Asking about a delayed bus | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Asking about a delayed bus to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Neem me niet kwalijk, heeft de bus vertraging?

NAYM muh neet KVAH-lik, HAYFT duh bus ver-TRAH-khing? Excuse me, is the bus delayed?

Er is hier in de buurt veel verkeer.

Air iss heer in duh BYURT vayl ver-KAIR. There's heavy traffic nearby.

Weet je wanneer hij aankomt?

VAYT yuh vuh-NAIR eye AHNG-komt? Do you know when it will arrive?

Hij is nog onderweg.

Hay iss nokh ON-der-vaykh. It's still on the way.

Dus het wachten kan langer duren.

Duss ut VHAKH-tun kan LAHNG-er DUE-run. So the wait may be longer.

Is er een andere bus voor dezelfde route?

Iss air un AHN-der-uh bus fohr duh-ZELF-duh ROO-tuh? Is there another bus for the same route?

Ja, maar met die bus duurt het langer.

Yah, mahr met dee bus DUErt ut LAHNG-er. There is, but that option takes longer.

Ik blijf hier op deze bus wachten.

Ik BLAYF heer op DAY-zuh bus VHAKH-tun. I'll stay here for this bus.

Dat is waarschijnlijk het beste als je kunt wachten.

Daht iss vahre-SHINE-lik ut BEST-uh als yuh kuhnt VHAKH-tun. That's probably best if you can wait.

Word by Word

Neem me niet kwalijk Neem me niet kwalijk is the complete Dutch expression used to say “excuse me” before addressing someone. In this expression, Neem contributes the request, me refers to the speaker, niet means “not,” and kwalijk contributes the idea of taking something badly; together, the full expression is a polite way to get attention. Use Neem me niet kwalijk when politely interrupting or asking a stranger a question.

heeft In heeft de bus vertraging?, heeft expresses that the bus is experiencing a delay. It is the form of hebben used in this question, and the reusable pattern is iets heeft vertraging. You can use this at a station or stop to ask whether transport is delayed.

de In de bus, de means “the” and introduces the specific bus being discussed. It is part of the noun phrase de bus. Reuse de before a specific noun, such as de route in this lesson.

bus Bus means “bus” in de bus and refers to the vehicle the speakers are waiting for. The reusable phrase is de bus, meaning “the bus.” Use bus when asking about or describing bus transport.

vertraging Vertraging means “delay” in heeft de bus vertraging. Together with heeft, it describes the bus as delayed. The reusable pattern is iets heeft vertraging, useful when asking about public transport that is late.

Er In Er is hier in de buurt veel verkeer, Er introduces the existence or presence of something rather than referring to a location by itself. The reusable pattern is Er is + something, as in Er is veel verkeer. Use it to state that something is present or happening in a place.

is In Er is hier in de buurt veel verkeer, is means “is” or “exists,” stating that traffic is present. It is a form of zijn, used here with the existential pattern Er is. Reuse Er is + noun when saying that something is present.

hier Hier means “here” and locates the traffic near the speakers in hier in de buurt. It points to the place where the speakers are. Use hier when indicating the current location, such as hier bij de halte in a new example.

in In in in de buurt contributes the meaning “in” or “within,” placing something in a nearby area. The complete phrase in de buurt means “nearby.” Reuse in with a place or area, such as in de stad in a new example.

buurt Buurt means “nearby area” or “vicinity” in in de buurt. The phrase in de buurt refers to a place close to the speakers, not to a specific neighborhood name. Use in de buurt when describing something located nearby.

veel Veel means “a lot of” in veel verkeer, describing a large amount of traffic. It comes before the thing whose amount is being described. Reuse veel + noun when talking about a large amount, such as veel mensen in a new example.

verkeer Verkeer means “traffic” in veel verkeer and refers to vehicles moving on the roads. With veel, the phrase means “a lot of traffic.” Use verkeer when explaining a delay or busy roads.

