About This Lesson
Use Choosing an online resource for listening practice to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Ken je een handige online bron om talen te oefenen?
KUHN yuh uhn HAHN-dikh-uh ON-line bronn om TAH-lun tuh OO-fuh-nun? Do you know a useful online resource for language practice?
B
Op deze site staan korte luisteroefeningen.
Op DAY-zuh SITE stahn KOR-tuh LOW-stur-OO-fuh-ning-un. This site has short listening exercises.
A
Kan ik daar naar de audio luisteren?
Kahn ik dahr nahr duh OW-dee-yoh LOW-stur-un? Can I listen to the audio there?
B
Je kunt op de pagina de audio bij elke oefening afspelen.
Yuh kunt op duh puh-KHEE-nah duh OW-dee-yoh bye EL-kuh OO-fuh-ning AF-spay-lun. You can play the audio for each exercise on the page.
A
Hoe kies ik het juiste niveau?
Hoo kees ik ut YOW-stuh nee-VOH? How do I choose the right level?
B
Kies een niveau waarop de meeste zinnen duidelijk zijn.
Kees uhn nee-VOH wah-ROP duh MAY-stuh ZIN-nun DOW-duh-luhk zine. Choose a level where most sentences feel clear.
A
Dat klinkt minder stressvol dan moeilijkere oefeningen.
Daht klaynkt MIN-dur STRESS-vol dahn MOO-luh-kuh-ruh OO-fuh-ning-un. That sounds less stressful than harder practice.
B
Dat zou je moeten helpen om meer zelfvertrouwen te krijgen.
Daht zow yuh MOO-tun HELP-un om mayr ZELF-vur-TROW-un tuh KRAY-khun. It should help you build confidence.Word by Word
Ken
'Ken' means know in 'Ken je een handige online bron...' and asks whether the other person is familiar with something. It is the form used with informal je; reuse 'Ken je' to ask if someone knows a person, thing, or resource.
je
'je' means informal you in 'Ken je...' and 'Je kunt...'. It follows the verb in the question but comes before the verb in the statement, as in these dialogue forms.
een
'een' means a or an in 'een handige online bron'. It introduces one non-specific resource and comes before the adjective and noun in this phrase.
handige
'handige' means useful or handy and describes the online source in 'een handige online bron'. It is placed before the noun, after the article een; this is a reusable adjective-plus-noun pattern.
online
'online' describes the type of 'bron' and means available through the internet. It is placed directly before the noun in 'een handige online bron' to identify a digital resource.
bron
'bron' means resource here, specifically a resource for practising languages. In 'online bron', it names the thing being recommended; the phrase can be used when asking about or suggesting a learning resource.
om
'om' introduces the purpose in 'om talen te oefenen', meaning for practising languages. It works with 'te' and the infinitive 'oefenen' to form a purpose phrase.
talen
'talen' means languages and is what the speakers want to practise in 'talen te oefenen'. It is used here after the purpose marker om and before the verb phrase for practising.
te
'te' marks the infinitive 'oefenen' in 'om talen te oefenen'. Together with om, it helps express the purpose of the resource; the same pattern is useful before an infinitive in a purpose phrase.
oefenen
'oefenen' means practise in 'talen te oefenen'. It is the infinitive after te and describes the activity the resource is intended for.
Op
'Op' means on or at in 'Op deze site staan korte luisteroefeningen' and introduces the location of the exercises. The same preposition appears lowercase in 'op de pagina' when the location phrase is not sentence-initial.
deze
'deze' means this in 'deze site' and points to the particular site being discussed. It comes directly before the noun to identify a specific nearby or relevant thing.
site
'site' means website in 'deze site'. It names the online place where the listening exercises are available and can be used after a demonstrative such as deze.
staan
'staan' says that the exercises are present or available on the site in 'Op deze site staan korte luisteroefeningen'. With a location phrase, it can describe items that are listed or located there.
korte
'korte' means short and describes the listening exercises in 'korte luisteroefeningen'. It comes before the noun and gives information about the length or duration of the exercises.
luisteroefeningen
'luisteroefeningen' means listening exercises in 'korte luisteroefeningen'. It names the exercises available on the site and is used here as the plural item presented by staan.
Kan
'Kan' means can or may in 'Kan ik daar naar de audio luisteren?' and asks about possibility or permission. Reuse 'Kan ik' before an activity when asking whether you may or are able to do it.
ik
'ik' means I in 'Kan ik daar naar de audio luisteren?'. It identifies the person asking and comes after Kan in this question.
daar
'daar' means there and refers to the site mentioned earlier in 'Kan ik daar naar de audio luisteren?'. It identifies the place where the listening can happen.
naar
'naar' means to or toward in the expression 'naar de audio luisteren'. It is the preposition used with luisteren when naming what someone listens to.
de
'de' means the in 'de audio'. It introduces the specific audio that is being discussed rather than an unspecified audio item.
audio
'audio' means audio in 'naar de audio luisteren'. It is the thing being listened to and follows de in this noun phrase.
luisteren
'luisteren' means listen in 'naar de audio luisteren'. It is an infinitive after Kan and is used with naar when specifying what someone listens to.
kunt
'kunt' means can in 'Je kunt op de pagina de audio bij elke oefening afspelen'. It is the form used with je and is followed by the infinitive 'afspelen'.
pagina
'pagina' means page in 'op de pagina'. It identifies the particular page where the audio can be played and follows the location phrase op de.
bij
'bij' means for or associated with in 'de audio bij elke oefening'. It links the audio to the exercise it belongs with; use bij before the associated person, place, or item.
elke
'elke' means each or every in 'elke oefening'. It refers to the exercises one by one and comes before the singular noun it determines.
oefening
'oefening' means exercise in 'elke oefening'. It names each individual activity for which there is audio and follows elke.
afspelen
'afspelen' means play in 'de audio ... afspelen', referring to playing audio. It is an infinitive after 'kunt' and can be used for starting the playback of a media item.
