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Free guide · updated 2026-09-12

48 Dutch survival phrases for expats

The Dutch you will actually say in your first weeks in the Netherlands or Flanders: eight situations, a plain-English meaning for each line, a pronunciation hint, and the moment to use it. Tap Listen to hear your device's Dutch voice say it. Print it and put it on the fridge.

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The first words

Say these on day one. They carry more goodwill than anything else on this page.

  1. Hoi! / Goedemorgen.
    Hi! / Good morning.
    Say hoy / GHOO-duh-MOR-ghun
    When Walking into any shop, café or office. Goedemiddag from noon, goedenavond from about six.
  2. Dankjewel. / Dank u wel.
    Thank you (casual / formal).
    Say DANK-yuh-wel / dank OO wel
    When Constantly. Use the u form with older people, officials and anyone serving you.
  3. Alsjeblieft. / Alstublieft.
    Please, and also 'here you go'.
    Say AS-yuh-bleeft / AS-too-bleeft
    When When asking for something, and when handing something over; the cashier says it as they give you the receipt.
  4. Sorry, mijn Nederlands is nog niet zo goed.
    Sorry, my Dutch is not very good yet.
    Say SOR-ree, mine NAY-dur-lants iss nokh neet zo ghoot
    When The most useful sentence you own. It buys patience and keeps people speaking Dutch slowly instead of switching.
  5. Kunt u dat herhalen?
    Could you repeat that?
    Say kunt oo dat her-HAA-lun
    When The moment you lose the thread. Keeps the conversation in Dutch; people almost always slow down.
  6. Spreekt u Engels?
    Do you speak English?
    Say spraykt oo ENG-uls
    When When you genuinely need to switch. Asking first, in Dutch, is the polite version.
  7. Fijne dag nog!
    Have a nice day!
    Say FY-nuh dakh nokh
    When Leaving a shop or café. Fijn weekend on Fridays, fijne avond in the evening.
  8. Ja / Nee / Een beetje.
    Yes / No / A little.
    Say yaa / nay / un BAY-tyuh
    When Answers to almost anything, including 'do you speak Dutch?'

The café and the restaurant

Ordering is the easiest place to practise, because the script is short and repeats daily.

  1. Mag ik een koffie, alsjeblieft?
    May I have a coffee, please?
    Say makh ik un KOF-fee, AS-yuh-bleeft
    When Mag ik sounds far more natural than the literal ik wil (I want). Swap in een thee, een biertje, een broodje.
  2. Voor hier of om mee te nemen?
    For here or to take away?
    Say voor heer of om may tuh NAY-mun
    When The question you will be asked; answer voor hier or om mee te nemen.
  3. Mag ik de kaart?
    May I have the menu?
    Say makh ik duh kaart
    When Restaurants. De menukaart also works; het menu often means the set menu.
  4. Ik ben allergisch voor noten.
    I am allergic to nuts.
    Say ik ben al-LER-ghis voor NO-tun
    When Say it before ordering. Pinda's are peanuts, melk milk, gluten gluten; ask zit hier ... in? (does this contain ...?).
  5. Mag ik de rekening?
    May I have the bill?
    Say makh ik duh RAY-kuh-ning
    When Nobody brings the bill unasked. Samen of apart? (together or separately?) usually follows.
  6. Pinnen mag?
    Can I pay by card?
    Say PIN-nun makh
    When Almost everywhere; many places are card-only. Contant is cash.
  7. Laat maar zitten.
    Keep the change.
    Say laat maar ZIT-tun
    When How you tip. Tipping is modest here: round up, or five to ten percent for good service.
  8. Eet smakelijk!
    Enjoy your meal!
    Say ayt SMAA-kuh-luk
    When Said by the waiter and by everyone at the table before eating.

The supermarket and the market

The checkout is your daily five-second exam. These pass it.

