A quiet place to study | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use A quiet place to study to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Is deze tafel vrij?

iss DAY-zuh TAH-fuhl VRY Is this table free?

Niemand zit hier.

NEE-mahnt zit heer No one is sitting here.

Ik heb een rustige plek nodig om te zitten.

ik hep un RUS-tuh-guh plek NOH-dikh om tuh ZIT-tun I need a quiet place to sit.

Deze tafel staat ver van de deur.

DAY-zuh TAH-fuhl staht vehr vahn duh DERR This table is away from the door.

Dan is dit een goede plek om te studeren.

dahn iss dit un KHOO-duh plek om tuh stoo-DAY-run Then this is a good place to study.

Praat alsjeblieft zacht terwijl je studeert.

praht ahl-shuh-BLEEFT zahkht tur-WEYL yuh stoo-DAYRT Please keep your voice low while you study.

Zeker, ik zal zacht praten.

ZAY-kur, ik zahl zahkht PRAH-tun Sure, I'll keep my voice down.

Dat helpt andere mensen om te studeren.

daht helpt AHN-duh-ruh MEN-sun om tuh stoo-DAY-run That helps other people study.

Word by Word

Is “Is” asks whether something has a particular status; in “Is deze tafel vrij?” it asks whether the table is available. The citation form is zijn, and is is the form used here. You can use it when asking about the condition or availability of something.

deze “deze” means this and points to the table being discussed in “Is deze tafel vrij?”. It comes directly before “tafel” in this noun phrase. Use it when identifying one nearby or clearly indicated thing.

tafel “tafel” means table in “Is deze tafel vrij?”. It is the object whose availability is being checked. In a library, you can use it when asking about a place to sit or work.

vrij “vrij” means free or available in “Is deze tafel vrij?”. Here it asks whether nobody else is using the table, not whether the table is unrestricted in every sense. Use it when checking whether a table, seat, or similar place is available.

Niemand “Niemand” means no one and is the subject of “Niemand zit hier.” It states that there is not a person sitting in this location. Use it when reporting that nobody is present or doing a particular action.

zit “zit” means sits or is sitting in “Niemand zit hier.” The citation form is zitten, and zit is the form used here. It is useful when saying who is sitting in a particular place, such as a table or seat.

hier “hier” means here and identifies the location in “Niemand zit hier.” It completes the statement about where nobody is sitting. Use it when referring to the speaker’s or listener’s current location.

Ik “Ik” means I and identifies the speaker in “Ik heb een rustige plek nodig om te zitten.” It appears at the start of this statement before the action or need. Use it when describing your own needs, plans, or actions.

heb “heb” means have in the need expression “Ik heb een rustige plek nodig”. The citation form is hebben; here heb combines with nodig to express that the speaker needs something. A reusable pattern is “Ik heb … nodig” with the needed thing in the middle.

een “een” means a and introduces the non-specific place in “een rustige plek”. It presents one place without identifying it as a particular known place. Use it before a singular, non-specific thing that you need or want.

rustige “rustige” means quiet or peaceful in “een rustige plek”. It describes the kind of place the speaker needs and comes before “plek”. The citation form is rustig, while rustige is the form used in this noun phrase. Use it to describe a place where little noise is expected.

plek “plek” means place or spot in “een rustige plek”. It names the location the speaker wants for sitting. A reusable pattern is a description followed by “plek” when choosing or requesting a location.

nodig “nodig” means needed in “Ik heb een rustige plek nodig”. It comes after the thing that is needed and completes the Dutch expression for having a need. Use it in “Ik heb … nodig” when requesting or describing something necessary.

om “om” introduces the purpose in “om te zitten”. Together, “om te zitten” means for the purpose of sitting, with om introducing that purpose and te marking the following infinitive. Use this construction when explaining what an intended place or object is for.

te “te” marks the infinitive in “om te zitten”. In the whole expression “om te zitten”, om introduces the purpose and te connects it to zitten. Use it before an infinitive in this purpose construction.

zitten “zitten” means to sit in “om te zitten”. It is the infinitive used after te and names the activity the place is needed for. Use it when describing sitting as the purpose of a place.

staat “staat” means stands or is located in “Deze tafel staat ver van de deur.” The citation form is staan, and staat is the form used here for the table’s location. Use it when describing where an object is positioned.

ver “ver” means far in “ver van de deur”. It describes the distance between the table and the door. Use it when choosing or describing a place that is a long distance from a reference point.

van “van” means from in the distance expression “ver van de deur”. It links the distance word ver to the reference point, de deur. Use it after a distance expression to identify what something is far from.

de “de” means the in “de deur”. It introduces the specific door being used as the reference point. Use it before a known noun such as the door being discussed in a room.

deur “deur” means door in “ver van de deur”. It identifies the object from which the table is located far away. In a library or room, use it when describing a table’s position relative to an entrance.

