Practicing a Role-Play Together | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Practicing a Role-Play Together to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?

KUN-uh(n) wuh dit ROL-uhn-spale SAH-muh(n) OO-fuh-nuh(n)? Can we practice this role-play together?

Ik kan de andere rol spelen.

ik kahn duh AHN-duh-ruh rohl SPAY-luh(n). I can take the other role.

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

pow-ZAYR ahl-shuh-BLEEFT nah EL-kuh vrahkh. Please pause after each question.

Dat geeft je tijd om natuurlijk te antwoorden.

daht khayft yuh tayt om nah-TYUR-luk tuh AHNT-vohr-duh(n). That will give you time to answer naturally.

Als ik een fout maak, herhaal de zin dan alsjeblieft.

ahls ik uhn fowt mahk, huh-RAHL duh zin dahn ahl-shuh-BLEEFT. If I make a mistake, please repeat the line.

Ik zal het langzaam zeggen en één belangrijke correctie aangeven.

ik zahl uht LAHNG-zahm ZEKH-uh(n) en AYN buh-LAHNGH-rike kuh-REK-see AHN-khay-vuh(n). I will say it slowly and point out one important correction.

Dat helpt me om minder nerveus te zijn.

daht HELPT muh om MIN-duhr nur-VOHS tuh zine. That helps me feel less nervous.

Begin met deze scène.

buh-GHIN met DAY-zuh SAY-nuh. Start with this scene.

Ik zal jouw tempo volgen.

ik zahl yow TEM-poh VOL-ghuh(n). I will follow your pace.

Word by Word

Kunnen “Kunnen” asks about ability or possibility in “Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?” Here it begins a question about practicing together; a useful pattern is “Kunnen we …?” when asking to do something together.

we “we” means “we” and refers to the two people practicing together. It appears after “Kunnen” in the question “Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?” to show who would do the action.

dit “dit” means “this” and points to the specific role-play being discussed. In “dit rollenspel,” it comes directly before the noun to identify something nearby or already known.

rollenspel “rollenspel” means “role-play,” the activity the two speakers want to practice. In “dit rollenspel samen oefenen,” it is the activity being practiced in a language-classroom situation.

samen “samen” means “together” and shows that both speakers will practice with each other. In “dit rollenspel samen oefenen,” it describes doing the activity jointly.

oefenen “oefenen” means “to practice” in “dit rollenspel samen oefenen.” It is the action requested after “Kunnen we,” and it can be used with an activity that someone wants to practice.

Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ik kan de andere rol spelen.” It is placed at the beginning of the statement to show who can take the role.

kan “kan” means “can” or “am able to” in “Ik kan de andere rol spelen.” It expresses the speaker’s ability or willingness here and is followed by the action “de andere rol spelen.”

de “de” means “the” in “de andere rol.” It marks the specific role that the speaker will take, and it commonly comes before a noun or an adjective plus noun.

andere “andere” means “other” in “de andere rol,” referring to the role that is not the speaker’s own role. It comes before “rol” to identify which role is meant.

rol “rol” means “role” in the role-play. In “de andere rol spelen,” it is the part that someone takes in the practice activity.

spelen “spelen” means “to play” or “to take a role” in “de andere rol spelen.” This expression is used when someone performs or takes a particular role in a role-play.

Pauzeer “Pauzeer” means “pause” and gives a direct request in “Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.” It is useful at the beginning of a polite instruction about when someone should stop briefly.

alsjeblieft “alsjeblieft” means “please” and softens the requests “Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag” and “herhaal de zin dan alsjeblieft.” It commonly appears with a request or instruction.

na “na” means “after” in “na elke vraag.” It shows the time order: the pause should happen after each question.

elke “elke” means “each” or “every” in “elke vraag.” It refers to the questions one by one and comes before the noun in this repeated-action pattern.

vraag “vraag” means “question” in “na elke vraag.” It identifies what the listener should finish before pausing, which is useful when practicing a dialogue.

Dat “Dat” means “that” and refers to the suggested pause in “Dat geeft je tijd om natuurlijk te antwoorden.” It starts the explanation of what that action will do for the other speaker.

geeft “geeft” means “gives” in “Dat geeft je tijd om natuurlijk te antwoorden.” The pause gives the other person time, and a useful pattern is “geeft je tijd om …” for allowing someone time to do something.

je “je” means “you” here and refers to the person receiving time in “geeft je tijd.” It identifies the recipient of the time given by the pause.

tijd “tijd” means “time” in “geeft je tijd om natuurlijk te antwoorden.” It refers to an opportunity to prepare an answer, and it appears before the purpose phrase “om natuurlijk te antwoorden.”

om “om” introduces the purpose of the time in “om natuurlijk te antwoorden.” It connects the time given with the action that the listener can then perform.

natuurlijk “natuurlijk” means “naturally” in “natuurlijk te antwoorden.” It describes answering in a natural way rather than rushing, and it comes before the action it describes.

te “te” marks the infinitive in “om natuurlijk te antwoorden.” The pattern “om … te” connects a purpose or intended action with the verb that follows.

antwoorden “antwoorden” means “to answer” in “om natuurlijk te antwoorden.” It is the action the listener has time to carry out after each question.

