Finding the waiting room and checking in | Learn Dutch in English

About This Lesson

Use Finding the waiting room and checking in to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

Pardon, waar is de wachtkamer?

par-DON, vahr iss duh VOKHT-kah-mur? Excuse me, where is the waiting room?

Loop langs de balie.

lohp lahngs duh BAH-lee. Go past the front desk.

De wachtkamer is aan uw linkerkant.

duh VOKHT-kah-mur iss ahn oo LING-kur-kahnt. It will be on your left.

Moet ik me aanmelden voordat ik ga zitten?

moot ik muh AHN-meld-un vohr-DAHT ik khah ZIT-un? Do I need to check in before I sit down?

Vul eerst dit formulier in.

vuhl ayrst dit for-moo-LEER in. Fill out this form first.

Geef het daarna aan de balie.

khayf ut DAHR-nah ahn duh BAH-lee. Then hand it to the desk.

Roept iemand mij als ik aan de beurt ben?

roopt EE-mahnt may alss ik ahn duh BURT bent? Will someone call me when it's my turn?

Een verpleegkundige zal zo uw naam roepen.

ayn vur-PLAYKH-kun-duh-ghuh zahl zoh oo nahm ROO-pun. A nurse should call your name shortly.

Moet ik mijn verzekeringskaart bij de hand houden?

moot ik mine vuh-ZAY-kur-ings-kahrt bay duh hahnt HOH-dun? Should I keep my insurance card ready?

Houd de kaart bij de hand voor het geval de balie hem weer nodig heeft.

howt duh kahrt bay duh hahnt vohr ut khuh-VAL duh BAH-lee um vayr NOH-dikh hayft. Keep it handy in case the desk needs it again.

Word by Word

Pardon “Pardon” is a polite way to get someone’s attention before asking a question, here meaning “Excuse me.” You can use it at a reception desk or when addressing someone you do not know.

waar “waar” asks about a place or location, meaning “where” in “waar is de wachtkamer?” It commonly comes before a verb when asking where something is, such as “waar is …?”.

is “is” indicates the location or state of something, here asking where the waiting room is. It is used with a singular subject in the pattern “waar is …?”.

de “de” is the definite article used before “wachtkamer” in “de wachtkamer,” meaning “the waiting room.” Learn it together with the noun when referring to this specific room.

wachtkamer “wachtkamer” means “waiting room,” the room where visitors wait at the clinic. It is used here with “de” in “de wachtkamer” and can be used when asking for or identifying that room.

Loop “Loop” tells someone to walk or go, here as the instruction “Loop langs de balie.” It is useful for giving directions, especially before a route or landmark.

langs “langs” means past or along in “Loop langs de balie,” directing someone to walk past the reception desk. It commonly appears with a place or object that forms part of a route.

balie “balie” means a desk or reception counter, here the clinic’s front desk. It is useful when asking where to check in or when referring to the staff at the reception counter.

aan “aan” helps describe the location in “aan uw linkerkant,” meaning “on your left.” In this expression it is followed by a side or position, such as “uw linkerkant.”

uw “uw” means “your” in the polite or formal form used in “uw linkerkant.” It comes before the noun or noun phrase that belongs to the person being addressed.

linkerkant “linkerkant” means “left side,” identifying the side where the waiting room is located. It is used in the location pattern “aan uw linkerkant,” meaning “on your left.”

Moet “Moet” asks about necessity in “Moet ik me aanmelden …?”, meaning “Do I need to …?” It is used before the subject in this question and is followed by the action being asked about.

ik “ik” means “I,” the person asking whether they need to check in. It commonly appears after a question word or modal verb, as in “Moet ik …?”.

me “me” refers back to the speaker as the person carrying out the action in “me aanmelden,” meaning “check myself in.” It is used with this reflexive action rather than referring to another person.

aanmelden “aanmelden” means to check in or register, here at the clinic reception area. It appears after “Moet ik me” and is used for registering oneself with an organization or service.

voordat “voordat” introduces the earlier action in time, meaning “before” in “voordat ik ga zitten.” It connects the checking-in action with what happens before sitting down.

ga “ga” means “go” here, but in “ga zitten” the whole expression means “sit down.” This form is used with “ik” in “ik ga zitten” to describe what the speaker is about to do.

zitten “zitten” means “sit” in “ga zitten,” referring to taking a seat in the waiting room. It follows “ga” in this common pattern for telling or describing someone to sit down.

Vul “Vul” is an instruction to fill out something, here the form in “Vul eerst dit formulier in.” It is useful in practical situations involving forms or documents.

eerst “eerst” means “first,” showing that completing the form comes before the next step. It can be placed before the object or action that should happen first.

dit “dit” means “this,” pointing to the particular form being given to the visitor. It appears directly before “formulier” in “dit formulier.”

formulier “formulier” means “form,” here a document the visitor must complete. It is used with “dit” to identify the specific form at the desk.

in “in” is the separable part of “invullen” in “Vul eerst dit formulier in,” where the whole expression means “fill out this form.” It appears at the end of the instruction after the object, as is common with this expression.

Geef “Geef” tells someone to give or hand something over, here in “Geef het daarna aan de balie.” It is useful when instructing someone to pass a document or item to a person or desk.

het “het” means “it” in “Geef het daarna aan de balie,” referring back to the completed form. It stands before the time word and the phrase showing to whom or where the item should be handed.

daarna “daarna” means “then” or “afterward,” marking the step that follows filling out the form. It is useful for organizing instructions in sequence.

