Timing dinner while hosting | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: At home before dinner guests arrive, two adults plan starters, vegetables, and serving order so the meal timing stays manageable..

EN → NL / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Timing dinner while hosting to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

De gasten kunnen aankomen terwijl het hoofdgerecht nog kookt.

duh GHAH-stuhn KUH-nuh(n) AHNG-koh-muh(n) tuh-VAYL ut HOHFT-khuh-REKHT NOKH KOHKT The guests may arrive while the main course is still cooking.
B

Serveer dan een eenvoudig voorgerecht, zodat iedereen rustig kan gaan zitten.

ser-VAIR dan uhn ayn-VOW-duhkh VOHR-khuh-REKHT, zoh-DAHT EE-duh-RAYN RUS-tuhkh kan khahn ZIT-tuh(n) Then serve a simple starter so people can settle in.
A

Ik kan de salade en het brood klaar hebben voordat ze aankomen.

ik kan duh sah-LAH-duh uhn ut BROHT KLAHR HAH-buh(n) vohr-DAHT zuh AHNG-koh-muh(n) I can have salad and bread ready before they get here.
B

Dat geeft het hoofdgerecht wat extra tijd, zonder dat het lijkt alsof het diner vertraging oploopt.

dat KHAYFT ut HOHFT-khuh-REKHT waht EK-strah TAYT, ZON-duhr dat ut LAYKT uhl-SOHF ut dee-NAYR vuh-TRAH-khing OP-LOHPT That gives the main course a little extra time without making dinner seem delayed.
A

Zal ik de groenten koken zodra iedereen is aangekomen?

zahl ik duh KHROON-tuhn KOH-kuh(n) zoh-DRAH EE-duh-RAYN iss AHNG-khuh-KOH-muh(n) Should I cook the vegetables once everyone has arrived?
B

Ze smaken beter als ze vers zijn bereid, dus wacht tot je bijna gaat serveren.

zuh SMAH-kuhn BAY-tuhr ahls zuh VAIRSS zayn buh-RAYT, duhs VAKHT toht yuh BAY-nah khaht sehr-VAIR-uh(n) They taste better freshly cooked, so wait until you are close to serving.
A

Gasten ontvangen voelt stressvol, omdat het moeilijker is om alles op tijd te regelen dan om te koken.

GHAH-stuhn ohnt-VAHNG-uh(n) VOOLT STRESS-vohl, ohm-DAHT ut MOY-luh-kuhr iss um AH-luhs op TAYT tuh RAY-guh-luh(n) dan um tuh KOH-kuh(n) Hosting feels stressful because timing everything is harder than cooking.
B

Maak een eenvoudig plan voor het serveren: drankjes, een voorgerecht en daarna het hoofdgerecht.

MAHK uhn ayn-VOW-duhkh plahn vohr ut sehr-VAIR-uh(n): DRAHNK-yuhs, uhn VOHR-khuh-REKHT en dah-NAH ut HOHFT-khuh-REKHT Make a simple serving plan: drinks, starter, then the main course.
A

Ik kan die checklist bij het fornuis leggen.

ik kan dee CHEK-list bay ut for-NOWS LEKH-uh(n) I can keep that checklist near the stove.
B

Dat zou je moeten helpen gefocust te blijven terwijl de gasten aankomen.

dat zow yuh MOOT-uh(n) HEL-puh(n) khuh-FOH-kuhst tuh BLAY-vuh(n) tuh-VAYL duh GHAH-stuhn AHNG-koh-muh(n) It should help you stay focused while people arrive.