Als “Als” means “if” and introduces the condition in “Als ik een fout maak.” It is useful for explaining what should happen when a particular situation occurs.

een “een” means “a” or “an” in “een fout.” It introduces one unspecified mistake in the conditional situation.

fout “fout” means “mistake” in “een fout maak.” Together with “maak,” it describes making an error while saying a line during practice.

maak “maak” means “make” in “Als ik een fout maak.” It forms the expression “een fout maak,” which is used when describing making a mistake.

herhaal “herhaal” means “repeat” and gives the instruction in “herhaal de zin dan alsjeblieft.” It asks the partner to say the line again when a mistake has been made.

zin “zin” means “line” in “herhaal de zin dan alsjeblieft,” referring to a line of the role-play. In another context, the same word can refer to a sentence, but here it is the line to repeat.

dan “dan” means “then” in “herhaal de zin dan alsjeblieft.” It links the condition “Als ik een fout maak” to the requested result: repeat the line.

zal “zal” means “will” in “Ik zal het langzaam zeggen en één belangrijke correctie aangeven.” It expresses the partner’s intention to carry out the two actions that follow.

het “het” means “it” in “het langzaam zeggen,” referring to the line or words that were just mentioned. It is the thing that will be said slowly.

langzaam “langzaam” means “slowly” in “het langzaam zeggen.” It describes the manner of saying the line and helps the learner follow the repeated line.

zeggen “zeggen” means “to say” in “het langzaam zeggen.” It names the first action after “zal,” and “het langzaam zeggen” means saying it slowly.

en “en” means “and” and connects the two intended actions in “zeggen en één belangrijke correctie aangeven.” It shows that the speaker will both say the line and point out a correction.

belangrijke “belangrijke” means “important” in “één belangrijke correctie.” It describes which correction will be pointed out and comes before “correctie.”

correctie “correctie” means “correction” in “één belangrijke correctie aangeven.” It refers to the one important language correction the partner will point out during practice.

aangeven “aangeven” means “to point out” or “to indicate” in “één belangrijke correctie aangeven.” It is the second intended action after “zal” and is used here for drawing attention to a correction.

helpt “helpt” means “helps” in “Dat helpt me om minder nerveus te zijn.” It describes the positive effect of the partner’s support, and a useful pattern is “helpt me om …” when something helps a person do or feel something.

me “me” means “me” in “helpt me om minder nerveus te zijn.” It identifies the person who receives the help, namely the speaker.

minder “minder” means “less” in “minder nerveus te zijn.” It reduces the degree of nervousness and is used before the word describing that feeling.

nerveus “nerveus” means “nervous” in “minder nerveus te zijn.” It describes the speaker’s feeling during practice, which the partner’s help makes less strong.

zijn “zijn” means “to be” in “om minder nerveus te zijn.” It completes the phrase describing the speaker’s desired state after receiving help.

Begin “Begin” means “start” or “begin” and gives the instruction in “Begin met deze scène.” It tells the partner which part of the role-play to use first.

met “met” means “with” in “Begin met deze scène.” It introduces the thing used as the starting point, and it commonly follows an instruction to begin with something.

deze “deze” means “this” in “deze scène.” It points to the specific scene selected for the practice and comes before the noun.

scène “scène” means “scene” in “Begin met deze scène.” It refers to the selected part of the role-play where the speakers will start practicing.

jouw “jouw” means “your” in “jouw tempo.” It shows that the pace belongs to the person being addressed, and it comes before the noun it describes.

tempo “tempo” means “pace” in “Ik zal jouw tempo volgen.” It refers to how quickly the partner proceeds, which the speaker promises to match.

volgen “volgen” means “to follow” in “Ik zal jouw tempo volgen.” It is the action after “zal” and means adapting to the partner’s pace during the role-play.

Grammar Points

Imperatief: werkwoordstam aan het begin van de zin

Pauzeer alsjeblieft.

pow-ZAYR ahl-shuh-BLEEFT

Please pause.

Dutch uses the verb stem for a direct command. The subject is usually omitted.

Dutch Vocabulary

alsjeblieft intj

ahl-shuh-BLEEFT please

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

andere adj

AHN-duh-ruh other

Ik kan de andere rol spelen.

dit det

dit this

Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?

elke det

EL-kuh each; every

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

na prep

nah after

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

oefenen verb

OO-fuh-nuh(n) to practice

Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?

pauzeren verb

pow-ZAY-ruh(n) to pause Pauzeer

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

rol noun

rohl role

Ik kan de andere rol spelen.

rollenspel noun

ROL-uhn-spale role-play

Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?

samen adv

SAH-muh(n) together

Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?

spelen verb

SPAY-luh(n) to play; to take a role

Ik kan de andere rol spelen.

vraag noun

vrahkh question

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can we practice this role-play together?

Show Answer

Kunnen we dit rollenspel samen oefenen?

I can take the other role.

Show Answer

Ik kan de andere rol spelen.

Please pause after each question.

Show Answer

Pauzeer alsjeblieft na elke vraag.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to play; to take a role

Show Answer

spelen

role-play

Show Answer

rollenspel

to pause

Show Answer

Pauzeer

to practice

Show Answer

oefenen