  1. Wilt u de bon?
    Do you want the receipt?
    Say vilt oo duh bon
    When Asked at every till. Ja graag or nee, dankjewel.
  2. Een tasje, alsjeblieft.
    A bag, please.
    Say un TAS-yuh, AS-yuh-bleeft
    When Bags cost money and are not offered unless you ask.
  3. Spaart u zegels?
    Do you collect stamps?
    Say spaart oo ZAY-ghuls
    When The Albert Heijn koopzegels question. Nee, dankjewel is a complete answer.
  4. Waar kan ik ... vinden?
    Where can I find ...?
    Say vaar kan ik ... VIN-dun
    When Add the thing: de melk, het brood, de rijst. Staff will also say kunt u het vinden? (can you find it?) and expect ja, dankjewel.
  5. Is dit in de aanbieding?
    Is this on offer?
    Say iss dit in duh AAN-bee-ding
    When Bonus, 2 halen 1 betalen and 1 + 1 gratis are the offer labels; check the small print for the dates.
  6. Een half pond kaas, alsjeblieft.
    Half a pound of cheese, please.
    Say un half pont kaas, AS-yuh-bleeft
    When At a counter or market stall. Een ons is 100 grams, een pond 500. Jong, belegen or oud is the cheese age.

Bikes, trains and trams

Transport Dutch is mostly signs and short announcements; these are the ones you say.

  1. Mag ik er even langs?
    May I get past?
    Say makh ik er AY-vun langs
    When On a crowded tram or in a narrow shop aisle. Sorry works too.
  2. Gaat deze tram naar Centraal?
    Does this tram go to Central Station?
    Say ghaat DAY-zuh tram naar sen-TRAAL
    When Swap in any stop. Welk perron? (which platform?) at the station.
  3. Mijn band is lek.
    My tyre is flat.
    Say mine bant iss layk
    When At the fietsenmaker. Kunt u die plakken? (can you patch it?) and wat kost het? (what does it cost?) finish the job.
  4. Ik ben mijn fiets kwijt.
    I have lost my bike.
    Say ik ben mine feets kvite
    When Before assuming theft, ask at the fietsendepot: the gemeente removes wrongly parked bikes.
  5. Ik ben vergeten uit te checken.
    I forgot to check out.
    Say ik ben ver-GHAY-tun oyt tuh CHEK-kun
    When To NS staff or the app: the default fare is refundable if you report it.

The gemeente, the phone and the letter

Official Dutch is formal and repetitive. Learn the frame and every counter opens.

  1. Ik heb een afspraak om tien uur.
    I have an appointment at ten.
    Say ik hep un AF-spraak om teen oor
    When The first sentence at any desk: the gemeente, the bank, the dentist. Take a nummertje (ticket) if there is a machine.
  2. Ik wil me graag inschrijven.
    I would like to register.
    Say ik vil muh ghraakh IN-skhry-vun
    When Registering your address at the gemeente, with a huisarts, at a school. Uitschrijven is to deregister.
  3. Ik heb een brief gekregen en ik begrijp hem niet.
    I received a letter and I do not understand it.
    Say ik hep un breef ghuh-KRAY-ghun en ik buh-GHRAYP hem neet
    When On the phone to any office. They will explain; ask kunt u dat uitleggen? (can you explain that?).
  4. Met wie spreek ik?
    Who am I speaking with?
    Say met vee sprayk ik
    When Phone Dutch. You answer a call with your own name, and you ask this if the caller does not give theirs.
  5. Kunt u mij doorverbinden met ...?
    Can you put me through to ...?
    Say kunt oo my DOOR-ver-bin-dun met
    When Phone menus and switchboards. Ik wacht wel (I will wait) when they put you on hold.
  6. Wat is de uiterste datum?
    What is the final date?
    Say vat iss duh OY-tur-stuh DAA-tum
    When Every letter has one. Bezwaar maken (to object) has a six-week window from the date printed on the letter.

The landlord and the home

Most housing Dutch happens by message. These are the lines that get things fixed.

