Finding seats and resting on a train | Learn Dutch in English

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Use Finding seats and resting on a train to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Het is koel in de trein.

het iss KOOL in duh TRAYN. It feels cool inside the train.

Verderop zijn vrije zitplaatsen.

VAIR-der-OP zayn VRAY-uh ZIT-plah-tsun. There are open seats farther in.

Ik wil zitten na al dat lopen.

ik wihl ZIT-un nah ahl daht LOH-pun. I want to sit after all that walking.

Deze stoelen zijn comfortabel.

DAY-zuh STOOL-un zayn kum-for-TAH-bell. These seats are comfortable.

De rit is ook rustig.

duh RIT iss OHK RUS-tikh. The ride feels quiet too.

Kun je vanaf daar het stationsscherm zien?

kuhn yuh vah-NAHF DAHR ut staht-TSYON-skherm ZEEN? Can you see the station display from there?

We hebben nog drie haltes.

vuh HEB-un nokh DREE HAHL-tus. We have three more stops.

Dan kunnen we een beetje uitrusten voordat we uitstappen.

dahn KUHN-un vuh un BAY-chuh OWT-rus-tun vohr-DAHT vuh OWT-stahp-un. Then we can rest a little before we get off.

Word by Word

Het In “Het is koel in de trein”, “Het” means “it” and refers generally to the surroundings or situation. Reuse “Het is + adjective” to describe a general condition.

is In “Het is koel”, “is” means “is” and connects the general subject “Het” with the description “koel”. Reuse “subject + is + adjective” for descriptions.

koel “Koel” means cool here and describes the temperature inside the train. Reuse it in “Het is koel” when commenting on a cool environment.

in In “in de trein”, “in” means inside or in and gives the location of the cool surroundings. Reuse “in + place” to say where something is.

de In “de trein”, “de” means “the” and comes before the noun “trein”. Reuse “de + noun”, as in the exact expression “de trein”.

trein “Trein” means train, the vehicle where the speakers are sitting. Reuse “in de trein” when talking about being on a train.

Verderop “Verderop” means farther ahead or farther in, pointing to a location away from the speakers. Reuse it in “Verderop zijn...” when directing someone to something farther away.

zijn In “Verderop zijn vrije zitplaatsen”, “zijn” means “are” and introduces the available seats at that location. Reuse “zijn + noun” to say that things are present or located somewhere.

vrije In “vrije zitplaatsen”, “vrije” means available or unoccupied, so the seats can be used. Reuse the exact combination “vrije zitplaatsen” when looking for seats that are not taken.

zitplaatsen “Zitplaatsen” means seats, specifically places where people can sit on the train. In “vrije zitplaatsen”, it identifies the seats that are available.

Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker who wants to sit. Reuse “Ik wil...” to state what you want to do.

wil In “Ik wil zitten”, “wil” means want and expresses the speaker’s wish to sit. After “wil”, the intended action appears as “zitten” later in the sentence.

zitten In “Ik wil zitten”, “zitten” means to sit and names the action the speaker wants to do. Reuse the pattern “wil + verb” to express wanting to perform an action.

na In “na al dat lopen”, “na” means after and places the sitting after the walking. Reuse “na + activity or event” when saying what happens afterward.

al In “al dat lopen”, “al” emphasizes the whole amount of walking that has already happened. Reuse the pattern “al dat + activity” when referring to all of a tiring or noticeable activity.

dat In “al dat lopen”, “dat” means that and points to the walking being discussed as one activity. Together with “al”, it forms the expression “al dat lopen”.

lopen In “al dat lopen”, “lopen” refers to walking, the activity that made the speaker want to sit. Reuse it after “na” when describing walking as an activity, as in “na ... lopen”.

