Identify a bag at lost property | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Identify a bag at lost property to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Ik zoek mijn tas bij de gevonden voorwerpen.

ik SOOK mine tahss by duh guh-VON-dun VOHR-VEHR-pun. I'm looking for my bag at lost property.

Kun je hem voor me beschrijven?

koon yuh hem vohr muh buh-SKHRY-vun? Can you describe it for me?

De tas heeft een rode band en een kapotte rits.

duh tahss hayft un ROH-duh bahnt un kuh-POT-tuh rits. It has a red strap and a broken zipper.

Zit er een patroon op de voorkant?

zit ur un pah-TROHN op duh VOHR-kahnt? Is there any pattern on the front?

Er staat een klein bloemenpatroon op.

ur staht un KLINE BLOO-mun-pah-TROHN op. There's a small flower pattern.

Dit is misschien van jou.

dit iss muh-SKHEEN vahn yow. This might be yours.

Dat is zeker mijn tas.

daht iss ZAY-kur mine tahss. That's definitely my bag.

Teken dit formulier voordat je hem meeneemt.

TAY-kun dit for-MYOOR-leer vohr-DAHT yuh hem MAY-naymt. Please sign this form before you take it.

Word by Word

Ik Ik means “I” here and identifies the speaker as the person looking for the bag. It is used before the verb in the reusable pattern “Ik + verb,” for example when saying what you are doing.

zoek zoek means “am looking for” in “Ik zoek mijn tas.” It is the verb form used to describe the speaker’s search for a specific object. Use “Ik zoek ...” when telling someone that you are looking for something.

mijn mijn means “my” and shows that the tas belongs to the speaker. It comes before the noun in “mijn tas.” Use “mijn + noun” to identify something as belonging to you.

tas tas means “bag” here. It is the object being searched for and described at the lost property desk. Use it with a possessive such as “mijn tas” when identifying your bag.

bij bij means “at” in “bij de gevonden voorwerpen,” indicating the place where the speaker is searching. It is used before a place or location phrase. The exact pattern “bij de gevonden voorwerpen” is useful at a lost property desk.

de gevonden voorwerpen “de gevonden voorwerpen” is the phrase for “lost property” or the lost property office. In this phrase, “de” is the definite article, “gevonden” means “found,” and “voorwerpen” means “objects” or “items”; together they refer to items that have been found and kept for their owners. Use the whole phrase after “bij,” as in “bij de gevonden voorwerpen,” when referring to lost property.

Kun Kun means “can” in the question “Kun je hem voor me beschrijven?” It introduces a request about whether someone is able to do something. Use the reusable pattern “Kun je + infinitive?” to ask someone to do something.

je je means “you” in “Kun je hem voor me beschrijven?” and refers to the person being asked. It appears after “Kun” in this question pattern. Use “Kun je ...?” when addressing someone directly with a request.

hem hem means “it” here and refers back to the bag in “Kun je hem voor me beschrijven?” It is the object being described. Use “hem” when referring back to this known object in the same conversation.

voor voor means “for” in “voor me” and marks the person for whom the description is requested. Together, “voor me” means “for me.” Use “voor + person” to identify the recipient or beneficiary of an action.

me me means “me” in “voor me” and identifies the person who wants the description. It is the short pronoun used after “voor” in this expression. Use “voor me” when asking someone to do something for you.

beschrijven beschrijven means “describe” in “Kun je hem voor me beschrijven?” It is the action the other person is being asked to perform. Use “iets beschrijven” when giving details about a known object.

De De means “the” in “De tas heeft een rode band.” It identifies the specific bag already being discussed. Use “de” before a noun when referring to a specific known item in this way.

heeft heeft means “has” and introduces features belonging to the bag in “De tas heeft een rode band en een kapotte rits.” It connects the bag with its strap and zipper. Use “subject + heeft + feature” to describe what an object has.

een een means “a” or “an” before “rode band” and “kapotte rits.” It introduces one strap and one zipper without identifying them as previously known. Use “een + noun” when introducing a single item or feature.

rode rode means “red” and describes the band in “een rode band.” It comes before the noun it describes. Use a color word before a noun when identifying an object by its color.

band band means “strap” in this dialogue and refers to part of the bag. It is described as red in “een rode band.” Use “een band” when identifying a strap as a feature of an object.

en en means “and” and connects the two bag features in “een rode band en een kapotte rits.” It links items of equal importance in a description. Use “X en Y” to list two objects or features.

kapotte kapotte means “broken” and describes the rits in “een kapotte rits.” It gives the condition of the zipper. Use an adjective before a noun to describe a physical condition, as in this exact phrase.

rits rits means “zipper” and refers to the bag’s fastening part. In the dialogue it is identified as broken. Use “een rits” when describing a zipper as one feature of a bag or piece of clothing.