Hoe
'Hoe' means how in 'Hoe kies ik het juiste niveau?'. It asks about the method for making a choice and comes at the start of the question.
kies
'kies' means choose in 'Hoe kies ik...' and 'Kies een niveau...'. In the first phrase it is used in a question with ik; in the second, it gives a direct instruction.
het
'het' means the in 'het juiste niveau'. It introduces the specific level that is considered appropriate in the discussion.
juiste
'juiste' means right or correct and describes the level in 'het juiste niveau'. It comes before the noun and identifies the level that best fits the learner.
niveau
'niveau' means level in 'het juiste niveau' and 'een niveau waarop...'. It refers to the difficulty level of the listening practice.
waarop
'waarop' means at which or where in 'een niveau waarop de meeste zinnen duidelijk zijn'. It connects the level to the condition that most sentences are clear there.
meeste
'meeste' means most in 'de meeste zinnen'. It indicates the majority of the sentences and is used with the article de before the noun.
zinnen
'zinnen' means sentences in 'de meeste zinnen duidelijk zijn'. It names the sentences whose clarity is used to judge whether the level is suitable.
duidelijk
'duidelijk' means clear in 'de meeste zinnen duidelijk zijn'. It describes the sentences after zijn and expresses that they can be understood without excessive difficulty.
zijn
'zijn' means are in 'de meeste zinnen duidelijk zijn'. It links the subject de meeste zinnen with the description duidelijk; the adjective comes before zijn in this clause.
Dat
'Dat' means that or it in 'Dat klinkt minder stressvol...' and 'Dat zou je moeten helpen...'. It refers back to the preceding idea or choice instead of naming it again.
klinkt
'klinkt' means sounds in 'Dat klinkt minder stressvol'. Here it evaluates how the suggested practice seems, rather than describing a physical sound.
minder
'minder' means less in 'minder stressvol'. It reduces the degree of the following adjective and is used to make a comparison with another option.
stressvol
'stressvol' means stressful in 'minder stressvol'. It describes the emotional effect of the practice and follows minder in the comparison.
dan
'dan' means than in 'minder stressvol dan moeilijkere oefeningen'. It introduces the second part of the comparison after minder.
moeilijkere
'moeilijkere' means more difficult or harder in 'moeilijkere oefeningen'. It compares these exercises with the less stressful practice and comes before the noun.
oefeningen
'oefeningen' means exercises in 'moeilijkere oefeningen'. It identifies the harder practice used as the second part of the comparison.
zou
'zou' expresses a tentative expectation in 'Dat zou je moeten helpen'. It makes the prediction less direct and is followed here by moeten and the infinitive helpen.
moeten
'moeten' contributes the idea of should or ought to in 'zou je moeten helpen'. It follows zou and comes before the infinitive helpen in this expression of expected benefit.
helpen
'helpen' means help in 'je moeten helpen om meer zelfvertrouwen te krijgen'. It takes the person receiving help, je, and is followed here by a purpose phrase with om.
meer
'meer' means more in 'meer zelfvertrouwen'. It indicates an increase in the amount of confidence and comes directly before the noun.
zelfvertrouwen
'zelfvertrouwen' means confidence in 'meer zelfvertrouwen te krijgen'. It is the benefit the learner is expected to gain from the practice and commonly follows meer when describing increased confidence.
krijgen
'krijgen' means get or gain in 'meer zelfvertrouwen te krijgen'. It is the infinitive after te and describes developing or gaining the confidence mentioned in the sentence.
Grammar Points
moeilijkere + zelfstandig naamwoord
de moeilijkere zinnen
duh MOO-luh-kuh-ruh ZIN-nunthe harder sentences
In Dutch, the adjective gets -ere in a comparative form before a noun: moeilijk → moeilijkere.
naar iets luisteren
daar naar luisteren
DAHR NAHR LOW-stur-unto listen to that
The verb luisteren is followed by the preposition naar when saying what you listen to.
Dutch Vocabulary
bron
noun
BRONN
resource
een handige online bron
daar
adv
DAHR
there
Kan ik daar naar de audio luisteren?
handige
adj
HAHN-dikh-uh
useful
een handige online bron
korte
adj
KOR-tuh
short
korte luisteroefeningen
luisteren
verb
LOW-stur-un
to listen
naar de audio luisteren
luisteroefeningen
noun
LOW-stur-OO-fuh-ning-un
listening exercises
korte luisteroefeningen
naar
prep
NAHR
to
naar de audio luisteren
oefenen
verb
OO-fuh-nun
to practise
talen te oefenen
online
adj
ON-line
online
een handige online bron
site
noun
SITE
site
Op deze site
staan
verb
STAHN
are listed
Op deze site staan korte luisteroefeningen
talen
noun
TAH-lun
languages
talen te oefenen
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
This site has short listening exercises.
Show Answer
Op deze site staan korte luisteroefeningen.How do I choose the right level?
Show Answer
Hoe kies ik het juiste niveau?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
useful
Show Answer
handigelanguages
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talenresource
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bronare listed