Weet Weet means “know” in Weet je wanneer hij aankomt? and begins a question about someone’s knowledge. It is a form of weten, and the reusable question pattern is Weet je ...? Use it when asking another person whether they know information.

je Je means “you” in Weet je wanneer hij aankomt? and addresses the other person directly. It is used here as the person being asked for information. Reuse je after Weet in the pattern Weet je ...? when speaking to one person.

wanneer Wanneer means “when” and asks about the time of the bus’s arrival in wanneer hij aankomt. It introduces the part of the question that gives the requested time. Reuse Weet je wanneer ...? when asking when an event will happen.

hij Hij means “he” or “it” here and refers back to de bus. The pronoun avoids repeating bus in wanneer hij aankomt. Use hij to refer back to the bus in a connected sentence when the bus is already clear from the context.

aankomt Aankomt means “arrives” in wanneer hij aankomt, referring to the bus reaching the stop. It is the form of aankomen used in this clause, with the meaning supplied by the bus as the subject. Reuse wanneer ... aankomt when asking when a person or vehicle will arrive.

nog Nog means “still” in Hij is nog onderweg and shows that the bus remains on its way. It indicates that the situation continues up to the current moment. Reuse nog with an ongoing situation, such as nog onderweg.

onderweg Onderweg means “on the way” in Hij is nog onderweg and says that the bus has not arrived but is travelling toward the stop. The reusable phrase is nog onderweg, meaning “still on the way.” Use it when someone or something is travelling and has not reached the destination.

Dus Dus means “so” or “therefore” in Dus het wachten kan langer duren and introduces a conclusion based on the traffic and delay. It connects the earlier information with its consequence. Reuse Dus before a conclusion, as in Dus we moeten wachten in a new example.

het In het wachten, het means “the” and introduces waiting as the activity being discussed. The phrase het wachten means “the waiting.” Reuse het with wachten when referring to the activity of waiting, as in het wachten duurt lang in a new example.

wachten Wachten means “waiting” in het wachten and names the activity that may last longer. In this phrase it follows het and functions as the activity under discussion. Reuse wachten in the expression op een bus wachten when describing waiting for a bus.

kan Kan means “can” or “may” in het wachten kan langer duren and expresses a possible duration. It is the form of kunnen used before the action duren. Reuse kan + infinitive when saying that something is possible, such as Het kan even duren in a new example.

langer Langer means “longer” in langer duren and says that the waiting time may exceed the expected or previous duration. It describes a comparison in duration. Reuse iets duurt langer when explaining that a journey or wait takes more time.

duren Duren means “to last” or “to take time” in kan langer duren and describes the duration of the waiting. It follows kan in this expression. Reuse Het kan even duren in a new example when warning that something may take some time.

een Een means “a” or “an” in een andere bus and introduces one bus that is not yet specifically identified. It comes before the description andere bus. Reuse een before a singular, unspecified noun when introducing an option.

andere Andere means “another” or “different” in een andere bus and identifies a bus that is not the one already being discussed. It works with een to present an alternative. Reuse een andere + noun when offering a different choice.

voor Voor means “for” in een andere bus voor dezelfde route and links the bus to the route it serves. It shows the intended route or purpose of the bus. Reuse voor + route or purpose, such as een bus voor deze route in a new example.

dezelfde Dezelfde means “the same” in dezelfde route and identifies the route as matching the one already under discussion. It points back to an earlier route rather than introducing a different one. Reuse dezelfde + noun when referring to an already mentioned thing.

route Route means “route” in dezelfde route and refers to the path served by the bus. The phrase dezelfde route means “the same route.” Use route when comparing bus services that follow a particular path.

Ja Ja means “yes” and confirms that another bus is available. In Ja, maar met die bus duurt het langer, it is immediately followed by a qualification. Reuse Ja to give a positive answer, including before a contrasting explanation.

maar Maar means “but” and introduces a contrast between the availability of another bus and its longer travel time. In Ja, maar ..., it limits or qualifies the preceding yes. Reuse maar to connect an answer with an important different point.

met Met means “with” or “by means of” in met die bus and identifies the bus used for the journey. The phrase means “with that bus” or “by that bus.” Reuse met + transport, such as met de bus in a new example.

die Die means “that” in die bus and points to the alternative bus that has just been mentioned. It comes directly before bus to identify which bus is meant. Reuse die + noun when referring to a particular option already known from the conversation.

duurt Duurt means “takes time” or “lasts” in met die bus duurt het langer and says that using that bus requires more time. It is the form of duren used to describe the journey’s duration. Reuse het duurt langer when explaining that one option takes more time than another.

