Choosing a Chair | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Choosing a Chair to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?

WEL-kuh STOOL ZUH-lun vuh KEE-zun? Which chair should we choose?

Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.

DEH-zuh zeet er kum-for-TAH-bul owt. This one looks comfortable.

De andere stoel lijkt te klein.

duh AHN-duh-ruh STOOL LAYKT tuh KLAYN. The other chair seems too small.

Dan is deze goed.

DAHN iss DEH-zuh KHOOT. Then this one should work.

Wat vind je van de felle kleur?

waht VINT yuh vahn duh FEL-luh KLUR? What do you think of the bright color?

Daardoor is de stoel makkelijk te zien.

DAHR-dor iss duh STOOL MAHK-uh-luk tuh ZEEN. It makes the chair easy to spot.

Laten we deze stoel kiezen.

LAH-tun vuh DEH-zuh STOOL KEE-zun. Let's choose this chair.

Ik zet hem hier neer.

ik ZET um heer NEER. I will move it over here.

Word by Word

Welke “Welke” asks which choice is meant in “Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?”. It is used before a noun when selecting one option, here a chair. Use it when asking someone to choose between identifiable options.

stoel “Stoel” means chair in “Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?”. It names the object the speakers are choosing. It can be used after a word meaning which or this to identify a chair.

zullen “Zullen” helps form the suggestion or question about what the speakers will choose in “Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?”. Together with “we” and the infinitive at the end, it asks which action the speakers should take. Use it when discussing a shared decision.

we “We” means the speakers together as the subject of “Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?”. It shows that choosing is a joint action. Use it for a group that includes the speaker.

kiezen “Kiezen” means choose in “Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?”. It appears after “zullen” as the action being considered. Use it when selecting one person or thing from several options.

Deze “Deze” means this one in “Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.” and points to the chair being considered. Used by itself here, it stands for the nearby choice rather than repeating the noun. Use it to identify a specific nearby option.

ziet “Ziet” contributes the idea of looks in “Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.”. With the surrounding expression, it describes how the chair appears rather than saying that someone sees it. Use this form when describing how something appears in this construction.

er In “Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.”, “er” is part of the fixed expression used to say that something looks a certain way. It does not mean a separate location here. Keep it together with the appearance construction when describing how something looks.

comfortabel “Comfortabel” means comfortable in “Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.”. It describes the appearance of the chair in the sentence. Use it with the appearance construction for a chair, seat, or other object that seems comfortable.

uit In “Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.”, “uit” completes the expression that means looks or appears. It is not being used with its separate meaning of out here. Keep it at the end of this appearance construction.

De “De” is the word for the in “De andere stoel lijkt te klein.” and also appears before the color noun in the dialogue. It introduces a specific chair or color being discussed. Use it before a noun such as the other chair or the bright color.

andere “Andere” means other in “De andere stoel lijkt te klein.”. It distinguishes this chair from the one already being considered. Use it before a noun when referring to the alternative item.

lijkt “Lijkt” means seems in “De andere stoel lijkt te klein.”. It presents the chair as appearing too small based on the speaker’s impression. Use it when giving an observation that may not be stated as absolute fact.

te In “te klein”, “te” makes the meaning too small, showing that the chair is smaller than acceptable. In “te zien”, it is part of the infinitive expression meaning to see. Its meaning depends on the construction around it.

klein “Klein” means small in “De andere stoel lijkt te klein.”. Together with “te”, it describes the other chair as too small for the intended use. Use it to describe the size of an object.

Dan “Dan” means then in “Dan is deze goed.”. It connects the conclusion about the other chair with the decision that this one is suitable. Use it to introduce a result or next decision after something has been said.

is “Is” links this chair with the assessment “goed” in “Dan is deze goed.”. Here it states that the selected option is suitable. Use it to describe what something is like or whether it meets the need.

goed “Goed” means good or suitable in “Dan is deze goed.”. In this context, it says that this chair will work for the purpose under discussion. Use it to approve an option or say that it is acceptable.

