Comparing Jackets Before Buying | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: In a clothing shop, two adults compare similar jackets by fabric, warmth, and fit before deciding..

EN → NL / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Comparing Jackets Before Buying to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Deze twee jassen lijken erg op elkaar.

DAY-zuh tvay YAH-sun LYE-kun erkh op el-KAHR. These two jackets look very similar.
B

Laten we de stof en de pasvorm vergelijken.

LAH-tun vuh duh STAWF un duh PAS-vorm vuh-KHYE-luh-kun. Let's compare the fabric and fit.
A

Deze voelt licht aan.

DAY-zuh voolt LIKHT ahn. This one feels light.
A

De stof lijkt dun.

duh STAWF LYEKT DUHN. The fabric seems thin.
B

De andere voelt steviger en warmer aan.

duh AHN-duh-ruh voolt STAY-vuh-khur un VAR-mur ahn. The other one feels sturdier and warmer.
A

Dat is misschien beter voor dagelijks gebruik.

daht iss muh-SKHEEN BAY-tur fohr DAH-khuh-liks khuh-BROYK. That might be better for everyday use.
B

Trek hem eerst aan en voel hoe hij zit.

trek um AYERST ahn un fool hoo hay ZIT. Try it on first and see how it feels.
A

Ik pas ze allebei voordat ik beslis.

ik PAHS zuh AH-luh-BAY vohr-DAHT ik buh-SLISS. I will try both before I decide.
B

Dat zou de keuze makkelijker moeten maken.

daht zow duh KUR-zuh MAH-kuh-luh-kur MOO-tun MAH-kun. That should make the choice easier.