Roept “Roept” asks whether someone will call out to the visitor, here by calling them when it is their turn. It is used at the beginning of this question before “iemand,” the person who might call.

iemand “iemand” means “someone,” referring to an unspecified person who may call the visitor. It can be used when the identity of the person is not known or not important.

mij “mij” means “me” as the person receiving the call in “Roept iemand mij?” It is used after the verb to identify who is being called.

als “als” introduces the time or condition “when it is my turn” in “als ik aan de beurt ben.” It connects the calling action with the point at which the visitor’s turn arrives.

aan de beurt “aan de beurt” is the complete expression meaning “to be one’s turn” in “als ik aan de beurt ben.” “aan” and “de beurt” work together in this fixed expression, which is used with a person to say that their turn has arrived.

ben “ben” means “am” in “ik aan de beurt ben,” completing the expression “I am up or it is my turn.” It appears with “ik” in the subordinate clause introduced by “als.”

Een “Een” means “a” or “an,” introducing one nurse who is expected to call the visitor. It comes directly before the singular noun “verpleegkundige.”

verpleegkundige “verpleegkundige” means “nurse,” the clinic worker who will call the visitor’s name. It is used after “Een” to refer to one nurse without identifying a specific person.

zal “zal” expresses a future or expected action, here saying that the nurse will call the visitor’s name shortly. It is followed by the person or subject and the action described by the infinitive “roepen.”

zo “zo” means “soon” or “shortly” in “zal zo uw naam roepen,” indicating that the call is expected in a short time. It is useful when reassuring someone that an action will happen soon.

naam “naam” means “name,” here the visitor’s name that the nurse will call out. It appears in the expression “uw naam roepen,” meaning to call someone’s name.

roepen “roepen” means “call out,” here referring to calling out the visitor’s name. It follows “zal” and takes “uw naam” as the thing being called out.

mijn “mijn” means “my,” showing that the insurance card belongs to the speaker in “mijn verzekeringskaart.” It comes before the noun or noun phrase that belongs to the speaker.

verzekeringskaart “verzekeringskaart” means “insurance card,” the card the visitor may need to show at the clinic. It is used with “mijn” when referring to the speaker’s own card.

bij de hand “bij de hand” is the complete expression meaning “handy” or “ready,” as in keeping the card ready. “bij,” “de,” and “hand” form this expression together; it is used for an item that should be immediately available.

houden “houden” means “keep” or “hold” in “bij de hand houden,” meaning to keep something ready and available. It follows “Moet ik” when asking whether the speaker needs to keep the card ready.

Houd “Houd” instructs someone to keep or hold something, here the card in a ready position. It is used before the object in “Houd de kaart bij de hand.”

kaart “kaart” means “card,” here referring to the insurance card that should remain available. It appears with “de” in “de kaart” because the card has already been identified.

voor het geval “voor het geval” is the complete expression meaning “in case,” introducing a possible situation in which the desk needs the card again. “voor” and “het geval” combine to express this precaution, and the expression is followed by the possible situation.

hem “hem” means “it” here, referring back to “de kaart” as the item the desk may need. It is used after “nodig heeft” to identify what is needed.

weer “weer” means “again,” showing that the desk may need the card another time. It is placed before the phrase describing the need in “hem weer nodig heeft.”

nodig “nodig” means “needed” in the expression “hem nodig heeft,” which together means “needs it.” It commonly appears with an object and “hebben” when something is required.

heeft “heeft” means “has” in form, but in “hem weer nodig heeft” it contributes to the meaning “needs it.” It appears at the end of the clause after the object and “nodig,” as required in the clause introduced by “voor het geval.”

Grammar Points

Als + bijzin: het werkwoord staat achteraan

Als je aan de beurt bent, roept de verpleegkundige je naam.

alss yuh ahn duh BURT bent, roopt duh vur-PLAYKH-kun-duh-ghuh yuh nahm.

When it is your turn, the nurse calls your name.

Na als staat het vervoegde werkwoord achteraan in de bijzin: aan de beurt bent.

voor het geval + bijzin

Houd de verzekeringskaart bij de hand voor het geval die nodig is.

howt duh vuh-ZAY-kur-ings-kahrt bay duh hahnt vohr ut khuh-VAL dee NOH-dikh iss.

Keep the insurance card handy in case it is needed.

Voor het geval betekent “in case”. In de bijzin staat het werkwoord nodig is achteraan.

Dutch Vocabulary

aanmelden verb

AHN-meld-un check in; register

balie noun

BAH-lee desk; reception desk

langs prep

lahngs past; along

linkerkant noun

LING-kur-kahnt left side

loop verb

lohp go; walk

me pron

muh myself

Pardon intj

par-DON excuse me

voordat conj

vohr-DAHT before

vul verb

vuhl fill out

waar adv

vahr where

wachtkamer noun

VOKHT-kah-mur waiting room

zitten verb

ZIT-un sit

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Excuse me, where is the waiting room?

Show Answer

Pardon, waar is de wachtkamer?

Go past the front desk.

Show Answer

Loop langs de balie.

It will be on your left.

Show Answer

De wachtkamer is aan uw linkerkant.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

check in; register

Show Answer

aanmelden

past; along

Show Answer

langs

where

Show Answer

waar

desk; reception desk

Show Answer

balie