Choosing a lunch set | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

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

Dialogue

Ik wil een lunchmenu voor ons bestellen.

ik wil uhn LUNCH-muh-noo voor ons buh-STEL-uhn. I want to order a lunch set for us.

Heb je liever kip of vis?

hep yuh LEE-ver kip off vis? Would you prefer chicken or fish?

Vis lijkt me vandaag beter.

vis laykt muh vun-DAHKH BAY-ter. Fish sounds better to me today.

Er zit rijst en één klein bijgerecht bij.

ehr zit rayst en ayn klayn BYE-ghuh-rekht bay. It comes with rice and one small side.

Welk bijgerecht ziet er het beste uit?

welk BYE-ghuh-rekht seet ehr ut bay-stuh owt? Which side looks best?

De groenten zien er vers en simpel uit.

duh KHROON-tun zayn ehr fers en SIM-pul owt. The vegetables look fresh and simple.

Laten we de groenten kiezen.

LAH-tun wuh duh KHROON-tun KEE-zun. Let's choose the vegetables.

Ik kan de bestelling nu plaatsen.

ik kun duh buh-STEL-ling noo PLAHT-sun. I can place the order now.

Word by Word

Ik “Ik” means “I” in “Ik wil een lunchmenu voor ons bestellen.” It identifies the person who wants to place the order, and it is reusable before a verb when talking about yourself, such as in the new example “Ik kan helpen.”

wil “wil” expresses wanting in “Ik wil een lunchmenu voor ons bestellen.” It is followed here by the action “bestellen”; use “Ik wil ...” to state what you want to do, such as in the new example “Ik wil koffie.”

een “een” introduces one nonspecific lunch set in “een lunchmenu.” It comes before the noun and is reusable with a singular countable item, such as in the new example “een broodje.”

lunchmenu “lunchmenu” means a lunch set or lunch menu in “een lunchmenu.” It is the thing being ordered, so it follows “een” and can be used when choosing a meal at a café or restaurant.

voor “voor” means “for” in “voor ons,” showing who the lunch set is intended for. It can introduce a person or group that benefits from or receives something, such as in the new example “voor mijn vriend.”

ons “ons” means “us” in “voor ons.” It refers to the speaker and another person or people, and “voor ons” is a reusable way to say that something is intended for the group.

bestellen “bestellen” means “to order” in “een lunchmenu voor ons bestellen.” It follows “wil” as the action the speaker wants to carry out; use “Ik wil ... bestellen” when ordering food or drinks.

Heb “Heb” contributes “have” to the question “Heb je liever kip of vis?” Here it helps form a question about someone’s preference. The word order “Heb je ...?” is reusable for asking a person a direct question.

je “je” means “you” in “Heb je liever kip of vis?” It refers to the person being asked, and it commonly appears after the verb in a question such as “Heb je ...?”

liever “liever” means “rather” or “preferably” in “Heb je liever kip of vis?” It is used to ask which of two options someone prefers, and the pattern “Heb je liever A of B?” is useful when choosing food.

kip “kip” means “chicken” in “kip of vis.” It names one of the two meal options, and it can be used after a choice expression such as “kip of vis” when ordering.

of “of” means “or” in “kip of vis,” linking the two alternatives. Use it between options when asking someone to choose, as in the new example “thee of koffie.”

vis “vis” means “fish” in “Vis lijkt me vandaag beter.” It is the meal option the speaker prefers today, and it can be used as the food choice in an order.

lijkt “lijkt” means “seems” in “Vis lijkt me vandaag beter.” Together with “me” and “beter,” it presents fish as seeming better to the speaker; “lijkt me ...” is reusable for giving a personal impression.

me “me” means “to me” in “lijkt me vandaag beter,” identifying whose impression is being expressed. The pattern “lijkt me ...” is useful when saying how something seems from your perspective.

vandaag “vandaag” means “today” in “Vis lijkt me vandaag beter.” It places the preference on the current day and can be used with a choice or opinion about what is suitable today.

beter “beter” means “better” in “Vis lijkt me vandaag beter,” comparing fish with the other available option. It is useful after “lijkt me” when expressing which choice seems preferable.

Er “Er” helps introduce what is included in “Er zit rijst en één klein bijgerecht bij.” It is part of the pattern “Er zit ... bij,” which is useful for saying that something comes with a meal or package.

zit “zit” contributes the idea that something is included in “Er zit rijst en één klein bijgerecht bij.” In the pattern “Er zit ... bij,” it describes what comes with the main item; use the pattern when listing included food.

rijst “rijst” means “rice” in “Er zit rijst en één klein bijgerecht bij.” It names one included part of the lunch set and can be listed with another item using “en.”

en “en” means “and” in “rijst en één klein bijgerecht.” It links the two things included with the meal, and it is reusable between items in a list.

klein “klein” means “small” in “één klein bijgerecht.” It describes the size of the side dish and appears before the noun; use the same position when describing another small item.

bijgerecht “bijgerecht” means “side dish” in “één klein bijgerecht.” It names the additional food served with the main option, and it is useful when asking about or choosing a side.

bij “bij” contributes “with” or “included” in “Er zit rijst en één klein bijgerecht bij.” Together, “... bij” shows that the listed items come with something else, so the complete construction is useful when explaining what a meal includes.

