Asking to move a work deadline | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: At work, two adults talk about moving a report deadline because some information is still missing..

EN → NL / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Asking to move a work deadline to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ik heb meer tijd nodig voor het verslag.

ik hep mair tayt NOH-dikh fohr uht fer-SLAKH I need more time for the report.
B

Wat houdt ons op?

vat HOWT ons OP What's slowing things down?
A

Er ontbreekt nog wat informatie.

uhr ont-BRAYKT nokh vat in-for-MAH-tsee Some information is still missing.
B

Hoeveel extra tijd heb je nodig?

HOO-vayl EK-stra tayt hep yuh NOH-dikh How much more time do you need?
A

Kunnen we de deadline verschuiven naar later deze week?

KUN-uhn vuh duh DET-line fer-SKHOW-vuhn nar LAH-ter DAY-zuh WAYK Could we move the deadline to later this week?
B

Dat kan, maar stuur het team een korte update.

dat KAN, mar STYUR uht taym uhn KOR-tuh UP-dayt That works, but send the team a short update.
A

Ik leg uit wat klaar is en wat nog ontbreekt.

ik LEKH OYT vat klahr is en vat nokh ont-BRAYKT I'll explain what is ready and what is still missing.
B

Dat helpt iedereen om rekening te houden met de vertraging.

dat HELPT EE-duh-rayn om RAY-kuh-ning tuh HOW-duhn met duh fer-TRAH-khing That will help everyone plan around the delay.

Word by Word

Ik “Ik” means “I” and refers to the person speaking. It is the subject in “Ik heb meer tijd nodig voor het verslag.” Use it when talking about yourself.
heb In “Ik heb meer tijd nodig voor het verslag”, “heb” helps express that the speaker needs something. It is used with the person who has or needs something, as in “Ik heb meer tijd nodig”.
meer “Meer” means “more” in “meer tijd”: the speaker needs an amount of time greater than what is currently available. It comes before the noun it describes, as in “meer tijd”.
tijd “Tijd” means “time”, here the additional time needed for the report. It appears in the phrase “meer tijd nodig”. Use it when discussing how long something takes or how much time is available.
nodig “Nodig” means “needed” in “meer tijd nodig”, expressing a need. The dialogue uses it with “heb” in “Ik heb meer tijd nodig voor het verslag.” This construction is useful when saying that you need a person, thing, or amount.
voor “Voor” means “for” and links the needed time to “het verslag” in “meer tijd nodig voor het verslag”. It is commonly placed before the person, thing, or task that something is intended for.
het “Het” means “the” before “verslag” in “het verslag”. It identifies a specific report, namely the report being discussed at work. Learn it together with the noun in this phrase.
verslag “Verslag” means “report” in “het verslag”. Here it is the work document that needs more time. Use it for a report or written account being prepared or discussed.
Wat “Wat” means “what” in the question “Wat houdt ons op?” It asks for the thing causing the delay. Use it at the start of a question when asking what something is or what is happening.
houdt In “Wat houdt ons op?”, “houdt” contributes to the meaning “slows down” together with “ons” and “op”. The question asks what is delaying the work. This form is useful when asking what is preventing progress.
ons “Ons” means “us” in “Wat houdt ons op?” and refers to the speaker and the other people involved. It is the group affected by the delay. Use it when an action affects the speaker together with others.
op In “Wat houdt ons op?”, “op” completes the expression that means “slow us down” or “hold us up”. Its meaning here comes from the whole expression, not from “op” alone. Use the full expression when asking what is delaying people.
Er “Er” introduces the statement “Er ontbreekt nog wat informatie”, meaning that some information is missing. It presents the situation without naming a person who causes it. This form is common when stating that something exists, occurs, or is missing.
ontbreekt “Ontbreekt” means “is missing” in “Er ontbreekt nog wat informatie”. It says that the information is not available yet. Use it when identifying something that is absent or still needed.
nog “Nog” means “still” in “Er ontbreekt nog wat informatie”, showing that the information remains missing at this point. It is placed before the thing or situation that continues. Use it to describe an unfinished or ongoing situation.
informatie “Informatie” means “information”, here the information that is still missing from the report. It appears after “wat” in “wat informatie”. Use it when referring to facts or details needed for a task.
Hoeveel “Hoeveel” means “how much” in “Hoeveel extra tijd heb je nodig?” It asks for the amount of additional time required. Use it before the amount or quantity you want someone to specify.
extra “Extra” means “additional” in “extra tijd”. It shows that the speaker is asking about time beyond the time already available. It comes before the noun it describes.
je “Je” means “you” in “Hoeveel extra tijd heb je nodig?” and refers to the person being asked. It is used here with “heb” in the question. Use it when speaking to one person in an informal or neutral way.
Kunnen “Kunnen” means “can” or “could” at the start of “Kunnen we de deadline verschuiven naar later deze week?” It makes a request about whether the group is able or allowed to move the deadline. Use it at the beginning of a question with “we” when asking about a possible joint action.
we “We” means “we” in “Kunnen we de deadline verschuiven naar later deze week?” and refers to the people making the work decision together. It is the subject of the proposed action. Use it when including yourself and at least one other person.
de “De” means “the” before “deadline” in “de deadline”. It identifies the specific deadline already understood in the work situation. Use it before this noun in the dialogue’s phrase.
deadline “Deadline” means “deadline”, the agreed time by which the report should be completed. It is the object being moved in “de deadline verschuiven”. Use it when discussing the final time or date for completing work.
verschuiven “Verschuiven” means “move” or “shift” in “de deadline verschuiven”. Here it means changing the deadline to a later time. It is used after “Kunnen we” to propose moving something.
naar “Naar” means “to” and introduces the new time in “naar later deze week”. It links the deadline to where it will be moved in time. Use it before a destination or a new time.
later “Later” means “later” in “later deze week”. It specifies a time after the originally expected point. Use it when proposing or describing a later time.
deze “Deze” means “this” in “deze week”. It points to the week that includes the current situation. It comes before “week” in this time expression.
week “Week” means “week” in “deze week”. Together with “later”, it identifies a later point within the current week. Use it when discussing a seven-day period or a time within it.
Dat “Dat” means “that” in “Dat kan”, referring to the proposed change to the deadline. It introduces the matter that the other speaker accepts. Use it to refer back to something just mentioned.
kan In “Dat kan”, “kan” means “can” or “works”, expressing that the proposed arrangement is possible or acceptable. It gives a positive response to the request. Use it to say that an action or arrangement is possible.
maar “Maar” means “but” and introduces a condition or additional request after the agreement in “Dat kan, maar stuur het team een korte update.” It connects acceptance with a qualification. Use it to introduce a contrast or limitation.
stuur “Stuur” means “send” in “stuur het team een korte update”. It asks the other person to send something. It is used before the receiver and the thing being sent in this request.
team “Team” means “team” in “het team”. Here it is the group that should receive the update. Use it for a group of people working together.
een “Een” means “a” in “een korte update”. It introduces one non-specific update. It comes before the adjective and noun in this phrase.
korte “Korte” means “short” in “een korte update”. It describes the update as brief rather than detailed. It comes before the noun it describes.
update “Update” means “update”, here a short message about the work situation. It is the thing to be sent to the team. Use it for new information about progress or a change.
leg In “Ik leg uit wat klaar is en wat nog ontbreekt”, “leg” works together with “uit” to mean “explain”. The form is used when the speaker says they will give an explanation. Use this construction before the information being explained.
uit In “Ik leg uit wat klaar is en wat nog ontbreekt”, “uit” completes the expression with “leg” meaning “explain”. It does not carry that whole meaning by itself here. Use “leg” and “uit” together when explaining something.
klaar “Klaar” means “ready” or “done” in “wat klaar is”. It describes the parts of the work that have been completed. Use it when saying that a task or item is finished and ready.
is “Is” means “is” in “wat klaar is”, linking the work being discussed with its state of being ready. It helps describe the condition of that work. Use it with a description such as “klaar”.
en “En” means “and” in “wat klaar is en wat nog ontbreekt”. It connects the information about what is ready with the information about what is missing. Use it to join related words, phrases, or clauses.
helpt “Helpt” means “helps” in “Dat helpt iedereen”. It says that the explanation will be useful to everyone. Use it when describing something that supports a person or makes a task easier.
iedereen “Iedereen” means “everyone” in “Dat helpt iedereen”. It refers to all the people involved in planning around the delay. Use it when referring to every person in a group.
om “Om” introduces the purpose in “om rekening te houden met de vertraging”. It shows what the help enables everyone to do. Use it before a purpose expressed with “te” and an action.
rekening te houden met “Rekening te houden met” means “to take into account” or “to allow for” the delay. In this construction, “rekening” names what is considered, “te houden” expresses keeping it in mind, and “met” connects it to “de vertraging”. It is used here to explain how everyone can plan in response to the delay.
vertraging “Vertraging” means “delay” in “de vertraging”. It refers to the report taking longer than planned. Use it when work, travel, or another process happens later than expected.

