Building a Healthier Daily Routine | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: At home, two adults discuss small daily health changes, including drinking more water and taking a short walk..

EN → NL / Level: A2

About This Lesson

Use Building a Healthier Daily Routine to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ik wil elke dag een gezondere routine.

ik vil EL-kuh dahkh uhn guh-ZON-duh ruh-TEE-nuh I want a healthier daily routine.
B

Begin met kleine veranderingen die je kunt volhouden.

buh-GHIN met KLAY-nuh vuh-RAHN-duh-rin-gun dee yuh kunt VOL-how-duh Start with small changes you can stick with.
A

Ik kan meer water drinken als ik aan het werk ben.

ik kan mare VAH-tur DRIN-kuh ahls ik ahn ut verk ben I can drink more water while I'm at work.
B

Dat kan je 's middags misschien meer energie geven.

daht kan yuh s-MID-dahkhs miss-KHEEN mare eh-nur-GHEE GHAY-vuh That may help your energy in the afternoon.
A

Moet ik na het eten ook sporten?

MOOT ik nah ut AY-tun ohk SPOR-tun Should I also exercise after dinner?
B

Een korte wandeling zou een haalbaar begin zijn.

uhn KOR-tuh VAHN-duh-ling zow uhn HAHL-bahr buh-GHIN zine A short walk would be a manageable start.
A

Ik kan mijn schoenen bij de deur zetten, zodat ik eraan denk om te gaan.

ik kan mine SKHOON-un buy duh DUHR ZET-un, soh-DAHT ik uh-RAHN denk um tuh GHAHN I can put my shoes by the door so I remember to go.
B

Dat klinkt realistisch en makkelijk vol te houden.

daht KLINKT ray-ah-LIS-tis unt MAK-uh-luk VOL tuh HOW-duh That sounds realistic and easy to keep up.