Zit Zit means “is there” in “Zit er een patroon op de voorkant?” and asks whether a feature is present on the bag. Here it is part of a construction about something being located or present. Use “Zit er ...?” to ask whether something is there or attached to a surface.

er er helps introduce the thing whose presence is being asked about in “Zit er een patroon op de voorkant?” It does not mean a separate physical location by itself here; the whole construction asks whether a pattern is present. Use “Zit er + noun ...?” when checking for a feature or object.

patroon patroon means “pattern” in “een patroon op de voorkant.” It refers to a visible design on the front of the bag. Use “een patroon op + surface” to describe a design located on a surface.

op op means “on” in “op de voorkant,” showing the surface where the pattern is located. It connects the pattern with the front of the bag. Use “op + surface” when describing something positioned on a surface.

voorkant voorkant means “front” or “front side” in “de voorkant.” It identifies the front surface of the bag. Use “op de voorkant” when describing something visible on the front.

staat staat means “is located” or “appears” in “Er staat een klein bloemenpatroon op.” It presents the pattern as being shown on the bag. Use “Er staat ... op” to describe a visible design or marking on an object.

klein klein means “small” and describes the bloemenpatroon in “een klein bloemenpatroon.” It gives the size of the pattern. Use an adjective before a noun to add a size description.

bloemenpatroon bloemenpatroon means “flower pattern” and identifies the design on the bag. In the dialogue, it is described as small and located on the bag. Use “een klein bloemenpatroon” when describing this particular feature.

Dit Dit means “this” and points to the bag or item being shown in “Dit is misschien van jou.” It refers to something present or nearby. Use “Dit is ...” when identifying or describing something close at hand.

is is means “is” and links the item with a possible owner in “Dit is misschien van jou” and with an identity in “Dat is zeker mijn tas.” It connects the subject to the information that follows. Use “Dit is ...” or “Dat is ...” when identifying an item.

misschien misschien means “maybe” and expresses uncertainty in “Dit is misschien van jou.” It shows that the speaker is making a tentative suggestion about ownership. Use “misschien” when you are not completely sure.

van van means “belonging to” in “van jou,” indicating ownership. Together, “van jou” means “yours” or “belonging to you.” Use “van + person” to say who owns something.

jou jou means “you” in “van jou,” where the meaning is “yours” or “belonging to you.” It follows “van” to identify the owner. Use “van jou” when stating that an item belongs to someone.

Dat Dat means “that” and points to the item being identified in “Dat is zeker mijn tas.” It refers to something already indicated or recognized. Use “Dat is ...” when identifying or confirming an item.

zeker zeker means “definitely” and expresses strong certainty in “Dat is zeker mijn tas.” It shows that the speaker is confident about the bag’s identity. Use “zeker” when confirming something with confidence.

Teken Teken means “sign” in the direct request “Teken dit formulier.” It tells the listener to add their signature to the form. Use “Teken + object” when asking someone to sign a document.

formulier formulier means “form” and is the document that must be signed before the bag is taken. In the dialogue it appears in “dit formulier,” meaning “this form.” Use “een formulier” when referring to a document that someone needs to complete or sign.

voordat voordat means “before” and sets the order between signing the form and taking the bag in “voordat je hem meeneemt.” It introduces the action that happens later. Use “voordat + clause” to say that one action must occur earlier than another.

meeneemt meeneemt means “takes it along” or “takes it with you” in “voordat je hem meeneemt,” referring to taking the bag away. It appears at the end of the clause introduced by “voordat.” Use the exact pattern “voordat je hem meeneemt” when saying that someone must do something before taking the known object along.

Grammar Points

rood → rode, kapot → kapotte + zelfstandig naamwoord

rode band; kapotte rits

ROH-duh bahnt; kuh-POT-tuh rits

red strap; broken zipper

Before a noun, these adjectives take -e: rood becomes rode and kapot becomes kapotte.

Dutch Vocabulary

band noun

bahnt strap; band

een rode band

beschrijven verb

buh-SKHRY-vun to describe

hem voor me beschrijven

gevonden voorwerpen phrase

guh-VON-dun VOHR-VEHR-pun lost property; lost and found

bij de gevonden voorwerpen

hem pron

hem it; him

Kun je hem beschrijven?

kapot adj

kuh-POT broken kapotte

een kapotte rits

patroon noun

pah-TROHN pattern

een patroon op de voorkant

rits noun

rits zipper

een kapotte rits

rood adj

ROHT red rode

een rode band

tas noun

TAHSS bag

mijn tas

voor me phrase

vohr muh for me

beschrijven voor me

voorkant noun

VOHR-kahnt front

op de voorkant

zoeken verb

SOOK-un to look for zoek

Ik zoek mijn tas.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Can you describe it for me?

Show Answer

Kun je hem voor me beschrijven?

There's a small flower pattern.

Show Answer

Er staat een klein bloemenpatroon op.

This might be yours.

Show Answer

Dit is misschien van jou.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

red

Show Answer

rode

strap; band

Show Answer

band

to describe

Show Answer

beschrijven

to look for

Show Answer

zoek