Choosing a nearby restaurant for lunch | Learn Dutch in English

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Use Choosing a nearby restaurant for lunch to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Welke plek zullen we kiezen voor de lunch?

VELL-kuh plek ZULL-uhn vuh KEE-zuhn vohr duh LUN-tch? Which place should we choose for lunch?

Laten we een plek kiezen die dichtbij en handig is.

LAH-tuhn vuh uhn plek KEE-zuhn dee DIKHT-bye uhn HAHN-dikh iss. Let's pick somewhere close and convenient.

Het restaurant in deze straat heeft een eenvoudig lunchmenu.

HUT reh-stoh-RAHNT in DAY-zuh straht HAYFT uhn AYN-vow-duhkh LUN-tch-may-NY. The place on this street has a simple lunch menu.

Het café bij het park is misschien rustiger.

HUT kah-FAY bye hut park mihs-SKHEEN RUSS-tuh-gher iss. The cafe near the park might be quieter.

Maar het is verder weg.

Mahr ut iss VERR-der vehkh. But it is farther away.

Hebben we voor het restaurant in de buurt een reservering nodig?

HEB-uhn vuh vohr hut reh-stoh-RAHNT in duh burt uhn ray-zer-VAIR-ing NOH-dikh? Do we need a reservation for the nearby place?

Waarschijnlijk niet. Rond deze tijd kunnen we meestal wel een tafel vinden.

Wahr-SKHEYN-luhk neet. Rohnd DAY-zuh tyte KUN-uhn vuh MAY-stahl vell uhn TAH-fuhl VIN-duhn. Probably not. Around this time, we can usually find a table.

Dan kiezen we het restaurant in deze straat.

Dahn KEE-zuhn vuh hut reh-stoh-RAHNT in DAY-zuh straht. Then let's choose the place on this street.

Dan hebben we meer tijd om te eten.

Dahn HEB-uhn vuh mair tyte om tuh AY-tuhn. That leaves us more time to eat.

Word by Word

Welke “Welke” asks which option is meant; here it modifies “plek” in “Welke plek”. It comes before the thing being selected when comparing possible places for lunch.

plek “Plek” means place or spot, referring here to a possible lunch location. It appears in “Welke plek” and “een plek kiezen”, a useful pattern for choosing a place.

zullen “Zullen” helps form the suggestion “zullen we kiezen”, meaning shall we choose. With “we” and the infinitive “kiezen”, it is used to ask about a joint decision.

we “We” means we and is the subject of the proposed or planned actions in the dialogue. It is used before the plural verb forms in “zullen we kiezen”, “Laten we ... kiezen”, and “Hebben we ... nodig?”.

kiezen “Kiezen” means to choose and names the action being considered. It is used after “zullen” and in the suggestion “Laten we een plek kiezen”.

voor “Voor” means for in “voor de lunch”, indicating the purpose or occasion. In “voor het restaurant” it indicates what the reservation would be for, so it comes before the relevant noun phrase.

de “De” is the definite article in “de lunch”, referring to the specific lunch occasion. It also appears in “de buurt” and “de tijd”, before definite nouns in the dialogue.

lunch “Lunch” means lunch, the meal the speakers are deciding where to have. In “voor de lunch”, it identifies the occasion for choosing a place.

Laten “Laten” introduces the suggestion “Laten we een plek kiezen”, meaning let’s choose a place. Together with “we” and an infinitive, it proposes a shared action.

een “Een” presents a non-specific singular thing, such as “een plek”, “een reservering”, or “een tafel”. It comes before the noun when the speaker is not referring to one already identified item.

die “Die” connects “een plek” with the description “dichtbij en handig is” in “een plek die dichtbij en handig is”. It refers back to the place and introduces information about it.

dichtbij “Dichtbij” means nearby or close, describing the location of the place in “die dichtbij en handig is”. It is used after “die” here to describe where the place is.

en “En” joins the two descriptions “dichtbij” and “handig” in “dichtbij en handig”. It connects equal words or ideas in the same description.

handig “Handig” means convenient or practical, describing the place as a useful choice for lunch. In “dichtbij en handig”, it is linked with another description by “en”.

is “Is” links a subject with a description, as in “die dichtbij en handig is” and “is misschien rustiger”. It is the present form of “zijn” used with a singular subject.

Het “Het” is the definite article in “Het restaurant”, meaning the restaurant. The same form appears as lowercase “het” in “het park” and “het restaurant” after a preposition.

restaurant “Restaurant” means restaurant, the place being compared and chosen for lunch. It appears in “Het restaurant in deze straat” and “voor het restaurant in de buurt”.

in “In” marks a location: “in deze straat” is on this street, while “in de buurt” means in the vicinity. It comes before the location phrase that specifies where something is.

deze “Deze” means this and points to the specific street in “deze straat”. It comes before the noun being identified as the nearby or current one.

straat “Straat” means street and identifies the location of the restaurant in “in deze straat”. It is used after the location preposition “in” and the demonstrative “deze”.

heeft “Heeft” means has in “Het restaurant ... heeft een eenvoudig lunchmenu”. It is the singular present form of “hebben” and can describe what a restaurant or other place has available.

eenvoudig “Eenvoudig” means simple, describing the lunch menu in “een eenvoudig lunchmenu”. It comes before the noun it describes.