Word by Word

Ik Ik means “I” and is the speaker in “Ik wil elke dag een gezondere routine.” It is used as the subject when talking about yourself, for example when stating a personal goal or ability.
wil Wil expresses “want” in “Ik wil elke dag een gezondere routine.” It is the form of willen used with Ik and is followed here by the desired noun phrase; use it when stating a personal wish or intention.
elke Elke means “every” in “elke dag” and shows that the routine happens on each day. It comes directly before the time word dag and is useful for describing regular habits.
dag Dag means “day” in the time expression “elke dag.” Together, “elke dag” describes a daily frequency, so you can use it when talking about a repeated routine.
een Een introduces the singular noun phrase “een gezondere routine” and means “a.” It comes before a noun phrase when referring to one routine without identifying a specific one, and it also appears in “Een korte wandeling.”
gezondere Gezondere means “healthier” in “een gezondere routine,” describing a routine with better health effects than the current one. Its ending fits the noun phrase after “een”; use it when comparing a possible routine with an existing one.
routine Routine means “routine” in “een gezondere routine,” referring to a repeated pattern of daily activities. It is used here as the thing the speaker wants to improve, so it is useful when discussing habits or schedules.
Begin Begin tells someone to start in “Begin met kleine veranderingen.” It is an instruction directed at another person and is followed here by met plus the thing to start with; use it when giving practical advice.
met Met means “with” in “Begin met kleine veranderingen” and introduces what the action should start with. The reusable pattern is an instruction with begin followed by met and an activity, object, or change.
kleine Kleine means “small” in “kleine veranderingen,” emphasizing that the changes are limited and manageable. It comes before the plural noun veranderingen and is useful when recommending modest steps.
veranderingen Veranderingen means “changes” in “kleine veranderingen,” referring to adjustments to the daily routine. It is the object of Begin met, so it names what the listener should start with; use it when discussing practical adjustments.
die Die links “kleine veranderingen” to the description “je kunt volhouden,” meaning “that” or “which.” It introduces information about the changes and is useful for describing a plural thing by adding a relative clause.
je Je means “you” in “je kunt volhouden” and refers to the person receiving the advice. It is the subject of the clause after die and is used in informal conversation when addressing one person.
kunt Kunt expresses ability in “je kunt volhouden,” meaning that you are able to keep something going. It is used with je and is followed by the verb volhouden; use this pattern when discussing whether someone can manage an action.
volhouden Volhouden means “stick with” or “keep up” in “je kunt volhouden,” referring to continuing a change over time. After kunt it remains in this infinitive form, and it is useful for talking about habits or plans that someone can maintain.
kan Kan expresses ability or possibility in “Ik kan meer water drinken” and possibility in “Dat kan je ... geven.” It is used with an infinitive such as drinken or geven, so it is useful for describing what someone can do or what may happen.
meer Meer means “more” in “meer water drinken,” indicating an increased amount compared with before. It comes before the noun water and is useful when describing an increase in an amount or activity.
water Water means “water” in “meer water drinken,” the thing being consumed. It follows meer here and is useful in everyday conversations about drinking habits or health.
drinken Drinken means “drink” in “meer water drinken,” naming the action the speaker can do. After kan it appears in the infinitive form, and the pattern kan plus infinitive is useful for describing an ability or option.
als Als means “when” or “while” in “als ik aan het werk ben,” introducing the time or situation in which the drinking can happen. It begins a clause with its own subject and verb and is useful for connecting an action to a recurring situation.
aan Aan is part of the fixed expression “aan het werk,” which means being at work in this dialogue. It combines with het werk rather than carrying the whole meaning alone, and this expression is useful when identifying work as the current situation.
het Het means “the” in the fixed expression “aan het werk,” referring to work as an activity or situation. Here it belongs with aan and werk, so it is useful to learn the whole expression rather than translate it separately.
werk Werk means “work” in “aan het werk,” which describes being at work. It is part of that fixed expression and is useful when saying where or in what situation an activity takes place.
ben Ben means “am” in “ik aan het werk ben,” completing the clause about the speaker’s situation. It is the form of zijn used with ik and appears at the end of this subordinate clause after als.
Dat Dat means “that” in “Dat kan je ... geven,” referring back to drinking more water as a whole idea. It is the subject of the sentence and is useful for commenting on something just mentioned.
's 's is part of the time expression “'s middags,” meaning “in the afternoon.” It does not carry the complete time meaning alone; use it together with middags when specifying this part of the day.
middags Middags completes “'s middags,” which means “in the afternoon” in the dialogue. Together with 's it gives the time when the energy effect may be noticed, so it is useful for describing a daily time period.
misschien Misschien means “maybe” or “perhaps” in “misschien meer energie geven,” making the suggestion less certain. It can be placed before the relevant verb phrase and is useful when presenting a possible result without promising it.
energie Energie means “energy” in “meer energie geven,” referring to the person’s available energy in the afternoon. It is the thing that may be given more, so it is useful in conversations about tiredness, activity, or health.
geven Geven means “give” in “je ... energie geven,” describing water as possibly providing the listener with more energy. After kan it stays in the infinitive form, and the pattern can be understood as giving someone something.
Moet Moet asks whether something is necessary or advisable in “Moet ik na het eten ook sporten?” Here it starts a question about whether the speaker should exercise, and it is useful when asking for advice about an obligation or recommendation.
na Na means “after” in “na het eten,” placing the exercise later than the eating. It comes before the activity or event that sets the time and is useful for ordering two activities.
eten Eten means “eating” or “the meal” in “na het eten.” With na, it identifies the event that happens first, and this expression is useful when arranging an activity after a meal.
ook Ook means “also” in “ook sporten,” adding exercise to the other health changes already discussed. It comes before the infinitive sporten here and is useful when adding another action or possibility.
sporten Sporten means “exercise” or “do sports” in “ook sporten,” naming the activity being considered. After Moet ik it remains in the infinitive form, and it is useful when asking or talking about physical activity.
korte Korte means “short” in “Een korte wandeling,” describing a walk of limited duration. It comes before the noun wandeling and is useful when presenting an activity as small or manageable.
wandeling Wandeling means “walk” in “Een korte wandeling,” referring to the proposed activity. It is the subject of the sentence with zou zijn, and it is useful when suggesting walking as a simple form of exercise.
zou Zou expresses “would” in “zou een haalbaar begin zijn,” presenting the walk as a possible or suggested start rather than a firm fact. It is used with the infinitive zijn and is useful when making a gentle recommendation.
haalbaar Haalbaar means “manageable” or “feasible” in “een haalbaar begin,” describing something that can realistically be done. It comes before the noun begin and is useful when assessing whether a proposed step is practical.
zijn Zijn means “be” in “zou een haalbaar begin zijn,” completing the description that the walk would be a manageable start. After zou it appears in the infinitive form, and this pattern is useful for describing a possible identity or result.
mijn Mijn means “my” in “mijn schoenen,” showing that the shoes belong to or are associated with the speaker. It comes directly before the noun schoenen and is useful for identifying a person’s belongings.
schoenen Schoenen means “shoes” in “mijn schoenen,” the object the speaker plans to place by the door. It is the object of zetten and is useful when talking about footwear or preparing to go outside.
bij Bij means “by” or “near” in “bij de deur,” locating the shoes close to the door. It comes before the place phrase de deur and is useful for indicating a nearby position.
de De means “the” in “de deur,” introducing the specific door near which the shoes will be placed. It comes before the noun deur and is useful when referring to an identified common-gender noun.
deur Deur means “door” in “bij de deur,” the location chosen for the shoes. Together with bij de it forms a place phrase, useful when explaining where an object is or should be placed.
zetten Zetten means “put” or “place” in “mijn schoenen ... zetten,” describing the action of placing the shoes by the door. After kan it remains in the infinitive form, and it is useful for putting an object in a chosen position.
zodat Zodat means “so that” in “zodat ik eraan denk om te gaan,” introducing the intended result of putting the shoes by the door. It connects an action with its purpose or consequence and is useful when explaining why something is arranged a certain way.
eraan Eraan is part of “eraan denk,” referring back to the action the speaker wants to remember, namely going for a walk. In the full expression “eraan denk om te gaan,” it is useful for saying that something helps you remember an action.
denk Denk means “remember” or “think” in “eraan denk om te gaan,” where the speaker remembers to go. It is used with eraan and om te plus an action, a useful pattern for describing remembering a planned activity.
om Om introduces the purpose or action to be remembered in “om te gaan.” It works together with te and the infinitive gaan, and this construction is useful after expressions about remembering or intending an action.
te Te is the infinitive marker in “te gaan,” linking the preceding expression to the action of going. It appears directly before the infinitive and is useful in constructions that describe an intended or remembered action.
gaan Gaan means “go” in “om te gaan,” referring here to going for the planned walk. It follows te in the infinitive form and is useful for describing movement or an activity someone plans to do.
klinkt Klinkt means “sounds” in “Dat klinkt realistisch,” giving an assessment based on how an idea appears. It is used with Dat and an adjective, a useful pattern for reacting to a suggestion or plan.
realistisch Realistisch means “realistic” in “klinkt realistisch,” judging the proposed routine as practical and believable. It follows klinkt here and is useful when evaluating whether a plan can fit real life.
en En means “and” in “realistisch en makkelijk,” joining two positive descriptions of the plan. It connects words or phrases of equal importance and is useful when adding another related quality.
makkelijk Makkelijk means “easy” in “makkelijk vol te houden,” describing the plan as easy to maintain. It comes before the phrase vol te houden and is useful when evaluating the effort required for a habit.
vol Vol is part of the expression “vol te houden,” which means “to keep up” or “to maintain” in this dialogue. It must be understood together with houden and te, and the full expression is useful for describing a habit that remains manageable over time.
houden Houden completes “vol te houden,” meaning to keep something going or maintain it. Together with vol and te it describes continuing a routine, so the expression is useful when discussing whether a plan can be sustained.

