Organizing a Bag | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Organizing a Bag to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Zit mijn bril in deze tas?

zit mine BRILL in DAY-zuh TAHS? Are my glasses in this bag?

Hij zit in het zijvak.

high zit in ut ZAY-vahk. They're in the side pocket.

Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig.

ik hep mine noh-TEE-tsee-book-yuh ohk NOH-dikh. I need my notebook too.

Het ligt onder je paraplu.

ut likht AWN-der yuh pah-rah-PLOO. It's under your umbrella.

Kan ik de paraplu verplaatsen?

kahn ik duh pah-rah-PLOO vuh-PLAHT-suh? Can I move the umbrella?

Leg hem bij het handvat, zodat hij niet in de weg ligt.

lekh hem buy ut HAHNT-vaht, zoh-DAHT high neet in duh wekh likht. Put it by the handle so it stays out of the way.

Ik ruim de tas nu op.

ik ROYM duh TAHS noo awp. I'll organize the bag now.

Dan is het makkelijker om dingen te vinden.

dahn iss ut MAH-kuh-luh-kur awm DING-un tuh VIN-dun. Then it will be easier to find things.

Word by Word

Zit In "Zit mijn bril in deze tas?", "Zit" asks whether the glasses are located in the bag. The citation form is zitten, and the verb comes before the subject because this is a question. A reusable pattern is "Zit ... in ...?" when asking where something is.

mijn "mijn" means my and shows that the glasses belong to or are associated with the speaker. It comes directly before the noun in "mijn bril". Use "mijn" before an item you are identifying as yours.

bril "bril" refers to the speaker's glasses in "mijn bril". It is the item whose location is being asked about. This is useful when asking about or identifying glasses among personal belongings.

in In "in deze tas", "in" shows that the glasses may be inside the bag. It introduces the place where an object is located. Use "in" before a container or enclosed place when describing location.

deze "deze" means this in "deze tas" and points to the bag being indicated or currently discussed. It comes before the noun it identifies. Use "deze" when distinguishing one nearby or relevant item from others.

tas "tas" means bag in "deze tas". It names the container being organized in the dialogue. Use it when talking about where personal items are stored or carried.

Hij In "Hij zit in het zijvak", "Hij" means it and refers back to "bril", not to a male person. The citation form of this pronoun is the same word in lowercase when it is not at the start of a sentence. A useful pattern is "Hij zit ..." when referring back to a previously mentioned item.

het "het" has two roles in this dialogue: in "het zijvak" it means the, while in "Het ligt onder je paraplu" it means it and refers to the notebook. Its function is clear from whether it comes before a noun or before a verb. Use "het" with a noun such as "het zijvak", or as the subject of a sentence about the item.

zijvak "zijvak" means side pocket in "het zijvak". It identifies the particular pocket where the glasses are located. Use it when specifying a side compartment of a bag or similar item.

Ik "Ik" means I and identifies the speaker as the subject in "Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig". It is capitalized here because it begins the sentence. Use "Ik" when stating your own need, action, or intention.

heb In "Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig", "heb" contributes to the expression meaning need. The citation form is hebben, but this exact form is used with "Ik" here. A reusable pattern is "Ik heb ... nodig", with the needed item in the middle.

notitieboekje "notitieboekje" means notebook in "mijn notitieboekje". It is the item the speaker says they need. Use it when referring to a notebook among personal belongings.

ook "ook" means too or also in "Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig". It adds the notebook to another item already being discussed. Place "ook" after the item being added when saying that you need that item as well.

nodig "nodig" means needed in the expression "heb ... nodig", which states that the speaker needs the notebook. Its meaning here comes from the combination with "heb", not from "nodig" alone. Use the pattern "heb ... nodig" to state that something is necessary.

ligt In "Het ligt onder je paraplu", "ligt" says where the notebook is located. The citation form is liggen, and this exact form is used with "Het" here. Use "ligt onder ..." when describing an item's position beneath something.

onder "onder" means under in "onder je paraplu". It marks the position of the notebook relative to the umbrella. Use "onder" before the object that is above the item being located.

je "je" means your in "je paraplu" and identifies the umbrella as belonging to the person being addressed. It comes before the noun it describes. Use "je" before a personal item belonging to the person you are speaking to.

paraplu "paraplu" means umbrella in both "je paraplu" and "de paraplu". It is the item under which the notebook lies and the item that may be moved. Use it when identifying an umbrella in a group of belongings.

Kan In "Kan ik de paraplu verplaatsen?", "Kan" asks whether the speaker is allowed or able to move the umbrella. The citation form is kunnen, and the verb comes first because this is a question. A reusable pattern is "Kan ik ...?" when asking permission to do something.

de "de" means the in "de paraplu". It introduces the specific umbrella already known from the conversation. Use "de" before a particular item that the speakers can identify.

verplaatsen "verplaatsen" means move or reposition in "de paraplu verplaatsen". It follows "Kan ik" and names the action the speaker is asking about. Use it after a modal expression when asking or talking about moving an object.

