Using a shared meeting room | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Using a shared meeting room to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Kunnen we de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken?

KUN-uh(n) vuh duh khuh-DAYL-duh vur-khah-DAR-roym-tuh khuh-BROY-kuh(n)? Can we use the shared meeting room?

Dat kan, maar houd de ruimte netjes voor andere mensen.

daht KAHN, mahr HOWT duh ROYM-tuh NET-yuhs vohr AHN-duh-ruh MEN-suh(n). You can, but keep it tidy for other people.

Is deze tafel vrij?

iss DAY-zuh TAH-fuhl VRYE? Is this table free?

Die is nu beschikbaar.

dee iss nyoo buh-SKHEEK-bahr. It is available now.

Ik leg mijn tas bij de muur.

ik LEKH mine TAHS bye duh MYUR. I will put my bag by the wall.

Houd de tafel alstublieft vrij.

HOWT duh TAH-fuhl AHL-stuh-BLEEFT VRYE. Please keep the table clear.

Als we klaar zijn, laten we de ruimte schoon achter.

ahls vuh KLAHR zine, LAH-tuh(n) vuh duh ROYM-tuh SKHOHN AHKH-ter. We will leave the room clean when we finish.

Dat helpt de volgende groep.

daht HELPT duh VOLL-khuhn-duh KHROOP. That helps the next group.

Word by Word

Kunnen 'Kunnen' introduces a question about whether something is possible or permitted here: using the shared meeting room. It appears at the beginning of a question before the subject and the action. Use it when asking whether a group can do something in a particular situation.

we 'we' means the speaker and at least one other person, who are asking about using the room. It functions as the subject in 'Kunnen we de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken?' and later in 'laten we de ruimte schoon achter'. Use it when referring to your group, including yourself.

de 'de' marks 'vergaderruimte' as a specific room: 'de gedeelde vergaderruimte'. It is placed before this noun phrase because the speakers have a particular shared meeting room in mind. Use it before a known or specific noun when the article is required.

gedeelde 'gedeelde' describes the meeting room as shared by different people or groups. In 'de gedeelde vergaderruimte', it comes before the noun it describes. Use it when identifying something that is used by more than one person or group.

vergaderruimte 'vergaderruimte' means meeting room, the shared room the speakers want to use. It is the object of 'gebruiken' in 'de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken'. Use it when referring to a room intended for meetings.

gebruiken 'gebruiken' means to use the meeting room in this question. It appears after the object because it follows 'Kunnen we' in the question. Use it after a modal expression when describing what someone can use or do with something.

Dat 'Dat' refers back to the possibility mentioned in the question, so 'Dat kan' means that using the room is possible. It points to a situation rather than naming the room again. Use it to refer back to a previously mentioned statement or possibility.

kan 'kan' says that the requested use of the room is possible here. It is a form of 'kunnen' and appears in the response 'Dat kan'. Use 'Dat kan' when confirming that a previously mentioned action or arrangement is possible.

maar 'maar' introduces a condition or limitation after permission has been given: the room may be used, but it must stay tidy. It connects the two parts of 'Dat kan, maar houd de ruimte netjes'. Use it to contrast permission or agreement with an important instruction.

houd 'houd' directly tells the listener to maintain the room in a tidy condition. It is the command form of 'houden' and appears in 'houd de ruimte netjes'. Use it when giving an instruction to keep a place or object in a particular state.

ruimte 'ruimte' means the room or shared space that must remain tidy. In 'de ruimte', it refers to the meeting room already under discussion. Use it for a physical room or an area when the context makes the intended space clear.

netjes 'netjes' means tidy or neat and describes the condition in which the room should be kept. The phrase 'houd de ruimte netjes' combines it with an instruction to maintain that condition. Use it when asking someone to leave an area orderly.

voor 'voor' means for and marks the people who benefit from the room being kept tidy: 'voor andere mensen'. It links the instruction to the people who will use the space. Use it before the person or group that an action is intended to help.

andere 'andere' means other and distinguishes the people mentioned from the speakers. In 'andere mensen', it comes directly before the noun it describes. Use it when referring to additional people who are different from the ones already involved.

mensen 'mensen' means people, specifically the other users who should also find the room tidy. It appears in the phrase 'voor andere mensen'. Use it when referring to people generally rather than naming particular individuals.

Is 'Is' begins a question about the current status of the table: whether it is free. It is a form of 'zijn' and appears before 'deze tafel' in 'Is deze tafel vrij?'. Use it to ask about the state or availability of something.

deze 'deze' means this and points to the particular table the speaker is indicating. In 'deze tafel', it comes before the noun. Use it when identifying a nearby or clearly indicated object.

tafel 'tafel' means table, the object the speakers want to use and keep clear. It appears in both 'deze tafel' and 'de tafel'. Use it when talking about a table as a place to work or put things.

vrij 'vrij' means free or unoccupied in 'Is deze tafel vrij?'. In 'Houd de tafel alstublieft vrij', it contributes the idea that the table should remain clear; the full instruction comes from the whole phrase. Use it when asking whether a place is available or telling someone to leave it clear.