Word by Word

Deze Deze means “these” in Deze twee jassen and “this one” in Deze voelt licht aan. It identifies the jacket or jackets currently being considered, so it is useful when pointing out an item in a shop.
twee twee gives the exact number two in twee jassen. It is useful when identifying two items that are being compared.
jassen jassen means “jackets” and names the two garments being compared. It is the plural form related to jas and appears after twee in twee jassen.
lijken lijken in lijken erg op elkaar says that the two jackets appear similar. This form is useful when comparing items whose similarity is based on how they look.
erg erg strengthens the comparison in lijken erg op elkaar, making the similarity “very” strong. It is useful before a description when you want to express a high degree.
op op in op elkaar is part of the expression lijken erg op elkaar, which describes similarity between the two jackets. Together with elkaar, it marks the relation between the items being compared.
elkaar elkaar in op elkaar refers to each jacket in relation to the other. This form is useful for describing a mutual or reciprocal relationship between two things.
Laten Laten in Laten we de stof en de pasvorm vergelijken introduces a joint suggestion: the speakers will compare the two features together. It is useful when proposing an activity to another person.
we we refers to the speaker and the other person together in Laten we de stof en de pasvorm vergelijken. It shows who will carry out the suggested activity.
de de marks the definite noun phrases de stof and de pasvorm, referring to the specific fabric and fit under discussion. It is useful before a known or clearly identified item.
stof stof means “fabric” in de stof and refers to the material of the jacket. It is useful when discussing or comparing the material of clothing.
en en joins the two things being compared in de stof en de pasvorm. It is useful for linking nouns or other parts of a sentence.
pasvorm pasvorm means “fit” in de pasvorm and refers to how the jacket fits the wearer. It is useful when deciding whether clothing sits comfortably and suitably.
vergelijken vergelijken means “compare” in Laten we de stof en de pasvorm vergelijken. It names the activity of examining two or more things to find similarities or differences, such as when choosing between jackets.
voelt voelt in Deze voelt licht aan says that the jacket has a light feel when handled or worn. In this sentence, aan completes the expression, and the form is useful when describing how an item feels.
licht licht in Deze voelt licht aan means “light” in weight or feel, referring to the jacket. It is useful when describing the physical feel of clothing.
aan aan completes the expression in voelt licht aan and also appears in Trek hem eerst aan, where it helps express putting a garment on. Its contribution depends on the verb expression in which it occurs.
lijkt lijkt in De stof lijkt dun presents the fabric as seeming thin based on its appearance or impression. It is useful when giving an observation without presenting it as a definite measurement.
dun dun means “thin” in De stof lijkt dun and describes the fabric’s thickness. It is useful when assessing clothing material.
andere andere in De andere refers to the other jacket, the one different from the jacket just discussed. It is useful when choosing between two alternatives without repeating the noun.
steviger steviger describes the other jacket as sturdier than the first one in steviger en warmer aan. It is useful when comparing the strength or solid feel of two products.
warmer warmer describes the other jacket as providing more warmth in steviger en warmer aan. It is useful when comparing clothing for colder conditions or everyday comfort.
Dat Dat refers back to a previously mentioned jacket, option, or situation in Dat is misschien beter voor dagelijks gebruik and Dat zou de keuze makkelijker moeten maken. It is useful for pointing back to something already under discussion.
is is links Dat with the evaluation beter voor dagelijks gebruik in Dat is misschien beter voor dagelijks gebruik. It is useful for stating how an item or situation is being assessed.
misschien misschien means “maybe” and makes the recommendation in Dat is misschien beter voor dagelijks gebruik tentative. It is useful when offering an opinion without presenting it as certain.
beter beter evaluates the option as more suitable in beter voor dagelijks gebruik. It is useful when recommending one product over another for a particular purpose.
voor voor in voor dagelijks gebruik expresses the purpose or intended context of the jacket. The separate word voordat later expresses “before,” so this occurrence is used for “for” rather than time.
dagelijks dagelijks describes use that happens as part of everyday life in dagelijks gebruik. It is useful when discussing whether a product is suitable for regular routine use.
gebruik gebruik in dagelijks gebruik means “use” and refers to using the jacket in everyday life. This phrase is useful when assessing a product for normal, repeated activities.
Trek Trek in Trek hem eerst aan tells the listener to put the jacket on. It is useful as an instruction when trying on clothing in a fitting room or shop.
hem hem refers to the jacket in Trek hem eerst aan and is the item being put on. It is useful when the garment is already clear from the conversation and does not need to be named again.
eerst eerst sets the order in Trek hem eerst aan: putting the jacket on should happen before checking how it feels. It is useful for organizing steps in an instruction.
voel voel in voel hoe hij zit asks the listener to notice how the jacket feels or fits. It is useful when asking someone to assess clothing while wearing it.
hoe hoe introduces the description of the jacket’s fit in hoe hij zit. It is useful for asking or explaining the way something feels, works, or fits.
hij hij in hoe hij zit refers back to the jacket being tried on. It is the item whose fit is being assessed in that clause.
zit zit in hoe hij zit means “fits” in the clothing context and describes how the jacket sits on the wearer. It is useful when checking whether clothing fits comfortably.
Ik Ik identifies the speaker as the person who will try on both jackets and decide in Ik pas ze allebei voordat ik beslis. It is useful for stating the speaker’s own action or intention.
pas pas in Ik pas ze allebei means “try on” and refers to testing the jackets by wearing them. It is useful in a clothing shop when checking fit before buying.
ze ze refers to both jackets in Ik pas ze allebei and is the object of pas. It is useful when the plural items being discussed are already clear.
allebei allebei means “both” and confirms that the speaker will try on the two jackets, not just one. It is useful when referring to exactly two items together.
voordat voordat means “before” and links trying on the jackets with the later decision in voordat ik beslis. It is useful for putting one action earlier than another in time.
beslis beslis in voordat ik beslis means “decide” and names the decision that will come after trying on the jackets. It is useful when explaining when a choice will be made.
zou zou in Dat zou de keuze makkelijker moeten maken presents the result as expected or tentative rather than as a direct fact. It is useful when predicting the likely effect of an action.
keuze keuze means “choice” in de keuze makkelijker moeten maken and refers to the decision between the jackets. It is useful when talking about selecting one option from several possibilities.
makkelijker makkelijker describes the choice as easier in de keuze makkelijker moeten maken. It is useful when explaining that an action reduces the difficulty of deciding.
moeten moeten in zou de keuze makkelijker moeten maken adds the idea that making the choice easier is expected or should happen. It comes before maken in this construction and is useful for expressing obligation or expectation.
maken maken in de keuze makkelijker moeten maken means “make”: the action is expected to make the choice easier. Here it takes de keuze as the thing affected and makkelijker as the resulting description.

Grammar Points

steviger / warmer / makkelijker

De andere is steviger en warmer.

duh AHN-duh-ruh iss STAY-vuh-khur un VAR-mur.

The other one is sturdier and warmer.

The ending -er forms a comparative: steviger means “sturdier” and warmer means “warmer.”

voordat + persoonsvorm achteraan

Voordat ik beslis, pas ik ze allebei.

vohr-DAHT ik buh-SLISS, PAHS ik zuh AH-luh-BAY.

Before I decide, I try them both on.

After voordat, Dutch places the conjugated verb at the end of the clause: voordat ik beslis.

Dutch Vocabulary

andere pron
AHN-duh-ruh the other one
dun adj
DUHN thin
jassen noun
YAH-sun jackets
licht adj
LIKHT light
lijken verb
LYE-kun seem, look
misschien adv
muh-SKHEEN maybe
op elkaar phrase
op el-KAHR like each other
pasvorm noun
PAS-vorm fit
steviger adj
STAY-vuh-khur sturdier
stof noun
STAWF fabric
vergelijken verb
vuh-KHYE-luh-kun to compare
warmer adj
VAR-mur warmer

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

This one feels light.

Show AnswerDeze voelt licht aan.

The fabric seems thin.

Show AnswerDe stof lijkt dun.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

fabric

Show Answerstof

the other one

Show Answerandere

to compare

Show Answervergelijken

fit

Show Answerpasvorm