You have just landed, your boxes are everywhere, and learning Dutch feels like a project for “later.” But ten words, learned on day one, make your first day in Amsterdam noticeably easier and friendlier. You will use most of them within hours, at the supermarket, the café, and the front door. Everyone here speaks English, so these are not survival-critical, but they are the fastest way to stop feeling like a tourist on day one.
The 10 words
| Dutch | English | Where you use it |
|---|---|---|
| Hoi | Hi | Walking into any shop or café |
| Dankjewel | Thank you | Constantly |
| Alsjeblieft | Please / here you go | Ordering, handing things over |
| Pinnen | To pay by card | Every till (“pinnen mag?”) |
| Sorry | Sorry / excuse me | Squeezing past on a tram |
| Ja / nee | Yes / no | Answering anything |
| Mag ik | May I have | Ordering food and drink |
| Fijne dag | Have a nice day | Leaving |
| Lekker | Tasty / nice | Food, weather, almost anything good |
| Gezellig | Cosy, convivial, fun | The whole Dutch vibe |
Why these ten
The first eight are pure utility. “Hoi,” “dankjewel,” and “alsjeblieft” are the politeness trio you will say dozens of times a day. “Pinnen” matters because the Netherlands is largely cashless and many places are card-only, so “pinnen mag?” (can I pay by card?) is genuinely useful on day one. “Mag ik” is the polite way to order anything, far more natural than the literal “ik wil” (I want). “Sorry,” “ja,” “nee,” and “fijne dag” round out the basics.
The two that make you sound local
The last two are different, and they are the secret weapons. “Lekker” technically means “tasty,” but the Dutch use it for almost anything good: “lekker weer” (nice weather), “lekker rustig” (nicely quiet), “lekker slapen” (sleep well). And “gezellig,” the famous untranslatable word, captures cosy, convivial togetherness, a warm café, good company, a nice evening. Using these two correctly signals that you are tuning into how Dutch people actually talk, and it almost always earns a smile.
How to use them today
Do not study them; use them. Greet the supermarket cashier with “hoi,” pay with “pinnen,” leave with “fijne dag.” Order your first coffee with “mag ik een koffie, alsjeblieft?” Call the weather “lekker.” By the end of day one these will feel natural, and you will have a foundation to build on. From here, add a few situations at a time: see the must-know everyday phrases for beginners, the wider Dutch phrases for Amsterdam expats, and when admin starts, what the gemeente asks when you register. Amsterdam is a famously welcoming, international city, and a little Dutch goes a long way from the very first day.
A few more for day two
Once the first ten feel natural, a handful more round out your social basics: “tot ziens” or the casual “doei” (bye), “proost” (cheers), “eet smakelijk” (enjoy your meal, said before eating), and “hoe gaat het?” (how are you?) with the easy reply “goed, en met jou?” One practical heads-up for day one: the Netherlands is largely cashless, and the Dutch central bank reports that card and contactless payments dominate, so make sure your bank card works for “pinnen” before you count on finding anywhere that takes cash.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that turns real daily situations across the Netherlands into short, five-minute lessons with audio, built for expats in the Netherlands and Dutch-speaking Belgium.
Frequently asked questions
What Dutch words should I learn first when moving to Amsterdam?
Start with ten: hoi (hi), dankjewel (thanks), alsjeblieft (please), pinnen (pay by card), sorry, ja and nee (yes/no), mag ik (may I have), fijne dag (have a nice day), lekker (tasty/nice), and gezellig (cosy/fun). They cover paying, ordering, and politeness on day one.
Do I need Dutch on my first day in Amsterdam?
Not to survive, since English is spoken almost everywhere. But a handful of Dutch words make your first day smoother and friendlier, and they instantly make you sound less like a tourist, which locals appreciate.
What does “lekker” mean?
“Lekker” technically means tasty, but the Dutch use it for almost anything good: “lekker weer” (nice weather), “lekker rustig” (nicely quiet), “lekker slapen” (sleep well). It is one of the most useful and versatile words in everyday Dutch.
What does “gezellig” mean?
“Gezellig” is a famously untranslatable Dutch word for cosy, convivial togetherness: a warm café, good company, a nice evening. Using it correctly signals that you understand the Dutch social vibe, and it almost always earns a smile.
