About This Lesson
Use Ask for a quiet study room to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Is er een studieruimte beschikbaar?
iss air uhn STÜ-dee-ROY-mtuh buh-SKIK-bahr? Is a study room available?
B
Er is nu een kamer open.
air iss noo uhn KAH-mur OH-pun. One is open now.
A
Kan ik daar lezen?
kahn ik dahr LAY-zun? Can I read in there?
B
Je kunt de kamer gebruiken om te lezen en de deur dichtdoen.
yuh künt duh KAH-mur guh-BROY-kuhn om tuh LAY-zun en duh DÜR DIKHT-doon. You can use it for reading and close the door.
A
Blijft het daar stil?
BLAYFT ut dahr STIL? Will it stay quiet?
B
De muren houden het meeste geluid tegen.
duh MÜ-run HOW-dun ut MAY-stuh guh-LOYT tuh-GHEN. The walls block most of the noise.
A
Deze kamer is goed voor mij.
DAY-zuh KAH-mur iss KHOOT vor MAY. This room works for me.
B
Laat de kamer schoon achter voor andere mensen.
LAHT duh KAH-mur SKHOHN AHKH-tur vor AHN-druh MEN-sun. Please leave it clean for other people.Word by Word
Is
In "Is er een studieruimte beschikbaar?", "Is" asks whether a study room is available; in "Er is nu een kamer open.", "is" states that a room is open. The citation form is "zijn". Use "Is er ...?" to ask whether something is available and "Er is ..." to state that something is present.
er
In "Is er een studieruimte beschikbaar?" and "Er is nu een kamer open.", "er" introduces an existence or availability statement rather than naming the room itself. Its position changes between the question and the statement. Reuse "Er is ..." when stating that something is present or available.
een
In "een studieruimte" and "een kamer", "een" means "a" or "an" and introduces an unspecified room. It is used before the noun in an indefinite noun phrase. Reuse "een" before a noun when referring to one not-yet-identified thing.
studieruimte
"Studieruimte" means "study room" or "study space" and names the room being asked about in "een studieruimte beschikbaar". It is used as the noun after "een" in this question. Reuse the noun phrase "een studieruimte" when asking about a study space.
beschikbaar
In "een studieruimte beschikbaar", "beschikbaar" means "available". It describes whether the study room can be used, which is the information being requested. Reuse it after a room or other resource when asking or stating whether it is available.
nu
In "Er is nu een kamer open", "nu" means "now" and places the room's open status at the present time. It appears after "is" and before the noun phrase. Reuse "nu" to specify that something is true at the current moment.
kamer
"Kamer" means "room" in "een kamer" and "de kamer". The indefinite form introduces an open room, while the definite form refers back to that room when it is used. Reuse "de kamer" when referring to the room already mentioned.
open
In "Er is nu een kamer open", "open" describes the room's current state. Here it helps communicate that the room is available for use, but the full availability meaning comes from the whole sentence. Reuse it to describe a place or facility that is not closed.
Kan
In "Kan ik daar lezen?", "Kan" asks whether the speaker can or may read there. The citation form is "kunnen"; "Kan" is the form used at the start of this question. Reuse "Kan ik ...?" to ask about your ability or permission to do something.
ik
In "Kan ik daar lezen?", "ik" means "I" and identifies the speaker as the person who wants to read. It is the subject of the question. Reuse "ik" when describing your own action or asking what you may do.
daar
In "Kan ik daar lezen?", "daar" means "there" and points to the study room just mentioned. It identifies the place where the reading would happen. Reuse "daar" to refer to a location already understood in the conversation.
lezen
"Lezen" means "to read" in both "daar lezen" and "om te lezen". After "Kan" it names the action the speaker asks to do; after "om te" it expresses the purpose of using the room. Reuse "om te lezen" for the purpose "for reading".
Je
In "Je kunt de kamer gebruiken", "Je" means "you" and addresses one person informally. It is the subject receiving permission or ability to use the room. Reuse "Je kunt ..." when telling one person informally what they can do.
kunt
In "Je kunt de kamer gebruiken", "kunt" means "can" and gives the person permission or ability to use the room. The citation form is "kunnen"; "kunt" is the form used with "Je" here. Reuse "Je kunt" before an action to say that someone can do it.
de
In "de kamer" and "de deur", "de" means "the" and refers to specific things known in the situation. It comes directly before the noun. Reuse "de" before a definite noun when the listener can identify the thing being discussed.
gebruiken
In "de kamer gebruiken om te lezen", "gebruiken" means "to use" and takes "de kamer" as its object. The phrase explains how the room may be used. Reuse the pattern "iets gebruiken om te ..." to describe using something for a purpose.
om
In "om te lezen", "om" introduces the purpose of using the room. The whole construction "om te lezen" means "for reading" or "to read", while "om" signals that purpose. Reuse "om te + verb" to state why an action is done.
te
In "om te lezen", "te" marks the infinitive that follows "om". Together, "om te lezen" expresses the purpose of using the room; "te" does not carry that whole meaning by itself. Reuse "te" inside an "om te + verb" purpose construction.
en
In "gebruiken om te lezen en de deur dichtdoen", "en" means "and" and joins the actions of using the room and closing the door. It connects the two actions in the instruction. Reuse "en" to link two actions or items.
deur
"Deur" means "door" in "de deur dichtdoen". It is the object that should be closed after entering or using the room. Reuse the exact pattern "de deur dichtdoen" when talking about closing the door.
dichtdoen
In "de deur dichtdoen", "dichtdoen" means "to close" or "to shut" and describes the required action for the door. The phrase keeps the object "de deur" before the verb. Reuse "de deur dichtdoen" as a complete expression for closing the door.
