Resting on the sofa during a break | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Resting on the sofa during a break to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Ik heb een korte pauze nodig.

ik hep un KOR-tuh POW-zuh NOH-dikh. I need a short break.

Laten we op de bank zitten.

LAH-tun wuh op duh BAHNGK ZIT-tun. Let's sit on the sofa.

Kan ik wat koffie krijgen?

kahn ik wut KAW-fee KRYE-ghun? Can I get some coffee?

Er is koffie in de keuken.

ur is KAW-fee in duh KUR-kun. There is coffee in the kitchen.

Ik haal wat koffie nadat ik me een beetje heb uitgerekt.

ik hahl wut KAW-fee nah-DAHT ik muh un BAY-chuh hep OWT-ghuh-REKT. I'll get some after I stretch a little.

Rekken helpt als je moe bent.

REK-un helpt uls yuh MOO bent. Stretching helps when you feel tired.

Deze kamer is stil.

DAY-zuh KAH-mur is STEEL. This room is quiet.

We kunnen hier een tijdje rusten.

wuh KUN-nun heer un TYE-chuh RUS-tun. We can rest here for a while.

Word by Word

Ik Ik means I in Ik heb een korte pauze nodig and identifies the speaker as the person who needs a break. It is used at the start of a sentence before the verb, as in Ik heb ... nodig. Use it when speaking about yourself.

heb Heb is the form used with Ik in Ik heb een korte pauze nodig; together with nodig, the sentence expresses that the speaker needs something. The reusable pattern is Ik heb ... nodig, with the needed thing in the middle. Use it to state a personal need.

een Een means a in een korte pauze and introduces one non-specific break. It comes before the description and noun in een + description + noun. Use it when mentioning one item that has not been specifically identified.

korte Korte means short and describes the pauze in een korte pauze. It comes directly before the noun it describes. Use it when specifying that a period or object has limited length or duration.

pauze Pauze means break, here a short rest period at work. In een korte pauze, it is the noun being described by korte. Use it when talking about stopping work or another activity for a period of rest.

nodig Nodig means needed in Ik heb een korte pauze nodig and completes the expression for saying that someone needs something. The reusable pattern is Ik heb ... nodig. Use it when explaining that something is necessary for you.

Laten Laten begins Laten we op de bank zitten, a suggestion meaning let us sit on the sofa. It is used with we and an infinitive to propose an action together. Use Laten we ... when inviting someone to do something with you.

we We means we in Laten we op de bank zitten and refers to the speaker and the other person together. In this suggestion, it follows Laten and comes before the rest of the action. Use it when including yourself and at least one other person.

op Op means on and shows the position in op de bank zitten. Here it introduces the surface or place where the sitting happens. Use op before a place or object when describing being on it.

de De means the in de bank and identifies the specific sofa being mentioned. It comes before the noun bank. Use it when referring to a particular object that is known in the situation.

bank Bank means sofa in op de bank zitten and names the seat where the two people will sit. It follows de in de bank. Use it when referring to this kind of seating furniture.

zitten Zitten means sit in Laten we op de bank zitten and names the suggested action. After Laten we, it stays in this form to complete the suggestion. Use it when proposing that people sit somewhere.

Kan Kan means can at the beginning of Kan ik wat koffie krijgen? and asks whether the speaker is able or permitted to get something. The reusable pattern is Kan ik ... krijgen? Use it to make a polite request or ask about permission.

wat Wat means some in wat koffie and refers to an unspecified amount of coffee. It comes before the thing requested in wat + noun. Use it when asking for or mentioning an amount without specifying exactly how much.

koffie Koffie means coffee in wat koffie and is the drink being requested. It can follow wat when the amount is not specified. Use it when asking for or talking about coffee.

krijgen Krijgen means get or receive in Kan ik wat koffie krijgen? and describes receiving the coffee. It follows Kan ik in this request. Use the pattern iets krijgen when asking whether you can receive something.

Er Er introduces the existence of something in Er is koffie in de keuken. It helps present coffee as being available in the kitchen rather than referring to a person. Use er is + something to say that something exists or is present.

is Is expresses existence in Er is koffie in de keuken and says that coffee is present. Together with Er, it forms the pattern er is + something. Use it when stating that one thing is available or located somewhere.

in In means in and places the coffee inside or within the kitchen in koffie in de keuken. It comes before the place where something is located. Use it to describe location inside a room or other enclosed place.

keuken Keuken means kitchen and names the place where the coffee is in de keuken. It follows the location word in. Use it when referring to the room where food or drinks are prepared.

haal Haal means get or fetch in Ik haal wat koffie and describes the speaker going to obtain the coffee. It is used with an object, as in Ik haal wat koffie. Use Ik haal ... when saying that you will go and get something.

