Checking the apartment before leaving | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Checking the apartment before leaving to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Voordat we weggaan, moeten we het appartement controleren.

vor-DAHT wuh VAYKH-KHAHN, MOO-tun wuh ut ah-pahr-tuh-MENT kon-troh-LAY-run. Before we leave, we should check the apartment.

Ik heb het fornuis al uitgezet.

ik hep ut for-NOYS al OYT-guh-ZET. I already turned off the stove.

Zijn alle ramen dicht?

zine ALL-uh RAH-mun dikht? Are all the windows closed?

Het raam van de slaapkamer staat nog open.

ut RAHM vahn duh SLAHP-kah-mur staht nokh OH-pun. The bedroom window is still open.

Ik doe het dicht en doe de balkondeur op slot.

ik doo ut dikht un doo duh BALK-on-DUR op SLOT. I'll close it and lock the balcony door.

De lichten in de gang zijn nog aan.

duh LIKH-tun in duh KHANG zine nokh ahn. The hallway lights are still on.

Dus doe ik ze uit.

duhs doo ik zuh OYT. So I'll turn them off.

Dat zou alles moeten zijn.

daht zow ALL-us MOO-tun zine. That should be everything.

Laten we gaan voordat het te laat wordt.

LAH-tun wuh KHAHN vor-DAHT ut tuh LAHT vort. Let's go before it gets too late.

Word by Word

Voordat “Voordat” means “before” and introduces the point in time that comes first in “Voordat we weggaan”. It is useful for connecting an action to something that happens earlier. Reuse the pattern “voordat + clause” when describing what must happen before another action.

we “we” means “we” and is the subject of “weggaan” in “Voordat we weggaan”. It refers to the two people speaking together. It commonly appears before the verb in a clause, as in “we weggaan”.

weggaan “weggaan” means to leave or go away in “Voordat we weggaan”. Here it describes leaving the apartment. It can be reused after “voordat” to say what action happens before leaving.

moeten “moeten” expresses that something should or must happen in “moeten we het appartement controleren”. Here it shows that checking the apartment is necessary before leaving. A useful pattern is “moeten + subject + verb”, as in “moeten we ... controleren”.

het “het” means “the” in “het appartement” and “it” in “Ik doe het dicht”. In the first expression it comes before the apartment; in the second it refers back to the window. Its meaning therefore depends on the surrounding construction.

appartement “appartement” means “apartment” in “het appartement”. It is the place that the speakers plan to check. It can be used after “het” when referring to this apartment.

controleren “controleren” means to check or inspect in “het appartement controleren”. Here it describes checking that everything in the apartment is safe before leaving. A useful pattern is “iets controleren”, with the thing being checked after the verb.

Ik “Ik” means “I” and is the speaker’s subject in “Ik heb het fornuis al uitgezet”. It identifies the person who turned off the stove. It commonly comes before the verb in a statement, as in “Ik heb ...”.

heb “heb” means “have” in “Ik heb het fornuis al uitgezet”. Here it helps express that the action of turning off the stove has already been completed. A useful reusable pattern is “Ik heb ...” followed by information about a completed action.

fornuis “fornuis” means “stove” in “het fornuis”. It is the appliance that the speaker has already turned off. It can be used after “het” when referring to the stove.

al “al” means “already” in “het fornuis al uitgezet”. It shows that the stove was turned off before this moment. It commonly appears with a completed action to emphasize that something has happened already.

uitgezet “uitgezet” means “turned off” in “heb het fornuis al uitgezet”. Together with “heb”, it describes the completed action of switching off the stove. A useful pattern is “heb + object + uitgezet” when saying that something has been turned off.

Zijn “Zijn” means “are” in the question “Zijn alle ramen dicht?”. It asks about the current state of all the windows. At the start of this question, it comes before the subject “alle ramen”.

alle “alle” means “all” in “alle ramen”. It refers to every window, not just one or some of them. It is placed directly before the plural noun it describes here.

ramen “ramen” means “windows” in “alle ramen”. It is the plural form used when asking about all the windows. It can be combined with “alle” to refer to every window in a place.

dicht “dicht” means “closed” or “shut” in “alle ramen dicht”. It describes the state the windows should be in. A useful pattern is “something + dicht” when describing that an object is closed.

raam “raam” means “window” in “Het raam van de slaapkamer”. Here it identifies the single bedroom window that is still open. It can be followed by “van” to specify which room the window belongs to.

van “van” links “raam” to “de slaapkamer” in “het raam van de slaapkamer”. The expression identifies the window associated with the bedroom. A useful pattern is “X van Y” when specifying that X belongs to or is connected with Y.

de “de” means “the” in expressions such as “de slaapkamer”, “de balkondeur”, and “de gang”. It marks a specific noun in these phrases. The exact noun that follows it determines what is being identified.

slaapkamer “slaapkamer” means “bedroom” in “de slaapkamer”. It specifies the room connected with the window. It can be used after “de” when referring to a particular bedroom.

staat “staat” is used in “staat nog open” to describe the window’s current open state. Together with “open”, the expression says that the window remains open. A useful pattern is “iets staat open” when describing an open object such as a window.

