Friday-night food is a weekly ritual, and ordering it, to collect or have delivered, is a quick conversation worth doing in Dutch. Here are the words, on the phone and in the app.
The two key words
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| afhalen | to collect (takeaway) |
| bezorgen / laten bezorgen | to deliver |
So Ik kom het afhalen (I’ll collect it) vs Kunt u het bezorgen? (can you deliver it?). When ordering you may be asked Afhalen of bezorgen?. Onze Taal notes afhalen is the everyday word for takeaway (you will see afhaalmenu and afhaalchinees).
Ordering by phone
A simple flow:
- Goedenavond, ik wil graag bestellen. (Good evening, I’d like to order.)
- List your items, using een portie (a portion), met/zonder (with/without), and numbers.
- Is dat om af te halen of te laten bezorgen? , answer which.
- They ask Op welke naam? and, for delivery, your adres.
Then the useful checks:
- Hoe lang duurt het? (How long will it take?)
- Wat zijn de bezorgkosten? (What’s the delivery fee?)
- Kan ik pinnen / contant betalen? (Can I pay by card / cash?)
This builds on making a phone call and giving your address with postcode and huisnummer.
Ordering on the app
Most people now use apps like Thuisbezorgd (the big one) or others:
| On-screen Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| bestellen | order |
| bezorgen / afhalen | deliver / collect |
| de bezorgkosten | delivery fee |
| de bezorgtijd | delivery time |
| minimaal bestelbedrag | minimum order |
| de fooi | tip (optional) |
You pick a restaurant, build the order, enter your adres, choose bezorgen or afhalen, and pay online (usually iDEAL) or sometimes at the door. Guides for newcomers like IamExpat cover the main delivery apps.
Paying and tipping
Payment is by pinnen (card) at the door, online (iDEAL), or occasionally contant (cash). A fooi (tip) is not obligatory but appreciated for delivery, the same low-key tipping covered in tipping vs Tikkies.
A few practical extras
Two things that catch people out. There is often a minimaal bestelbedrag (minimum order amount) for delivery, shown before you check out, and at peak times (Friday and Saturday evening) the bezorgtijd (delivery time) stretches, so order early. If something is missing or wrong, you can call back with Er klopt iets niet met mijn bestelling (something’s not right with my order). For collection, listen for Het staat over twintig minuten klaar (it’ll be ready in twenty minutes). Dutch grammar guides such as Dutch Grammar cover the number and time phrases you need to confirm an order.
Where it connects
Ordering food pairs with reading a restaurant menu, booking a table when you go out, typical Dutch foods, giving your address, and making a phone call.
The bottom line
Two words do most of the work: afhalen (collect) and bezorgen (deliver). Order with Ik wil graag bestellen, list items with een portie and met/zonder, say collect-or-deliver, give your adres, and check the bezorgkosten and bezorgtijd. Pay by pinnen, online or contant. On an app like Thuisbezorgd it is the same vocabulary on screen. Easy, weekly Dutch.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that drills the takeaway and delivery conversation, afhalen, bezorgen, ik wil graag bestellen, bezorgkosten, in five-minute lessons, so ordering food by phone or app is quick and clear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ‘afhalen’ and ‘bezorgen’?
Afhalen means to collect your food yourself (takeaway): Ik kom het afhalen (I’ll come and collect it). Bezorgen (or laten bezorgen) means to have it delivered: Kunt u het bezorgen? (can you deliver it?). When you order, you may be asked Afhalen of bezorgen? (collect or deliver?). Delivery usually has a bezorgkosten (delivery fee) and a minimum order; collection is often a bit cheaper or quicker.
How do you order takeaway by phone in Dutch?
Open with Goedenavond, ik wil graag bestellen (good evening, I’d like to order), then list your items, using een portie (a portion), met or zonder (with/without), and number them. Say whether it is to afhalen (collect) or bezorgen (deliver). They may ask Op welke naam? and, for delivery, your adres. Ask Hoe lang duurt het? (how long will it take?) and how to pay: contant, pinnen, or online.
How do food delivery apps work in the Netherlands?
Most people order via apps like Thuisbezorgd (the big one) or others, where you pick a restaurant, build your order, enter your adres (postcode and huisnummer), choose afhalen or bezorgen, and pay online (iDEAL) or sometimes at the door. The app shows the bezorgkosten (delivery fee), minimum order and estimated time. Useful words on screen: bestellen (order), bezorgen, afhalen, bezorgtijd (delivery time), and fooi (tip, optional).
What is the best app to learn Dutch for ordering food?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it drills the ordering conversation, afhalen, bezorgen, ik wil graag bestellen, op welke naam, hoe lang duurt het, in five-minute real-situation lessons, so ordering takeaway or delivery by phone or app is quick and stress-free.
