Sending a work file | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: In a workplace, two adults coordinate sending a finished report file before a meeting starts..

EN → NL / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Sending a work file to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Is het rapport klaar?

iss uht ruh-PORT klahr Is the report ready?
B

Het is bijna klaar.

uht iss BINE-yah klahr It is almost ready.
A

Stuur me het bestand als het klaar is.

STEW-r muh uht buh-STAHT ahls uht klahr iss Please send me the file when it is ready.
B

Ik heb net de laatste pagina afgemaakt.

ick hep net duh LAHT-stuh pah-ZHEE-nah AHF-khuh-MAHKT I just finished the last page.
A

Ik heb het nodig voordat de vergadering begint.

ick hep uht NOH-dikh vohr-DAHT duh vuh-RHAH-duh-ring buh-KHINT I need it before the meeting starts.
B

Ik voeg het nieuwe bestand nu toe.

ick VOOKH uht NEE-oo-uh buh-STAHT noo too I am attaching the new file now.
A

Ik zal het meteen controleren.

ick zahl uht muh-TAYN kohn-troh-LAY-ruh I will check it right away.
B

Het zou nu in je inbox moeten staan.

uht zow noo in yuh IN-box MUH-tuhn stahn It should be in your inbox now.

Word by Word

Is Is asks whether the report is ready in Is het rapport klaar? It is used at the start of this yes-or-no question. A useful reuse pattern is Is + subject + description? Use it when asking a colleague about the current status of something.
het In Is het rapport klaar?, het means the before rapport; in Het is bijna klaar. and other lines, it refers to the report or file. This exact form can therefore introduce the noun or refer back to it. Reuse het + noun for the item itself and Het is ... when referring back to an item.
rapport Rapport means report in het rapport. It names the work document whose status is being checked. Reuse het rapport when discussing or sending this document at work. You would use it when talking about a written report with a colleague.
klaar Klaar means ready or finished in Is het rapport klaar? and Het is bijna klaar. It describes the report as completed enough to send. Reuse bijna klaar to say that something is nearly ready. Use it when checking whether a task or document can now be used.
bijna Bijna means almost in Het is bijna klaar. It shows that the report is close to being ready but is not quite ready yet. Reuse bijna + a description or state, such as bijna klaar. Use it when giving a progress update before a deadline.
Stuur Stuur means send in the request Stuur me het bestand als het klaar is. This exact form makes a direct request to another person. Reuse Stuur me + object when asking someone to send something to you. Use it with a colleague when requesting a file or message.
me Me means me as the recipient in Stuur me het bestand als het klaar is. It identifies the person who should receive the file. Reuse a verb followed by me when saying that an action is directed to you, such as Stuur me + object. Use it when telling someone to send or give something to you.
bestand Bestand means file in het bestand. Here it refers to the work file that should be sent. Reuse het bestand when discussing a specific file. Use it when coordinating a document or attachment with a colleague.
als Als means when in als het klaar is, introducing the time condition for sending the file. The clause after als gives the point at which the action should happen. Reuse als + clause for a time or condition, such as als het klaar is. Use it when saying that one action should happen after another condition is met.
Ik Ik means I and marks the speaker as the subject in Ik heb net de laatste pagina afgemaakt. It is also used in Ik heb het nodig, Ik voeg ..., and Ik zal ... to describe the speaker’s actions or needs. Reuse Ik + verb when talking about what you are doing or need. Use it in a workplace update about your own task.
heb Heb helps express the completed action in Ik heb net de laatste pagina afgemaakt. Here it works together with afgemaakt to say that the speaker has finished the page, rather than simply meaning possession. Reuse Ik heb ... afgemaakt with an object when reporting a completed task. Use it after finishing part of a document or assignment.
net Net means just or recently in Ik heb net de laatste pagina afgemaakt. It shows that the finishing happened shortly before the speaker says this. Reuse net with an action to report something done a moment ago. Use it when giving an immediate progress update.
de De means the in de laatste pagina. It introduces the specific page being discussed. Reuse de + descriptive word + noun in expressions such as de laatste pagina. Use it when referring to a particular item in a document.
laatste Laatste means last in de laatste pagina. It identifies the final page of the report. Reuse de laatste + noun when referring to the final item in a sequence. Use it when telling someone that the final part of a task has been completed.
pagina Pagina means page in de laatste pagina. It names the part of the report that the speaker has just finished. Reuse de pagina or de laatste pagina when discussing a specific page. Use it when coordinating work on a document.
afgemaakt Afgemaakt means finished or completed in Ik heb net de laatste pagina afgemaakt. It describes the page as completed after the speaker worked on it. It follows heb in this expression. Reuse Ik heb ... afgemaakt with the object of a completed task. Use it when reporting that a page, section, or other task is done.
nodig Nodig means needed in Ik heb het nodig. Together with het, it says that the speaker needs the file or report. Reuse Ik heb ... nodig with the needed object in the middle. Use it when explaining that you require something before a meeting or another task.
voordat Voordat means before in voordat de vergadering begint. It introduces the event that must not happen until the needed file is available. Reuse voordat + clause to set a deadline relative to another event. Use it when saying that something must happen before a meeting or appointment starts.
vergadering Vergadering means meeting in de vergadering. It names the work event that creates the deadline for receiving the file. Reuse de vergadering when referring to a specific meeting. Use it when coordinating documents or preparation with coworkers.
begint Begint means starts or begins in de vergadering begint. It describes the meeting’s starting point in the before-clause. Reuse de vergadering begint when referring to the start of a meeting. Use it to explain when a document or task must be ready.
voeg Voeg contributes the meaning add or attach in Ik voeg het nieuwe bestand nu toe. The full expression voeg ... toe describes attaching or adding the file, while voeg is the verb part before the separated particle toe. Reuse Ik voeg + object + toe with the object in the middle. Use it when attaching a file to a message or another work item.
nieuwe Nieuwe means new in het nieuwe bestand. It identifies the file as the updated or newly provided one. Reuse het nieuwe + noun when describing a specific new item. Use it when distinguishing the current file from an earlier version.
nu Nu means now in Ik voeg het nieuwe bestand nu toe. It shows that the attachment is happening at the time of speaking. Reuse nu with an action to say that it is happening at this moment. Use it when telling a colleague that you are handling the file immediately.
toe Toe is the particle that completes voeg ... toe in Ik voeg het nieuwe bestand nu toe. It contributes the idea of adding or attaching, but the full meaning comes from the separated expression voeg ... toe. Reuse voeg + object + toe with the object between the two parts. Use it when attaching a file or adding something to another place.
zal Zal expresses will or an intention in Ik zal het meteen controleren. It presents checking the file as the speaker’s next action. Reuse Ik zal + object + infinitive for a planned action, such as Ik zal het ... controleren. Use it when promising a colleague that you will handle something.
meteen Meteen means right away in Ik zal het meteen controleren. It says that the checking will happen without delay. Reuse meteen with an action to emphasize immediate timing. Use it when responding quickly to a work request.
controleren Controleren means check in Ik zal het meteen controleren. It is the action the speaker plans to carry out on the file or report. Reuse iets controleren with the item being checked. Use it when reviewing a document after receiving or attaching it.
zou Zou expresses an expectation in Het zou nu in je inbox moeten staan. It presents the file or message as expected to be in the inbox, rather than stating this with complete certainty. Reuse zou ... moeten staan when saying where something is expected to be located. Use it when telling a colleague that a sent file should already be available.
in In means in in in je inbox. It marks the location where the file or message is expected to be found. Reuse in + place to describe where something is located. Use it when directing someone to an inbox, folder, or other location.
je Je means your in je inbox. It shows that the inbox belongs to the person being addressed. Reuse je + noun to refer to something associated with the listener. Use it when telling a colleague where to find something in their inbox.
inbox Inbox means inbox in je inbox. It names the email location where the file or message should now be found. Reuse in je inbox when directing someone to check their incoming mail. Use it after sending a work file or attachment.
moeten Moeten contributes the meaning should or need to in Het zou nu in je inbox moeten staan. Together with zou and staan, it expresses that the item is expected to be located in the inbox. Reuse zou ... moeten + verb for an expected or required situation. Use it when explaining where a sent file should be.
staan Staan means be located in Het zou nu in je inbox moeten staan. Here it describes the file or message as being present in the inbox, not as physically standing. Reuse iets staat in + place when saying where an item is located. Use it when confirming the expected location of an email or file.

