About This Lesson
Use Checking travel documents to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
Kun je me helpen de reisdocumenten te controleren voordat we vertrekken?
kun yuh muh HELP-uhn duh RAYZ-doh-kyoo-MEN-tuhn tuh kon-troh-LAY-run vohr-DAHT vuh fur-TREK-uhn? Could you help me check the travel documents before we leave?
B
Laten we beginnen met je paspoort en instapkaart.
LAH-tuhn vuh buh-KHIN-uhn met yuh PAHS-pohrt en IN-stahp-kahrt. Let's start with your passport and boarding pass.
A
Mijn paspoort zit in de binnenzak.
mine PAHS-pohrt zit in duh BIN-nuh-zahk. My passport is in the inside pocket.
B
Heb je de hotelreservering ook bevestigd?
HEHP yuh duh hoh-TEL-ray-zur-VAY-ring ohk buh-VEST-ikht? Did you confirm the hotel reservation too?
A
De bevestigingsmail staat op mijn telefoon opgeslagen.
duh buh-VEST-uh-khings-mail staht op mine tuh-luh-FOHN OP-khuh-SLAH-khun. The confirmation email is saved on my phone.
B
Heb je een geprinte kopie voor het geval je telefoon uitvalt?
HEHP yuh un khuh-PRINT-uh KOH-pee vohr ut khuh-VAHL yuh tuh-luh-FOHN OYT-vahlt? Do you have a printed copy in case your phone dies?
A
Ik heb er een uitgeprint en in de map gedaan.
ik hehp ur ayn OYT-khuh-PRINT en in duh MAHP khuh-DAHN. I printed one and put it in the folder.
B
Dan hebben we alles wat we nodig hebben.
dahn HEB-uhn vuh ALL-us vaht vuh NOH-dikh HEB-uhn. Then we have everything we need.Word by Word
Kun
In “Kun je me helpen de reisdocumenten te controleren” means “can you,” asking whether the other person is able to help. “Kun je me helpen...?” is a reusable way to ask someone for help with an action.
je
In “Kun je me helpen...” means “you,” referring to the person being asked. It appears directly after “Kun” in this question pattern: “Kun je...?”.
me
In “Kun je me helpen...” means “me,” the person who will receive the help. It comes before “helpen” in this request: “me helpen” means “help me.”
helpen
In “Kun je me helpen...” means “help,” referring to assisting the speaker. The reusable pattern here is “Kun je me helpen...” followed by the action or task.
de
In “de reisdocumenten” is the definite article meaning “the,” introducing the travel documents being checked. The same article appears capitalized as “De” at the start of “De bevestigingsmail”.
reisdocumenten
In “de reisdocumenten” means “travel documents,” the documents checked before leaving. The word is used with “controleren” in the pattern “de reisdocumenten controleren”.
te
In “te controleren” marks the infinitive meaning “to check.” Together with “helpen,” it connects the help request to the task: “me helpen de reisdocumenten te controleren.”
controleren
In “de reisdocumenten te controleren” means “to check,” specifically checking that the travel documents are ready. A useful pattern is “iets controleren,” with the thing being checked after the verb.
voordat
In “voordat we vertrekken” means “before,” introducing the event that must happen first. It connects an action to a later event, as in “de documenten controleren voordat we vertrekken.”
we
In “voordat we vertrekken” means “we,” referring to the two people who will leave. It is the subject of “vertrekken” in this clause.
vertrekken
In “voordat we vertrekken” means “leave” or “depart,” referring to leaving for the trip. It is used after “we” in the pattern “we vertrekken”.
Laten
At the start of “Laten we beginnen...” helps make a suggestion meaning “let’s.” “Laten we...” is a reusable way to propose doing an action together.
beginnen
In “Laten we beginnen met je paspoort...” means “start” or “begin.” The common pattern here is “beginnen met” followed by the first item or activity.
met
In “beginnen met je paspoort en instapkaart” means “with,” showing what the checking will start with. The reusable pattern is “beginnen met” plus an item or activity.
paspoort
In “je paspoort” means “passport,” one of the travel documents being checked. It follows the possessive “je” in the phrase “je paspoort.”
en
In “je paspoort en instapkaart” means “and,” joining the passport and boarding pass as two items. It is used between the two nouns in this list.
instapkaart
In “je paspoort en instapkaart” means “boarding pass,” the second travel document to check. It is linked to “paspoort” with “en”.
Mijn
In “Mijn paspoort” means “my,” showing that the passport belongs to the speaker. It comes directly before the noun in the possessive pattern “Mijn paspoort.”
zit
In “Mijn paspoort zit in de binnenzak” helps say that the passport is located in the inside pocket. The reusable pattern is “[something] zit in [a place]” when locating an item.
in
In “in de binnenzak” means “in,” showing the passport’s location inside the pocket. It introduces the place where an object is located.
binnenzak
In “de binnenzak” means “inside pocket,” the place where the passport is located. It is used after “in” in the phrase “in de binnenzak.”