nadat Nadat means after and introduces the action that happens first in nadat ik me een beetje heb uitgerekt. Here, the stretching comes before getting the coffee. Use nadat + a clause to connect one action with a later action.

me Me refers back to the speaker in me een beetje heb uitgerekt and shows that the speaker stretches their own body. It appears with the subject ik in this stretching expression. Use it when an action is directed back at the person doing it.

beetje Beetje means a little or a bit in een beetje and describes a small amount of stretching. It is used with een in the expression een beetje. Use een beetje when you want to express a small amount or degree.

uitgerekt Uitgerekt describes the completed stretching action in me een beetje heb uitgerekt. In this clause, it tells what the speaker has done before getting coffee. Use it to refer to stretching the body when that action is viewed as completed.

Rekken Rekken means stretching in Rekken helpt als je moe bent and names the activity as the subject of the sentence. The reusable pattern is Rekken helpt ... when explaining a benefit of stretching. Use it when discussing stretching as an activity.

helpt Helpt means helps in Rekken helpt als je moe bent and says that stretching has a beneficial effect. Its subject here is the activity Rekken. Use it to say that one action or thing helps with a situation.

als Als means when in als je moe bent and introduces the situation in which stretching helps. It is followed here by a clause describing the person's state. Use als + a clause to connect an action with a condition or situation.

je Je means you in als je moe bent and identifies the person who feels tired. It is the subject of the clause after als. Use it when addressing the person whose state or action you are describing.

moe Moe means tired in je moe bent and describes the person's physical or mental state. It appears with bent to say that the person is tired. Use it when describing tiredness.

bent Bent expresses are with je in je moe bent and links the person to the state moe. The full clause describes the situation in which stretching helps. Use it with je when describing a current state or condition.

Deze Deze means this in Deze kamer and points to the particular room the speaker is referring to. It comes directly before the noun kamer. Use deze + noun when identifying a nearby or currently relevant thing.

kamer Kamer means room in Deze kamer is stil and names the place being described. It follows Deze and is the subject of the sentence. Use it when referring to an enclosed space such as a workplace room.

stil Stil means quiet in Deze kamer is stil and describes the room as having little or no noise. It comes after is to describe the room's state. Use it when describing a quiet place or situation.

kunnen Kunnen means can or be able to in We kunnen hier een tijdje rusten and expresses the possibility of resting. It is followed by the action rusten. Use kunnen + an action to say that someone is able or allowed to do something.

hier Hier means here in We kunnen hier een tijdje rusten and points to the room where the speakers are. It gives the location of the action rusten. Use it when referring to the place where you currently are.

tijdje Tijdje means a while in een tijdje and describes a short period of time. It follows een and comes before the action in een tijdje rusten. Use een tijdje when saying that an action continues for a short period.

rusten Rusten means rest in We kunnen hier een tijdje rusten and names the action the speakers can do. It follows kunnen in this sentence. Use it when talking about taking time to recover or relax.

Grammar Points

laten we + infinitief

Laten we op de bank zitten.

LAH-tun wuh op duh BAHNGK ZIT-tun.

Let's sit on the sofa.

Use “laten we” with an infinitive to make a suggestion. The verb stays in the infinitive form.

een + korte + zelfstandig naamwoord

een korte pauze

un KOR-tuh POW-zuh

a short break

Before a singular noun with “een”, the adjective usually takes -e: kort becomes korte.

Dutch Vocabulary

bank noun

BAHNGK sofa

Laten we op de bank zitten.

er adv

ur there

Er is koffie in de keuken.

hebben verb

HEB-un to have heb

Ik heb een korte pauze nodig.

keuken noun

KUR-kun kitchen

Er is koffie in de keuken.

koffie noun

KAW-fee coffee

Kan ik wat koffie krijgen?

kort adj

KORT short korte

Ik heb een korte pauze nodig.

krijgen verb

KRYE-ghun to get

Kan ik wat koffie krijgen?

laten we phrase

LAH-tun wuh let's

Laten we op de bank zitten.

nodig adj

NOH-dikh needed

Ik heb een korte pauze nodig.

op prep

AWP on

Laten we op de bank zitten.

pauze noun

POW-zuh break

Ik heb een korte pauze nodig.

zitten verb

ZIT-tun to sit

Laten we op de bank zitten.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I need a short break.

Show Answer

Ik heb een korte pauze nodig.

Let's sit on the sofa.

Show Answer

Laten we op de bank zitten.

Can I get some coffee?

Show Answer

Kan ik wat koffie krijgen?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

break

Show Answer

pauze

needed

Show Answer

nodig

to sit

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zitten

sofa

Show Answer

bank