Finding the end of the line | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Finding the end of the line to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Waar is het einde van deze rij?

vahr iss ut EYN-duh vahn DAY-zuh rye? Where is the end of this line?

Het einde is bij de deur.

ut EYN-duh iss bye duh duhr. The end is over by the door.

Moet ik daar wachten?

MOOT ik dahr VAKH-tun? Should I wait there?

Ga achter de laatste persoon staan.

gah AKH-tur duh LAHT-stuh pair-SOHN stahn. Stand behind the last person.

Ik heb het bord niet gezien.

ik hep ut bort neet khuh-ZEEN. I missed the sign.

Het hangt naast de deur.

ut HAHNGT nahst duh duhr. It is posted next to the door.

Ik ga naar achteren.

ik gah nahr AKH-tuh-run. I will head to the back.

Daar sluiten mensen aan.

dahr SLOYT-un MEN-sun ahn. That is where people are joining.

Word by Word

Waar “Waar” means “where” in the question “Waar is het einde van deze rij?” It is used at the beginning of a question asking for a location, such as the location of the end of a line.

is “is” means “is” in “Waar is” and “Het einde is bij de deur.” It connects something with its location or description, and the pattern “X is bij Y” gives the location of X.

het “het” means “the” in “het einde” and “it” at the beginning of “Het hangt naast de deur.” In “het einde,” it comes before the noun; in “Het hangt,” it refers back to the sign.

einde “einde” means “end” in “het einde van deze rij,” referring to the back end of the queue. The reusable pattern “het einde van ...” identifies the end of something.

van “van” connects “het einde” with “deze rij” in “het einde van deze rij,” meaning “of” in this relationship. It shows what the end belongs to or is the end of.

deze “deze” means “this” in “deze rij,” pointing to the particular line the speakers are discussing. It is placed before the noun it identifies.

rij “rij” means “line” or “queue” here, as in “deze rij.” It is the group of people waiting in order, so it is useful when talking about where to wait or join.

bij “bij” means “by” or “near” in “bij de deur,” giving the location of the end of the line. The pattern “bij + place or object” indicates that something is nearby.

de “de” means “the” in “de deur” and “de laatste persoon.” It is the definite article used before the nouns in these expressions.

deur “deur” means “door” in “bij de deur,” the place near which the end of the line is located. It can be used as the object after a location expression such as “bij.”

Moet “Moet” means “should” or “must” in “Moet ik daar wachten?” Here it asks whether waiting there is necessary or appropriate. The question pattern “Moet ik ...?” is useful when asking what you are supposed to do.

ik “ik” means “I” in “Moet ik daar wachten?”, “Ik heb het bord niet gezien,” and “Ik ga naar achteren.” It identifies the speaker and normally appears before the verb in these statements or questions.

daar “daar” means “there” in “Moet ik daar wachten?”, referring to the location mentioned previously. It is useful for pointing to a place already clear from the situation.

wachten “wachten” means “wait” in “Moet ik daar wachten?” It follows “Moet ik” to describe the action the speaker is asking about, and it is used when remaining somewhere until something happens.

Ga “Ga” means “go” in the instruction “Ga achter de laatste persoon staan.” Together with “staan,” it tells someone to move into a particular position. The pattern “Ga ... staan” is useful for giving directions about where someone should stand.

achter “achter” means “behind” in “achter de laatste persoon.” It shows the position relative to the last person in the queue. It is placed before the person or object that is being used as the reference point.

laatste “laatste” means “last” in “de laatste persoon,” identifying the person at the end of the line. The pattern “de laatste + noun” can identify the final person or thing in an ordered group.

persoon “persoon” means “person” in “de laatste persoon,” referring to the individual at the back of the line. It is used here as the reference point for the instruction to stand behind someone.

staan “staan” means “stand” in “Ga achter de laatste persoon staan.” It describes the position the person should take after moving behind the last person. The pattern “achter ... staan” specifies where someone is standing.

heb “heb” means “have” in “Ik heb het bord niet gezien.” Here it works together with “gezien” to say that the speaker has seen the sign, while “niet” makes the statement negative. The reusable order keeps the object between “heb” and “gezien.”

bord “bord” means “sign” in “het bord niet gezien,” referring to the sign that the speaker failed to notice. It is the object of the action described by “gezien.”

niet “niet” means “not” in “Ik heb het bord niet gezien,” making the statement negative. In this expression it appears before “gezien” to say that the speaker did not see the sign.

gezien “gezien” means “seen” in “Ik heb het bord niet gezien,” so the speaker says they did not see the sign. It comes from “zien” and is used here together with “heb”; the pattern keeps the object before “gezien.”

hangt “hangt” means “hangs” or “is posted” in “Het hangt naast de deur,” describing the sign’s position next to the door. It is useful when something is displayed or attached in a particular place.

naast “naast” means “next to” in “naast de deur,” showing that the sign is immediately beside the door. The pattern “naast + object or place” gives the location of something.

naar “naar” means “to” or “toward” in “naar achteren,” showing the direction of movement. It is used before a destination or direction, as in the speaker’s plan to move toward the back.

achteren “achteren” means “the back” or “rear” in “naar achteren.” With “naar,” it indicates movement toward the rear of the line or space. This expression is useful when directing someone away from the front and toward the back.

sluiten In “Daar sluiten mensen aan,” “sluiten” is part of “sluiten ... aan,” which means “join” here. The meaning comes from the whole expression, with “mensen” between the two parts; it describes people joining the line.

mensen “mensen” means “people” in “Daar sluiten mensen aan,” referring to the group joining the line. It is the group being described as joining in this sentence.

aan In “Daar sluiten mensen aan,” “aan” completes the expression “sluiten ... aan,” meaning “join.” It is not translated separately as “on” here; the reusable word order places “aan” after the subject and completes the joining expression.

Grammar Points

sluiten ... aan

Mensen sluiten bij de rij aan.

MEN-sun SLOYT-un bye duh rye ahn.

People join the queue.

Sluiten ... aan is a separable verb: aan moves to the end of the sentence.

naar achteren

Ga naar achteren.

gah nahr AKH-tuh-run.

Go to the back.

Naar achteren expresses movement toward the back; naar comes before the direction word.

Dutch Vocabulary

achter prep

AKH-tur behind

bij prep

bye by or near

daar adv

dahr there

deur noun

duhr door

einde noun

EYN-duh end

gaan verb

gahn to go ga

laatste adj

LAHT-stuh last

persoon noun

pair-SOHN person

rij noun

rye line or queue

staan verb

stahn to stand

waar adv

vahr where

wachten verb

VAKH-tun to wait

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

The end is over by the door.

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Het einde is bij de deur.

Should I wait there?

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Moet ik daar wachten?

Stand behind the last person.

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Ga achter de laatste persoon staan.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

last

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laatste

end

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einde

to wait

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wachten

there

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daar