Caring for a Small Plant | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Caring for a Small Plant to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Ik heb een kleine plant voor mijn kamer gekocht.

ik hep ayn KLY-nuh plahnt voor mayn KAH-mur guh-KOKHT I bought a small plant for my room.

Heeft hij veel zonlicht nodig?

hayft hay vayl ZON-likht NOH-dikh Does it need much sunlight?

Op het etiket staat dat hij van indirect licht houdt.

op ut ay-tih-KET staht daht hay vahn in-duh-REKT likht howt The label says it likes indirect light.

Zet hem dan bij het raam, niet buiten.

zet uhm dahn bay ut rahm, neet BOW-tun Then keep it near the window, not outside.

Hoe vaak moet ik de aarde water geven?

hoo vahnk moot ik duh AH-rduh WAH-tur KHEY-vun How often should I water the soil?

Controleer de aarde twee keer per week voordat je water geeft.

kon-troh-LAYR duh AH-rduh tvay KAYR pair WAYK vohr-DAHT yuh WAH-tur KHAYFT Check it twice a week before watering.

Ik hoop dat hij hier goed groeit.

ik HOHP daht hay heer khoot khroht I hope it grows well here.

Hij zou hier goed moeten groeien, zolang je hem niet te veel water geeft.

hay zow heer khoot MOO-tun KHROY-un, zoh-LAHNG yuh uhm neet tuh VAYL WAH-tur KHAYFT It should, as long as you do not water it too much.

Word by Word

Ik “Ik” means “I” and is the speaker of the sentence. It is used before the verb in the reusable pattern “Ik heb ... gekocht” when saying what you bought.

heb “heb” is the auxiliary form used with “gekocht” in “Ik heb een kleine plant voor mijn kamer gekocht,” meaning that the speaker bought the plant. It is a form of “hebben”; reuse “Ik heb ... gekocht” with the object in the middle.

een “een” introduces one non-specific plant in “een kleine plant.” It is used before a noun or noun phrase, as in “een kleine plant” in this dialogue.

kleine “kleine” means “small” and describes the plant in “een kleine plant.” It appears directly before the noun here; reuse “een kleine” before a suitable noun.

plant “plant” means “plant,” the living object bought for the room. In “een kleine plant,” it follows the article and description; reuse “een ... plant” when describing a plant.

voor “voor” means “for” in “voor mijn kamer,” showing the intended place or purpose of the plant. Reuse “voor” before the person, place, or purpose something is intended for.

mijn “mijn” means “my” and shows that the room belongs to or is associated with the speaker in “mijn kamer.” Reuse “mijn” directly before a noun to identify something as yours.

kamer “kamer” means “room,” specifically the room for which the plant was bought in “voor mijn kamer.” Reuse it after a possessive such as “mijn kamer” when naming a room.

gekocht “gekocht” means “bought” and completes the past-action expression “Ik heb een kleine plant voor mijn kamer gekocht.” It is a form of “kopen”; reuse the pattern “Ik heb ... gekocht” with the thing bought in the middle.

Heeft “Heeft” is the question form used at the beginning of “Heeft hij veel zonlicht nodig?” to ask whether the plant needs something. It is a form of “hebben”; reuse “Heeft ... nodig?” when asking whether someone or something needs something.

hij “hij” means “he” here, but it refers to the plant as the subject. Reuse “hij” before a verb when referring to this plant or another masculine-referred subject.

veel “veel” means “much” or “a lot of” in “veel zonlicht.” It comes before what is present in a large amount; reuse “veel” before a noun such as “veel zonlicht.”

zonlicht “zonlicht” means “sunlight,” the thing the plant may need in “veel zonlicht.” Reuse it after “veel” or in a question about how much sunlight something needs.

nodig “nodig” contributes the meaning “needed” in “Heeft hij veel zonlicht nodig?”, which as a whole asks whether the plant needs much sunlight. Reuse “iets nodig hebben” with the needed thing before “nodig.”

