Paying and packing items at checkout | Learn Dutch in English

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Use Paying and packing items at checkout to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Is deze kassa nu open?

iz DEH-zuh KAH-sah nyoo OH-pun? Is this checkout open now?

Je kunt je boodschappen hier neerleggen.

yuh kuhnt yuh BOHT-skha-pun heer NAYR-lekh-un. You can place your items here.

Moet ik het scherm gebruiken om te betalen?

MOOT ik ut SKHEHRM guh-BRUI-kuhn om tuh buh-TAH-lun? Should I use the screen to pay?

Gebruik het scherm rechts van je.

guh-BRUIK ut SKHEHRM REKHTS vahn yuh. Use the screen on your right.

De tas voelt te vol aan.

duh tahs FOOLT tuh vawl AHN. The bag feels too full.

Ik kan het zware artikel in een andere tas doen.

ik kahn ut ZVAH-ruh ar-TEE-kuhl in un AHN-duh-ruh tahs doon. I can move the heavy item to another bag.

Doe de glazen spullen alsjeblieft in een aparte tas.

doo duh KHLAH-zun SPUH-lun ahl-shuh-BLEEFT in un uh-PAHR-tuh tahs. Please put the glass items in a separate bag.

Ik zal voorzichtig zijn als ik ze inpak.

ik zahl VOHR-zikh-tikh zayn ahls ik zuh in-PAHK. I'll be careful while bagging them.

Word by Word

Is “Is” asks whether something has a particular state; here it starts the question “Is deze kassa nu open?” about whether the checkout is open. Reuse it at the beginning of a yes-or-no question, such as “Is deze kassa nu open?” when speaking to shop staff.

deze “Deze” means “this” and points to the checkout being discussed nearby. It appears before “kassa” in “deze kassa”; use the same pattern when identifying one nearby thing.

kassa “Kassa” means the checkout or cash desk in this shop scene. In “deze kassa” it identifies the place where the customer will pay; reuse it when asking about or directing someone to a checkout.

nu “Nu” means “now” and asks about the checkout’s status at the present moment. It can be placed with a question about current availability, as in “Is deze kassa nu open?”.

open “Open” describes the checkout as available for use in “deze kassa nu open”. It is useful with “zijn” when asking or saying whether a shop, door, or service is available.

Je “Je” means “you” in the staff member’s instruction “Je kunt je boodschappen hier neerleggen.” It refers to the customer and is reused as the subject in “Je kunt ...” when telling someone what they can do.

kunt “Kunt” expresses ability or permission in “Je kunt je boodschappen hier neerleggen”: the customer can place the items there. Together with “Je”, it forms the reusable pattern “Je kunt ...” for telling someone what is possible.

boodschappen “Boodschappen” means groceries or shopping items here, the things the customer is placing at the checkout. Use it for the items bought during a shopping trip, as in “je boodschappen hier neerleggen”.

hier “Hier” means “here” and indicates the place where the customer should put the shopping items. It is useful when directing someone to a nearby location, as in “... hier neerleggen”.

neerleggen “Neerleggen” means to put or place something down, here referring to placing the groceries on the checkout area. After “Je kunt”, it is the action the customer can perform; reuse the pattern “Je kunt ... neerleggen” with an object.

Moet “Moet” asks whether something is necessary or expected in “Moet ik het scherm gebruiken om te betalen?”. With “ik”, “Moet ik ...?” is a practical way to ask whether you should do something.

ik “Ik” means “I” and refers to the speaker in “Moet ik ...?” and “Ik kan ...”. Use it before a verb when talking about your own action, ability, or responsibility.

het “Het” is the definite article “the” before “scherm” in “het scherm”. It identifies the particular screen used for payment; reuse it before a specific item when that item is treated as known.

scherm “Scherm” means “screen”, specifically the payment screen in this dialogue. In “het scherm gebruiken”, it is the object being used; reuse the phrase when referring to a screen for payment or another task.

gebruiken “Gebruiken” means “use” in “het scherm gebruiken”. It stays in this form after “Moet ik” and is also part of the purpose expression “om te betalen”; reuse it with a clear object, such as “het scherm gebruiken”.

om “Om” introduces the purpose in “om te betalen”, meaning that the screen is used for the purpose of paying. The reusable pattern is “om te” followed by an action when explaining why something is done.

te In “om te betalen”, “te” marks the following action as an infinitive used to express purpose. Together with “om”, it forms “om te betalen”; use this construction to say what something is done for.

betalen “Betalen” means “pay” in the purpose expression “om te betalen”. It describes the reason for using the screen, and the same “om te betalen” pattern is useful at a checkout.

Gebruik “Gebruik” is a direct instruction meaning “use” in “Gebruik het scherm rechts van je.” It addresses the customer and can be reused at a shop or service point when telling someone which device or item to use.

rechts “Rechts” means “on the right” in “rechts van je”, locating the screen relative to the customer. Use it with “van” to indicate that something is on a person’s right side.

van “Van” links the position “rechts” to the person used as the reference point in “rechts van je”. The pattern “rechts van ...” is reusable when describing where something is in relation to someone.

