Borrowing cleaning supplies | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Borrowing cleaning supplies to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Heb je een schoonmaakdoek die ik kan gebruiken?

hehp yuh uhn SKHOHN-mahk-dook dee ik kahn guh-BROY-kuhn? Do you have a cleaning cloth I can use?

Er ligt er een in de doos.

ur likht ur ayn in duh dohs. There is one in the box.

Heb je ook schoonmaakspray?

hehp yuh ohk SKHOHN-mahk-sprahy? Do you have cleaning spray too?

De spray staat ernaast.

duh sprahy staht ur-NAHST. The spray is beside it.

Ik moet dit bureau schoonmaken.

ik moot dit byoo-ROH SKHOHN-MAH-kuhn. I need to clean this desk.

Gebruik maar een beetje.

guh-BROYK mahr uhn BAY-chuh. Use only a small amount.

Ik veeg het bureau af en leg ze allebei terug.

ik VAYKH ut byoo-ROH ahf uhn lekh zuh ahl-buh-BAY tuh-RUKH. I will wipe the desk and put both back.

Leg ze samen in de doos.

lekh zuh SAH-muhn in duh dohs. Keep them together in the box.

Word by Word

Heb “Heb” means “have” in the question “Heb je een schoonmaakdoek die ik kan gebruiken?”. The citation form is hebben; “Heb” is the form used here at the start of the question. A useful pattern is “Heb je ...?” when asking one person whether they have something.

je “Je” means “you” in “Heb je een schoonmaakdoek die ik kan gebruiken?”. It identifies the person being asked. Use it after “Heb” in a question such as “Heb je ...?” when asking someone about an item.

een “Een” means “a” in “een schoonmaakdoek”, referring to one unspecified cleaning cloth. In “Er ligt er een in de doos”, it refers to one item. It is used before a singular item when introducing it or referring to one of several possibilities.

schoonmaakdoek “Schoonmaakdoek” means “cleaning cloth” in “een schoonmaakdoek die ik kan gebruiken”. It names the cloth requested for cleaning. Use it as the object of a request or when talking about a cloth used to wipe a surface.

die “Die” means “that” or “which” in “een schoonmaakdoek die ik kan gebruiken”. It links the cleaning cloth to the information about being usable by the speaker. A useful pattern is a noun followed by “die ...” to add information about that noun.

ik “Ik” means “I” and is the person who can use the cloth in “die ik kan gebruiken”. It marks the speaker as the subject of the following action. Use “ik” before a verb when describing your own action or ability.

kan “Kan” means “can” in “die ik kan gebruiken”, expressing that the speaker is able or allowed to use the cloth. It is followed by the action “gebruiken” in this clause. Use it to say that you can do something or can use something.

gebruiken “Gebruiken” means “use” in “die ik kan gebruiken”, referring to using the cleaning cloth. It appears after “kan” to name the action that is possible. Use it with the item being used as its object.

Er “Er” introduces the location or existence of an item in “Er ligt er een in de doos”. It helps present the information that one item is located somewhere rather than referring to a person. A useful pattern is “Er ligt ...” when pointing out that something is lying or located in a place.

ligt “Ligt” means “is lying” or “is located” in “Er ligt er een in de doos”. Here it describes the cleaning cloth’s position inside the box. Use this form when describing an item that is lying or located somewhere.

in “In” means “in” in “in de doos”, identifying the inside of the box as the location. It connects an item with the container or place where it is located. Use “in” before a container or place when saying something is inside it.

de “De” means “the” in “de doos” and “de spray”, referring to a specific box or spray in the shared situation. It appears directly before the noun it determines. Use it when referring to a particular item already known in the conversation.

doos “Doos” means “box” in “in de doos”. It names the container holding the cloth and later the supplies. Use it with a location expression such as “in de doos” when describing where something is kept.

ook “Ook” means “too” or “also” in “Heb je ook schoonmaakspray?”, adding cleaning spray to the earlier request for a cloth. It shows that the speaker is asking about an additional item. A useful question pattern is “Heb je ook ...?” when checking whether someone has another item.

schoonmaakspray “Schoonmaakspray” means “cleaning spray” in “Heb je ook schoonmaakspray?”. It names the spray requested for cleaning the desk. Use this word when asking for or referring to spray intended for cleaning.

spray “Spray” means “spray” in “De spray staat ernaast”, referring back to the cleaning spray. It is the item whose position is then described. Use it with “de” when referring to the specific spray already mentioned.

staat “Staat” means “is positioned” in “De spray staat ernaast”. It describes where the spray is located beside another item. Use this form to describe the position of an item with a location expression such as “ernaast”.