Op “Op” means “on” in “Op het etiket staat dat...,” identifying where the information is written. Reuse “Op” before a surface or source when saying where written information appears.

het “het” means “the” before “etiket” in “het etiket.” It introduces this specific label; reuse “het” before a noun when referring to a specific item that takes this article.

etiket “etiket” means “label,” the source of the plant-care information in “Op het etiket.” Reuse “het etiket” when referring to a label attached to a product or object.

staat “staat” means that something is written or stated in “Op het etiket staat dat...,” literally presenting the information as standing on the label. It is a form of “staan”; reuse “Op ... staat dat ...” to report written information.

dat “dat” means “that” and introduces the information written on the label in “staat dat hij van indirect licht houdt.” Reuse “staat dat ...” before the content of a written statement.

van “van” is part of “van indirect licht houdt,” marking what the plant likes in the expression “houden van.” The whole expression means “to like”; reuse “houden van” before the thing someone or something likes.

indirect “indirect” means “indirect” and describes the light in “indirect licht.” Reuse it before a noun when describing something that reaches or happens without being direct.

licht “licht” means “light,” specifically the indirect light that the plant likes in “van indirect licht houdt.” Reuse “indirect licht” when describing this kind of light.

houdt “houdt” contributes the meaning “likes” in “hij van indirect licht houdt”; the full expression “houden van” means “to like.” It is a form of “houden”; reuse “hij houdt van” before the thing he or it likes.

Zet “Zet” means “put” or “place” as a direct instruction in “Zet hem dan bij het raam.” It is the imperative form of “zetten”; reuse “Zet” followed by an object and a place.

hem “hem” means “him” or “it” as the object being placed in “Zet hem dan bij het raam,” referring to the plant. Reuse “hem” after a verb when the object is a masculine-referred person or thing.

dan “dan” means “then” and connects the placement advice to the information about indirect light. Reuse “dan” when giving a consequence or next step after something has been said.

bij “bij” means “near” or “by” in “bij het raam,” specifying the plant’s location. Reuse “bij” before a place or object to say that something is located near it.

raam “raam” means “window,” the place near which the plant should be put in “bij het raam.” Reuse “het raam” when referring to a specific window.

niet “niet” means “not” and negates the location in “niet buiten.” It comes before the place or description being rejected; reuse “niet” to say that something should not be in a particular place.

buiten “buiten” means “outside,” and “niet buiten” says that the plant should not be outside. Reuse “buiten” when referring to a location outdoors.

Hoe “Hoe” means “how” and begins the frequency question “Hoe vaak moet ik de aarde water geven?” Reuse “Hoe vaak” when asking about the frequency of an action.

vaak “vaak” means “often,” and together with “Hoe” in “Hoe vaak” asks how frequently something should happen. Reuse “Hoe vaak” before a verb phrase when asking about frequency.

moet “moet” expresses what the speaker has to or should do in “moet ik de aarde water geven?” It is a form of “moeten”; reuse “moet ik” before an action when asking what you should or must do.

de “de” means “the” before “aarde” in “de aarde.” It refers to the specific soil being checked and watered; reuse “de” before a specific noun that takes this article.

aarde “aarde” means “soil” here, the material in the plant pot that should be checked and watered. Reuse “de aarde” when talking about soil in this plant-care context.

water “water” means “water” and is the thing given to the soil in “de aarde water geven.” In this expression, the whole phrase means “to water the soil”; reuse “water geven” with the thing receiving the water.

geven “geven” means “give” in the expression “de aarde water geven,” which means “water the soil.” It is the infinitive after “moet”; reuse “water geven” for watering a plant or soil.

