the sleeve.	“Now the truth comes out” — used when someone finally reveals their real intentions.
Wie het laatst lacht, lacht het best.	Who laughs last, laughs best.	Patience wins — a saying English shares.
Als je iets doet, doe het dan goed.	If you do something, do it well.	Dutch pragmatism in one sentence.
Geen woorden maar daden.	No words but deeds.	The motto of Feyenoord Rotterdam and half the country: talk less, act more.

Dutch words you’ll only hear in the Netherlands

A few cultural nouns that turn up constantly in daily life and don’t translate cleanly:

• Fiets [fits] — the bicycle. Not “a way to get around” — the way to get around in the Netherlands. There are more bikes than people.
• Uitwaaien [ˈœy̯t.ʋaː.jə(n)] — literally “to blow out”. Going for a walk (usually along the coast) to clear your head in strong wind. Recognised as one of the most beautiful untranslatable words in any language.
• Poffertjes [ˈpɔ.fər.tʃəs] — tiny fluffy pancakes with butter and powdered sugar. National treat.
• Kroket [krɔˈkɛt] — deep-fried snack with a meat-ragout filling, eaten on bread or straight from the automat wall.
• Borrel [ˈbɔ.rəl] — a casual after-work drinks gathering with small snacks. The heart of Dutch office culture.
• Nuchter [ˈnʏx.təɾ] — sober, but also “matter-of-fact, no-nonsense”. The Dutch use it to describe both people and attitudes.
• Regenbui [ˈreː.ɣə(n).bœy̯] — a rain shower. You’ll need this word. A lot.

Note on Dutch spelling variations: Dutch is spoken slightly differently in the Netherlands and in Flanders (Belgium). The words above are standard Algemeen Nederlands as heard in the Netherlands. If you’re heading to Belgium, expect some vocabulary and pronunciation to shift.

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More on the Dutch intermediate course and full course guide.

Useful signs and notices in Dutch

Signs and messages in Dutch you’ll see constantly:

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
Entrance	Ingang	[ˈɪn.ɣɑŋ]
Exit	Uitgang	[ˈœy̯t.ɣɑŋ]
Toilet	Toilet / WC	[twaːˈlɛt]
Attention!	Let op!	[lɛt ɔp]
Police	Politie	[poˈliː.tsi]
Emergency services	Hulpdiensten	[ˈɦʏlpˌdin.stə(n)]
Fire brigade	Brandweer	[ˈbrɑnt.ʋeːr]
Passage forbidden.	Doorgang verboden.	[ˈdoːr.ɣɑŋ fərˈboː.də(n)]
Caution!	Voorzichtig!	[voːrˈzɪx.təx]
This building is under video surveillance.	Dit gebouw staat onder cameratoezicht.	[dɪt xəˈbʌu̯ staːt ˈɔn.dər ˈkaː.mə.raː.tuˌzɪxt]

Numbers to 25 in Dutch

Counting in Dutch is not that difficult. Here are the numbers from 1 to 25:

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
1	een	[eːn]
2	twee	[tʋeː]
3	drie	[dri]
4	vier	[viːr]
5	vijf	[vɛi̯f]
6	zes	[zɛs]
7	zeven	[ˈzeː.və(n)]
8	acht	[ɑxt]
9	negen	[ˈneː.ɣə(n)]
10	tien	[tin]
11	elf	[ɛlf]
12	twaalf	[tʋaːlf]
13	dertien	[ˈdɛr.tin]
14	veertien	[ˈveːr.tin]
15	vijftien	[ˈvɛi̯f.tin]
16	zestien	[ˈzɛs.tin]
17	zeventien	[ˈzeː.və.tin]
18	achttien	[ˈɑx.tin]
19	negentien	[ˈneː.ɣə.tin]
20	twintig	[ˈtʋɪn.təx]
21	eenentwintig	[ˈeː.nə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx]
22	tweeëntwintig	[ˈtʋeː.ə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx]
23	drieëntwintig	[ˈdriː.ə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx]
24	vierentwintig	[ˈviː.rə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx]
25	vijfentwintig	[ˈvɛi̯.fə(n).ˌtʋɪn.təx]

The colours in Dutch

The most common colours in Dutch:

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
Red	Rood	[roːt]
Blue	Blauw	[blʌu̯]
Green	Groen	[ɣrun]
Yellow	Geel	[ɣeːl]
Black	Zwart	[zʋɑrt]
White	Wit	[ʋɪt]
Orange	Oranje	[oːˈrɑ.njə]
Purple	Paars	[paːrs]
Pink	Roze	[ˈrɔː.zə]
Brown	Bruin	[brœy̯n]

Cultural note: Oranje is the national colour of the Netherlands — think football shirts, Koningsdag street parties, and the royal family (Huis van Oranje-Nassau).

Days of the week, months and seasons in Dutch

English	Dutch	Phonetic (IPA)
Monday	Maandag	[ˈmaːn.dɑx]
Tuesday	Dinsdag	[ˈdɪn.stɑx]
Wednesday	Woensdag	[ˈʋun.stɑx]
Thursday	Donderdag	[ˈdɔn.dər.dɑx]
Friday	Vrijdag	[ˈvrɛi̯.dɑx]
Saturday	Zaterdag	[ˈzaː.tər.dɑx]
Sunday	Zondag	[ˈzɔn.dɑx]
January	Januari	[ˌjaː.nyˈʋaː.ri]
February	Februari	[ˌfeː.bryˈʋaː.ri]
March	Maart	[maːrt]
April	April	[aːˈprɪl]
May	Mei	[mɛi̯]
June	Juni	[ˈjy.ni]
July	Juli	[ˈjy.li]
August	Augustus	[ʌu̯ˈɣʏs.tʏs]
September	September	[sɛpˈtɛm.bər]
October	Oktober	[ɔkˈtoː.bər]
November	November	[noːˈvɛm.bər]
December	December	[deːˈsɛm.bər]
Spring	Lente	[ˈlɛn.tə]
Summer	Zomer	[ˈzoː.mər]
Autumn	Herfst	[ɦɛr(ə)fst]
Winter	Winter	[ˈʋɪn.tər]

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FAQ

What is the most useful first Dutch phrase to learn?

Alsjeblieft — it means both please and here you go. You will use it multiple times a day, in shops, cafés and casual exchanges.

How do Dutch people actually say goodbye?

Informally almost always doei or doeg. Tot ziens is textbook Dutch, used in formal settings or by cashiers to strangers.

What does ‘gezellig’ mean in English?

There is no single English translation. It covers cosy, sociable, warm, enjoyable — the feeling of a good gathering, a candlelit dinner, or a nice evening with friends. If a Dutch person calls something gezellig, that’s their highest praise.

Is Dutch hard to pronounce for English speakers?

The g (a throat sound), the ui and the eu take practice. Everything else is manageable — Dutch is close enough to English that most sounds feel familiar.

How do I say ‘I am English’ in Dutch — nationality-wise?

Use Ik ben Engelsman (male) or Ik ben Engelse (female). Ik ben Engels literally means “I am English (the language)” and can sound off in strict grammar, though people will understand you.

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Additional links on Learn-A-New-Language.eu:

• How to learn Dutch — the full guide for English speakers
• Learn Dutch with Babbel
• Learn Dutch with Mondly
• The different ways of learning languages
• Learning vocabulary successfully
• Staying motivated when learning a language

Dutch phrases in another language:

• 🇩🇪 — Niederländische Floskeln (auf Deutsch)
• 🇳🇴 — Vanlige fraser på nederlandsk (på norsk)