Grammar Points

Hoeveel + zelfstandig naamwoord

Hoeveel extra informatie ontbreekt?

HOO-vayl EK-stra in-for-MAH-tsee ont-BRAYKT

How much extra information is missing?

‘Hoeveel’ comes directly before the noun. With uncountable nouns such as ‘informatie’, it means ‘how much’.

rekening houden met + zelfstandig naamwoord

rekening houden met vertraging

RAY-kuh-ning HOW-duhn met fer-TRAH-khing

to take delays into account

The fixed expression ‘rekening houden met’ is followed by the thing being considered.

Dutch Vocabulary

extra adj
EK-stra extra; additional
hebben verb
HEH-buhn to have heb
hoeveel det
HOO-vayl how much; how many Hoeveel
houden verb
HOW-duhn to hold; to keep houdt
informatie noun
in-for-MAH-tsee information
nodig adj
NOH-dikh needed
nog adv
nოქh still; yet
ons pron
ons us
ontbreken verb
ont-BRAY-kuhn to be missing ontbreekt
tijd noun
TAYT time
verslag noun
fer-SLAKH report
voor prep
fohr for

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

What's slowing things down?

Show AnswerWat houdt ons op?

Some information is still missing.

Show AnswerEr ontbreekt nog wat informatie.

How much more time do you need?

Show AnswerHoeveel extra tijd heb je nodig?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

needed

Show Answernodig

to hold; to keep

Show Answerhoudt

to be missing

Show Answerontbreekt

report

Show Answerverslag