Checking before leaving | Learn Dutch in English

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Use Checking before leaving to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?

HEH-bun vuh AH-lus voohr-DAHT vuh WEKH-khahn? Do we have everything before we leave?

Laten we het nu controleren.

LAH-tun vuh ut noo kun-troh-LAY-run. Let's check now.

Heb je je sleutels?

HEP yuh yuh SLUHR-tuls? Do you have your keys?

Ze zitten in mijn zak.

Zuh ZIT-un in mine ZAK. They're in my pocket.

Zit je portemonnee in je tas?

ZIT yuh por-tuh-moh-NAY in yuh TAHS? Is your wallet in your bag?

Ik heb hem erin gedaan.

ik HEP um air-IN khuh-DAHN. I put it in there.

Is de deur op slot?

is duh DUHR op SLOT? Is the door locked?

Ik heb het net gecontroleerd.

ik HEP ut NET khuh-kun-troh-LAYRT. I checked it just now.

Word by Word

Hebben Here, “Hebben” asks whether someone has something, as in “Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?” It appears before “we” because this is a question. A reusable question pattern is “Hebben we …?” when checking whether a group has something.

we Here, “we” means “we,” the people included in the question “Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?” It is the subject of “Hebben.” Use “we” when referring to yourself together with one or more other people.

alles Here, “alles” means “everything,” referring to all the things that should be with them before leaving. In “Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?”, it is what they are checking that they have. It can be used after “hebben” when asking whether all necessary things are present.

voordat Here, “voordat” means “before” and introduces the time condition in “voordat we weggaan.” It connects the checking question with the later action of leaving. A reusable pattern is “voordat” followed by an action or event.

weggaan Here, “weggaan” means “to leave” or “to go away,” referring to leaving home in “voordat we weggaan.” It appears after “we” at the end of this subordinate clause. Use it when talking about going away from the current place.

Laten Here, “Laten” begins the suggestion “Laten we het nu controleren,” meaning “Let’s check it now.” With “we” and an action, it introduces a suggestion for everyone to do something together. A reusable pattern is “Laten we” followed by an action.

het Here, “het” means “it” and refers to everything that they want to check in “Laten we het nu controleren.” It is the object of “controleren,” placed before that infinitive in the suggestion. Use “het” when referring back to a thing or situation already understood from the context.

nu Here, “nu” means “now,” showing that the checking should happen at this moment in “Laten we het nu controleren.” It is a time word that can be placed with an action to specify when it happens. Use it when an action is happening immediately or is being proposed for the present.

controleren Here, “controleren” means “to check,” referring to checking that everything is ready. It follows “Laten we” in “Laten we het nu controleren.” A reusable pattern is “Laten we” plus an infinitive when suggesting a shared action.

Heb Here, “Heb” means “have” in the question “Heb je je sleutels?” It appears before “je” because the sentence asks whether one person has something. A reusable question pattern is “Heb je …?” when asking someone whether they have an item.

je In “Heb je je sleutels?”, the first “je” means “you,” while the second “je” means “your.” The first one is the person being asked, and the second one shows possession of “sleutels.” This repeated form is common when asking someone about one of their belongings.

sleutels Here, “sleutels” means “keys,” the items being checked in “Heb je je sleutels?” It is used after the possessive “je” to identify what the person has. Use it when talking about keys someone carries or needs.

Ze Here, “Ze” means “they” and refers to the keys in “Ze zitten in mijn zak.” It is the subject of the sentence describing where the keys are located. Use “ze” to refer back to people or plural things that are already known.

zitten Here, “zitten” means “are located” in “Ze zitten in mijn zak,” describing where the keys are. Dutch uses this form to describe plural objects being in a place or container. A reusable location pattern is a thing followed by “zitten in” and a place.

in Here, “in” means “in,” showing that the keys are inside the pocket in “in mijn zak.” It introduces the place containing the objects. Use “in” with a container or location when something is inside it.

mijn Here, “mijn” means “my” and shows that the pocket belongs to the speaker in “mijn zak.” It comes directly before the possessed noun “zak.” Use “mijn” before something that belongs to or is associated with you.

zak Here, “zak” means “pocket” in “Ze zitten in mijn zak.” Together with “in mijn,” it identifies the place where the keys are located. Use it when talking about a pocket that contains a small personal item.

