Preparing for a Meeting | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: In a workplace, two adults share meeting notes and check the discussion topic before a meeting begins..

EN → NL / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Preparing for a Meeting to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Zijn de notities voor de vergadering klaar?

zine duh noh-TEE-tsees vohr duh ver-KHAH-duh-ring klahr Are the meeting notes ready?
B

Ze liggen op mijn bureau.

zuh LIKH-un op mine buh-ROH They are on my desk.
A

Is er een kopie voor mij?

iss ur ayn koh-PEE vohr may Is there a copy for me?
B

Hier is een kopie.

heer iss ayn koh-PEE Here is one.
A

Wat bespreken we vandaag?

vaht buh-SPRAY-kun wuh van-DAHKH What are we discussing today?
B

We gaan het nieuwe plan bespreken.

wuh KHAHN ut NEE-wuh plahn buh-SPRAY-kun We will discuss the new plan.
A

Laat me de notities lezen voordat we beginnen.

LAHT muh duh noh-TEE-tsees LAY-zun vohr-DAHT wuh buh-KHIN-un Let me read the notes before we start.
B

Neem een minuut voordat we beginnen.

NAYM ayn mih-NYOOT vohr-DAHT wuh buh-KHIN-un Take a minute before we begin.

Word by Word

Zijn In "Zijn de notities voor de vergadering klaar?", "Zijn" means “are” and starts a question about the notes. Use "Zijn ... klaar?" to ask whether things are ready.
de In "de notities" and "de vergadering", "de" means “the” and comes before a specific noun. Reuse the pattern "de + noun", as in "de notities".
notities In "de notities voor de vergadering", "notities" means “notes”, specifically the notes being used for the meeting here. Reuse "de notities" when referring to a particular set of notes.
voor In "notities voor de vergadering" and "een kopie voor mij", "voor" means “for” and shows who or what something is intended for. Reuse "voor + person or thing", as in "voor mij".
vergadering In "de vergadering", "vergadering" means “meeting”. Reuse it in the phrase "voor de vergadering" when referring to something prepared for a meeting.
klaar In "Zijn de notities voor de vergadering klaar?", "klaar" means “ready”. It follows "zijn" to describe something as ready, as in the question "Zijn ... klaar?".
Ze In "Ze liggen op mijn bureau", "Ze" means “they” and refers to the meeting notes. Reuse "Ze" as the subject when referring back to plural things already mentioned.
liggen In "Ze liggen op mijn bureau", "liggen" describes the notes as being located on the desk. Reuse "liggen op + place" for objects that are located somewhere, as in "liggen op mijn bureau".
op In "op mijn bureau", "op" means “on” and shows the location of the notes. Reuse "op + place" to say where something is located.
mijn In "mijn bureau", "mijn" means “my” and identifies the desk as belonging to the speaker. Reuse "mijn + noun" to describe something as the speaker’s.
bureau In "op mijn bureau", "bureau" means “desk”, the place where the notes are located. Reuse it in the location phrase "op mijn bureau".
Is In "Is er een kopie voor mij?", "Is" means “is” and starts a question about whether a copy is available. Use the pattern "Is er ...?" to ask whether something exists or is available.
er In "Is er een kopie voor mij?", "er" is used in an existential statement about whether a copy is available. Reuse "Is er ...?" when asking whether something is present or exists.
een In "een kopie" and "een minuut", "een" means “a” or introduces one unspecified item or amount. Reuse "een + noun", as in "een kopie".
kopie In "een kopie voor mij" and "Hier is een kopie", "kopie" means “copy”. Reuse "een kopie" when referring to one copy of a document.
mij In "voor mij", "mij" means “me” and identifies the person for whom the copy is intended. Reuse the phrase "voor mij" when something is intended for the speaker.
Hier In "Hier is een kopie", "Hier" means “here” and presents or points out the copy. Reuse "Hier is ..." when showing or offering something that is nearby.
Wat In "Wat bespreken we vandaag?", "Wat" means “what” and asks which topic is being discussed. Reuse "Wat + verb ...?" to ask for information about an unspecified thing.
bespreken In "Wat bespreken we vandaag?" and "het nieuwe plan bespreken", "bespreken" means “discuss”. Reuse "bespreken + topic", as in "het nieuwe plan bespreken".
we In "Wat bespreken we vandaag?" and "voordat we beginnen", "we" means “we” and refers to the speaker together with the other person or group. Reuse "we" as the subject for an action shared by the speaker and others.
vandaag In "Wat bespreken we vandaag?", "vandaag" means “today” and specifies when the discussion takes place. Reuse it to refer to the current day, often near the end of a sentence.
gaan In "We gaan het nieuwe plan bespreken", "gaan" is part of the construction "gaan + infinitive", which presents the discussion as planned or upcoming. Reuse "gaan + action" for an action that is going to happen.
het In "het nieuwe plan", "het" means “the” and introduces the specific plan being discussed. Reuse "het + noun", as in "het nieuwe plan".
nieuwe In "het nieuwe plan", "nieuwe" means “new” and describes the plan. Reuse it before a noun when identifying something as new, as in "het nieuwe plan".
plan In "het nieuwe plan", "plan" means “plan”, the topic that will be discussed. Reuse the phrase "het nieuwe plan bespreken" when talking about discussing this plan.
Laat In "Laat me de notities lezen", "Laat" means “let” and begins a request for permission to do something. Reuse "Laat me + action", as in "Laat me de notities lezen".
me In "Laat me de notities lezen", "me" means “me” and identifies the person who wants to read the notes. Reuse "Laat me ..." when asking to do an action yourself.
lezen In "de notities lezen", "lezen" means “read” and names the action the speaker wants to do. Reuse "lezen + object", as in "de notities lezen".
voordat In "voordat we beginnen", "voordat" means “before” and introduces the action that must happen first. Reuse "voordat + clause" to order two actions in time.
beginnen In "voordat we beginnen", "beginnen" means “begin” and refers to the start of the meeting or discussion. Reuse the phrase "voordat we beginnen" when referring to something that happens before starting.
Neem In "Neem een minuut voordat we beginnen", "Neem" means “take” and gives advice or an instruction to allow some time. Reuse "Neem + amount of time", as in "Neem een minuut".
minuut In "Neem een minuut", "minuut" means “minute” and names the amount of time to take before beginning. Reuse "een minuut" when referring to one minute of time.

