You do not hear “the cat sits on the mat” in real life. You hear “pinnen mag?” and “dat was het?” twenty times a day. The Netherlands has the highest English proficiency in the world, so people will switch to English, but recognising these everyday lines means you understand what is happening around you and can answer without freezing. Here are the 20 you will hear most.
Greetings and politeness
- Hoi / Hallo (Hi / Hello)
- Goedemorgen / Goedemiddag (Good morning / Good afternoon)
- Dankjewel / Dank u wel (Thanks, casual / formal)
- Alsjeblieft / Alstublieft (Please, and also “here you go”)
- Fijne dag! (Have a nice day) and Tot ziens! (Goodbye)
At the till and paying
- Pinnen mag? (Can I pay by card?) The answer is almost always yes.
- Dat was het? (Will that be all?)
- Wilt u de bon? (Do you want the receipt?)
- Spaart u zegels / heeft u een bonuskaart? (Do you collect stamps / have a loyalty card?) A simple “nee, dankjewel” works.
- Klopt het zo? (Is that correct?)
Ordering in a café or shop
- Mag ik…? (May I have…?) The natural, polite way to order.
- Voor hier of om mee te nemen? (For here or to take away?)
- Anders nog iets? (Anything else?)
- Wilt u er melk en suiker bij? (Would you like milk and sugar?)
Getting around
- Heeft u uw kaart al ingecheckt? (Have you checked in your card?) On public transport with your OV-chipkaart.
- Waar moet ik overstappen? (Where do I change?)
- Mag ik er even langs? (May I get past?) Essential on a crowded tram.
Keeping the conversation going
- Kunt u dat herhalen? (Could you repeat that?)
- Iets langzamer, alstublieft? (A bit slower, please?)
- Sorry, mijn Nederlands is nog niet zo goed. (Sorry, my Dutch is not great yet.) The line that keeps people speaking Dutch with you.
How to actually learn them
Do not memorise the list cold. Pick the five you will hit today, the till and the café, say them out loud, and use them. Add the rest as they come up. For the true beginner starting point, see the absolute must-know everyday Dutch phrases for beginners, and for a city-specific set, Dutch phrases for Amsterdam expats. Students will also want the campus and student phrases, and for ordering specifically, see how to order a coffee or beer in Amsterdam in Dutch.
A note on tone: je or u
Dutch has two words for “you”: “je” (casual) and “u” (formal). With friends, peers, and most shop staff your own age, “je” is fine. With older people, officials, and anyone you want to show extra respect, use “u” (so “dankjewel” becomes “dank u wel”). When in doubt, start with “u”; no one is offended by politeness, and you can relax into “je” once the other person does. One sound worth practising early: the Dutch “g” and “ch” are a throaty scrape from the back of the mouth, as in “dag” and “alstublieft.” Getting it roughly right makes you far easier to understand and earns a few more seconds of Dutch before anyone switches to English.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that turns the phrases above into short, five-minute lessons with audio, built for expats in the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common everyday Dutch phrases?
The most common are practical, not grammatical: greetings (hoi, dankjewel, fijne dag), paying lines (pinnen mag, dat was het, wilt u de bon), ordering (mag ik, voor hier of mee), and conversation-savers (kunt u dat herhalen, alstublieft). You hear these many times a day.
What does “pinnen mag” mean?
“Pinnen mag?” means “Can I pay by card?” Card payment is the default almost everywhere in the Netherlands, and many places are card-only, so this is one of the most useful lines to know.
How many Dutch phrases do I need to get by day to day?
A core set of about 20 to 30 everyday phrases covers most daily interactions: greetings, paying, ordering, transport, and a few conversation-savers. You do not need fluency to feel comfortable in daily life.
What is the politest way to order in Dutch?
Use “mag ik…?” (may I have…?) rather than “ik wil” (I want). “Mag ik een koffie, alsjeblieft?” sounds natural and polite, and is exactly how locals order.
