Handling a broken umbrella | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Handling a broken umbrella to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

mine pah-rah-PLOO khing kah-POT dohr duh HAR-duh vint. My umbrella broke in the strong wind.

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

KOM ON-der ut AF-dak vohr-DAHT yuh hay-luh-MAHL nat wort. Come under the shelter before you get soaked.

De regen is heviger dan het leek.

duh RAY-khun iss HAY-vuh-khur dan ut LAYK. The rain is heavier than it looked.

Je kunt mijn extra paraplu lenen.

yuh kunt mine EX-truh pah-rah-PLOO LAY-nun. You can borrow my extra umbrella.

Weet je zeker dat je hem niet nodig hebt?

VAYT yuh ZAY-kur dat yuh um neet NOH-dikh hept? Are you sure you don't need it?

Ik heb een regenjas, dus ik red me wel.

ik kahn uh RAY-khun-yahs, dooss ik ret muh vell. I have a raincoat, so I can manage.

Ik kan hem morgen terugbrengen.

ik kahn um MOR-khun tuh-ROOKH-breng-un. I can bring it back tomorrow.

Blijf gewoon droog op weg naar huis.

BLYFE khuh-WOHN drohkh op vekh nar howss. Just stay dry on your way home.

Word by Word

Mijn “Mijn” means “my” here and appears in the exact phrase “Mijn paraplu”. It is used before the noun to show possession, for example when identifying whose umbrella something is.

paraplu “Paraplu” means “umbrella” in “Mijn paraplu”. It names the object that broke, and it can be used after a possessive word such as “Mijn paraplu”.

ging “Ging” means “went” in form, but in “ging kapot” it helps express that the umbrella broke or stopped working. It is the past form of “gaan”; “ging kapot” is useful for describing something that broke.

kapot “Kapot” means “broken” or “not working” in “ging kapot”. Together, “ging kapot” describes a change from working to broken, and the same expression can describe another object that stops working.

door “Door” means “because of” here in “door de harde wind”, identifying the cause of the umbrella breaking. It is commonly followed by the cause of an event, as in “door” plus a noun phrase.

de “De” means “the” in “de harde wind”. It is the definite article before “wind”, useful when referring to a specific kind of wind in the situation.

harde “Harde” describes the wind as strong or forceful in “de harde wind”. It appears before the noun and fits the pattern “de” plus an adjective plus a noun.

wind “Wind” means “wind” in “de harde wind”. Here it names the weather condition that caused the umbrella to break, so it is useful when explaining a weather-related cause.

Kom “Kom” means “come” and is an invitation or instruction in “Kom onder het afdak”. As a direct instruction, it can be used to invite someone toward a place or shelter.

onder “Onder” means “under” in “onder het afdak”, showing the sheltered position beneath the covered structure. It is used before a place or object that provides the position.

het “Het” means “the” in “het afdak”. It is the definite article used before this specific shelter, and the pattern “het” plus a noun identifies a particular thing.

afdak “Afdak” means “shelter” or a covered structure in “onder het afdak”. It names the place where someone can stand to avoid the rain, especially in an outdoor situation.

voordat “Voordat” means “before” and introduces the event in “voordat je helemaal nat wordt”. It is useful for warning someone to take action before a result happens.

je “Je” means “you” as the person who may get wet in “je helemaal nat wordt”. It is used as the subject before the verb in this clause and in direct advice to another person.

helemaal “Helemaal” means “completely” and intensifies “nat” in “helemaal nat wordt”. It is useful when describing a state that will affect someone fully rather than only partly.

nat “Nat” means “wet” in “nat wordt”. With “wordt”, it describes becoming wet, which is useful when talking about rain or other water-related situations.

wordt “Wordt” means “becomes” or “gets” in “je helemaal nat wordt”, so the phrase means that you get completely wet. It is used before an adjective to describe a change into a state.

regen “Regen” means “rain” in “De regen”. It names the weather that is heavier than expected and can be used when discussing outdoor conditions.

is “Is” means “is” in “De regen is heviger”. It links “De regen” with its description, and the pattern “X is” plus a description is useful for stating a current condition.

heviger “Heviger” means “more intense” or “heavier” in “heviger dan het leek”. It compares the actual intensity of the rain with how it appeared earlier.

dan “Dan” means “than” in “heviger dan het leek”. It connects the first part of the comparison with the point of comparison, and it commonly follows a comparative form.

leek “Leek” means “seemed” or “looked” in “het leek”, referring to the earlier impression of the rain. In “heviger dan het leek”, it explains what the rain had appeared to be like.

kunt “Kunt” means “can” in “Je kunt mijn extra paraplu lenen”. It is the form used with “je” here and is followed by the action someone is able or allowed to do.

extra “Extra” means “additional” or “spare” in “mijn extra paraplu”. It identifies an additional umbrella, and it is placed directly before the noun it describes.

lenen “Lenen” means “borrow” in “kunt mijn extra paraplu lenen”. It is the action of temporarily taking and using someone else’s umbrella, and it follows “kunt” in this sentence.