Grammar Points

voeg ... toe

Voeg de nieuwe pagina toe.

VOOKH duh NEE-oo-uh pah-ZHEE-nah too

Attach the new page.

With a separable verb, the prefix toe moves to the end of a main-clause sentence.

voordat + onderwerp + werkwoord

Voordat de vergadering begint

vohr-DAHT duh vuh-RHAH-duh-ring buh-KHINT

Before the meeting starts

After voordat, the verb moves to the end of the subordinate clause.

Dutch Vocabulary

afmaken verb
AHF-mah-kuhn to finish afgemaakt
als conj
ahls when
bestand noun
buh-STAHT file

het bestand

bijna adv
BINE-yah almost
hebben verb
HEB-uhn to have heb
klaar adj
klahr ready

Is het rapport klaar?

laatste adj
LAHT-stuh last

de laatste pagina

me pron
muh me
net adv
net just
pagina noun
pah-ZHEE-nah page

de laatste pagina

rapport noun
ruh-PORT report

het rapport

sturen verb
STEW-ruh to send Stuur

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is the report ready?

Show AnswerIs het rapport klaar?

It is almost ready.

Show AnswerHet is bijna klaar.

I will check it right away.

Show AnswerIk zal het meteen controleren.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to send

Show AnswerStuur

ready

Show Answerklaar

almost

Show Answerbijna

file

Show Answerbestand