Die 'Die' refers back to the table just mentioned, so 'Die is nu beschikbaar' means that table is available now. It avoids repeating 'tafel' in the reply. Use it to refer back to a previously identified object.

nu 'nu' means now and limits the table's availability to the present time. In 'Die is nu beschikbaar', it tells the listener that the status is current. Use it when giving a present availability or timing update.

beschikbaar 'beschikbaar' means available for use, so the table can be used at this moment. It describes the table in 'Die is nu beschikbaar'. Use it when saying that a place, object, or resource can currently be used.

Ik 'Ik' means I and identifies the speaker as the person who will place the bag. It is the subject of 'Ik leg mijn tas bij de muur'. Use it when stating your own action, plan, or responsibility.

leg 'leg' means put or place in the statement about putting the bag by the wall. It is a form of 'leggen' and appears before the object in 'Ik leg mijn tas bij de muur'. Use it when describing where you place an object.

mijn 'mijn' means my and shows that the bag belongs to or is associated with the speaker. It comes directly before 'tas' in 'mijn tas'. Use it before a noun when identifying something connected to yourself.

tas 'tas' means bag, the object being placed by the wall. It is the object of 'leg' in 'Ik leg mijn tas bij de muur'. Use it when talking about a bag that someone carries or puts somewhere.

bij 'bij' means by or next to and introduces the location of the bag in 'bij de muur'. It is followed here by the wall that serves as the reference point. Use it before a place or object to describe something positioned nearby.

muur 'muur' means wall, which is the location beside which the bag will be placed. It appears after 'bij' in 'bij de muur'. Use it when describing a wall as a physical location or boundary.

alstublieft 'alstublieft' means please and makes the instruction more polite. In 'Houd de tafel alstublieft vrij', it appears inside the request rather than changing the instruction itself. Use it when making a polite request or instruction.

Als 'Als' means when in 'Als we klaar zijn' and introduces the time at which the speakers will leave the room clean. It starts a clause describing what happens after the group has finished. Use it before a clause that sets a time or condition for another action.

klaar 'klaar' means finished or ready in the expression 'klaar zijn'. Here it describes the group as finished using the room. Use it with 'zijn' when saying that an activity or task is complete.

zijn 'zijn' contributes the meaning of being in the state described by 'klaar', so 'klaar zijn' means to be finished. It follows 'we' in 'Als we klaar zijn'. Use it with a subject and a state or description.

laten 'laten' contributes the meaning of leave in 'laten we de ruimte schoon achter'. Together with 'achter', the expression says that the room remains clean after the speakers leave; 'achter' completes the left-behind idea. Use it when describing leaving something in a particular condition.

schoon 'schoon' means clean and describes the condition in which the room is left. In 'de ruimte schoon achter', it appears between the room and 'achter'. Use it when stating that a place should be left without dirt or mess.

achter 'achter' contributes the idea of something being left behind in 'laten we de ruimte schoon achter'. Its meaning here is completed by 'laten', so the whole expression describes the room's condition after the speakers leave. Use it with a leaving expression when something remains in a place.

helpt 'helpt' means helps and says that leaving the room clean benefits the next group. It is a form of 'helpen' in 'Dat helpt de volgende groep'. Use it when explaining that an action makes a situation easier or better for someone.

volgende 'volgende' means next and identifies the group that will use the room after the speakers. In 'de volgende groep', it comes before the noun. Use it before a noun when referring to the next person, group, or event in sequence.

groep 'groep' means group, referring here to the people who will use the meeting room after the speakers. It appears in 'de volgende groep'. Use it when several people are treated as one set in a shared situation.

Grammar Points

kunnen + infinitief

Kunnen we deze vergaderruimte gebruiken?

KUN-uh(n) vuh DAY-zuh vur-khah-DAR-roym-tuh khuh-BROY-kuh(n)?

Can we use this meeting room?

After kunnen, the other verb stays in the infinitive and moves to the end of the sentence.

gebiedende wijs

Leg de tas bij de muur, alstublieft.

LEKH duh TAHS bye duh MYUR, AHL-stuh-BLEEFT.

Put the bag by the wall, please.

For a singular command, Dutch usually uses the verb stem, such as leg from leggen.

Dutch Vocabulary

ander adj

AHN-duhr other andere

voor andere mensen

deze det

DAY-zuh this

Is deze tafel vrij?

gebruiken verb

khuh-BROY-kuh(n) to use

Kunnen we de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken?

gedeeld adj

khuh-DAYLT shared gedeelde

de gedeelde vergaderruimte

houden verb

HOW-duh(n) to keep houd

Houd de ruimte netjes voor andere mensen.

kunnen verb

KUN-uh(n) can; to be able to

Kunnen we de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken?

mens noun

MENs person; human mensen

voor andere mensen

netjes adj

NET-yuhs tidy; neat

Houd de ruimte netjes voor andere mensen.

ruimte noun

ROYM-tuh room; space

Houd de ruimte netjes voor andere mensen.

tafel noun

TAH-fuhl table

Is deze tafel vrij?

vergaderruimte noun

vur-khah-DAR-roym-tuh meeting room

de gedeelde vergaderruimte

vrij adj

VRYE free; available

Is deze tafel vrij?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can we use the shared meeting room?

Show Answer

Kunnen we de gedeelde vergaderruimte gebruiken?

Is this table free?

Show Answer

Is deze tafel vrij?

It is available now.

Show Answer

Die is nu beschikbaar.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to use

Show Answer

gebruiken

person; human

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mensen

other

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andere

tidy; neat

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netjes