Borrowing and reading in a library | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing and reading in a library to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Deze bibliotheek is erg stil.

DAY-zuh bee-blee-oh-TAKE iss airkh still. This library is very quiet.

We praten zacht, zodat mensen kunnen studeren.

Vay PRAH-tun zahkht, soh-DAHT MEN-sun KUN-un stew-DAY-run. We keep our voices low so people can study.

Ik wil dit boek lenen.

Ik vill dit book LAY-nun. I want to borrow this book.

Ik kan het boek bij de balie aan je uitlenen.

Ik KAHN ut book bay duh BAH-lee ahn yuh OYT-LAY-nun. I can check it out for you at the desk.

Waar moet ik het terugbrengen?

Vahr moot ik ut tuh-RUKH-breng-un? Where should I return it?

Breng het terug naar de balie als je klaar bent.

Breng ut tuh-RUKH nahr duh BAH-lee ahls yuh KLAHR bent. Bring it back to the desk when you are finished.

De plek bij het raam lijkt comfortabel.

Duh plek bay ut rahm laykt kom-for-TAH-bul. The window seat looks comfortable.

Je kunt daar zitten en lezen voordat je weggaat.

Yuh kunt dahr ZIT-un en LAY-zun vor-DAHT-er yuh WEKH-gaht. You can sit there and read before you leave.

Word by Word

Deze In “Deze bibliotheek”, “Deze” means “this” and points to the library being identified. It is used before the noun when selecting or identifying a nearby item or place.

bibliotheek “bibliotheek” means “library”, the place described as quiet in this dialogue. It is the noun used after “Deze” and can name a place where books are borrowed and read.

is “is” links “Deze bibliotheek” with “erg stil” and means “is”. It is the form of zijn used here to describe the library.

erg “erg” means “very” and strengthens the description “erg stil”. It is placed before the adjective it intensifies, and it can emphasize a description of a place or thing.

stil “stil” means “quiet” in the description of the library. It follows “is” and is intensified by “erg”; use it when describing a place with little noise.

We “We” means “we” and refers to the speaker together with other people. It is the subject of “We praten zacht”, a useful way to begin a statement about a shared action.

praten “praten” means “talk” or “speak” in “We praten zacht”. It follows the subject “We” and is used when describing communication between people.

zacht “zacht” means “softly” or “quietly” in “We praten zacht”. It describes how the speaking happens; use it when asking or explaining that people should speak quietly.

zodat “zodat” means “so that” and introduces the intended result “zodat mensen kunnen studeren”. It connects one action with the purpose or result that follows.

mensen “mensen” means “people”, referring here to the people who can study in the library. It is the subject of the clause after “zodat” and can refer to a group of people generally.

kunnen “kunnen” means “can” in “mensen kunnen studeren”. It is followed by the action “studeren”, and this pattern expresses ability or opportunity to do something.

studeren “studeren” means “study”, the activity the people can do in the quiet library. It follows “kunnen” and is useful when talking about education or learning.

Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ik wil dit boek lenen” and “Ik kan het boek bij de balie aan je uitlenen”. It is used as the subject when stating your own wish or ability.

wil “wil” expresses “want” in “Ik wil dit boek lenen”. It is a form of willen used with “Ik” and is followed by the action the speaker wants to do.

dit “dit” means “this” in “dit boek” and points to a specific book. It is placed before the noun and is useful when identifying a particular item.

boek “boek” means “book”, the item the visitor wants to borrow and later return. It is the object of the borrowing action in this dialogue.

lenen “lenen” means “borrow” in “dit boek lenen”. It follows “wil” and is used for taking an item temporarily, such as a book from a library.

kan “kan” means “can” in “Ik kan het boek bij de balie aan je uitlenen”. It is a form of kunnen used with “Ik” and is followed by the action “uitlenen”.

het “het” has two roles in this dialogue: in “het boek” it means “the”, while in “het terugbrengen” it means “it” and refers to the book. The surrounding words show which function is intended.

bij “bij” means “at” or “by” in “bij de balie”. It marks the location of the lending action and is useful for describing where something happens.

de “de” means “the” in “de balie” and “de plek”. It is used before these nouns to form the definite noun phrases referring to the desk and the place.

balie “balie” means “desk” or “counter”, specifically the library service point. It appears as the place where the book is lent and the destination where it should be returned.

aan “aan” means “to” in “aan je uitlenen”. It marks the person who receives the book in the lending action, and it can introduce the recipient of something.

je “je” means “you” and refers to the person being addressed. In this dialogue it is the recipient in “aan je uitlenen”, the subject in “als je klaar bent”, and the subject of “Je kunt daar zitten”.

uitlenen “uitlenen” means “lend out” in “aan je uitlenen”. The book is lent to the person addressed, so this word is useful when describing giving an item temporarily to someone.

