About This Lesson
Use Borrowing and using a ladder safely to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Mag ik je ladder lenen?
mahkh ik yuh LAH-duhr LAY-nuhn? Can I borrow your ladder?
B
Natuurlijk, maar wees er voorzichtig mee.
nah-TYOOR-lik, mahr vays uhr vohr-ZIKH-tikh may. Sure, but please be careful with it.
A
Ik moet bij een hoge plank kunnen.
ik moot bye uhn HOH-ghuh plahngk KUH-nuhn. I need to reach a high shelf.
B
Ik kan hem voor je stevig vasthouden.
ik kahn hem vohr yuh STAY-vukh VAHS-tow-duhn. I can hold it steady for you.
A
Dat zou veel helpen.
daht zow vayl HEL-puhn. That would help a lot.
B
Ga niet op de bovenste trede staan.
ghah neet op duh BOH-vuh-stuh TRAY-duh stahn. Stay off the top step.
A
Ik blijf op een lagere trede.
ik blayf op uhn LAH-ghuh-ruh TRAY-duh. I will stay on a lower step.
B
Breng hem terug als je klaar bent.
breng hem truk ahls yuh klahr bent. Bring it back when you finish.Word by Word
Mag
In "Mag ik je ladder lenen?", "Mag" asks for permission: may I or can I. It comes before the subject in this question, as in the reusable permission pattern "Mag ik ...?". Use it when politely asking whether you are allowed to do something.
ik
In "Mag ik je ladder lenen?", "ik" means I and is the person asking to borrow the ladder. It is the subject of the question; the same form also appears in "Ik moet bij een hoge plank kunnen.". Use "ik" when referring to yourself as the subject of an action or need.
je
In "je ladder", "je" means your, so the ladder belongs to the person being addressed. In "voor je" and "als je klaar bent", it means you. Its meaning depends on its position and role in the sentence, so notice the surrounding words when reusing it.
ladder
In "je ladder", "ladder" means ladder, the object being borrowed and used. It is the noun after the possessive "je". Use it to name a ladder when asking about, borrowing, or using one.
lenen
In "Mag ik je ladder lenen?", "lenen" means borrow and describes taking the ladder for temporary use. It follows "Mag ik" in the permission question. A useful pattern is "Mag ik ... lenen?" when asking to borrow an object.
Natuurlijk
In "Natuurlijk, maar wees er voorzichtig mee.", "Natuurlijk" means sure or of course and accepts the request. It is a natural reply when agreeing to a simple request before adding information or a condition.
maar
In "Natuurlijk, maar wees er voorzichtig mee.", "maar" means but and introduces a condition or warning after the agreement. It connects two parts with a contrast, such as agreeing while also asking someone to be careful.
wees
In "wees er voorzichtig mee", "wees" tells the listener to be or remain careful. It is the command form used to give this warning. Use it in a direct instruction about how someone should behave.
er
In "wees er voorzichtig mee", "er" helps refer to the ladder without repeating the noun. Together with "mee", the construction means being careful with it. This paired pattern is useful when referring to an object already mentioned.
voorzichtig
In "wees er voorzichtig mee", "voorzichtig" means careful and describes the safe way to handle the ladder. It appears with the command "wees" and the reference construction "er ... mee". Use it when warning someone to handle something safely.
mee
In "wees er voorzichtig mee", "mee" contributes the meaning with it and completes the reference to the ladder together with "er". The words are separated by "voorzichtig" in this sentence. Reuse this kind of paired construction when saying that someone should be careful with an already mentioned object.
moet
In "Ik moet bij een hoge plank kunnen.", "moet" expresses that the speaker needs to or must reach the shelf. It is followed by the rest of the goal and the infinitive "kunnen". Use this form to state a need or obligation.
bij
In "bij een hoge plank", "bij" indicates the place or object the speaker needs to reach: at or by a high shelf. It is followed by the noun phrase "een hoge plank". Use it with a place or object when describing being near or reaching it.
een
In "een hoge plank", "een" means a and introduces one non-specific shelf. It comes before the describing word and noun. Use it when mentioning an object without identifying it as a particular known one.
hoge
In "een hoge plank", "hoge" means high and describes the shelf. It comes before the noun "plank" and helps identify which shelf is meant. Use this form before a noun when describing a high object in a similar noun phrase.
plank
In "een hoge plank", "plank" means shelf in this dialogue. It is the object the speaker wants to reach with the ladder. Use it to refer to a shelf or board, depending on the surrounding context.
kunnen
In "Ik moet bij een hoge plank kunnen.", "kunnen" means be able to and completes the idea of being able to reach the shelf. It appears after "moet" as the infinitive in the sentence. Use it after a modal expression when describing ability.
kan
In "Ik kan hem voor je stevig vasthouden.", "kan" means can or am able to and introduces the speaker's offer to hold the ladder. It is followed by the object and the action "vasthouden". Use it to offer or state an ability, as in the dialogue's "Ik kan ..." pattern.
hem
In "Ik kan hem voor je stevig vasthouden.", "hem" means it and refers to the ladder. It is the object of the action "vasthouden". Use it to refer back to the already mentioned ladder instead of repeating "ladder".
voor
In "voor je", "voor" means for and shows who benefits from the action. The speaker will hold the ladder for the person being addressed. Use "voor" before a person when describing an action done for them.
stevig
In "stevig vasthouden", "stevig" means firmly or steadily and describes how the ladder will be held. It modifies the manner of the action rather than naming a separate object. Use it with a physical action when emphasizing a firm or stable way of doing it.
vasthouden
In "hem voor je stevig vasthouden", "vasthouden" means hold or keep hold of the ladder. It follows "kan" and expresses the action the speaker is able to perform. A useful pattern is "kan ... vasthouden" when offering to hold something.