  1. Is deze woning nog beschikbaar?
    Is this home still available?
    Say iss DAY-zuh VO-ning nokh buh-SKHIK-baar
    When The opening line of every Funda or Marktplaats message. Kan ik komen bezichtigen? (can I come and view?) follows.
  2. Kan ik me hier inschrijven?
    Can I register my address here?
    Say kan ik muh heer IN-skhry-vun
    When Ask before signing anything. If the answer is no, walk away: no registration, no BSN.
  3. De verwarming doet het niet.
    The heating is not working.
    Say duh ver-VAR-ming doot het neet
    When To the landlord, in writing. Swap in de douche, het slot, de wasmachine. Kunt u dit zo snel mogelijk laten repareren? asks for a quick repair.
  4. Wanneer krijg ik de borg terug?
    When do I get the deposit back?
    Say van-NAYR krykh ik duh borkh tuh-RUKH
    When The law says within fourteen days of the end of the tenancy; ask it before you hand over the keys.
  5. Sorry voor het lawaai, we zijn om tien uur klaar.
    Sorry for the noise, we will be done by ten.
    Say SOR-ree voor het la-VAAI, vuh zyn om teen oor klaar
    When To the neighbours before a party. Costs nothing, prevents the note on the door.

The huisarts and the pharmacy

The assistant on the phone at 8:05 speaks Dutch first. Two sentences get you an appointment.

  1. Ik wil graag een afspraak maken met de huisarts.
    I would like to make an appointment with the GP.
    Say ik vil ghraakh un AF-spraak MAA-kun met duh HOYS-arts
    When Call between eight and ten. Expect the assistant to ask what it is about (waar gaat het om?).
  2. Ik heb koorts en keelpijn.
    I have a fever and a sore throat.
    Say ik hep korts en KAYL-pine
    When Swap the symptom: hoofdpijn (headache), buikpijn (stomach ache), ik ben misselijk (I feel sick), het doet hier pijn (it hurts here).
  3. Ik kom een recept ophalen.
    I am here to collect a prescription.
    Say ik kom un ruh-SEPT OP-haa-lun
    When At the apotheek. Hoe vaak moet ik dit innemen? (how often should I take this?) is the question to ask before leaving.
  4. Het is een noodgeval.
    It is an emergency.
    Say het iss un NOHT-ghuh-val
    When Only for real emergencies: 112, or the huisartsenpost out of hours. Say the address first.

Small talk and friends

The Dutch decide they like you in these sentences, not in the grammar test.

  1. Hoe gaat het? Goed, en met jou?
    How are you? Good, and you?
    Say hoo ghaat het? ghoot, en met yow
    When The exchange that opens every conversation. Met u to someone older or in a formal setting.
  2. Lekker weer, hè?
    Nice weather, isn't it?
    Say LEK-kur vayr, heh
    When Works in every season, sarcastically in most. Lekker covers anything good: food, weather, a nap.
  3. Gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag!
    Happy birthday!
    Say ghuh-FAY-lee-see-tayrt met yuh ver-YAAR-dakh
    When And at a Dutch birthday you also congratulate the family: gefeliciteerd met je dochter to the mother. Yes, really.
  4. Zullen we een keer koffie doen?
    Shall we grab a coffee sometime?
    Say ZUL-lun vuh un kayr KOF-fee doon
    When How friendships start. Expect an agenda to come out: the Dutch schedule friends weeks ahead, and it is not a brush-off.
  5. Wat gezellig!
    How cosy / lovely / fun!
    Say vat ghuh-ZEL-likh
    When The untranslatable word. Say it about the evening, the café, the company, and you have understood the whole country.
  6. Doei! Tot ziens!
    Bye! See you!
    Say dooy / tot zeens
    When Doei is casual, tot ziens neutral, tot morgen (until tomorrow) at work, and three kisses on alternating cheeks for friends.

Where to go from here

Each situation above has a longer guide. Start with the first week, the phrases hub for daily life, the admin hub for the gemeente and the tax office, and how to keep a conversation in Dutch when the other person switches to English. Learn Dutch For Expats is an iOS app in early access that turns these situations into five-minute lessons with real audio; you can join the waitlist.