Word by Word

De In “De gasten”, “De” means “the” before the noun “gasten”. Its capital letter is used because it starts the sentence; reuse de before the noun it determines.
gasten In “De gasten”, “gasten” means “guests”, the people expected for dinner. It is used here as the subject of “kunnen aankomen”; use it when talking about people you invite or receive at home.
kunnen In “De gasten kunnen aankomen”, “kunnen” expresses that the guests may arrive. It is followed by the action form “aankomen”; use this pattern to describe a possible or permitted action.
aankomen In “kunnen aankomen”, “aankomen” means to arrive. It follows “kunnen” as the action that may happen; use it when describing someone reaching a place.
terwijl In “terwijl het hoofdgerecht nog kookt”, “terwijl” means “while” and connects two actions happening at the same time. It is useful when explaining that one activity continues during another, such as guests arriving while food is being prepared.
het In “het hoofdgerecht”, “het” means “the” before “hoofdgerecht”. Reuse this article with the exact noun it introduces when referring to that main course.
hoofdgerecht In “het hoofdgerecht”, “hoofdgerecht” means “main course”, the central dish of the meal. It is discussed here as the food that is still cooking; use it when explaining the order of a meal.
nog In “nog kookt”, “nog” means “still” and shows that the cooking has not finished when the guests may arrive. It commonly appears before the action being described when something continues.
kookt In “het hoofdgerecht nog kookt”, “kookt” says that the main course is cooking. The form is used with “het hoofdgerecht” in this dialogue; use it to describe food being cooked.
Serveer “Serveer” is a direct instruction to serve something, here “een eenvoudig voorgerecht”. It is useful when giving a practical instruction about the next step in a meal.
dan In “Serveer dan”, “dan” means “then” and marks the next action in the proposed sequence. Use it to connect advice to what should happen after the situation just mentioned.
een In “een eenvoudig voorgerecht”, “een” introduces one unspecified starter and means “a” or “an”. It is used directly before the noun phrase being proposed.
eenvoudig In “een eenvoudig voorgerecht”, “eenvoudig” means “simple” and describes the starter as uncomplicated. Use it before a food or plan when recommending something easy to manage.
voorgerecht In “een eenvoudig voorgerecht”, “voorgerecht” means “starter” or “appetizer”, served before the main course. It is useful when describing the first course in a meal.
zodat In “zodat iedereen rustig kan gaan zitten”, “zodat” means “so that” and introduces the intended result of serving a starter. Use it to connect an action with the result it is meant to produce.
iedereen In “iedereen rustig kan gaan zitten”, “iedereen” means “everyone” and refers to all the people arriving for dinner. It is used here as the person who can settle in; use it when referring to every person in a group.
rustig In “rustig kan gaan zitten”, “rustig” describes settling in calmly or at ease. It modifies the way people sit down here; use it when emphasizing a relaxed manner.
kan In “iedereen rustig kan gaan zitten”, “kan” expresses that everyone can settle in. It is followed by the action phrase “gaan zitten”; use this pattern to describe what someone is able or allowed to do.
gaan In “gaan zitten”, “gaan” contributes the idea of going toward sitting down. It comes before “zitten” in this fixed action phrase; use the phrase when telling people to take a seat.
zitten In “gaan zitten”, “zitten” means “sit” and completes the action of sitting down. It follows “gaan” here; use it when describing someone being seated or taking a seat.
Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker as the person who can prepare the salad and bread. Its capital letter comes from starting the sentence; use it as the subject when describing your own action.
salade In “de salade”, “salade” means “salad”, one of the foods prepared before the guests arrive. It appears with “het brood” as something to have ready; use it when talking about this type of dish.
en In “de salade en het brood”, “en” means “and” and joins the two prepared foods. Use it to connect items that belong together in a list or sentence.
brood In “het brood”, “brood” means “bread”, served alongside the salad in the preparation plan. It is joined to “de salade” with “en”; use it when referring to bread as part of a meal.
klaar In “klaar hebben”, “klaar” means “ready” and describes the salad and bread as prepared for use. The phrase “de salade en het brood klaar hebben” means to have those items ready; use it when preparing something in advance.
hebben In “de salade en het brood klaar hebben”, “hebben” contributes the idea of having the food ready. It follows “kan” and works with “klaar”; use this pattern to say that something is prepared and available.
voordat In “voordat ze aankomen”, “voordat” means “before” and introduces the earlier time in the preparation plan. Use it to connect an action that must happen earlier with a later event.
ze In “voordat ze aankomen”, “ze” means “they” and refers to the guests. It is the subject of “aankomen”; use it when referring back to the people who are arriving.
Dat In “Dat geeft het hoofdgerecht wat extra tijd”, “Dat” means “that” and refers to having the salad and bread ready beforehand. Its capital letter comes from starting the sentence; use it to point back to a previous action or situation.
geeft In “Dat geeft het hoofdgerecht wat extra tijd”, “geeft” means “gives” or “provides”. Here the earlier preparation provides additional time for the main course; use it when one action creates a benefit or resource for something else.
