Coffee during a break | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Coffee during a break to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Wil je koffie?

vihl yuh KAW-fee? Do you want coffee?

Ja, alsjeblieft. Alleen een klein kopje.

YAH, ahl-shuh-BLEEFT. uh-LAYN uhn KLAYN KAWP-yuh. Yes, please. Just a small cup.

Alsjeblieft.

ahl-shuh-BLEEFT. Here you are.

Het ruikt lekker.

uht ROYKT LEH-kuhr. It smells nice.

Heb je suiker nodig?

HEHP yuh SOY-kuhr NOH-dikh? Do you need sugar?

Nee, alleen melk, alsjeblieft.

NAY, uh-LAYN MEHLK, ahl-shuh-BLEEFT. No, just milk, please.

Sorry, er is geen melk.

SOR-ree, uhr iss KHAYN MEHLK. Sorry, there is no milk.

Dat is goed.

DAHT iss KHOOT. That is okay.

Word by Word

Wil “Wil” means “want” in “Wil je koffie?” It is the form of willen used at the beginning of this question with je. Reuse “Wil je …?” when offering or asking whether someone wants something, for example during a break.

je “je” means “you” in “Wil je koffie?” It refers to the person being addressed in this direct question. Reuse “Wil je …?” when asking one person whether they want something, such as a drink.

koffie “koffie” means coffee in “Wil je koffie?” It names the drink being offered and follows “Wil je” as the thing the person may want. Use “koffie” when offering or discussing coffee in an everyday situation, such as a classroom break.

Ja “Ja” means “yes” in “Ja, alsjeblieft.” It gives a positive answer to the offer of coffee. Use “Ja” at the beginning of a reply when accepting an offer or agreeing with someone.

alsjeblieft In “Ja, alsjeblieft,” “alsjeblieft” means “please,” while in the standalone “Alsjeblieft” it means “here you are” when handing something to someone. The same expression can therefore politely accompany a request or the giving of an item. Use “alsjeblieft” when accepting or requesting something, and “Alsjeblieft” when handing it over.

Alleen “Alleen” means “just” or “only” in “Alleen een klein kopje.” It limits the request to one small cup. Reuse “Alleen” before the item or amount you want to specify, especially when making a simple request.

een “een” means “a” or “an” in “een klein kopje.” It introduces one cup without identifying a particular cup. Reuse “een” before a singular noun when requesting or naming one item.

klein “klein” means “small” in “een klein kopje.” It describes the size of “kopje” and appears directly before it. Use “klein” before an item when specifying that you want a small one, such as in a request for a drink.

kopje “kopje” means “cup” in “een klein kopje.” It names the container requested for the coffee, while “klein” specifies its size. Reuse “een klein kopje” when asking for a small cup in a café, classroom, or similar setting.

Het “Het” means “it” in “Het ruikt lekker.” Here it refers to the coffee or the drink being discussed. Use “Het” as the subject when commenting on something already clear from the situation, such as its smell.

ruikt “ruikt” means “smells” in “Het ruikt lekker.” It is the form of ruiken used with “Het” in this sentence. Reuse the pattern “Het ruikt …” when commenting on how something smells, for example when coffee has just been poured.

lekker “lekker” gives a positive meaning to the smell in “Het ruikt lekker,” meaning that it smells nice or pleasant. It completes the comment after “ruikt.” Use “Het ruikt lekker” as a natural way to praise a pleasant smell.

Heb “Heb” is the form of hebben used with je in “Heb je suiker nodig?” The complete question asks whether the person needs sugar; “Heb” helps form this question and does not mean “need” by itself here. Reuse the pattern “Heb je … nodig?” when asking whether someone needs a particular item, such as during an offer.

suiker “suiker” means sugar in “Heb je suiker nodig?” It is the item being offered or checked for. Reuse “suiker nodig” when asking whether someone needs sugar for a drink, such as coffee.

nodig “nodig” means “needed” or “necessary” in “Heb je suiker nodig?” Together with the rest of the question, it asks whether sugar is required. Reuse “Heb je … nodig?” with an item in the middle when asking what someone needs.

Nee “Nee” means “no” in “Nee, alleen melk, alsjeblieft.” It rejects the offer of sugar before the speaker specifies a different request. Use “Nee” at the beginning of a reply when declining an offer or answering negatively.

melk “melk” means milk in “alleen melk, alsjeblieft” and “geen melk.” It identifies the requested drink addition in the first phrase and the unavailable item in the second. Reuse “alleen melk” when requesting only milk and “geen melk” when saying that no milk is available.

Sorry “Sorry” is an apology in “Sorry, er is geen melk.” It softens the information that the requested milk is not available. Use “Sorry” before explaining a problem or an unavailable item to someone who is waiting for it.

er “er” introduces the existence or availability statement in “er is geen melk.” It works with “is” to present what is or is not available; the complete phrase means that there is no milk. Reuse “er is …” when stating that something exists or is available, and “er is geen …” when saying it is not available.

is “is” means “is” in “er is geen melk.” It is the form of zijn used in the existence statement about the milk. Reuse “er is …” to state what is present or available, such as an item in a room.

geen “geen” means “no” or “not any” in “geen melk.” It makes the noun phrase negative and says that there is none of the milk. Reuse “geen” before a noun when informing someone that an item is unavailable or absent.

Dat “Dat” means “that” in “Dat is goed.” It refers to the situation just mentioned, namely that there is no milk. Use “Dat is …” when responding to or evaluating something that another person has just said.

goed “goed” means “good” or “okay” in “Dat is goed.” Here it reassures the other person that the lack of milk is acceptable. Reuse “Dat is goed” to say that a situation is okay or that you accept what someone has told you.

Grammar Points

Wil je ...?

Wil je koffie?

vihl yuh KAW-fee?

Do you want coffee?

In a Dutch yes/no question, the conjugated verb comes before the subject: wil + je.

Er is geen + zelfstandig naamwoord

Er is geen melk.

uhr iss KHAYN MEHLK.

There is no milk.

Use geen before a noun to say that there is no one or no amount of something.

Dutch Vocabulary

alleen adv

uh-LAYN just; only

alsjeblieft intj

ahl-shuh-BLEEFT please; here you are

heb verb

HEHP have

ja intj

YAH yes

je pron

yuh you

klein adj

KLAYN small

koffie noun

KAW-fee coffee

kopje noun

KAWP-yuh cup

lekker adj

LEH-kuhr nice; pleasant

ruikt verb

ROYKT smells

suiker noun

SOY-kuhr sugar

wil verb

VIHL want

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Do you want coffee?

Show Answer

Wil je koffie?

Yes, please. Just a small cup.

Show Answer

Ja, alsjeblieft. Alleen een klein kopje.

It smells nice.

Show Answer

Het ruikt lekker.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

smells

Show Answer

ruikt

coffee

Show Answer

koffie

small

Show Answer

klein

please; here you are

Show Answer

alsjeblieft