lunchmenu “Lunchmenu” means lunch menu, the selection of food available for lunch. In the dialogue it is what the restaurant has: “heeft een eenvoudig lunchmenu”.

café “Café” means cafe, the alternative place near the park. It is the subject in “Het café bij het park” and is compared with the restaurant.

bij “Bij” means near or by in “bij het park”, locating the cafe close to the park. It comes before a place that serves as a reference point.

park “Park” means park and is the reference point for the cafe’s location in “bij het park”. It follows the preposition “bij”.

misschien “Misschien” means maybe and signals that the speaker is not certain in “is misschien rustiger”. It is useful when suggesting a possibility rather than stating a fact.

rustiger “Rustiger” means quieter and compares the cafe with another possible place. It is used after “is” in “is misschien rustiger” to describe its noise level.

Maar “Maar” means but and introduces a contrast with the previous idea that the cafe might be quieter. It appears at the start of “Maar het is verder weg” when adding a disadvantage.

verder “Verder” marks greater distance in “verder weg”, meaning farther away. It works together with “weg” when comparing how far a place is.

weg “Weg” contributes the meaning away in “verder weg”. Together with “verder”, it describes a place as farther from the speakers or another reference point.

Hebben “Hebben” begins the question “Hebben we voor het restaurant in de buurt een reservering nodig?”. Dutch expresses needing something with “hebben” together with “nodig”, so the question asks whether a reservation is needed.

buurt “Buurt” means vicinity or neighborhood in the phrase “in de buurt”. Here it identifies the restaurant as nearby, and the phrase is used after “in”.

reservering “Reservering” means reservation, the booking being discussed for the restaurant. In “een reservering nodig”, it is the thing that may be needed.

nodig “Nodig” means needed or necessary in “een reservering nodig”. Together with “hebben”, it expresses a need, with the needed thing placed before “nodig”.

Waarschijnlijk “Waarschijnlijk” means probably and expresses likelihood in “Waarschijnlijk niet”. It is placed at the beginning of the reply to show that the answer is likely negative but not completely certain.

niet “Niet” means not and makes “Waarschijnlijk niet” mean probably not. Here it rejects the idea that a reservation is needed.

Rond “Rond” means around or approximately in “Rond deze tijd”. It comes before a time expression when referring to an approximate time.

tijd “Tijd” means time in “Rond deze tijd”, referring to the current period of the day. It is used after “deze” in this time expression.

kunnen “Kunnen” means can or be able to in “kunnen we ... vinden”. It is followed by the infinitive “vinden” and expresses the possibility of finding a table.

meestal “Meestal” means usually and describes how often they can find a table in “meestal wel een tafel vinden”. It adds a frequency meaning to the verb phrase.

wel “Wel” reinforces the positive expectation in “meestal wel een tafel vinden”: they can usually find a table. It helps make the reply reassuring after the question about needing a reservation.

tafel “Tafel” means table, the object they expect to find at the restaurant. It appears in “een tafel vinden”, a useful phrase for finding an available table.

vinden “Vinden” means to find and is the action possible in “kunnen we meestal wel een tafel vinden”. It remains in the infinitive after “kunnen” and takes “een tafel” as its object.

Dan “Dan” means then and introduces a decision or consequence based on what was just said. In “Dan kiezen we” and “Dan hebben we”, it links the next action or result to the previous situation.

meer “Meer” means more in “meer tijd”, referring to a larger amount of time. It comes before the noun when comparing available amounts.

om “Om” introduces the purpose in “om te eten”, meaning in order to eat. Together with “te” and the infinitive, it explains what the extra time will be used for.

te “Te” marks the infinitive in “te eten” within the purpose expression “om te eten”. It links “om” with the action that is intended.

eten “Eten” means to eat in “om te eten”. It is the infinitive after “te” and states the purpose of having more time.

Grammar Points

welke + zelfstandig naamwoord

Welke plek?

VELL-kuh plek?

Which place?

‘Welke’ staat vóór een zelfstandig naamwoord en vraagt om een keuze.

rustiger + zelfstandig naamwoord

een rustiger café

uhn RUSS-tuh-gher kah-FAY

a quieter café

‘Rustiger’ is de vergrotende trap van ‘rustig’ en vergelijkt dit café met een ander café.

Dutch Vocabulary

café noun

kah-FAY cafe

Het café bij het park

dichtbij adv

DIKHT-bye nearby; close

een plek kiezen die dichtbij ... is

eenvoudig adj

AYN-vow-duhkh simple

een eenvoudig lunchmenu

handig adj

HAHN-dikh convenient

dichtbij en handig

kiezen verb

KEE-zuhn to choose

zullen we kiezen

lunch noun

LUN-tch lunch

voor de lunch

lunchmenu noun

LUN-tch-may-NY lunch menu

een eenvoudig lunchmenu

park noun

park park

bij het park

plek noun

plek place

Welke plek zullen we kiezen?

restaurant noun

reh-stoh-RAHNT restaurant

Het restaurant in deze straat

straat noun

straht street

in deze straat

welke det

VELL-kuh which

Welke plek zullen we kiezen?

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

But it is farther away.

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Maar het is verder weg.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

simple

Show Answer

eenvoudig

place

Show Answer

plek

which

Show Answer

welke

lunch

Show Answer

lunch