Finding blue folders in a shop | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Finding blue folders in a shop to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Pardon, waar is de afdeling met kantoorartikelen?

par-DON, vahr iss duh AF-day-ling met kan-TOHR-ar-TEE-kuh-len? Excuse me, where is the stationery section?

Die is voorbij de display met notitieboeken aan de rechterkant.

dee iss vorr-BYE duh dih-SPLAY met noh-TEE-tsee-boo-kuhn ahn duh RAYKH-ter-kahnt. It's past the notebook display on the right.

Ik zoek blauwe mappen.

ik zook BLOW-wuh MAP-uhn. I'm looking for blue folders.

Ik kijk even of ze nog beschikbaar zijn.

ik kyke AY-vuhn off zuh nokh buh-SKIK-bahr zine. Let me check if they are still available.

Zijn er vandaag nog blauwe mappen op voorraad?

zine uhr vuhn-DAHKH nokh BLOW-wuh MAP-uhn op vohr-RAHT? Are there any in stock today?

We hebben er een paar in het magazijn.

vuh HAY-buhn uhr ayn pahr in hut mah-khuh-ZINE. We have some in the back room.

Kun je een pak voor me halen?

kuhn yuh ayn pak vohr muh HAH-luhn? Could you bring one pack for me?

Ik breng een pak naar je toe.

ik breng ayn pak nahr yuh too. I'll bring a pack over.

Wacht alstublieft bij deze display.

vakht ahl-stuh-BLEEFT bye DAY-zuh dih-SPLAY. Please wait near this display.

Word by Word

Pardon “Pardon” means “excuse me” here and politely gets the staff member’s attention before a question. It is useful when beginning a polite request in a shop.

waar “waar” asks for the location of something: “where”. In this dialogue it appears in the question “waar is de afdeling met kantoorartikelen?”.

is “is” states where the section is located in “waar is de afdeling met kantoorartikelen?”. It is the form used to express “is” in this location question.

de “de” means “the” before “afdeling” in “de afdeling met kantoorartikelen”. It identifies a specific section in the shop.

afdeling “afdeling” means “section” or “department” here. In “de afdeling met kantoorartikelen”, it names the part of the shop where the office supplies are located.

met “met” means “with” and connects “afdeling” to the goods associated with it in “de afdeling met kantoorartikelen”. The pattern “afdeling met” can identify a section by what it contains.

kantoorartikelen “kantoorartikelen” means “stationery” or “office supplies” in this shop context. It specifies what kind of section the customer is looking for in “de afdeling met kantoorartikelen”.

Die “Die” means “that one” and refers back to “de afdeling met kantoorartikelen”. In “Die is voorbij de display met notitieboeken”, it lets the staff member describe the location of that section without repeating the noun.

voorbij “voorbij” means “past” or “beyond” and gives the location of the section relative to the display. It is used in “Die is voorbij de display met notitieboeken”.

display “display” means a shop display or product stand. Here it identifies the reference point in “voorbij de display met notitieboeken”.

notitieboeken “notitieboeken” refers to notebooks in the shop display. In “de display met notitieboeken”, it tells the customer which display to use as a location reference.

aan “aan” helps specify the side where the display or section is located in “aan de rechterkant”. It is part of this spatial location expression.

rechterkant “rechterkant” means “right-hand side”. In “aan de rechterkant”, it tells the customer to look on the right.

Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person looking for the folders in “Ik zoek blauwe mappen”. It is used as the subject when talking about your own action.

zoek “zoek” means “look for” in “Ik zoek blauwe mappen”. The thing being sought follows it directly, as in “zoek blauwe mappen”.

blauwe “blauwe” means “blue” and describes the folders the customer wants in “blauwe mappen”. It appears directly before the item being described.

mappen “mappen” means “folders” and names the items the customer is looking for. The same item is referred to later in “blauwe mappen op voorraad”.

kijk “kijk” means “check” or “look” in “Ik kijk even of ze nog beschikbaar zijn”. It describes the staff member checking the current availability.

even “even” means “briefly” or “just” in “Ik kijk even”. Here it makes the checking sound quick and softens the reply.

of “of” means “whether” or “if” and introduces the question being checked in “of ze nog beschikbaar zijn”. It connects the checking action with the information the staff member wants to find out.

ze “ze” means “they” here and refers back to the folders. In “of ze nog beschikbaar zijn”, it is the item whose availability is being checked.

nog “nog” means “still” in “nog beschikbaar”. It asks whether the folders remain available at this point.

beschikbaar “beschikbaar” means “available” in the question about whether the folders can still be obtained. The expression “nog beschikbaar” is useful when checking continuing availability.