Grammar Points

voordat + bijzin: het werkwoord staat aan het einde

voordat ze beginnen

vohr-DAHT zuh buh-KHIN-un

before they begin

Na ‘voordat’ komt het werkwoord in de bijzin aan het einde.

gaan + infinitief voor een toekomstige handeling

Vandaag gaan ze beginnen

van-DAHKH KHAHN zuh buh-KHIN-un

Today they are going to start

‘Gaan’ met een infinitief drukt een toekomstige handeling of intentie uit.

Dutch Vocabulary

bespreken verb
buh-SPRAY-kun to discuss

Wat bespreken we vandaag?

bureau noun
byoo-ROH desk

op mijn bureau

hier adv
heer here

Hier is een kopie.

klaar adj
klahr ready

Zijn de notities voor de vergadering klaar?

kopie noun
koh-PEE copy

Is er een kopie voor mij?

liggen verb
LIKH-un to lie; to be lying

Ze liggen op mijn bureau.

mij pron
may me

voor mij

notities noun
noh-TEE-tsees notes

de notities

vergadering noun
ver-KHAH-duh-ring meeting

voor de vergadering

voor prep
vohr for; before

een kopie voor mij

wat pron
vaht what

Wat bespreken we vandaag?

ze pron
zuh they

Ze liggen op mijn bureau.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

They are on my desk.

Show AnswerZe liggen op mijn bureau.

Is there a copy for me?

Show AnswerIs er een kopie voor mij?

Here is one.

Show AnswerHier is een kopie.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

notes

Show Answernotities

desk

Show Answerbureau

ready

Show Answerklaar

copy

Show Answerkopie