Deze In “Deze stoelen”, “Deze” means these and points to the seats near the speakers. Reuse “Deze + plural noun” when indicating several nearby things.

stoelen “Stoelen” means chairs or seats; here it refers to the train seats the speakers are using. Reuse “Deze stoelen” to point to these seats.

comfortabel “Comfortabel” means comfortable and describes how the seats feel. Reuse “zijn comfortabel” to say that seats or other things are comfortable.

rit “Rit” means the ride or journey, here the train journey. Reuse “de rit” when referring to a particular ride.

ook In “De rit is ook rustig”, “ook” means too or also and adds that the ride is quiet as well. Reuse it before the added description or information.

rustig “Rustig” means quiet or calm and describes the train ride. Reuse “De rit is rustig” to describe a quiet ride.

Kun In “Kun je ... zien?”, “Kun” means can and begins a question about the other person’s ability to see something. Reuse “Kun je + verb...?” to ask whether someone can do something.

je In “Kun je ... zien?”, “je” means you and refers to the person being addressed. Reuse it in the question pattern “Kun je + verb...?”.

vanaf In “vanaf daar”, “vanaf” means from, marking the point where the view or position starts. Reuse “vanaf + place” to give a starting point.

daar In “vanaf daar”, “daar” means there and points to a location away from the speaker. Reuse “vanaf daar” when referring to something seen or done from that place.

stationsscherm “Stationsscherm” means station display, the display showing information about the station or route. In “het stationsscherm zien”, it is the object that the person may be able to see.

zien In “het stationsscherm zien”, “zien” means see and describes the requested visual action. Reuse “Kun je ... zien?” to ask whether someone can see something.

We “We” means we and includes the speaker and the other person. Reuse “We hebben...” to state something that applies to both people.

hebben In “We hebben nog drie haltes”, “hebben” means have and expresses how many stops remain for the travelers. Reuse “We hebben nog + number + noun” to state what remains.

nog In “nog drie haltes”, “nog” means still or remaining, showing that three stops are left before getting off. Reuse “nog + number + noun” for a remaining amount.

haltes “Haltes” means stops along the train route. In “nog drie haltes”, it counts the stops remaining before the travelers get off.

Dan “Dan” means then and introduces the next action after the remaining stops. Reuse “Dan kunnen we...” to connect a result or next step to what was just said.

kunnen In “kunnen we ... uitrusten”, “kunnen” means can and expresses that the two people will be able or allowed to rest. After “Dan”, it comes before “we” in the question-like word order of the statement.

een In “een beetje”, “een” contributes the meaning “a” to the small amount being described. Reuse the exact expression “een beetje” when referring to a little of something.

beetje In “een beetje uitrusten”, “beetje” means a little and limits the amount of resting. Reuse “een beetje + verb” to describe doing something for a short or small amount.

uitrusten In “kunnen we een beetje uitrusten”, “uitrusten” means rest and describes recovering during the remaining part of the journey. After “kunnen”, it names the action that is possible.

voordat In “voordat we uitstappen”, “voordat” means before and introduces the action that happens later. Reuse “voordat + clause” to say that one action happens before another.

uitstappen In “voordat we uitstappen”, “uitstappen” means get off, specifically leaving the train. Reuse it after “voordat we” when describing getting off before or after another action.

Grammar Points

vrije + meervoudig zelfstandig naamwoord

vrije zitplaatsen

VRAY-uh ZIT-plah-tsun

available seats

Before a plural noun, the adjective vrij takes the ending -e: vrije.

Dutch Vocabulary

comfortabel adj

kum-for-TAH-bell comfortable

koel adj

KOOL cool

lopen verb

LOH-pun walking; to walk

rit noun

RIT ride

rustig adj

RUS-tikh quiet; calm

stationsscherm noun

staht-TSYON-skherm station display

stoel noun

STOOL chair; seat stoelen

trein noun

TRAYN train

verderop adv

VAIR-der-OP farther ahead

vrij adj

VRAY free; available vrije

zitplaats noun

ZIT-plah-ts seat zitplaatsen

zitten verb

ZIT-un to sit

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

It feels cool inside the train.

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Het is koel in de trein.

There are open seats farther in.

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Verderop zijn vrije zitplaatsen.

These seats are comfortable.

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Deze stoelen zijn comfortabel.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

farther ahead

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verderop

walking; to walk

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lopen

cool

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koel

chair; seat

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stoelen