wat In “wat extra tijd”, “wat” means “some” or “a little” and limits the amount of extra time. It is useful before an amount when the quantity is small or not specified exactly.
extra In “wat extra tijd”, “extra” means “additional” and describes time beyond the original amount. Use it before a noun when something is added to what was already available.
tijd In “wat extra tijd”, “tijd” means “time”, specifically time given to the main course before serving. Use it with words such as “extra” when discussing how much time a task has.
zonder In “zonder dat het lijkt alsof het diner vertraging oploopt”, “zonder” means “without” and introduces an outcome that should not occur. The full expression explains that the extra cooking time should not make dinner appear delayed; use it to describe avoiding a consequence.
lijkt In “het lijkt alsof”, “lijkt” means “seems” or “appears”. It introduces an impression rather than stating that the dinner is actually delayed; use it with “alsof” when describing how a situation looks.
alsof In “lijkt alsof het diner vertraging oploopt”, “alsof” means “as if” and introduces the apparent situation after “lijkt”. Use it when something gives the impression that a particular situation is happening.
diner In “het diner”, “diner” means “dinner”, the meal being organized. It is the subject of the possible delay in this sentence; use it when discussing the evening meal as an event.
vertraging In “vertraging oploopt”, “vertraging” means “delay”. It describes an unwanted slowing of the dinner schedule; use it when an event or process takes longer than planned.
oploopt In “het diner vertraging oploopt”, “oploopt” describes the dinner incurring or running into a delay. Its meaning here comes from the construction with “vertraging”; use that construction when a schedule suffers a delay.
Zal In “Zal ik de groenten koken?”, “Zal” introduces a proposal or offer about what the speaker should do. Its capital letter comes from starting the question; use “Zal ik” when asking whether your suggested action would be useful.
groenten In “de groenten koken”, “groenten” means “vegetables”, the food to be cooked after everyone arrives. It is the object of “koken”; use it when discussing vegetables as part of a meal.
koken In “de groenten koken”, “koken” means “cook” and names the proposed action for the vegetables. It follows “Zal ik”; use it when talking about preparing food by cooking.
zodra In “zodra iedereen is aangekomen”, “zodra” means “as soon as” and sets the exact event that should come first. Use it when one action should begin immediately after another event.
is In “iedereen is aangekomen”, “is” helps express that everyone has arrived together with “aangekomen”. It links the subject to the completed arrival; use this exact construction when referring to arrival as a completed condition.
aangekomen In “is aangekomen”, “aangekomen” contributes the meaning “arrived”. Together with “is”, it describes the condition after the guests have reached the location; use it when confirming that someone has arrived.
smaken In “Ze smaken beter”, “smaken” means “taste” and describes the vegetables’ flavor. It is used with “beter” to compare the result of cooking them freshly; use it when giving an opinion about food flavor.
beter In “smaken beter”, “beter” means “better” and compares the vegetables with how they would taste if prepared earlier. It commonly follows a verb such as “smaken” when evaluating an improved result.
als In “als ze vers zijn bereid”, “als” means “when” and introduces the condition under which the vegetables taste better. Use it to connect a result with a condition or situation.
vers In “vers zijn bereid”, “vers” means “fresh” and describes the vegetables as freshly prepared. It is used with “zijn bereid” here; use it when emphasizing that food has not been prepared long in advance.
zijn In “vers zijn bereid”, “zijn” helps express the prepared state of the vegetables while “vers” describes their freshness. Use this form when connecting a subject with a state described by the surrounding words.
bereid In “vers zijn bereid”, “bereid” means “prepared” or, in this food context, “cooked”. It describes what has happened to the vegetables; use it when talking about food that has been made ready.
dus In “dus wacht”, “dus” means “so” or “therefore” and introduces the advice that follows from the vegetables tasting better fresh. Use it to connect a reason or observation with a conclusion.
wacht “Wacht” is an instruction to wait, here until serving is close. It is useful when telling someone to postpone an action until a specified time.
tot In “wacht tot je bijna gaat serveren”, “tot” means “until” and marks the point up to which the person should wait. Use it before the event that signals when an action can begin.
je In “je bijna gaat serveren”, “je” means “you” and refers to the person preparing and serving the meal. It is the subject of “gaat serveren”; use it when addressing the person responsible for the action.
bijna In “bijna gaat serveren”, “bijna” means “almost” and shows that serving time is near but has not yet arrived. Use it before an upcoming action when it is close to happening.
gaat In “gaat serveren”, “gaat” helps express that serving is about to happen or is planned to happen. It is followed by the action form “serveren”; use this pattern for an upcoming action.
serveren In “gaat serveren”, “serveren” means “serve” and names the upcoming meal action. It follows “gaat”; use it when talking about bringing food or drinks to people.
ontvangen In “Gasten ontvangen”, “ontvangen” means receiving or hosting guests. The phrase describes the activity that feels stressful in this dialogue; use it when welcoming people into your home.