Welk “Welk” means “which” in “Welk bijgerecht ziet er het beste uit?” It asks the listener to identify one choice from the available side dishes and appears before the singular noun “bijgerecht” here.

ziet “ziet” contributes “looks” in “ziet er het beste uit.” It is part of the construction “ziet er ... uit,” used to describe how something appears; this pattern is useful when comparing menu options.

het “het” is part of “het beste” in “ziet er het beste uit,” marking the superlative expression “the best.” Learn it together with “beste” here when identifying the option that appears best.

beste “beste” means “best” in “ziet er het beste uit.” Together with “ziet er ... uit,” it asks which side appears best, and the pattern is useful for choosing among several options.

uit “uit” completes the appearance construction “ziet er het beste uit.” It does not mean “out” by itself here; keep it with “ziet er ... uit” when describing how something looks.

De “De” means “the” in “De groenten zien er vers en simpel uit.” It introduces the specific vegetables being discussed and appears before the plural noun “groenten” here.

groenten “groenten” means “vegetables” in “De groenten zien er vers en simpel uit.” It is the side dish being evaluated, and it can be used as the subject before “zien er ... uit” when describing vegetables.

zien “zien” contributes “look” in “zien er vers en simpel uit.” Together with “er ... uit,” it describes how the vegetables appear; the pattern is reusable for giving an impression of something.

vers “vers” means “fresh” in “De groenten zien er vers en simpel uit.” It describes the apparent quality of the vegetables and can follow “zien er” when commenting on food.

simpel “simpel” means “simple” in “De groenten zien er vers en simpel uit.” It gives another description of the vegetables, and it can be placed after “zien er” alongside another adjective.

Laten “Laten” helps form the suggestion “Laten we de groenten kiezen,” meaning “Let’s choose the vegetables.” The pattern “Laten we ...” is useful when proposing a joint action.

we “we” means “we” in “Laten we de groenten kiezen.” It refers to the speaker and the other person together, and it follows “Laten” in a suggestion to do something jointly.

kiezen “kiezen” means “to choose” in “Laten we de groenten kiezen.” It names the joint action being proposed, and it can be followed by the item selected, as in “Laten we de groenten kiezen.”

kan “kan” means “can” in “Ik kan de bestelling nu plaatsen.” It expresses that the speaker is able or ready to carry out the action, and “Ik kan ...” is reusable before an action.

bestelling “bestelling” means “order” in “de bestelling.” It refers to the order being placed, and it can follow “de” when talking about a specific food order.

nu “nu” means “now” in “de bestelling nu plaatsen.” It indicates that the action will happen at the present moment and can be placed before the action in a sentence.

plaatsen “plaatsen” means “to place” in “de bestelling nu plaatsen,” where it means to submit or place the order. It follows “kan” as the action the speaker can perform; “Ik kan de bestelling ... plaatsen” is reusable when placing an order.

Grammar Points

Er zit ... bij

Er zit rijst bij.

ehr zit rayst bay.

It comes with rice.

Dutch uses er zit ... bij to say that something is included with a dish or order.

Laten we + infinitief

Laten we groenten kiezen.

LAH-tun wuh KHROON-tun KEE-zun.

Let's choose vegetables.

Laten we is followed by the infinitive to make a suggestion, similar to “let's” in English.

Dutch Vocabulary

bestellen verb

buh-STEL-uhn to order

beter adj

BAY-ter better

één num

ayn one

er zit ... bij phrase

ehr zit ... bay it comes with

kip noun

kip chicken

liever adv

LEE-ver prefer

lijkt verb

laykt seems

lunchmenu noun

LUNCH-muh-noo lunch set

rijst noun

rayst rice

vandaag adv

vun-DAHKH today

vis noun

vis fish

voor ons phrase

voor ons for us

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Would you prefer chicken or fish?

Show Answer

Heb je liever kip of vis?

Fish sounds better to me today.

Show Answer

Vis lijkt me vandaag beter.

Let's choose the vegetables.

Show Answer

Laten we de groenten kiezen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

lunch set

Show Answer

lunchmenu

prefer

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liever

seems

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lijkt

to order

Show Answer

bestellen