Resting a sore leg at home | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Resting a sore leg at home to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Mijn been doet een beetje pijn.

mine BAYN doot uhn BAY-chuh PINE. My leg hurts a little.

Ga even op deze stoel zitten.

KHAH AY-vuhn awp DAY-zuh stool ZIH-tuhn. Sit on this chair for a moment.

Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen.

ik hep vuhn-DAHKH tuh VAYL khuh-LOH-puhn. I walked too much today.

Leg je been hier omhoog en rust uit.

LEKH yuh BAYN heer awm-HOHKH en RUHST OYT. Put your leg up here and rest.

Mag ik straks een beetje rondlopen?

mahkh ik STRAHKS uhn BAY-chuh RAWNT-loh-puhn? Can I walk around a little later?

Loop alleen als het goed voelt.

lohp uh-LAYN ahls ut KHOOT voolt. Walk only if it feels all right.

Op de bank zit ik beter dan op deze stoel.

awp duh BAHNGK zit ik BAY-tur dahn awp DAY-zuh stool. The sofa feels better than this chair.

Ga dan daar zitten en houd je been stil.

KHAH dahn dahr ZIH-tuhn en HOWT yuh BAYN stihl. Then sit there and keep your leg still.

Word by Word

Mijn “Mijn” means “my” in “Mijn been” and identifies whose leg is being discussed. It comes before the noun it describes, as in “Mijn been doet een beetje pijn”. Use it when describing something that belongs to you or is connected with you, such as a body part in a health conversation.

been “Been” means “leg” in “Mijn been doet een beetje pijn”. It is the body part that is hurting and is later referred to again in “je been”. Use it in expressions about a leg, such as “je been hier omhoog” when giving care or instructions.

doet In “doet een beetje pijn”, “doet” helps form the Dutch expression for saying that something hurts; it does not mean “hurts” by itself here. “Pijn” names the pain, while “doet” forms the expression with it. A reusable pattern is “X doet pijn” when reporting pain in a body part.

een “Een” means “a” in “een beetje” and forms the small-quantity expression “a little”. Here it appears before “beetje” in both “een beetje pijn” and “een beetje rondlopen”. Use “een beetje” when describing a small amount or degree.

beetje “Beetje” means “little” in “een beetje pijn” and “een beetje rondlopen”. Together with “een”, it expresses a small amount rather than a large degree. It is useful when describing mild pain or a small amount of an activity.

pijn “Pijn” means “pain” in “doet een beetje pijn”. It names what is felt, while “doet” helps form the expression that something hurts. Use it with “doet”, as in the dialogue substring “doet een beetje pijn”, when describing physical discomfort.

Ga “Ga” gives the instruction “go” in “Ga even op deze stoel zitten”, where the complete instruction means to sit on the chair. The same command form also begins “Ga dan daar zitten”. Use “Ga ... zitten” when telling someone to move into a seated position.

even “Even” means “for a moment” in “Ga even op deze stoel zitten”. It limits the suggested action to a short time and makes the instruction sound less heavy. Use it with a short request or instruction when the action is temporary.

op “Op” marks the seating place in “op deze stoel” and “Op de bank”. It connects the action of sitting with the chair or sofa where the person is seated. A common reuse pattern is “op + place or object”, as in the dialogue’s “op deze stoel zitten”.

deze “Deze” means “this” in “deze stoel” and points to the particular chair being indicated. It comes directly before the noun “stoel”. Use “deze + noun” when selecting or referring to a nearby or clearly identified item.

stoel “Stoel” means “chair” in “deze stoel” and identifies where the person is asked to sit. It also appears in “op deze stoel” when the chair is compared with the sofa. Use it when talking about sitting on a chair at home or elsewhere.

zitten “Zitten” means “sit” or “be seated” in “Ga even op deze stoel zitten”. After “Ga”, it describes the seated action that should follow. A reusable pattern is “op ... zitten” for saying where someone sits.

Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen”. It also appears after the fronted location phrase in “Op de bank zit ik beter”. Use it when reporting your own activity, condition, or experience.

heb “Heb” means “have” in “Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen” and works together with “gelopen” to report the walking. It appears after the subject “Ik” in this sentence. Use the pattern “Ik heb ... gelopen” when describing your own walking activity.

vandaag “Vandaag” means “today” in “Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen”. It places the walking on the current day and appears before “te veel gelopen”. Use it as a time word when saying that something happened today.

te “Te” means “too” in “te veel” and shows that the amount was more than was desirable. It works together with “veel”; the complete expression “te veel” means “too much” or “too many” depending on context. Use it before a quantity word when describing an excessive amount.

veel “Veel” means “much” or “a lot” in “te veel gelopen”. With “te”, it describes an excessive amount of walking rather than simply a large amount. Use “te veel” when saying that an activity or quantity went beyond what was suitable.

gelopen “Gelopen” means “walked” in “Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen”. Together with “heb”, it describes walking that the speaker has done. Use the dialogue pattern “heb ... gelopen” when reporting that someone has walked.

je “Je” means “your” in “je been” and identifies the leg belonging to the person being addressed. It comes before the body-part noun “been”. Use “je + body part” when giving someone personal health or care instructions.

hier “Hier” means “here” in “je been hier omhoog” and indicates the place or position where the leg should be raised. It appears before “omhoog” to guide the movement. Use it when directing someone to a location or position near the speaker.

omhoog “Omhoog” means “up” in “je been hier omhoog”. It describes the upward position or direction of the leg. Use it with a movement or positioning instruction when something should be raised, as in the dialogue substring “been hier omhoog”.

en “En” means “and” in “omhoog en rust uit”. It links the instruction to raise the leg with the instruction to rest. Use it to join two related actions, as in “omhoog en rust uit”.

rust uit “Rust uit” means “rest” in “Leg je been hier omhoog en rust uit”. The two components work together: “rust” gives the resting action and “uit” completes this expression. Use the complete expression “rust uit” when telling someone to recover after effort, such as while caring for a sore leg.