Blijft
In "Blijft het daar stil?", "Blijft" asks whether the quiet condition continues. The citation form is "blijven"; "Blijft" is the form used at the start of this question. Reuse "Blijft het ...?" to ask whether a condition remains the same.
het
In "Blijft het daar stil?", "het" means "it" and refers to the room or the situation there. It is the subject whose condition is being questioned. Reuse "het" when referring back to a known thing or situation without repeating its noun.
stil
In "Blijft het daar stil?", "stil" means "quiet" and describes the sound condition in the room. The question asks whether that condition will continue. Reuse "stil" to describe a place with little or no noise.
muren
"Muren" means "walls" in "De muren houden het meeste geluid tegen" and names the parts of the room that block sound. The citation form is "muur"; "muren" is the plural form used here. Reuse "de muren" when referring to the walls of a specific room or building.
houden
In "De muren houden het meeste geluid tegen", "houden" contributes the idea of holding or keeping something back. The full blocking meaning comes from the construction "houden ... tegen", not from "houden" alone. Reuse the construction with something being held back, for example in the new example "De muren houden de wind tegen."
meeste
In "het meeste geluid", "meeste" means "most of" and identifies the largest amount of the sound. It is used with "het" in this phrase. Reuse the pattern "het meeste + noun" when referring to the greatest amount of something.
geluid
In "het meeste geluid", "geluid" means "sound" or, in this context, "noise" coming from around the room. It is the thing that the walls keep out in the sentence. Reuse "geluid" when talking about sound in a place, including the phrase "het meeste geluid".
tegen
In "De muren houden het meeste geluid tegen", "tegen" completes the blocking construction "houden ... tegen" and indicates what is held back. The full meaning is not carried by "tegen" alone. Reuse it as part of a construction that describes blocking or stopping something.
Deze
In "Deze kamer is goed voor mij", "Deze" means "this" and points to the particular room being considered. It appears directly before "kamer". Reuse "Deze + noun" to point out one specific nearby or currently discussed thing.
goed
In "Deze kamer is goed voor mij", "goed" expresses a positive evaluation of the room. The full meaning "works for me" comes from the construction "is goed voor mij", not from "goed" alone. Reuse "goed voor iemand" to say that something suits or is suitable for a person.
voor
In "goed voor mij" and "voor andere mensen", "voor" means "for" and links a room or condition to the person or group it is suitable or intended for. Its meaning depends on the phrase around it. Reuse "goed voor mij" to say that something suits you.
mij
In "goed voor mij", "mij" means "me" and identifies the speaker as the person for whom the room is suitable. It is the object form corresponding to "ik" after "voor". Reuse "voor mij" when saying that something is for you or suits you.
Laat
In "Laat de kamer schoon achter", "Laat" begins a request or instruction to leave the room clean. The citation form is "laten"; "Laat" is the form used for this instruction. Reuse "Laat + object + condition + achter" when asking someone to leave something in a certain state.
schoon
In "Laat de kamer schoon achter", "schoon" means "clean" and describes the condition in which the room should be left. It works with "achter" to express the result expected after leaving. Reuse the exact pattern "schoon achter" when specifying that a place should be left clean.
achter
In "Laat de kamer schoon achter", "achter" completes the expression for leaving something behind in a particular condition. Here the full meaning comes from "de kamer schoon achterlaten", not from "achter" alone. Reuse the dialogue pattern "de kamer schoon achter" when giving this instruction.
andere
In "andere mensen", "andere" means "other" and marks a different group of people from those currently being considered. It directly modifies "mensen". Reuse "andere + noun" to refer to a different set of people or things.
mensen
"Mensen" means "people" in "voor andere mensen" and refers to people who may use the room after the current user. The citation form is "mens"; "mensen" is the plural form used here. Reuse "andere mensen" when referring to people outside the current group.
Grammar Points
Er is + zelfstandig naamwoord + beschikbaar
Er is studieruimte beschikbaar.
air iss STÜ-dee-ROY-mtuh buh-SKIK-bahr.There is study space available.
Dutch gebruikt er in een zin die het bestaan of de beschikbaarheid van iets aangeeft.
houden ... tegen
De muren houden het meeste geluid tegen.
duh MÜ-run HOW-dun ut MAY-stuh guh-LOYT tuh-GHEN.The walls block most of the noise.
Tegenhouden is een scheidbaar werkwoord: houden staat vooraan en tegen komt aan het einde.
Dutch Vocabulary
beschikbaar
adj
buh-SKIK-bahr
available
Is er een studieruimte beschikbaar?
daar
adv
dahr
there; in there
Kan ik daar lezen?
deur
noun
dür
door
De deur dichtdoen.
dichtdoen
verb
DIKHT-doon
to close
De deur dichtdoen.
er
adv
air
there
Er is nu een kamer open.
gebruiken
verb
guh-BROY-kuhn
to use
Je kunt de kamer gebruiken om te lezen.
kamer
noun
KAH-mur
room
Er is nu een kamer open.
lezen
verb
LAY-zun
to read
Kan ik daar lezen?
nu
adv
nü
now
Er is nu een kamer open.
open
adj
OH-pun
open
Er is nu een kamer open.
studieruimte
noun
STÜ-dee-ROY-mtuh
study room
Is er een studieruimte beschikbaar?
zijn
verb
zine
to be
is
Er is nu een kamer open.
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Is a study room available?
Show Answer
Is er een studieruimte beschikbaar?One is open now.
Show Answer
Er is nu een kamer open.Can I read in there?
Show Answer
Kan ik daar lezen?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to read
Show Answer
lezenopen
Show Answer
openstudy room
Show Answer
studieruimteavailable