Grammar Points

eraan denken + te + infinitief

Ik denk eraan te gaan.

ik denk uh-RAHN tuh GHAHN

I am thinking about going.

In Dutch, te comes before the infinitive in this construction: te gaan.

Adjectief met -e vóór een meervoudig zelfstandig naamwoord

Kleine veranderingen zijn haalbaar.

KLAY-nuh vuh-RAHN-duh-rin-gun zine HAHL-bahr

Small changes are manageable.

Before a plural noun, the adjective usually takes -e: kleine veranderingen.

Dutch Vocabulary

aan het werk phrase
ahn ut verk at work

als ik aan het werk ben

beginnen verb
buh-GHIN-un to start Begin

Begin met kleine veranderingen

drinken verb
DRIN-kuh to drink

meer water drinken

elke dag adv
EL-kuh dahkh every day

Ik wil elke dag ...

energie noun
eh-nur-GHEE energy

meer energie

gezond adj
guh-ZONT healthy gezondere

een gezondere routine

klein adj
KLYNE small kleine

kleine veranderingen

misschien adv
miss-KHEEN perhaps; maybe

misschien meer energie

routine noun
ruh-TEE-nuh routine

een gezondere routine

verandering noun
vuh-RAHN-duh-ring change veranderingen

kleine veranderingen

volhouden verb
VOL-HOW-duh to stick with; to keep up

die je kunt volhouden

water noun
VAH-tur water

meer water drinken

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

small

Show Answerkleine

water

Show Answerwater

to stick with; to keep up

Show Answervolhouden

healthy

Show Answergezondere