Choosing a Movie with Friends | Learn Dutch in English

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Use Choosing a Movie with Friends to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Welke film zullen we kijken?

VEL-kuh film ZUH-luhn vuh KAI-kuhn? Which movie should we watch?

Ik wil iets luchtigs, misschien een komedie.

ik vihl eets LUKH-tuhkhs, mis-KHEEN uhn koh-may-DEE. I want something light, maybe a comedy.

Deze film heeft goede recensies en duidelijke ondertiteling.

DAY-zuh film hayft KHOOD-uh ray-SEN-sees en DOY-duh-luh-kuh on-der-TEE-tuh-ling. This film has strong reviews and clear subtitles.

Kunnen we de trailer bekijken voordat we kiezen?

KUH-nuhn vuh duh TRAY-lur buh-KAI-kuhn VOO-daht vuh KAI-zuhn? Can we watch the trailer before we choose?

De trailer zou ons moeten helpen beslissen.

duh TRAY-lur ZOW ons MOO-tuhn HEL-puhn buh-SLIS-uhn. The trailer should help us decide.

Het verhaal ziet er leuk uit, maar niet te moeilijk.

uht ver-HAAL ZEET ur LURK OYT, mahr neet tuh MOY-uh-luk. The story looks fun but not too difficult.

Dan kiezen we voor deze film.

dahn KAI-zuhn vuh vohr DAY-zuh film. Then let's choose this film.

Laten we een snack halen voordat de film begint.

LAH-tuhn vuh uhn snek HAH-luhn VOO-daht duh film buh-KHINT. Let's get a snack before it starts.

Word by Word

Welke “Welke” asks which option is meant in “Welke film zullen we kijken?” It is used before the noun “film”; a useful pattern for choosing is Welke + noun?.

film “Film” means a film or movie in “Welke film zullen we kijken?” and “voor deze film.” It is the thing the friends are choosing and watching; a common pattern is een film kiezen or de film kijken.

zullen “Zullen” helps make the suggestion “Welke film zullen we kijken?” about what the two people should watch together. The reusable question pattern is “zullen we” followed by an action, especially when suggesting a plan.

we “We” means the two speakers together in “zullen we kijken?” and “kiezen we voor deze film.” It identifies the group doing the action and is useful when making a shared plan.

kijken “Kijken” means watch in “Welke film zullen we kijken?” It follows “zullen” here; “zullen we kijken?” is a reusable way to suggest watching something together.

Ik “Ik” means I and identifies the speaker in “Ik wil iets luchtigs.” It is used as the subject when stating a personal preference, such as Ik wil + something.

wil “Wil” expresses want in “Ik wil iets luchtigs.” It shows the speaker’s preference and commonly appears in the pattern Ik wil + an object or activity.

iets “Iets” means something in “iets luchtigs,” referring to an unspecified kind of film. It can be followed by an adjective form, as in the exact phrase “iets luchtigs,” when the speaker wants something with a certain quality.

luchtigs “Luchtigs” describes something light or easy-going in “iets luchtigs,” here meaning a film that is not heavy in mood. The ending fits the phrase “iets luchtigs”; this is useful when describing an unspecified thing by its quality.

misschien “Misschien” means maybe and softens the suggestion “misschien een komedie.” It presents a comedy as one possible choice rather than a firm decision, useful when offering an option to a friend.

een “Een” introduces “een komedie” as one unspecified movie of that type. The reusable pattern is een + noun when mentioning a non-specific person, thing, or option.

komedie “Komedie” means comedy, the possible film genre in “misschien een komedie.” It is useful when suggesting a movie by genre, as in een komedie.

Deze “Deze” means this in “Deze film,” pointing to the particular film being discussed. The same word appears as lowercase “deze” in “voor deze film”; the pattern deze + noun identifies a nearby or selected option.

heeft “Heeft” means has in “Deze film heeft goede recensies en duidelijke ondertiteling.” It links the film to the features being evaluated, and a reusable pattern is a subject + heeft + feature.

goede “Goede” means good in “goede recensies,” describing the reviews of the film positively. It is useful before a noun when evaluating something, as in goede + noun.

recensies “Recensies” means reviews in “goede recensies,” referring to opinions or evaluations of the film. It is useful when discussing how a film has been received by viewers or critics.

en “En” means and and connects “goede recensies” with “duidelijke ondertiteling.” It joins two features in one statement, following the reusable pattern A en B.

duidelijke “Duidelijke” means clear in “duidelijke ondertiteling,” describing subtitles that are easy to follow. It is placed before the noun it describes and is useful when evaluating whether information is understandable.

ondertiteling “Ondertiteling” means subtitles in “duidelijke ondertiteling.” Here it is one reason the film seems suitable, especially for someone who wants the spoken content to be easy to follow.