Leg In "Leg hem bij het handvat", "Leg" gives the instruction to put or lay the umbrella in a particular place. The citation form is leggen, and this exact form is used as a direct instruction. A reusable pattern is "Leg ... bij ..." when telling someone where to place an object.

hem "hem" means it in "Leg hem bij het handvat" and refers to the umbrella. It is the object being placed near the handle. Use "hem" when referring back to this kind of previously mentioned object as the thing affected by the action.

bij "bij" means by or near in "bij het handvat". It specifies the place where the umbrella should be put. Use "bij" before a nearby reference point such as a handle.

handvat "handvat" means handle in "het handvat". It is the reference point beside which the umbrella should be placed. Use it when identifying the part of a bag or object that is used for holding it.

zodat "zodat" means so that and introduces the intended result in "zodat hij niet in de weg ligt". It connects placing the umbrella near the handle with keeping it from obstructing anything. Use "zodat" before a clause that explains a purpose or result.

niet "niet" means not in "niet in de weg ligt". It negates the idea that the umbrella is in the way. Use "niet" when saying that an action or situation does not have a particular result.

weg In "in de weg ligt", "weg" contributes the idea of a way or path, while the whole expression means to be in the way. The word is not being used here as a separate instruction to go somewhere. A reusable pattern is "in de weg liggen" for an object that obstructs movement or access.

ruim In "Ik ruim de tas nu op", "ruim" expresses the action of tidying or organizing. The citation form is opruimen; in this sentence its parts appear around "de tas nu" in the exact form "ruim de tas nu op". Use the pattern "Ik ruim ... op" when saying that you are tidying a particular place or group of things.

nu "nu" means now in "Ik ruim de tas nu op". It places the organizing action at the present moment. Use "nu" when saying that an action is happening at this time.

op In "ruim de tas nu op", "op" is the particle that completes the verb meaning tidy or organize. It does not independently mean that the bag is physically upward here. Keep it with the verb in the reusable pattern "ruim ... op".

Dan "Dan" means then in "Dan is het makkelijker om dingen te vinden". It introduces the result that follows the bag being organized. Use "Dan" at the start of a sentence when describing what happens after an earlier action.

is In "is het makkelijker", "is" links the situation with the description easier, giving the result that finding things will be easier. The citation form is zijn, but this exact form is used with "het" here. A reusable pattern is "Het is ..." for describing a situation.

makkelijker "makkelijker" means easier in "het makkelijker". It compares finding things after organizing the bag with finding them before. Use it when describing an action or task that requires less effort than another one.

om In "om dingen te vinden", "om" introduces the infinitive phrase that explains what is easier. It works together with "te" around the action "vinden". A reusable pattern is "om ... te" followed by an action.

dingen "dingen" means things or items in "dingen te vinden". It refers broadly to the belongings that someone wants to locate in the organized bag. Use it when the exact objects are not being named or when referring to several everyday items generally.

te In "te vinden", "te" marks the infinitive phrase after "om". It helps form the construction "om dingen te vinden", meaning to find things. Use "te" before the verb in an "om ... te" construction.

vinden "vinden" means find in "dingen te vinden". It names the action that becomes easier after the bag is organized. Use it after "te" in a pattern such as "om iets te vinden", with the object before the verb.

Grammar Points

Separable verb: ruim ... op

Ruim de dingen op.

ROYM duh DING-un awp.

Tidy up the things.

In a main-clause command, the prefix op moves to the end: ruim ... op.

zodat + verb at the end

zodat de tas onder de paraplu ligt

zoh-DAHT duh TAHS AWN-der duh pah-rah-PLOO likht

so that the bag is under the umbrella

After zodat, the conjugated verb moves to the end of the clause.

Dutch Vocabulary

bij prep

buy by or next to

Leg hem bij het handvat.

bril noun

BRILL glasses

Zit mijn bril in deze tas?

handvat noun

HAHNT-vaht handle

Leg hem bij het handvat.

leggen verb

LEH-ghun to put or lay Leg

Leg hem bij het handvat.

nodig adj

NOH-dikh needed

Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig.

notitieboekje noun

noh-TEE-tsee-book-yuh notebook

Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig.

onder prep

AWN-der under

Het ligt onder je paraplu.

paraplu noun

pah-rah-PLOO umbrella

Het ligt onder je paraplu.

tas noun

TAHS bag

Zit mijn bril in deze tas?

verplaatsen verb

vuh-PLAHT-suh(n) to move

Kan ik de paraplu verplaatsen?

zijvak noun

ZAY-vahk side pocket

Hij zit in het zijvak.

zodat conj

zoh-DAHT so that

Zodat hij niet in de weg ligt.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Are my glasses in this bag?

Show Answer

Zit mijn bril in deze tas?

They're in the side pocket.

Show Answer

Hij zit in het zijvak.

I need my notebook too.

Show Answer

Ik heb mijn notitieboekje ook nodig.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

handle

Show Answer

handvat

needed

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nodig

side pocket

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zijvak

to move

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verplaatsen