ernaast “Ernaast” means “beside it” in “De spray staat ernaast”. It refers to a position next to an item already understood from the conversation. A useful pattern is “staat ernaast” when saying that something is positioned beside another thing.

moet “Moet” means “must” or “need to” in “Ik moet dit bureau schoonmaken”. It expresses the speaker’s need to perform the cleaning. Use “moet” before an action to state that the action is necessary.

dit “Dit” means “this” in “dit bureau”, identifying the specific desk relevant to the conversation. It points to the desk the speaker intends to clean. Use it before a nearby or clearly identified item when referring to “this” item.

bureau “Bureau” means “desk” in “dit bureau”. It names the surface that needs cleaning and is wiped in the next line. Use it with an identifying word such as “dit” when referring to a particular desk.

schoonmaken “Schoonmaken” means “clean” in “dit bureau schoonmaken”. It names the action the speaker needs to perform on the desk. Use it with the item being cleaned as its object.

Gebruik “Gebruik” means “use” in the instruction “Gebruik maar een beetje”. It tells the other person to use only a small amount. A reusable command pattern is “Gebruik” followed by the thing or amount to be used.

maar “Maar” means “just” or “only” in “Gebruik maar een beetje”, limiting the amount without expressing a contrast. It makes the instruction focus on using a small quantity. Use it with a quantity or limited action when giving a gentle restriction.

beetje “Beetje” means “a little” or “a small amount” in “een beetje”. Together with “maar”, it tells the person to use only a small amount of spray. Use “een beetje” when referring to a small quantity of something.

veeg “Veeg” describes the speaker’s wiping action in “Ik veeg het bureau af”. Together with “af”, it expresses wiping the desk clean or wiping something off its surface. Use this expression when describing the action of wiping a surface.

het “Het” means “the” in “het bureau”, referring to the specific desk already identified as “dit bureau”. It appears before “bureau” when the desk is treated as a known object. Use it when referring back to that particular desk.

af “Af” completes the wiping expression in “Ik veeg het bureau af”. With “veeg”, it indicates wiping something away or off the surface. Keep it with the wiping verb when describing this action.

en “En” means “and” in “Ik veeg het bureau af en leg ze allebei terug”. It joins the actions of wiping the desk and putting the supplies back. Use it to connect two actions or pieces of information.

leg “Leg” means “put” or “place” in “leg ze allebei terug” and “Leg ze samen in de doos”. It describes placing the two supplies back, and in the second sentence it gives that instruction directly. A useful pattern is “leg” followed by the item and its destination or direction.

ze “Ze” means “them” in “leg ze allebei terug” and “Leg ze samen in de doos”. It refers to the two supplies, the cloth and the spray. Use it after the verb when referring to those items without repeating their names.

allebei “Allebei” means “both” in “leg ze allebei terug”. It makes clear that the instruction concerns the two supplies, not just one of them. Use it with a reference to two items when you want to include each one.

terug “Terug” means “back” in “leg ze allebei terug”, indicating that the supplies should return to their previous place. It completes the idea of putting the items back after use. Use it with a placement action when something is returned to an earlier location.

samen “Samen” means “together” in “Leg ze samen in de doos”. It says that the two supplies should be placed as a group in the box. Use it with a location expression when several items should stay together in one place.

Grammar Points

afvegen → veeg ... af

Veeg het bureau af.

VAYKH ut byoo-ROH ahf.

Wipe the desk.

Afvegen is a separable verb: in a main clause, veeg comes first and af goes to the end.

liggen + plaats

De doos ligt ernaast.

duh dohs likht ur-NAHST.

The box is next to it.

Use ligt for something that is already located somewhere; leggen means putting something there.

Dutch Vocabulary

afvegen verb

ahf-VAY-khuhn to wipe veeg ... af

beetje noun

BAY-chuh little; small amount

bureau noun

byoo-ROH desk

doos noun

dohs box

ernaast adv

ur-NAHST beside it; next to it

gebruiken verb

guh-BROY-kuhn to use

leggen verb

LEKH-uhn to put; to lay leg

liggen verb

LIKH-uhn to lie; to be located ligt

schoonmaakdoek noun

SKHOHN-mahk-dook cleaning cloth

schoonmaakspray noun

SKHOHN-mahk-sprahy cleaning spray

schoonmaken verb

SKHOHN-MAH-kuhn to clean

vegen verb

VAY-khuhn to wipe; to sweep veeg

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Do you have cleaning spray too?

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Heb je ook schoonmaakspray?

The spray is beside it.

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De spray staat ernaast.

I need to clean this desk.

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Ik moet dit bureau schoonmaken.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

little; small amount

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beetje

desk

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bureau

to use

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gebruiken

to lie; to be located

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ligt