Mag “Mag” means “may” or “can” in “Mag ik straks een beetje rondlopen?” and introduces a request for permission. It comes before “ik” because the speaker is asking whether the action is allowed. Use “Mag ik ...?” when politely asking if you may do something.

straks “Straks” means “later” in “Mag ik straks een beetje rondlopen?” and refers to a time after now. It places the possible walking later rather than immediately. Use it when asking about or describing something planned for later in the same general situation.

rondlopen “Rondlopen” means “walk around” in “een beetje rondlopen”. It describes moving around rather than simply taking one walk in a particular direction. Use it when asking about moving around a home or another area, as in “Mag ik straks een beetje rondlopen?”.

Loop “Loop” gives the command “walk” in “Loop alleen als het goed voelt”. It is used to give advice about whether the person should walk. Use it at the start of a walking instruction, especially when it is followed by a condition.

alleen “Alleen” means “only” in “Loop alleen als het goed voelt”. It limits walking to the situation introduced by “als”. Here it does not mean that the person walks without company; it sets a condition for the action.

als “Als” means “if” in “als het goed voelt” and introduces the condition under which walking is permitted. It connects the advice “Loop alleen” with the feeling being acceptable. Use “als” to introduce a condition, as in “Loop alleen als ...”.

het “Het” means “it” in “als het goed voelt”. It is the subject used in this expression about how the situation or activity feels. Use the pattern “als het ... voelt” when making an action dependent on whether the feeling is acceptable.

goed “Goed” means “good” or “all right” in “het goed voelt”. Together with “voelt”, it evaluates the sensation as acceptable for walking. Use “goed voelen” when saying that something feels all right, as in the condition “als het goed voelt”.

voelt “Voelt” means “feels” in “het goed voelt”. With “goed”, it describes whether the sensation is acceptable, and with “het” it forms the condition for walking. Use the pattern “het ... voelt” when checking how an activity or situation feels.

bank “Bank” means “sofa” in “Op de bank”. It identifies the more comfortable seating place being compared with the chair. Use it with “op”, as in “Op de bank”, when describing sitting on a sofa.

zit “Zit” means “sit” or “be seated” in “Op de bank zit ik beter”. It describes the speaker’s seated position on the sofa. Use the pattern “op ... zit ik” when saying where you are seated, especially in a comparison such as the dialogue’s “zit ik beter dan op deze stoel”.

beter “Beter” means “better” in “zit ik beter dan op deze stoel”. It compares how comfortable the speaker is on the sofa with how comfortable they are on the chair. Use “beter dan ...” when comparing two places, objects, or situations.

dan “Dan” means “than” in “beter dan op deze stoel”, where it introduces the second part of the comparison. In “Ga dan daar zitten”, it means “then” and links the result to the previous suggestion. Use it in “beter dan ...” for comparisons and in “Ga dan ...” for a following action.

daar “Daar” means “there” in “Ga dan daar zitten” and points to the place where the person should sit. It appears before “zitten” in this instruction. Use it when directing someone to a place that has already been indicated or is understood from the situation.

houd “Houd” gives the instruction “keep” in “houd je been stil”. It tells the person to maintain the leg in the state described by “stil”. Use the complete pattern “houd ... stil” when instructing someone not to move something.

stil “Stil” means “still” in “houd je been stil”. It describes the leg as remaining without movement, while “houd” gives the instruction to maintain that state. Use it in the care instruction “houd je been stil” when someone needs to rest a body part.

Grammar Points

Ga + infinitief

Ga even zitten.

KHAH AY-vuhn ZIH-tuhn.

Sit down for a moment.

Use the imperative of gaan followed by an infinitive to give a friendly instruction or invitation.

Separable verb: uitrusten → rust uit

Rust uit.

RUHST OYT.

Rest.

In the imperative, the prefix uit separates from the verb and comes after the verb.

Dutch Vocabulary

been noun

BAYN leg

Mijn been doet een beetje pijn.

doen verb

DOON to do doet

Mijn been doet een beetje pijn.

een beetje phrase

uhn BAY-chuh a little

Mijn been doet een beetje pijn.

even adv

AY-vuhn for a moment

Ga even op deze stoel zitten.

gaan verb

KHAHN to go Ga

Ga even op deze stoel zitten.

leggen verb

LEKH-uhn to put Leg

Leg je been hier omhoog en rust uit.

lopen verb

LOH-puhn to walk gelopen

Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen.

pijn noun

PINE pain

Mijn been doet een beetje pijn.

stoel noun

stool chair

Ga even op deze stoel zitten.

te veel phrase

tuh VAYL too much

Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen.

vandaag adv

vuhn-DAHKH today

Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen.

zitten verb

ZIH-tuhn to sit

Ga even op deze stoel zitten.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

My leg hurts a little.

Show Answer

Mijn been doet een beetje pijn.

Sit on this chair for a moment.

Show Answer

Ga even op deze stoel zitten.

I walked too much today.

Show Answer

Ik heb vandaag te veel gelopen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

today

Show Answer

vandaag

to sit

Show Answer

zitten

chair

Show Answer

stoel

leg

Show Answer

been