Zit Here, “Zit” means “is located” in the question “Zit je portemonnee in je tas?” It is used because the question asks about the location of one wallet. A reusable question pattern is “Zit … in …?” when checking whether something is inside a place or container.

portemonnee Here, “portemonnee” means “wallet,” the item whose location is being checked in “Zit je portemonnee in je tas?” It is used after the possessive “je” to identify the person’s wallet. Use it when talking about the small wallet used to carry money or cards.

tas Here, “tas” means “bag” in “in je tas,” the place where the wallet may be. It follows the possessive “je” and is introduced by “in.” Use it when identifying a bag as the location of an item.

Ik Here, “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ik heb hem erin gedaan.” It is the subject who put the wallet in the bag. Use “Ik” when describing your own action or state.

hem Here, “hem” means “it” and refers to the wallet in “Ik heb hem erin gedaan.” It is the object affected by the action of putting something somewhere. Use “hem” when referring back to this item as the object of an action.

erin Here, “erin” means “in there,” referring back to the bag in “Ik heb hem erin gedaan.” It supplies the destination without repeating “je tas.” A reusable pattern is a putting action followed by “erin” when the place is already clear.

gedaan Here, “gedaan” contributes the meaning “put” in “Ik heb hem erin gedaan,” while “erin” specifies that the wallet was put in there. It is the form of “doen” used with “heb” to describe the completed action. Use it in a completed-action expression when something has been put or done.

Is Here, “Is” means “is” in the question “Is de deur op slot?” It asks about the door’s current state. A reusable pattern is “Is …?” when checking a person, thing, or situation.

de Here, “de” means “the” and introduces the specific door in “de deur.” It comes directly before the noun it determines. Use “de” when referring to a specific known noun that takes this article.

deur Here, “deur” means “door” in “Is de deur op slot?” It is the object whose locked state is being checked. Use it when talking about a door in a home or another building.

op slot Here, “op slot” as a whole means “locked” in “Is de deur op slot?” The component “op” forms part of the expression for being secured, and “slot” means “lock.” Use “op slot” after a door or similar object when checking or describing whether it is locked.

net Here, “net” means “just now” in “Ik heb het net gecontroleerd,” showing that the checking happened very recently. It is used with a completed action to place it shortly before the present. Use “net” when reporting something that happened moments ago.

gecontroleerd Here, “gecontroleerd” means “checked” in “Ik heb het net gecontroleerd.” It is the completed form of “controleren” used with “heb” to report the recent check. A reusable pattern is “iets controleren” for checking a particular thing.

Grammar Points

laten we + infinitief

Laten we controleren.

LAH-tun vuh kun-troh-LAY-run.

Let's check.

Gebruik 'laten we' gevolgd door het hele werkwoord om een voorstel te doen: 'Let's ...'.

hebben + voltooid deelwoord

hebben gecontroleerd

HEH-bun khuh-kun-troh-LAYRT

have checked

De voltooide tijd gebruikt 'hebben' met een voltooid deelwoord, zoals 'gecontroleerd'.

Dutch Vocabulary

alles pron

AH-lus everything

Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?

controleren verb

kun-troh-LAY-run to check

Laten we het nu controleren.

hebben verb

HEH-bun to have

Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?

laten we phrase

LAH-tun vuh let's

Laten we het nu controleren.

nu adv

noo now

Laten we het nu controleren.

portemonnee noun

por-tuh-moh-NAY wallet

Zit je portemonnee in je tas?

sleutel noun

SLUHR-tul key sleutels

Heb je je sleutels?

tas noun

TAHS bag

Zit je portemonnee in je tas?

voordat conj

voohr-DAHT before

Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?

weggaan verb

WEKH-khahn to leave; to go away

Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?

zak noun

ZAK pocket

Ze zitten in mijn zak.

zitten verb

ZIT-un to be located; to sit

Ze zitten in mijn zak.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Do we have everything before we leave?

Show Answer

Hebben we alles voordat we weggaan?

Let's check now.

Show Answer

Laten we het nu controleren.

Do you have your keys?

Show Answer

Heb je je sleutels?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to have

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hebben

everything

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alles

before

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voordat

to check

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controleren