Dat
In "Dat zou veel helpen.", "Dat" means that and refers to the offer to hold the ladder. It points back to the help just mentioned rather than naming a new object. Use it to respond to or evaluate an immediately preceding suggestion or action.
zou
In "Dat zou veel helpen.", "zou" gives the meaning would and presents the result as a hypothetical or polite assessment. It combines with "helpen" to say that the offer would be very useful. Use it when describing what an action would do.
veel
In "veel helpen", "veel" means a lot and shows the large degree of help the action would provide. It comes before the infinitive "helpen" in this sentence. Use it to express that an action helps to a great extent.
helpen
In "Dat zou veel helpen.", "helpen" means help and describes the benefit of holding the ladder. It follows "zou" as the infinitive. Use it after a modal form when describing an action that provides assistance.
Ga
In "Ga niet op de bovenste trede staan.", "Ga" is a command form of go that starts an instruction about standing on the ladder. In this expression, it works together with "staan" and does not simply mean walking away. Use the full command when telling someone where not to stand.
niet
In "Ga niet op de bovenste trede staan.", "niet" means not and makes the command negative. It tells the listener not to stand on the top step. Place it in a command to prohibit the action described in the sentence.
op
In "op de bovenste trede", "op" means on and indicates the position on the ladder's step. It comes before the noun phrase identifying the step. Use it with a surface or position when describing where someone or something is located.
de
In "de bovenste trede", "de" means the and introduces the specific step being discussed. It comes before the describing word and noun. Use it when referring to an identified object or part of an object.
bovenste
In "de bovenste trede", "bovenste" means topmost or uppermost and identifies the highest step. It describes "trede" before the noun. Use it when distinguishing the highest item or level in a set.
trede
In "de bovenste trede", "trede" means step or rung of the ladder. It is the specific place where the listener is told not to stand. Use it to name one step of a ladder or similar stepped object.
staan
In "op de bovenste trede staan", "staan" means stand and names the action being prohibited. It appears at the end after "Ga niet" in the command construction. Use it when describing a person's standing position.
blijf
In "Ik blijf op een lagere trede.", "blijf" means stay or remain and expresses that the speaker will remain on a lower step. It is followed by the location phrase "op een lagere trede". Use "Ik blijf ..." to state that you will remain in a place or position.
lagere
In "een lagere trede", "lagere" means lower and describes a step below the top step. It comes before the noun "trede" in the location phrase. Use it to identify a lower position in relation to another position already being discussed.
Breng
In "Breng hem terug als je klaar bent.", "Breng" is a command meaning bring. It tells the listener to return the ladder. Use it at the beginning of a direct instruction about bringing something somewhere.
terug
In "Breng hem terug", "terug" means back and shows that the ladder should be returned to its earlier place or owner. Together with "Breng", it completes the meaning bring back. Use it after an action of bringing when something should return.
als
In "als je klaar bent", "als" means when and introduces the time at which the ladder should be returned. It links the return instruction to the condition of being finished. Use it to introduce a time or condition for another action.
klaar
In "als je klaar bent", "klaar" means finished or ready; here it refers to finishing the ladder task. It appears with "bent" at the end of the clause. Use it when describing that someone has finished an activity or is ready for what comes next.
bent
In "als je klaar bent", "bent" means are or be and connects "je" with the state "klaar". It completes the clause meaning when you are finished. Use this form with "je" when describing the person's current state.
Grammar Points
Gebiedende wijs: werkwoordstam
Blijf bij de ladder.
blayf bye duh LAH-duhr.Stay by the ladder.
In de gebiedende wijs staat meestal alleen de werkwoordstam: blijf, help, breng.
Bijvoeglijk naamwoord vóór een zelfstandig naamwoord
de hoge plank
duh HOH-ghuh plahngkthe high shelf
Een bijvoeglijk naamwoord vóór een zelfstandig naamwoord krijgt vaak -e: hoge plank.
Dutch Vocabulary
bij
prep
bye
at; near
bovenste
adj
BOH-vuh-stuh
top; uppermost
helpen
verb
HEL-puhn
to help
hoge
adj
HOH-ghuh
high
ladder
noun
LAH-duhr
ladder
lenen
verb
LAY-nuhn
to borrow
natuurlijk
intj
nah-TYOOR-lik
sure; of course
plank
noun
plahngk
shelf
stevig
adv
STAY-vukh
firmly; steady
trede
noun
TRAY-duh
step
vasthouden
verb
VAHS-tow-duhn
to hold
voorzichtig
adj
VOHR-zikh-tikh
careful
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
Can I borrow your ladder?
Show Answer
Mag ik je ladder lenen?Sure, but please be careful with it.
Show Answer
Natuurlijk, maar wees er voorzichtig mee.That would help a lot.
Show Answer
Dat zou veel helpen.Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
shelf
Show Answer
plankto borrow
Show Answer
lenencareful
Show Answer
voorzichtigladder