Checking the table-setting list | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: At home, two adults check a list for setting a table and notice that one spoon is still needed..

EN → NL / Level: A1

About This Lesson

Use Checking the table-setting list to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Laten we naar de lijst kijken.

LAH-tuh vuh NAHR duh LAYST KAY-kuh. Let's look at the list.
B

Ik heb hem hier.

ik HEP um HEER. I have it here.
A

Zijn de kopjes klaar?

ZAYN duh KOP-yuhs KLAHR? Are the cups ready?
B

Ik heb ze allemaal gewassen.

ik HEP zuh ah-luh-MAHL khuh-WAH-sun. I washed them all.
A

Mist er iets?

MIST ur EETS? Is anything missing?
B

We hebben nog één lepel nodig.

vuh HEB-un nokh AYN LAY-pul NOH-dukh. We still need one spoon.
A

Ik kan nog een lepel halen.

ik KAHN nokh un LAY-pul HAH-lun. I can get another one.
B

Dan is de tafel gedekt.

DAHN is duh TAH-fuhl khuh-DEKT. Then the table is set.

Word by Word

Laten In Laten we naar de lijst kijken., Laten introduces a suggestion meaning “let’s.” Together with we and the following infinitive, it invites the other person to do something together. A reusable pattern is Laten we followed by an action, such as looking at a list or starting a task.
we In Laten we naar de lijst kijken., we means “we” and identifies the people included in the suggestion. It is placed after Laten in this suggestion structure. Use we when proposing a shared action with another person.
naar In naar de lijst kijken, naar points the action of looking toward or at the list. It is the preposition used with kijken in this expression. You use it when directing attention toward something.
de In de lijst, de is the definite article meaning “the,” identifying a specific list. It comes directly before lijst here. Use de before a noun when referring to a particular item, as in the list being checked at home.
lijst In de lijst, lijst means “list,” referring here to the list of things needed for setting the table. The word appears after the article de. You can use lijst when checking or discussing an organized set of items.
kijken In Laten we naar de lijst kijken., kijken means “look” and describes the suggested action. It is the action form at the end of the suggestion after Laten we. Use it when directing someone’s attention to something, such as the list in this dialogue.
Ik In Ik heb hem hier., Ik means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person who has the list. It stands at the beginning of the statement as the subject. Use Ik when stating what you have, do, or notice.
heb In Ik heb hem hier., heb means “have” and states that the speaker has the list with them. It is the form used with Ik in this sentence. A reusable pattern is Ik heb followed by the thing someone has.
hem In Ik heb hem hier., hem means “it” and refers back to the list. It is placed after heb as the thing the speaker has. Use hem here to refer to the already mentioned list rather than repeating lijst.
hier In Ik heb hem hier., hier means “here” and locates the list with the speaker. It comes at the end of the statement to give the location. Use hier when showing that something is in the current place or nearby.
Zijn In Zijn de kopjes klaar?, Zijn asks whether the cups are ready. It comes before de kopjes because this is a yes-or-no question. Use this question structure when checking the condition or readiness of something.
kopjes In de kopjes, kopjes means “cups,” referring to the cups being prepared for the table. It appears after the article de and is the thing whose readiness is being checked. Use kopjes when talking about these cups in a table-setting situation.
klaar In de kopjes klaar, klaar means “ready” and describes the condition of the cups. In Zijn de kopjes klaar?, it completes the question about whether preparation is finished. Use klaar when checking whether something is prepared and available for use.
ze In Ik heb ze allemaal gewassen., ze means “them” and refers to the cups. It comes before allemaal and gewassen as the object of the washing action. Use ze to refer back to multiple items that have already been mentioned.
allemaal In ze allemaal gewassen, allemaal means “all” and shows that every one of the cups was washed. It specifies the full group referred to by ze. Use it when emphasizing that no item in the mentioned group was left out.