Waar “Waar” means “where” and begins the question “Waar moet ik het terugbrengen?”. It asks for the location connected with the required action.

moet “moet” expresses “must” or “should” in “Waar moet ik het terugbrengen?”. It asks what action is required and is followed by “terugbrengen”.

terugbrengen “terugbrengen” means “return” or “bring back” in “het terugbrengen”. It describes taking the book back to the library and appears after “moet” in the question.

Breng “Breng” means “bring” in the direct instruction “Breng het terug”. It is the imperative form of brengen and is used at the start of a request or instruction.

terug “terug” means “back” in “Breng het terug”. Together with “Breng” it shows that the book should go back to the library desk or its original place.

naar “naar” means “to” or “toward” in “naar de balie”. It marks the destination of the returned book and is used when describing movement toward a place.

als “als” means “when” in “als je klaar bent”. It introduces the condition or time at which the visitor should return the book.

klaar “klaar” means “finished” or “ready” in “als je klaar bent”. It describes the visitor’s completed activity and is used here before the return action.

bent “bent” means “are” in “je klaar bent”. It is the form of zijn used with “je” and links the person addressed with the state “klaar”.

plek “plek” means “place” or “seat” in “De plek bij het raam”. It names the spot where the visitor can sit and read.

raam “raam” means “window” in “bij het raam”. It identifies the location of the seat, and it can be used when describing a place near a window.

lijkt “lijkt” means “looks” or “seems” in “lijkt comfortabel”. It presents comfort as an impression rather than a confirmed fact and is useful when judging how something appears.

comfortabel “comfortabel” means “comfortable” and describes the window seat in “lijkt comfortabel”. It follows “lijkt” as the quality that the seat appears to have.

kunt “kunt” means “can” in “Je kunt daar zitten”. It is a form of kunnen used with “je” and is followed by the action “zitten”.

daar “daar” means “there” and points to the place already mentioned, the spot by the window. It is used before “zitten” to indicate where the person can sit.

zitten “zitten” means “sit” in “kunt daar zitten”. It follows “kunt” and is used with a location when describing where someone sits.

en “en” means “and” and connects the two actions “zitten” and “lezen”. It is useful for joining actions performed by the same person.

lezen “lezen” means “read” in “zitten en lezen”. It is coordinated with “zitten” and describes the activity the visitor can do in the library.

voordat “voordat” means “before” in “voordat je weggaat”. It introduces an action that happens earlier than leaving and is useful for expressing sequence.

weggaat “weggaat” means “leaves” or “goes away” in “voordat je weggaat”. It is the form of weggaan used with “je” and refers here to leaving the library.

Grammar Points

zodat + werkwoord achteraan

Mensen praten zacht, zodat mensen studeren.

MEN-sun PRAH-tun zahkht, soh-DAHT MEN-sun stew-DAY-run.

People talk softly so that people study.

After zodat, the verb comes at the end of the subordinate clause.

voordat + werkwoord achteraan

Voordat mensen weggaan, lezen mensen.

Vor-DAHT MEN-sun WEKH-gahn, LAY-zun MEN-sun.

Before people leave, people read.

After voordat, the verb comes at the end of the subordinate clause.

Dutch Vocabulary

balie noun

BAH-lee desk; counter

Ik kan het boek bij de balie aan je uitlenen.

bibliotheek noun

BEE-blee-oh-TAKE library

Deze bibliotheek is erg stil.

boek noun

book book

Ik wil dit boek lenen.

lenen verb

LAY-nun to borrow

Ik wil dit boek lenen.

mensen noun

MEN-sun people

We praten zacht, zodat mensen kunnen studeren.

praten verb

PRAH-tun to talk

We praten zacht, zodat mensen kunnen studeren.

stil adj

STILL quiet

Deze bibliotheek is erg stil.

studeren verb

stew-DAY-run to study

We praten zacht, zodat mensen kunnen studeren.

terugbrengen verb

tuh-RUKH-breng-un to return; to bring back

Waar moet ik het terugbrengen?

uitlenen verb

OYT-LAY-nun to lend; to check out

Ik kan het boek bij de balie aan je uitlenen.

zacht adv

ZAHKHT softly; quietly

We praten zacht, zodat mensen kunnen studeren.

zodat conj

soh-DAHT so that

We praten zacht, zodat mensen kunnen studeren.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

This library is very quiet.

Show Answer

Deze bibliotheek is erg stil.

I want to borrow this book.

Show Answer

Ik wil dit boek lenen.

Where should I return it?

Show Answer

Waar moet ik het terugbrengen?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to borrow

Show Answer

lenen

library

Show Answer

bibliotheek

people

Show Answer

mensen

softly; quietly

Show Answer

zacht