Dan “Dan” means then and marks the conclusion in “Dan is dit een goede plek om te studeren.” It connects the information about the table’s location with the decision that the place is suitable. Use it when drawing a conclusion from something just said.

dit “dit” means this and points to the place currently under discussion in “Dan is dit een goede plek om te studeren.” It identifies the place being evaluated. Use it when referring to a nearby or clearly identified thing as suitable for a purpose.

goede “goede” means good in “een goede plek”. It describes the place positively and comes before “plek”. The citation form is goed, while goede is the form used in this noun phrase. Use it when evaluating a place as suitable or useful.

studeren “studeren” means to study in “om te studeren”. It is the infinitive naming the purpose of the place. Use it after “om te” when explaining that a place is intended for studying.

Praat “Praat” means speak or talk in the request “Praat alsjeblieft zacht”. The citation form is praten, and Praat is the form used to directly ask the listener to do this. In a library, use it when asking someone to speak quietly.

alsjeblieft “alsjeblieft” means please in “Praat alsjeblieft zacht”. It makes the request more polite without changing what the listener is asked to do. Use it when making a courteous request to another person.

zacht “zacht” means softly or quietly in “Praat alsjeblieft zacht”. It describes how the listener should speak, and the same idea appears in “zacht praten”. Use it when asking someone to lower the volume of their speech.

terwijl “terwijl” means while and introduces the simultaneous activity in “terwijl je studeert”. It shows that the speaking and studying happen during the same period. Use it to connect an action with another action happening at the same time.

je “je” means you in “terwijl je studeert” and identifies the person who is studying. It refers to the listener in this conversation. Use it when addressing someone directly in a clause about their action.

studeert “studeert” means studies or is studying in “terwijl je studeert”. The citation form is studeren, and studeert is the form used with je here. Use it when describing the listener’s studying activity.

Zeker “Zeker” means sure or certainly in “Zeker, ik zal zacht praten.” It shows that the speaker agrees to the request. Use it as a brief confirmation when accepting what another person has asked.

zal “zal” means will in “ik zal zacht praten” and presents the speaker’s commitment to a future or intended action. The citation form is zullen, while zal is the form used here. Use it in “ik zal …” when promising or stating what you will do.

praten “praten” means to talk or speak in “ik zal zacht praten”. It is the infinitive that follows zal and names the promised action. The phrase “zacht praten” is useful when describing speaking quietly.

Dat “Dat” means that in “Dat helpt andere mensen om te studeren.” It points back to the previous action of speaking quietly. Use it when referring to an action or situation that has just been mentioned.

helpt “helpt” means helps in “Dat helpt andere mensen om te studeren.” The citation form is helpen, and helpt is the form used here with Dat. Use it in a pattern where one action or thing helps someone to do an activity.

andere “andere” means other in “andere mensen”. It identifies people besides the person or group already in focus. The citation form is ander, while andere is the form used here before mensen. Use it when distinguishing one group from another.

mensen “mensen” means people in “andere mensen”. The citation form is mens, and mensen is the form used here for more than one person. Use it when talking about the other people sharing a place or activity.

Grammar Points

deze rustige plek

deze rustige plek

DAY-zuh RUS-tuh-guh plek

this quiet place

Before a noun, many Dutch adjectives take -e: rustig becomes rustige.

terwijl + onderwerp + werkwoord

terwijl mensen studeren

ter-WEYL MEN-sun stoo-DAY-run

while people study

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

Dutch Vocabulary

deze det

DAY-zuh this

deze tafel

hebben verb

HEB-un to have; need heb

hier adv

heer here

niemand pron

NEE-mahnt no one; nobody

nodig adj

NOH-dikh needed

plek noun

plek place; spot

rustig adj

RUS-tikh quiet rustige

staan verb

stahn to stand staat

tafel noun

TAH-fuhl table

ver adv

vehr far

vrij adj

VRY free; available

zitten verb

ZIT-tun to sit zit

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is this table free?

Show Answer

Is deze tafel vrij?

No one is sitting here.

Show Answer

Niemand zit hier.

Please keep your voice low while you study.

Show Answer

Praat alsjeblieft zacht terwijl je studeert.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

free; available

Show Answer

vrij

this

Show Answer

deze

place; spot

Show Answer

plek

here

Show Answer

hier