Heb
At the start of “Heb je de hotelreservering ook bevestigd?” asks “have you,” introducing a question about whether the reservation was confirmed. “Heb je...?” is a reusable question pattern about whether someone has done or has something.
hotelreservering
In “de hotelreservering” means “hotel reservation,” the booking being checked. It follows “de” and is the object of “bevestigd” in the question.
ook
In “de hotelreservering ook bevestigd” means “also” or “too,” adding the hotel reservation to the things being checked. It indicates that this is another confirmation task.
bevestigd
In “Heb je de hotelreservering ook bevestigd?” means “confirmed,” referring to confirming the hotel reservation. It appears after the reservation in the question pattern “Heb je ... bevestigd?”.
bevestigingsmail
In “De bevestigingsmail” means “confirmation email,” the email containing confirmation of the reservation. It is the subject of the statement about being saved on the phone.
staat
In “De bevestigingsmail staat op mijn telefoon opgeslagen,” helps present the email as being located and saved on the phone. The full expression “staat ... opgeslagen” gives the meaning that it is stored there.
op
In “op mijn telefoon” means “on,” identifying the phone as the place where the confirmation email is saved. It is used before the device or surface containing something.
telefoon
In “mijn telefoon” means “phone,” the device on which the confirmation email is saved. It follows the possessive “mijn” and the preposition “op”.
opgeslagen
In “staat op mijn telefoon opgeslagen” means “saved” or “stored,” describing the confirmation email’s status on the phone. The saved meaning comes from the whole expression “staat ... opgeslagen,” not from this word alone.
een
In “een geprinte kopie” means “a,” introducing one printed copy. In “er een uitgeprint,” it means “one,” referring back to that copy.
geprinte
In “een geprinte kopie” means “printed,” describing the copy as existing on paper. It comes directly before “kopie” in this noun phrase.
kopie
In “een geprinte kopie” means “copy,” referring to a paper version of the confirmation. The phrase “een geprinte kopie” identifies the backup document requested in case the phone fails.
voor
In “voor het geval je telefoon uitvalt” helps introduce the situation in which the printed copy would be needed. The complete expression “voor het geval...” means “in case...”.
het
In “het geval” is the definite article meaning “the,” forming part of the expression “voor het geval.” Together, “voor het geval...” introduces a possible situation.
geval
In “voor het geval je telefoon uitvalt” means “case” or “situation.” With “voor het,” it forms the reusable expression “voor het geval...” for a possible circumstance.
uitvalt
In “je telefoon uitvalt” means “stops working” or “fails,” referring to the phone becoming unusable. The phrase describes the possible problem for which the printed copy is a backup.
Ik
In “Ik heb er een uitgeprint” means “I,” identifying the speaker as the person who printed the copy. It is the subject at the beginning of the statement.
er
In “Ik heb er een uitgeprint” refers to one copy, linking it to the printed copy just mentioned. The pattern “er een ...” can refer back to one item without repeating the noun.
uitgeprint
In “Ik heb er een uitgeprint” means “printed out,” describing what the speaker did with one copy. It appears after “heb” in the statement about printing the copy.
map
In “in de map” means “folder,” the place where the printed copy was put. It follows “in de” in the location phrase “in de map.”
gedaan
In “in de map gedaan” completes the statement that the copy was put in the folder. The full phrase “in de map gedaan” expresses the placement; this word alone does not specify the destination.
Dan
At the start of “Dan hebben we alles wat we nodig hebben” means “then,” marking a conclusion after the documents have been checked. It can introduce the result of something just completed.
hebben
In “Dan hebben we alles wat we nodig hebben” means “have,” referring to possessing everything required. It appears after “Dan” and before “we” in this statement: “Dan hebben we...”.
alles
In “alles wat we nodig hebben” means “everything,” referring to all the required travel documents and copies. It is followed by “wat we nodig hebben,” which specifies what that everything includes.
wat
In “alles wat we nodig hebben” means “what” or “that which,” introducing the information that identifies the needed things. The reusable pattern is “alles wat...” followed by a clause.
nodig
In “wat we nodig hebben” means “needed” or “necessary,” describing the things required for the trip. Together with “hebben,” the phrase “wat we nodig hebben” means “what we need.”
Grammar Points
voor het geval + bijzin
voor het geval de telefoon uitvalt
vohr ut khuh-VAHL duh tuh-luh-FOHN OYT-vahltin case the phone stops working
Use voor het geval to introduce a precaution. In the subordinate clause, the conjugated verb comes at the end: uitvalt.
geprinte + zelfstandig naamwoord
een geprinte kopie
un khuh-PRINT-uh KOH-peea printed copy
Before a noun, the adjective geprint takes -e: geprinte. This form agrees with the noun phrase.
Dutch Vocabulary
beginnen
verb
buh-KHIN-uhn
to start
bevestigen
verb
buh-VES-tuh-khun
to confirm
bevestigd
bevestigingsmail
noun
buh-VEST-uh-khings-mail
confirmation email
binnenzak
noun
BIN-nuh-zahk
inside pocket
controleren
verb
kon-troh-LAY-run
to check
te controleren
helpen
verb
HELP-uhn
to help
hotelreservering
noun
hoh-TEL-ray-zur-VAY-ring
hotel reservation
instapkaart
noun
IN-stahp-kahrt
boarding pass
paspoort
noun
PAHS-pohrt
passport
reisdocument
noun
RAYZ-doh-kyoo-MENT
travel document
reisdocumenten
vertrekken
verb
vur-TREK-uhn
to leave
voordat
conj
vohr-DAHT
before
Quiz
Word Order
Arrange the words in the correct order.
My passport is in the inside pocket.
Show Answer
Mijn paspoort zit in de binnenzak.Did you confirm the hotel reservation too?
Show Answer
Heb je de hotelreservering ook bevestigd?Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
to leave
Show Answer
vertrekkenboarding pass
Show Answer
instapkaartbefore
Show Answer
voordatto start