Deciding what to bring | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Deciding what to bring to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Wat moet ik meenemen?

vaht moot ik MAY-nuh-mun? What should I bring with me?

Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.

NAYM ahl-shuh-BLEEFT un KLY-nuh DAY-kuhn MAY Please bring a small blanket.

Hebben we ook drinken nodig?

HEH-bun vuh OHK DRING-kuhn NOH-dukh? Do we need drinks too?

Een koud drankje zou fijn zijn.

un KOUT DRANG-kyuh ZOW FINE ZINE A cold drink would be nice.

Ik kan wat bekers meenemen.

ik kahn vaht BAY-kuhrs MAY-nuh-mun I can bring some cups.

Dat zou helpen, bedankt. We kunnen ze delen.

daht ZOW HEL-pun, buh-DANKT. vuh KUN-un zuh DAY-lun. That would help, thanks. We can share them.

Ze passen in mijn tas.

zuh PASS-un in mine tahs They can fit in my bag.

Dan zijn we klaar.

dahn ZINE vuh KLAHR Then we're ready.

Word by Word

Wat “Wat” means “what” here and asks about the thing to bring. In “Wat moet ik meenemen?” it comes at the start because it introduces the question. Use it when asking which thing or information someone means.

moet “moet” expresses what someone must or should do here. In “moet ik meenemen”, it is followed by the action “meenemen”. Use it to ask or state what is required.

ik “ik” means “I” and refers to the person asking what to bring. In “Wat moet ik meenemen?” it follows “moet” in the question, while in “Ik kan wat bekers meenemen.” it starts the sentence. Use it when talking about yourself.

meenemen “meenemen” means to bring something along. Here it is the action that follows “moet” in “moet ik meenemen”. Use it when taking an item with you to another place.

Neem “Neem” gives the instruction to bring or take something along. In “Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.” it is the direct request to bring the blanket. It is used to tell someone what action to take.

alsjeblieft “alsjeblieft” means “please” and makes the request more polite. It appears after “Neem” in “Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.” Use it when asking someone politely to do something.

een “een” introduces one unspecified item, meaning “a” or “an”. Here it appears before “kleine deken” and “koud drankje”. Use it before a singular item when it is not yet specific.

kleine “kleine” means “small” and describes the size of “deken” in “een kleine deken”. Its form is the one used before this noun in the dialogue. Use it before a noun when describing something small.

deken “deken” means “blanket” and is the item that should be brought. In “een kleine deken” it names one blanket for the shared outing. Use it when referring to a blanket as an object.

mee “mee” adds the meaning “along” or “with” to bringing something. In “Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.” it completes the idea of bringing the blanket along, while “Neem” gives the instruction. It is used at the end when the verb is separated around the item.

Hebben “Hebben” means “have” and starts the question “Hebben we ook drinken nodig?” Together with “nodig”, the full question asks whether drinks are needed. Use it at the start of a question about having or needing something.

we “we” means “we” and refers to the two people planning the outing. In “Hebben we ook drinken nodig?” it comes after “Hebben” in the question, and in “We kunnen ze delen.” it starts the sentence. Use it when speaking about yourself together with other people.

ook “ook” means “also” or “too” and adds drinks to the things being considered. In “ook drinken” it shows that drinks are an additional item. Use it before the added item when asking whether something else is included.

drinken “drinken” refers to drinks in “Hebben we ook drinken nodig?” It names what the friends may need for the outing. Use it with “nodig” when discussing whether drinks are needed.

nodig “nodig” means “needed” in the question about drinks. In “drinken nodig”, it combines with “hebben” so the sentence asks whether the drinks are necessary. Use it after the item when asking whether something is needed.

koud “koud” means “cold” and describes the drink in “Een koud drankje”. It specifies the desired temperature. Use it before “drankje” when talking about a cold beverage.

drankje “drankje” means “drink” or “beverage” here. In “Een koud drankje zou fijn zijn.” it is the beverage that would be welcome. Use it when suggesting or requesting a drink.

zou “zou” means “would” and makes the suggestion less direct. In “zou fijn zijn”, it presents the cold drink as something that would be pleasant. Use it to express a polite suggestion or preference.