voelt In “Gasten ontvangen voelt stressvol”, “voelt” means “feels” and describes the speaker’s experience of hosting. It connects the hosting activity with the adjective “stressvol”; use it to describe how an activity seems emotionally.
stressvol In “voelt stressvol”, “stressvol” means “stressful” and describes hosting as demanding or tense. Use it after a feeling verb when explaining that an activity creates stress.
omdat In “omdat het moeilijker is”, “omdat” means “because” and introduces the reason hosting feels stressful. Use it to connect an observation with its explanation.
moeilijker In “moeilijker dan om te koken”, “moeilijker” means “harder” or “more difficult”. It compares timing everything with cooking; use it with “dan” when saying that one activity is more difficult than another.
om In “om alles op tijd te regelen”, “om” introduces the purpose or action phrase connected with “te regelen”. Together, “om ... te ...” expresses an action to carry out; use it when explaining what someone needs or wants to do.
alles In “alles op tijd te regelen”, “alles” means “everything” and refers to all the timing and hosting tasks. It is the object of “regelen”; use it when referring to all relevant items or actions together.
op In “op tijd”, “op” contributes to the expression meaning “on time”. It is used with “tijd” to describe completing something by the planned moment.
te In “om alles op tijd te regelen”, “te” marks the action form “regelen” inside the “om ... te ...” construction. Use it before the action when describing what someone aims or needs to do.
regelen In “alles op tijd te regelen”, “regelen” means arranging or managing everything on time. It describes coordinating the tasks needed for the dinner; use it when organizing several practical details.
Maak “Maak” is an instruction to make or create something, here “een eenvoudig plan”. Its capital letter comes from starting the sentence; use it when giving a direct recommendation to create a useful object or plan.
plan In “een eenvoudig plan voor het serveren”, “plan” means “plan”, a sequence for serving the meal. It is the object of “Maak”; use it when organizing actions in advance.
voor In “plan voor het serveren”, “voor” means “for” and shows the purpose of the plan. Use it before an activity to say what the plan is intended to organize.
drankjes In the list “drankjes, een voorgerecht en daarna het hoofdgerecht”, “drankjes” means “drinks”. It is the first serving item in the plan; use it when discussing beverages offered to guests.
daarna In “en daarna het hoofdgerecht”, “daarna” means “afterwards” or “then” and places the main course after the earlier items. Use it to show the next step in a sequence.
die In “die checklist”, “die” means “that” and points to a specific checklist already understood in the conversation. Use it before a noun when referring back to a particular item.
checklist In “die checklist”, “checklist” means “checklist”, a written list used to remember the serving steps. It is the object placed near the stove; use it when organizing several tasks that must not be forgotten.
bij In “bij het fornuis”, “bij” means “near” or “by” and gives the checklist’s location. Use it with a place when saying that something is positioned close to that place.
fornuis In “het fornuis”, “fornuis” means “stove”, the cooking area near which the checklist will be placed. Use it when referring to the kitchen appliance used for cooking.
leggen In “die checklist bij het fornuis leggen”, “leggen” means “put” or “place”. It describes placing the checklist in a location and follows “kan”; use it when putting an object down somewhere.
zou In “Dat zou je moeten helpen”, “zou” makes the statement a softened expectation about the checklist’s effect. It is used together with “moeten helpen”; use this pattern when saying that something is expected to be helpful.
moeten In “zou je moeten helpen”, “moeten” contributes the idea that the checklist should help. It works with “zou” and the action “helpen”; use the expression when making a reasonable prediction or recommendation.
helpen In “je moeten helpen gefocust te blijven”, “helpen” means “help” and describes the checklist assisting the person. It is followed by “gefocused te blijven”; use it when one thing supports someone in maintaining or completing an action.
gefocust In “gefocust te blijven”, “gefocust” means “focused” and describes the state the person should maintain while guests arrive. It is used with “blijven”; use it when someone needs to keep attention on a task.
blijven In “gefocust te blijven”, “blijven” means “stay” or “remain”. Together with “gefocust”, it describes continuing to pay attention during the arrival of the guests; use it when a person maintains a state over time.

Grammar Points

terwijl + bijzin

Terwijl iedereen rustig gaat zitten

tuh-VAYL EE-duh-RAYN RUS-tuhkh KHAHT ZIT-tuh(n)

While everyone sits down quietly

Terwijl introduces an action happening at the same time as another action. The verb goes to the end of the subordinate clause.

Dutch Vocabulary

aankomen verb
AHNG-koh-muh(n) to arrive
eenvoudig adj
ayn-VOW-duhkh simple
gaan zitten phrase
khahn ZIT-tuh(n) to sit down
gasten noun
GHAH-stuhn guests
hoofdgerecht noun
HOHFT-khuh-REKHT main course
iedereen pron
EE-duh-RAYN everyone
kookt verb
KOHKT is cooking; cooks
rustig adv
RUS-tuhkh calmly; quietly
serveer verb
ser-VAIR serve
terwijl conj
tuh-VAYL while
voorgerecht noun
VOHR-khuh-REKHT starter; appetizer
zodat conj
zoh-DAHT so that

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

main course

Show Answerhoofdgerecht

starter; appetizer

Show Answervoorgerecht

serve

Show Answerserveer

to arrive

Show Answeraankomen