Wat “Wat” means what in “Wat vind je van de felle kleur?”. It begins a question asking for the other person’s opinion. Use it in questions about an object, feature, or idea.

vind “Vind” helps ask what someone thinks in “Wat vind je van de felle kleur?”. In this construction, it asks for an evaluation rather than referring to physically finding something. Use it with a person and “van” to ask for an opinion.

je “Je” means you in “Wat vind je van de felle kleur?”. It identifies the person whose opinion is being requested. Use it when addressing one person informally.

van In “Wat vind je van de felle kleur?”, “van” introduces the thing being evaluated. The full construction asks what opinion someone has about that thing. Use it after an opinion question before the object or topic.

felle “Felle” means bright or vivid in “de felle kleur”. It describes the strong visual quality of the color being discussed. Use it before a noun when describing a notably bright color.

kleur “Kleur” means color in “de felle kleur”. It names the visual feature whose brightness the speakers are discussing. Use it when referring to the color of an object or surface.

Daardoor “Daardoor” means because of that or as a result in “Daardoor is de stoel makkelijk te zien.”. It links the bright color with the result that the chair is easy to see. Use it to introduce a consequence of something just mentioned.

makkelijk “Makkelijk” means easy in “makkelijk te zien”. It says that seeing the chair requires little effort because of the bright color. Use it before an infinitive expression to describe an action as easy to do.

zien “Zien” means see or spot in “makkelijk te zien.”. It is the action that is easy because the chair has a bright color. Use it after “te” when describing something that can be seen easily.

Laten “Laten” begins the suggestion “Laten we deze stoel kiezen.”, meaning let’s choose this chair. Together with “we” and the infinitive, it proposes a shared action. Use it when inviting someone to do something together.

Ik “Ik” means I in “Ik zet hem hier neer.”. It identifies the speaker as the person who will place the chair. Use it as the subject when stating what you will do.

zet “Zet” means put or place in “Ik zet hem hier neer.”. It describes placing the chair in a particular location, with “hier” specifying where. Use it with an object and a location when putting something somewhere.

hem “Hem” refers to the chair as the object being placed in “Ik zet hem hier neer.”. It prevents the speaker from repeating the noun. Use it after the verb when referring back to the object being moved or placed.

hier “Hier” means here in “Ik zet hem hier neer.”. It identifies the place where the speaker will put the chair. Use it to point to the speaker’s chosen location.

neer “Neer” completes the placement expression in “Ik zet hem hier neer.” and emphasizes putting the object down or into the indicated place. It works together with “zet”, not as a separate object. Keep it after the location when using this placement pattern.

Grammar Points

eruitzien: ziet er ... uit

Deze stoel ziet er comfortabel uit.

DEH-zuh STOOL zeet er kum-for-TAH-bul owt.

This chair looks comfortable.

Het werkwoord splitst: ziet staat op plaats 2, er ... uit staat aan het einde.

neerzetten: zet ... neer

Laten we hem hier neerzetten.

LAH-tun vuh um heer NEER-ZET-un.

Let's put it down here.

Ook neerzetten is scheidbaar: in een hoofdzin staan zet en neer uit elkaar; na laten blijft het heel.

Dutch Vocabulary

andere adj

AHN-duh-ruh other

comfortabel adj

kum-for-TAH-bul comfortable

dan adv

DAHN then

deze pron

DEH-zuh this one

eruitzien verb

ER-owt-ZEEN to look; to appear ziet er ... uit

goed adj

KHOOT good; suitable

kiezen verb

KEE-zun to choose

klein adj

KLAYN small

lijken verb

LAY-kuhn to seem lijkt

stoel noun

STOOL chair

vinden verb

VIN-duhn to think; to find vind

welke det

WEL-kuh which

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Which chair should we choose?

Show Answer

Welke stoel zullen we kiezen?

This one looks comfortable.

Show Answer

Deze ziet er comfortabel uit.

The other chair seems too small.

Show Answer

De andere stoel lijkt te klein.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

chair

Show Answer

stoel

this one

Show Answer

deze

to choose

Show Answer

kiezen

small

Show Answer

klein