Zijn “Zijn” means “are” in “Zijn er vandaag nog blauwe mappen op voorraad?”. It begins this question about whether folders are available in the shop.

er “er” helps ask whether something is present or available in “Zijn er vandaag nog blauwe mappen op voorraad?”. It is part of the Dutch pattern for asking whether something exists or is available.

vandaag “vandaag” means “today” and limits the stock question to the current day. In “vandaag nog”, it asks about availability at this time.

op In “op voorraad”, “op” is part of the expression that means “in stock”. The complete phrase “op voorraad” describes the stock status of the folders.

voorraad “voorraad” means “stock” or “supply”. In “op voorraad”, the complete expression means that the folders are available in the shop’s stock.

We “We” means “we” and refers to the shop staff in “We hebben er een paar in het magazijn”. It presents the available folders from the shop’s perspective.

hebben “hebben” means “have” in “We hebben er een paar in het magazijn”. It states that the shop has some folders stored in the back room.

een “een” can mean “a” or “one”, depending on the expression. Here it appears in “een paar” and “een pak”, introducing the quantity or item being discussed.

paar “paar” means “few” in “We hebben er een paar”, referring to some folders. The expression “een paar” is used for a small quantity.

in “in” means “in” and places the folders inside the storage area in “in het magazijn”. It is used before a location where something is kept.

het “het” means “the” before “magazijn” in “het magazijn”. It identifies the specific stockroom belonging to the shop.

magazijn “magazijn” means “stockroom” or “warehouse”. In “in het magazijn”, it names the place where the available packs are kept.

Kun “Kun” means “can” in “Kun je een pak voor me halen?”. Together with “je”, it begins a request for the other person to fetch something.

je “je” means “you” and identifies the person being asked in “Kun je een pak voor me halen?”. It commonly follows “Kun” in this type of request.

pak “pak” means “pack” and is the item the customer asks the staff member to fetch. It appears in “een pak voor me halen”.

voor “voor” means “for” in “voor me”. It marks the person who will receive or benefit from the pack.

me “me” means “me” in “voor me”. Together, “voor me” means that the pack is being fetched for the customer.

halen “halen” means “get” or “fetch” in “een pak voor me halen”. It describes going to get the requested pack for someone.

breng “breng” means “bring” in “Ik breng een pak naar je toe”. It describes moving the pack toward the customer after fetching it.

naar “naar” means “to” or “toward” and is part of “naar je toe”. This expression shows movement in the customer’s direction.

toe “toe” contributes the meaning of movement toward someone in “naar je toe”. Together, “naar je toe” means “toward you” in the staff member’s reply.

Wacht “Wacht” tells the customer to wait in “Wacht alstublieft bij deze display”. It is useful when asking someone to remain in a particular place while you get something.

alstublieft “alstublieft” means “please” and makes “Wacht” polite. In “Wacht alstublieft”, it turns the instruction into a courteous request.

bij “bij” means “near” or “at” and gives the place where the customer should wait in “bij deze display”. It is used to locate someone close to a person or object.

deze “deze” means “this” and points to the display near the speakers in “deze display”. It identifies a particular display rather than referring to one in general.

Grammar Points

Imperatief: werkwoordstam

Zoek mappen.

ZOOK MAP-uhn.

Look for folders.

Voor een opdracht gebruik je vaak de stam van het werkwoord: zoeken wordt zoek.

Dutch Vocabulary

afdeling noun

AF-day-ling section or department

beschikbaar adj

buh-SKIK-bahr available

blauw adj

blow blue blauwe

display noun

dih-SPLAY display

kantoorartikelen noun

kan-TOHR-ar-TEE-kuh-len stationery or office supplies

map noun

map folder mappen

notitieboek noun

noh-TEE-tsee-book notebook notitieboeken

Pardon intj

par-DON excuse me

rechterkant noun

RAYKH-ter-kahnt right-hand side

voorbij prep

vorr-BYE past or beyond

waar adv

vahr where

zoeken verb

ZOO-kuhn to look for zoek

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I'm looking for blue folders.

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Ik zoek blauwe mappen.

Please wait near this display.

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Wacht alstublieft bij deze display.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

right-hand side

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rechterkant

where

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waar

past or beyond

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voorbij

to look for

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zoek