nog “nog” means “still” in “staat nog open”. It shows that the window remains open at this moment. It is placed before the word describing the continuing state here.

open “open” means “open” in “staat nog open”. It describes the state of the bedroom window. It can follow “staat” to express that a window or similar object is open.

doe “doe” is the form used in “Ik doe het dicht”, “doe de balkondeur op slot”, and “doe ik ze uit”. Its meaning comes from the construction around it: these expressions close the window, lock the door, and turn off the lights. Reuse “doe” with the relevant object and closing, locking, or switching-off expression.

en “en” means “and” in “Ik doe het dicht en doe de balkondeur op slot”. It joins the actions of closing the window and locking the balcony door. It is useful for connecting two related actions in one sentence.

balkondeur “balkondeur” means “balcony door” in “de balkondeur”. It is the door that the speaker plans to lock. It can be used after “de” when referring to a specific balcony door.

op “op” is part of the fixed expression “op slot” in “doe de balkondeur op slot”. Together, “op slot” describes the locked position of the balcony door. Reuse “op slot doen” when saying that someone locks something.

slot “slot” refers to the lock or locked position in “op slot”. The full expression “de balkondeur op slot” means that the balcony door is locked. A useful pattern is “iets op slot doen” for locking something.

lichten “lichten” means “lights” in “De lichten in de gang”. It refers to the lights located in the hallway. It can be followed by “in” and a place to identify where the lights are.

in “in” means “in” in “de lichten in de gang”. It connects the lights with their location, the hallway. A useful pattern is “something in + place” when describing where something is.

gang “gang” means “hallway” in “in de gang”. It identifies the place where the lights are located. It is used after “de” in this expression.

aan “aan” means “on” in “zijn nog aan”. Together with “zijn”, it says that the hallway lights are still switched on. A useful pattern is “iets is aan” when describing a light or appliance that is on.

Dus “Dus” means “so” and introduces the consequence in “Dus doe ik ze uit”. Because the lights are still on, the speaker says that they will turn them off. It can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to connect a result with what was just said.

ze “ze” means “them” in “doe ik ze uit” and refers to the plural “lichten”. It is the object being turned off. It can be used for a plural object when the listener already knows what is being discussed.

uit “uit” is the switching-off part of “doe ik ze uit”. Together, “ze uitdoen” expresses turning the lights off. Reuse the pattern “something uitdoen” when describing switching off a light or appliance.

Dat “Dat” means “that” in “Dat zou alles moeten zijn”. It refers to the result of checking the apartment. It can introduce a statement about the situation just described.

zou “zou” expresses a cautious expectation in “Dat zou alles moeten zijn”. The speaker suggests that this should be everything, without stating it as completely certain. It is useful in statements such as “Dat zou ... moeten zijn” when giving a tentative assessment.

alles “alles” means “everything” in “Dat zou alles moeten zijn”. It refers to all the checking that needed to be done. It can be used after “zou” in the pattern “zou alles moeten zijn” to summarize a complete set of tasks.

Laten “Laten” is part of the suggestion “Laten we gaan”. Together with “we” and the verb, it invites the speakers to do the action together. A useful reusable pattern is “Laten we + verb” for making a joint suggestion.

gaan “gaan” means “go” in “Laten we gaan”. Here it suggests that the speakers leave the apartment. It follows “Laten we” when proposing that both people go.

te “te” means “too” in the expression “te laat”. It shows that the time would be later than desired. It is placed before “laat” in this expression.

laat “laat” means “late” in “te laat”. Together, “te laat” means later than is acceptable or wanted. It can follow “te” when describing that something is too late.

wordt “wordt” means “gets” or “becomes” in “voordat het te laat wordt”. It describes the time becoming too late. A useful pattern is “het wordt + description” when saying that a situation changes into a new state.

Grammar Points

voordat + bijzin (werkwoord achteraan)

Voordat we weggaan, controleren we alles.

vor-DAHT wuh VAYKH-KHAHN, kon-troh-LAY-run wuh ALL-us.

Before we leave, we check everything.

After voordat, Dutch puts the conjugated verb at the end of the subordinate clause.

Dutch Vocabulary

al adv

ahl already

alle det

ALL-uh all

appartement noun

ah-pahr-tuh-MENT apartment

controleren verb

kon-troh-LAY-run to check

dicht adj

DIKHT closed; shut

fornuis noun

for-NOYS stove

raam noun

RAHM window ramen

slaapkamer noun

SLAHP-kah-mur bedroom

staan verb

STAHT to stand; to be standing staat

uitzetten verb

OYT-ZET-tun to turn off uitgezet

voordat conj

vor-DAHT before

Voordat we weggaan

weggaan verb

VAYKH-KHAHN to leave

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

I already turned off the stove.

Show Answer

Ik heb het fornuis al uitgezet.

Are all the windows closed?

Show Answer

Zijn alle ramen dicht?

So I'll turn them off.

Show Answer

Dus doe ik ze uit.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

window

Show Answer

ramen

to turn off

Show Answer

uitgezet

stove

Show Answer

fornuis

before

Show Answer

voordat