fijn “fijn” means “nice” or “pleasant” in “Een koud drankje zou fijn zijn.” Together with “zou” and “zijn”, it says that the drink would be welcome. Use it when responding positively to a possible idea or offer.

zijn “zijn” means “be” and completes “zou fijn zijn”, meaning “would be nice”. It follows “zou” in this sentence. Use it in a description of what something would be like.

kan “kan” means “can” and expresses ability or possibility. In “Ik kan wat bekers meenemen.” it says that the speaker is able and willing to bring cups. Use it before an action when offering what you can do.

bekers “bekers” means “cups” and names the items the speaker can bring. In “wat bekers meenemen”, the cups are the object being brought along. Use it when talking about cups needed for drinking.

Dat “Dat” means “that” and refers to the preceding offer to bring cups. In “Dat zou helpen” it makes the offer the subject of the response. Use it to refer back to an idea, action, or offer just mentioned.

helpen “helpen” means “help” in “Dat zou helpen”. It describes the useful effect of bringing the cups, and it follows “zou”. Use it when saying that an action would be useful.

bedankt “bedankt” means “thanks” and expresses gratitude for the offer. It appears after “Dat zou helpen” as a short polite response. Use it when thanking someone for help or an offered action.

ze “ze” refers to the cups in “We kunnen ze delen”, where the cups are the things being shared. The capitalized “Ze” in “Ze passen in mijn tas” refers to the same cups as the things that fit in the bag. Use it to refer back to plural things already mentioned.

delen “delen” means “share” in “We kunnen ze delen.” It is the action the two people can do with the cups. Use it after “kunnen” when saying that people can share something.

passen “passen” means “fit” in “Ze passen in mijn tas.” It describes the cups being small enough to go inside the bag. Use it with “in” when saying that something fits inside a place or container.

in “in” means “in” and shows the location of the cups inside the bag. In “in mijn tas” it introduces the container they fit inside. Use it before a place or container when describing something located inside it.

mijn “mijn” means “my” and shows that the bag belongs to the speaker. In “mijn tas” it comes directly before the noun. Use it before an item that belongs to or is associated with you.

tas “tas” means “bag” and is the container where the cups fit. In “mijn tas” it identifies the speaker’s bag. Use it when referring to a bag used to carry things.

Dan “Dan” means “then” and marks the result after the items have been arranged. In “Dan zijn we klaar.” it introduces the conclusion that they are ready. Use it to connect an action or condition with what follows.

klaar “klaar” means “ready” in “Dan zijn we klaar.” It describes the two people after deciding what to bring and confirming the items fit. Use it after “zijn” when saying that someone or something is ready.

Grammar Points

klein → kleine voor een zelfstandig naamwoord

kleine deken

KLY-nuh DAY-kuhn

small blanket

Before a noun, the adjective usually takes -e: klein becomes kleine.

Dutch Vocabulary

alsjeblieft intj

ahl-shuh-BLEEFT please

Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.

deken noun

DAY-kuhn blanket

een kleine deken

drankje noun

DRANG-kyuh drink; beverage

Een koud drankje zou fijn zijn.

drinken noun

DRING-kuhn drinks; something to drink

Hebben we ook drinken nodig?

fijn adj

FINE nice; pleasant

zou fijn zijn

hebben verb

HEH-bun to have Hebben

Hebben we ook drinken nodig?

klein adj

KLINE small kleine

een kleine deken

koud adj

KOUT cold

Een koud drankje

meenemen verb

MAY-nuh-mun to bring along; to take with you

Wat moet ik meenemen?

nemen verb

NAY-mun to take Neem

Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.

nodig adj

NOH-dukh needed; necessary

drinken nodig

ook adv

OHK also; too

Hebben we ook drinken nodig?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What should I bring with me?

Show Answer

Wat moet ik meenemen?

Please bring a small blanket.

Show Answer

Neem alsjeblieft een kleine deken mee.

Do we need drinks too?

Show Answer

Hebben we ook drinken nodig?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to take

Show Answer

Neem

to bring along; to take with you

Show Answer

meenemen

needed; necessary

Show Answer

nodig

to have

Show Answer

Hebben