Controleer “Controleer” means “check” and gives the instruction to inspect the soil before watering. It is the imperative form of “controleren”; reuse “Controleer” followed by the thing to be checked.

twee “twee” means “two” in “twee keer per week,” specifying the number of times. Reuse “twee” before a countable time unit such as “twee keer.”

keer “keer” means “time” as a counted occurrence in “twee keer per week.” Reuse the pattern “... keer per week” to state how many times something happens each week.

per “per” means “per” or “each” in “per week,” expressing a regular rate or interval. Reuse “keer per week” after a number to state weekly frequency.

week “week” means “week” in the time expression “twee keer per week.” Reuse it after “per” when describing how often something happens during a week.

voordat “voordat” means “before” and introduces the action that must happen first in “voordat je water geeft.” Reuse “voordat” before a clause describing an earlier action.

je “je” means “you” and is the subject of “je water geeft,” referring to the person caring for the plant. Reuse “je” before a verb when addressing someone informally.

geeft “geeft” contributes the meaning “gives” in “je water geeft”; with “water,” the whole expression means “waters.” It is a form of “geven”; reuse “je water geeft” when describing someone watering a plant.

hoop “hoop” means “hope” in “Ik hoop dat hij hier goed groeit,” expressing the speaker’s wish or expectation. It is a form of “hopen”; reuse “Ik hoop dat ...” before something you hope will happen.

hier “hier” means “here,” referring to the current place where the plant is kept in “hij hier goed groeit.” Reuse “hier” when pointing to the place where the speaker and listener are or where the subject is.

goed “goed” means “well” or “properly” in “goed groeit,” describing the desired quality of the plant’s growth. Reuse “goed” before or with a verb when saying that an action happens well.

groeit “groeit” means “grows” and describes the plant’s development in “hij hier goed groeit.” It is a form of “groeien”; reuse “hij groeit goed” to say that a plant or other subject is growing well.

zou “zou” contributes a tentative expectation in “Hij zou hier goed moeten groeien,” meaning that the plant should probably grow well here. Reuse “zou moeten” before an infinitive when expressing an expected or likely result.

moeten “moeten” contributes “should” or “must” in “zou ... moeten groeien”; together, the expression says that the plant is expected to grow well. It is the infinitive form used after “zou”; reuse “zou moeten” before an infinitive.

groeien “groeien” means “grow” in “goed moeten groeien,” describing the expected development of the plant. It is the infinitive after “moeten”; reuse “moeten groeien” when saying that something should grow.

zolang “zolang” means “as long as” and introduces the condition in “zolang je hem niet te veel water geeft.” Reuse “zolang” before a condition that must remain true for the main statement to apply.

te “te” contributes the meaning “too” or “excessively” in “te veel water,” showing that the amount of water is more than is suitable. Reuse “te veel” before a noun when saying that there is an excessive amount of something.

Grammar Points

kleine + zelfstandig naamwoord

een kleine plant

ayn KLY-nuh plahnt

a small plant

Na een onbepaald lidwoord krijgt het bijvoeglijk naamwoord vaak -e: klein wordt kleine.

voordat + bijzin: werkwoord achteraan

Controleer de aarde voordat de plant groeit.

kon-troh-LAYR duh AH-rduh vohr-DAHT duh plahnt khroht

Check the soil before the plant grows.

Na voordat staat het vervoegde werkwoord meestal aan het einde van de bijzin.

Dutch Vocabulary

etiket noun

ay-tih-KET label

Op het etiket staat

houden verb

HOW-dun to like houdt

van indirect licht houdt

indirect adj

in-duh-REKT indirect

indirect licht

kamer noun

KAH-mur room

voor mijn kamer

klein adj

kline small kleine

een kleine plant

kopen verb

KOH-pun to buy gekocht

Ik heb een kleine plant voor mijn kamer gekocht.

licht noun

likht light

indirect licht

nodig adj

NOH-dikh needed; necessary

Heeft hij veel zonlicht nodig?

plant noun

plahnt plant

een kleine plant

raam noun

rahm window

bij het raam

zetten verb

ZET-un to put; to place Zet

Zet hem dan bij het raam

zonlicht noun

ZON-likht sunlight

veel zonlicht

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Does it need much sunlight?

Show Answer

Heeft hij veel zonlicht nodig?

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

plant

Show Answer

plant

room

Show Answer

kamer

to buy

Show Answer

gekocht

indirect

Show Answer

indirect