Weet “Weet” means “know” in the question “Weet je zeker dat je hem niet nodig hebt?” Together with “je zeker”, it asks whether the other person is certain. This is useful when checking someone’s confidence about a choice.

zeker “Zeker” means “sure” or “certain” in “Weet je zeker”. It expresses certainty about the following information, and the pattern “Weet je zeker dat” is useful when politely checking a decision.

dat “Dat” means “that” in “dat je hem niet nodig hebt”. It introduces the information whose truth is being checked after “Weet je zeker”.

hem “Hem” means “it” here and refers back to the extra umbrella in “hem niet nodig hebt”. It is the object being discussed as something the other person may or may not need.

niet “Niet” means “not” in “hem niet nodig hebt”. It negates the idea that the person needs the umbrella, which is useful when asking about the absence of a need.

nodig “Nodig” means “needed” or “necessary” in “hem nodig hebt”. With “nodig hebben”, it expresses needing something, and the object appears before this expression here.

hebt “Hebt” is the form of “have” used with “je” in “je hem niet nodig hebt”. In “nodig hebt”, it completes the expression meaning “need”, and it appears at the end of this subordinate clause.

Ik “Ik” means “I” in “Ik heb een regenjas”. It identifies the speaker as the person who owns the raincoat and can manage without the umbrella.

heb “Heb” means “have” in “Ik heb een regenjas”, expressing possession. The pattern “Ik heb” is useful for saying that you possess or have access to something.

een “Een” means “a” or “an” in “een regenjas”. It introduces one nonspecific raincoat and appears directly before the noun.

regenjas “Regenjas” means “raincoat” in “een regenjas”. It names the clothing that protects the speaker from the rain and explains why the speaker can manage without the umbrella.

dus “Dus” means “so” in “Ik heb een regenjas, dus ik red me wel”. It connects the raincoat as the reason with the conclusion that the speaker can manage.

red “Red” means “manage” or “cope” in “ik red me wel”. With “me”, it expresses managing on one’s own, which is useful when reassuring someone that help is not needed.

me “Me” means “myself” or “me” in “ik red me wel”. It refers back to the speaker and forms the expression “red me”, meaning that the speaker can manage independently.

wel “Wel” adds reassurance in “ik red me wel”, emphasizing that the speaker will manage. The full expression is useful as a confident response when someone offers help.

kan “Kan” means “can” in “Ik kan hem morgen terugbrengen”. It expresses the speaker’s ability or intention to return the umbrella and is followed by the action “terugbrengen”.

morgen “Morgen” means “tomorrow” in “hem morgen terugbrengen”. It gives the time when the umbrella can be returned and is useful for arranging a future action.

terugbrengen “Terugbrengen” means “bring back” or “return” in “hem morgen terugbrengen”. It describes returning the borrowed umbrella, with “hem” identifying what will be brought back.

Blijf “Blijf” means “stay” or “remain” in “Blijf gewoon droog”. As an instruction, it tells the listener to continue being dry, which is useful as a friendly parting wish.

gewoon “Gewoon” means “just” or “simply” in “Blijf gewoon droog”. It makes the instruction sound simple and reassuring, as if staying dry is the only thing the listener needs to do.

droog “Droog” means “dry” in “Blijf gewoon droog”. It names the state the speaker wishes the listener to maintain, especially while traveling through the rain.

op “Op” means “on” or “along” in “op weg naar huis”. Together with “weg”, it forms the expression meaning “on the way”, which is useful when describing travel.

weg “Weg” means “way” or “road” in “op weg naar huis”. In this fixed expression, it refers to someone’s route or journey rather than simply a physical road.

naar “Naar” means “to” or “toward” in “naar huis”. It marks the destination of the journey and is useful before a place someone is traveling toward.

huis “Huis” means “home” in “naar huis”. With “naar”, the phrase describes traveling home, which is a common way to mention someone’s destination.

Grammar Points

voordat + bijzin: de persoonsvorm staat achteraan

voordat de regen heviger wordt

vohr-DAHT duh RAY-khun HAY-vuh-khur wort

before the rain gets heavier

Na voordat komt een bijzin. De persoonsvorm staat aan het einde: heviger wordt.

Dutch Vocabulary

afdak noun

AF-dahk shelter; canopy

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

door prep

dohr through; because of

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

gaan verb

khahn to go; to become ging

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

hard adj

HART strong; hard harde

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

helemaal adv

hay-luh-MAHL completely

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

kapot adj

kah-POT broken

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

komen verb

KOH-mun to come kom

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

nat adj

naht wet

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

onder prep

ON-der under

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

paraplu noun

pah-rah-PLOO umbrella

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

voordat conj

vohr-DAHT before

Kom onder het afdak voordat je helemaal nat wordt.

wind noun

vint wind

Mijn paraplu ging kapot door de harde wind.

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

You can borrow my extra umbrella.

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Je kunt mijn extra paraplu lenen.

I can bring it back tomorrow.

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Ik kan hem morgen terugbrengen.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

strong; hard

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harde

to go; to become

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ging

shelter; canopy

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afdak

through; because of

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door