gewassen In Ik heb ze allemaal gewassen., gewassen means “washed” and describes what was done to the cups. It follows the object phrase ze allemaal in the statement. Use it when reporting that items have been cleaned with water.
Mist In Mist er iets?, Mist asks whether something is missing. Together with er iets, it forms the question used to check whether the list or table has an absent item. Use this question when checking supplies or looking for something that should be present.
er In Mist er iets?, er is part of the Dutch question structure for asking whether something is missing. It appears between Mist and iets and helps introduce the thing whose absence is being checked. Use this structure when asking if there is something missing.
iets In Mist er iets?, iets means “anything” or “something” and refers to an unspecified item that might be missing. It is the thing being checked after Mist er. Use iets when the particular item is not yet known or named.
hebben In We hebben nog één lepel nodig., hebben contributes the idea of having within the construction meaning “need.” The item needed appears before nodig in this sentence. Use this construction when stating that someone requires an item.
nog In We hebben nog één lepel nodig., nog means “still” or “yet,” showing that the spoon is still required. In Ik kan nog een lepel halen., it means “another” or “an additional” spoon. Its meaning depends on whether the sentence describes an unfinished need or an extra item.
lepel In één lepel and een lepel, lepel means “spoon.” It names the table-setting item that is still needed and can be fetched. Use lepel when talking about a spoon in a meal or table-setting situation.
nodig In één lepel nodig, nodig marks the spoon as required or needed. It works with hebben in We hebben nog één lepel nodig. Use this construction when explaining which item is necessary for completing a task.
kan In Ik kan nog een lepel halen., kan means “can” and expresses the speaker’s ability or possibility of fetching a spoon. It is followed by the action form halen. Use kan when offering or stating that you are able to do something.
een In een lepel, een introduces one non-specific spoon, meaning “a” spoon. It comes directly before lepel. This form is different in writing from één in één lepel, which explicitly emphasizes the number one.
halen In nog een lepel halen, halen means “get” or “fetch,” describing the action of obtaining another spoon. It follows kan as the action the speaker can perform. Use it when offering to go and get an item that is needed.
Dan In Dan is de tafel gedekt., Dan means “then” and introduces the result after the missing spoon is obtained. It appears at the beginning of the sentence to connect the action with its consequence. Use Dan when stating what will be true after something happens.
is In is de tafel gedekt, is means “is” and states the table’s resulting condition. It comes before de tafel because the sentence begins with Dan. Use is when describing the current state or result of a singular subject.
tafel In de tafel, tafel means “table,” referring to the table being prepared for the meal. It follows the article de. Use tafel when talking about the piece of furniture or the table as part of serving a meal.
gedekt In de tafel gedekt, gedekt means “set” in the context of a table prepared with the needed items. It describes the result in Dan is de tafel gedekt. Use it when confirming that the table-setting task is complete.

Grammar Points

iets nodig hebben → hebben ... nodig

Ze hebben nog één lepel nodig.

zuh HEB-un nokh AYN LAY-pul NOH-dukh.

They still need one spoon.

In Dutch, nodig hebben is split in a normal sentence: hebben comes after the subject, and nodig comes later.

Dutch Vocabulary

allemaal adv
ah-luh-MAHL all
hebben verb
HEB-uh(n) to have heb
hem pron
HEM him; it
hier adv
HEER here
iets pron
EETS anything; something
kijken verb
KAY-kuh to look
klaar adj
KLAHR ready
kopje noun
KOP-yuh cup kopjes
lijst noun
LAYST list
missen verb
MIS-uh(n) to be missing Mist
wassen verb
WAH-suh(n) to wash gewassen
ze pron
zuh them

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Let's look at the list.

Show AnswerLaten we naar de lijst kijken.

I have it here.

Show AnswerIk heb hem hier.

Are the cups ready?

Show AnswerZijn de kopjes klaar?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

list

Show Answerlijst

here

Show Answerhier

cup

Show Answerkopjes

to wash

Show Answergewassen