Ik Ik means “I” and identifies the speaker who decides to remain at the stop. It is the subject of Ik blijf hier op deze bus wachten. Reuse Ik at the start of a sentence when stating your own action or decision.

blijf Blijf means “stay” or “remain” in Ik blijf hier op deze bus wachten and expresses the speaker’s decision not to leave the place. It is the form of blijven used with Ik. Reuse Ik blijf + place when saying that you will remain somewhere.

op In op deze bus wachten, op helps form the expression for waiting for the bus; the whole expression means “wait for this bus.” It links the waiting action to the bus being awaited. Reuse the complete pattern op + transportmiddel + wachten, such as op de trein wachten in a new example.

deze Deze means “this” in deze bus and identifies the bus that is present or currently being discussed. It points to a specific bus close to the conversation. Reuse deze + noun when indicating a particular nearby or current thing.

Dat Dat means “that” or “it” in Dat is waarschijnlijk het beste and refers to the decision or plan just mentioned. It allows the speaker to evaluate the previous idea without repeating it. Reuse Dat is ... when responding to and judging a previous suggestion.

waarschijnlijk Waarschijnlijk means “probably” in Dat is waarschijnlijk het beste and shows that the speaker considers the advice likely to be the best choice, without expressing absolute certainty. It modifies the evaluation in the sentence. Reuse waarschijnlijk before a conclusion when giving cautious advice.

beste Beste means “best” in het beste and identifies the most suitable option among the choices being discussed. In Dat is waarschijnlijk het beste, it evaluates staying for the current bus. Reuse het beste when recommending the most suitable choice in a situation.

als Als means “if” in als je kunt wachten and introduces the condition for the advice. The advice is presented as suitable only when the person is able to wait. Reuse als + clause when stating a condition, such as als je tijd hebt in a new example.

kunt Kunt means “can” or “are able to” in je kunt wachten and describes the other person’s ability to wait. It is the form of kunnen used with je in this clause. Reuse je kunt + infinitive when saying what someone is able to do.

Grammar Points

dezelfde + zelfstandig naamwoord

Dezelfde route duurt langer.

duh-ZELF-duh ROO-tuh DUErt LAHNG-er.

The same route takes longer.

‘Dezelfde’ staat vóór het zelfstandig naamwoord en verwijst naar precies dezelfde route.

blijf + infinitief

Blijf wachten.

BLAYF VHAKH-tun.

Keep waiting.

Na ‘blijf’ gebruik je het hele werkwoord zonder ‘te’ om aan te geven dat een handeling doorgaat.

Dutch Vocabulary

aankomen verb

AHNG-koh-mun to arrive aankomt

Weet je wanneer hij aankomt?

andere det

AHN-der-uh another; other

Is er een andere bus voor dezelfde route?

duren verb

DUE-run to last; to take time duurt

Met die bus duurt het langer.

in de buurt phrase

in duh BYURT nearby

Er is hier in de buurt veel verkeer.

langer adj

LAHNG-er longer

Het wachten kan langer duren.

Neem me niet kwalijk phrase

NAYM muh neet KVAH-lik Excuse me

Neem me niet kwalijk, heeft de bus vertraging?

nog adv

nokh still

Hij is nog onderweg.

onderweg adv

ON-der-vaykh on the way

Hij is nog onderweg.

verkeer noun

ver-KAIR traffic

Er is hier in de buurt veel verkeer.

vertraging noun

ver-TRAH-khing delay

Heeft de bus vertraging?

wachten verb

VHAKH-tun to wait; waiting

Het wachten kan langer duren.

weten verb

VAY-tun to know weet

Weet je wanneer hij aankomt?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Do you know when it will arrive?

Show Answer

Weet je wanneer hij aankomt?

It's still on the way.

Show Answer

Hij is nog onderweg.

So the wait may be longer.

Show Answer

Dus het wachten kan langer duren.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

delay

Show Answer

vertraging

traffic

Show Answer

verkeer

on the way

Show Answer

onderweg

to wait; waiting

Show Answer

wachten