De “De” is the definite article “the” before “tas” in “De tas voelt te vol aan.” It identifies the particular bag being discussed; use it before a known item.

tas “Tas” means “bag”, here the shopping bag that feels too full. It also appears in “een andere tas”, so it is useful when discussing which bag should hold particular items.

voelt “Voelt” means “feels” in “De tas voelt te vol aan”, describing the customer’s impression of the bag. It is used with a subject such as “De tas” when describing how something feels.

vol “Vol” means “full” in “De tas voelt te vol aan”. Together with “te”, it describes a bag that contains more than is comfortable; reuse it to describe the capacity or state of a container.

aan “Aan” completes the expression in “De tas voelt te vol aan”; the full expression describes how full the bag feels. It should be understood together with the rest of this expression rather than as a separate meaning for “aan” here.

kan “Kan” expresses ability in “Ik kan het zware artikel in een andere tas doen”: the staff member is able to move the item. Use “Ik kan ...” to offer or describe something you can do.

zware “Zware” means “heavy” and describes “artikel” in “het zware artikel”. It is placed before the item being described; reuse it with a noun when identifying something by its weight.

artikel “Artikel” means an item or article, here the heavy item that may be moved to another bag. In “het zware artikel”, it identifies one specific shopping item; use it in a shop when referring to a product.

in “In” indicates the destination or container in “in een andere tas doen”: the item is put into another bag. Reuse the pattern “iets in ... doen” when saying where an object should be placed.

een “Een” is the indefinite article introducing “andere tas” in “in een andere tas”. It presents the bag as one bag rather than the already identified bag; use it before a singular noun when introducing one item.

andere “Andere” means “another” or “different” in “een andere tas”, identifying a bag that is not the current one. Reuse it before a noun when directing attention to a different option.

doen “Doen” means “put” in the construction “het zware artikel in een andere tas doen”. After “Ik kan”, it names the action the staff member can take; reuse “iets in ... doen” with an object and destination.

Doe “Doe” is a direct instruction meaning “put” in “Doe de glazen spullen alsjeblieft in een aparte tas.” It tells someone where to place the items; reuse it at home or in a shop when giving a clear placement request.

glazen “Glazen” describes the items as glass items in “de glazen spullen”. It helps identify which things should be handled separately; reuse it before a noun when referring to items made of or containing glass.

spullen “Spullen” means things or items, here the glass shopping items. In “de glazen spullen”, it is a general word for the objects being packed; reuse it when the exact product names are not important.

alsjeblieft “Alsjeblieft” means “please” and softens the instruction “Doe de glazen spullen ...”. Use it when making a polite request, including a request to a shop assistant or another person helping you.

aparte “Aparte” means “separate” in “een aparte tas”, specifying that the glass items should have their own bag. Reuse it before a noun when asking for one thing to be kept apart from others.

zal “Zal” expresses a future action or intention in “Ik zal voorzichtig zijn”. The staff member uses it to promise how they will act; reuse “Ik zal ...” when making a promise or stating an intention.

voorzichtig “Voorzichtig” means “careful” in “voorzichtig zijn”, describing the way the staff member will handle the glass items. Use it with “zijn” when promising or asking for careful behavior.

zijn “Zijn” means “be” in “Ik zal voorzichtig zijn”. It completes the expression for being careful after “zal”; reuse “voorzichtig zijn” when describing careful behavior.

als “Als” introduces the time or condition in “als ik ze inpak”, meaning while or when the staff member packs them. Use “als” to connect an action with what happens during or when another action takes place.

ze “Ze” means “them” here and refers back to the glass items in the previous request. In “als ik ze inpak”, it is the object being packed; reuse it when the people or things it refers to are already clear.

inpak “Inpak” means “pack” in “als ik ze inpak”, referring to putting the glass items into a bag. It appears with “ik” in the subordinate clause; reuse the pattern “als ik ze inpak” when describing what you do while packing them.

Grammar Points

scheidbaar werkwoord: inpakken → pak ... in

Ik pak deze boodschappen apart in.

ik pahk DEH-zuh BOHT-skha-pun uh-PAHRT in.

I pack these groceries separately.

Bij een scheidbaar werkwoord staat het voorvoegsel aan het einde van de hoofdzin.

bijvoeglijk naamwoord met -e

Deze zware tas is vol.

DEH-zuh ZVAH-ruh tahs iz vawl.

This heavy bag is full.

Voor een zelfstandig naamwoord met deze of de krijgt het bijvoeglijk naamwoord meestal -e.

Dutch Vocabulary

artikel noun

ar-TEE-kuhl item; article

betalen verb

buh-TAH-lun to pay

boodschap noun

BOHT-skhaap item; grocery boodschappen

gebruiken verb

guh-BRUI-kuhn to use

kassa noun

KAH-sah checkout

neerleggen verb

NAYR-lekh-un to put down; to place

rechts adv

REKHTS right; on the right

scherm noun

SKHEHRM screen

tas noun

TAHS bag

voelen verb

FOO-lun to feel voelt

vol adj

vawl full

zwaar adj

ZVAHR heavy zware

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Is this checkout open now?

Show Answer

Is deze kassa nu open?

You can place your items here.

Show Answer

Je kunt je boodschappen hier neerleggen.

Use the screen on your right.

Show Answer

Gebruik het scherm rechts van je.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to put down; to place

Show Answer

neerleggen

item; grocery

Show Answer

boodschappen

to use

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gebruiken

right; on the right

Show Answer

rechts