Kunnen “Kunnen” asks whether something is possible in “Kunnen we de trailer bekijken voordat we kiezen?” It begins a polite question about a shared action; the reusable pattern is Kunnen we + action?

de “De” means the and identifies the specific trailer and film in “de trailer” and “de film.” It is used when both speakers can identify the thing being discussed.

trailer “Trailer” means the short preview of the film in “de trailer bekijken.” It is useful when discussing a movie before deciding whether to watch it.

bekijken “Bekijken” means watch or view in “de trailer bekijken.” It follows “kunnen” here, and the reusable phrase “de trailer bekijken” is useful when suggesting that people view a preview.

voordat “Voordat” means before and introduces the earlier action in “voordat we kiezen.” It connects two events in time and is reusable before a clause describing what happens first.

kiezen “Kiezen” means choose in “voordat we kiezen,” referring to the decision about the film. It is also part of “kiezen we voor deze film,” so it is useful when discussing a selection between options.

zou “Zou” presents an expected or suggested result in “De trailer zou ons moeten helpen beslissen.” Together with “moeten helpen,” it says the trailer is expected to be useful; a reusable pattern is zou + subject + moeten + action.

ons “Ons” means us in “zou ons moeten helpen beslissen,” referring to both speakers as the people who need help deciding. It appears after “helpen” here and is useful when describing help given to a group that includes the speaker.

moeten “Moeten” contributes the idea should in “ons moeten helpen,” within the suggestion that the trailer should help them decide. With “zou,” the phrase “zou ons moeten helpen” expresses an expected or helpful result rather than a strict order.

helpen “Helpen” means help in “ons moeten helpen beslissen.” It takes the people receiving help, “ons,” and can be followed by the action they need help with, “beslissen.”

beslissen “Beslissen” means decide in “helpen beslissen,” referring to choosing which film to watch. The reusable pattern “helpen beslissen” is useful when something supports a person or group in making a choice.

Het “Het” means the in “Het verhaal,” identifying the particular story of the film. It begins the sentence here and is used before the noun being discussed.

verhaal “Verhaal” means story in “Het verhaal ziet er leuk uit.” It refers to the film’s plot or narrative and is useful when giving an opinion about a movie.

ziet “Ziet” means looks or appears in the expression “ziet er leuk uit.” The meaning comes from the whole expression, which is useful when giving an impression of a story, film, or other thing.

er “Er” is part of the fixed expression “ziet er leuk uit,” which means looks fun. It does not carry the complete meaning by itself; use it between ziet and the description in the pattern ziet er + description + uit.

leuk “Leuk” means fun or enjoyable in “ziet er leuk uit,” describing the impression made by the story. This expression is useful when saying that something appears enjoyable.

uit “Uit” completes the expression “ziet er leuk uit,” meaning looks fun or appears enjoyable. In this sentence it is not used alone with its separate meaning; keep it at the end of the pattern ziet er + description + uit.

maar “Maar” means but and contrasts “leuk” with “niet te moeilijk” in “Het verhaal ziet er leuk uit, maar niet te moeilijk.” It is useful for adding a qualification or limitation after a positive description.

niet “Niet” means not and negates the idea in “niet te moeilijk.” Here it says the story is not overly difficult, and the reusable pattern is niet + description.

te “Te” means too or overly in “niet te moeilijk,” marking a degree that would be more than desired. It commonly comes before an adjective, as in te + adjective.

moeilijk “Moeilijk” means difficult in “niet te moeilijk.” The phrase says that the story is not too difficult, which is useful when choosing something suitable for the people watching.

Dan “Dan” means then and signals the decision that follows the earlier discussion: “Dan kiezen we voor deze film.” It is useful when drawing a conclusion or moving to the next step in a plan.

voor “Voor” is part of the choice construction “kiezen voor deze film,” which means choose this film. It links kiezen to the selected option and is reusable in kiezen voor + option.

Laten “Laten” begins the suggestion “Laten we een snack halen,” meaning let’s get a snack. The reusable pattern Laten we + action invites another person to do something together.

halen “Halen” means get or fetch in “een snack halen,” referring to obtaining a snack before the film starts. It follows “Laten we” here and is useful for suggesting that someone go and get something.

begint “Begint” means starts in “voordat de film begint,” referring to the beginning of the film. The phrase is useful when arranging an action that must happen before an event begins.

Grammar Points

laten we + infinitief

Laten we de trailer bekijken.

LAH-tuhn vuh duh TRAY-lur buh-KAI-kuhn.

Let's watch the trailer.

Use “laten we” + the infinitive to suggest doing something together.

er ... uitzien

De trailer ziet er leuk uit.

duh TRAY-lur ZEET ur LURK OYT.

The trailer looks fun.

“Er ... uitzien” means “to look”; the separable part “uit” comes at the end.

Dutch Vocabulary

bekijken verb

buh-KAI-kuhn to watch; to view

duidelijke adj

DOY-duh-luh-kuh clear

duidelijke ondertiteling

film noun

film film

goede adj

KHOOD-uh good

goede recensies

kijken verb

KAI-kuhn to watch

komedie noun

koh-may-DEE comedy

luchtigs adj

LUKH-tuhkhs light; something light

misschien adv

mis-KHEEN maybe

ondertiteling noun

on-der-TEE-tuh-ling subtitles

recensies noun

ray-SEN-sees reviews

trailer noun

TRAY-lur trailer

Welke det

VEL-kuh which

Welke film

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Which movie should we watch?

Show Answer

Welke film zullen we kijken?

Then let's choose this film.

Show Answer

Dan kiezen we voor deze film.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

to watch

Show Answer

kijken

which

Show Answer

Welke

reviews

Show Answer

recensies

maybe

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misschien