Choosing What You Need | Learn Dutch in English

Sentence explanations

1. Ik kwam voor schoenen, maar de andere spullen die hier uitgestald zijn leiden me af.

   I came for shoes, but the other items on display are distracting me.

   kwam

   came

   schoenen

   shoes

   andere

   other

   spullen

   items

   hier

   here

   uitgestald zijn

   be on display

   leiden … af

   distract

   More detail

   kwam is the past-tense form of komen (“to come”). Here it is first-person singular because the fixed translation identifies the speaker as “I”: ik kwam = “I came.” The same form can also serve as third-person singular in other contexts, so the form alone does not always identify the subject. Example: Ik kwam gisteren. — “I came yesterday.” schoenen means “shoes.” It is the plural of schoen (“shoe”); the plural ending is -en. In voor schoenen, voor means “for” and presents shoes as the speaker’s purpose or intended purchase. Example: Ik zoek schoenen. — “I am looking for shoes.” andere means “other” here. It appears before the plural noun spullen; Dutch attributive adjectives generally take -e in this kind of noun phrase. andere contrasts the items with the shoes already mentioned, but does not specify exactly which items. Example: Ik wil andere schoenen. — “I want different/other shoes.” spullen is a plural noun meaning “items” or “things,” from singular spul. It is a relatively general word for personal or miscellaneous things; it is not specifically a word for merchandise. Example: De spullen liggen hier. — “The things are here.” hier means “here,” indicating the location associated with the display. It does not itself identify a particular place beyond the context. Example: De schoenen staan hier. — “The shoes are here.” uitgestald zijn is the combination “be displayed/be laid out on display.” uitgestald is the past participle of uitstallen (“to display” or “to lay out”), and zijn supplies the finite verb in this relative clause. In die hier uitgestald zijn, the plural relative pronoun die refers to the plural spullen, and zijn is the plural form of “to be.” Example: De boeken zijn uitgestald. — “The books are displayed.” leiden ... af comes from the separable verb afleiden, “to distract.” In the sentence, leiden is present tense and agrees with the plural subject de andere spullen; me is the object meaning “me,” and af appears separately at the end of the clause. The pattern is iets leidt iemand af — “something distracts someone.” Example: Het lawaai leidt me af. — “The noise distracts me.” The sentence begins with Ik kwam voor schoenen: “I came for shoes.” The clause maar de andere spullen die hier uitgestald zijn leiden me af adds a contrast with maar (“but”): the other items displayed here are distracting the speaker. Together, the utterance means: “I came for shoes, but the other items on display are distracting me.”

2. Begin met wat je kwam halen voordat je iets anders toevoegt.

   Start with what you came for before adding anything else.

   Begin

   start; begin

   met

   with

   wat

   what

   kwam

   came

   halen

   get; fetch

   voordat

   before

   iets anders

   anything else

   toevoegt

   add

   More detail

   Begin is the imperative of beginnen (“to begin”). It tells the addressee to start doing something. The present-tense form for “you begin” is also begint, but the imperative here is begin. met means “with” and introduces what should be started first. A reusable pattern is beginnen met + noun or beginnen met + activity: Begin met de oefening. — “Start with the exercise.” wat introduces the thing that is being referred to without naming it: wat je kwam halen means “what you came to get.” In this use, it functions as a relative word meaning “what,” rather than asking a direct question. kwam is the past-tense form of komen for ik, je/jij, and hij/zij/het. Here it combines with the infinitive halen in kwam halen, a pattern meaning “came to get” or “came to fetch.” The past tense places the coming before the instruction in the utterance’s time frame. halen is the infinitive “to get” or “to fetch.” In kwam halen, it names the purpose of the coming. For example, Ik kwam brood halen. means “I came to get bread.” voordat means “before” and introduces an event that should happen later than the starting action. In its subordinate clause, the finite verb comes at the end: voordat je iets toevoegt — “before you add anything.” iets anders means “anything else” in this context. iets is an indefinite pronoun for an unspecified thing, while anders adds the meaning “different/additional.” Together they refer to an additional unspecified thing, not to a named object. toevoegt is the present-tense form of toevoegen (“to add”) for je/jij or u in this sentence. The separable verb toevoegen has the stem voeg in the finite form, with toe attached here because it is inside the subordinate clause: je voegt iets toe is the corresponding main-clause order, while voordat je iets toevoegt places the complete finite verb at the end. The sentence first gives the instruction Begin met (“Start with”), then identifies the priority as wat je kwam halen (“what you came to get”), and finally sets the boundary voordat je iets anders toevoegt (“before adding anything else”). Together: “Start with what you came for before adding anything else.”

3. De schoenen zijn nodig, maar die jas is alleen maar verleidelijk.

   The shoes are necessary, but the jacket is only tempting.

   schoenen

   shoes

   zijn

   are

   nodig

   necessary

   maar

   but

   die

   that

   jas

   jacket

   alleen maar

   only

   verleidelijk

   tempting

   More detail

   schoenen means “shoes” here. It is the plural of schoen (“shoe”). The plural form helps explain why the following verb is zijn, not singular is. Example: Deze schoenen zijn nieuw. — “These shoes are new.” zijn is the present-tense plural form of zijn (“to be”) with the subject de schoenen. In this sentence it links the subject to the description nodig. Compare De jas is nodig. — “The jacket is necessary,” where the singular subject takes is. nodig means “necessary” or “needed” here. Dutch commonly uses the pattern iets is nodig for “something is necessary.” The adjective is not being compared; it simply describes the shoes as required. Example: Een kaartje is nodig. — “A ticket is necessary.” maar means “but” and introduces a contrast. It connects the necessary shoes with a different assessment of the jacket. Example: Ik wil gaan, maar ik heb geen tijd. — “I want to go, but I have no time.” die means “that” here and points to a singular common-gender noun. In die jas, it agrees with jas; the fixed translation identifies the referent as “the jacket.” This form contrasts with dat before a singular neuter noun, while plural nouns use die. jas means “jacket” or “coat,” depending on the item and context. Its plural is jassen. Example: Die jas is warm. — “That jacket is warm.” alleen maar is a two-word construction meaning “only,” “just,” or “merely.” Here it limits verleidelijk: the jacket is described as merely tempting, not as necessary. Example: Het is alleen maar een idee. — “It is only an idea.” verleidelijk means “tempting” or “enticing.” It is the adjective used after is to describe die jas; in this predicative position it has this uninflected form. The related opposite onaantrekkelijk means “unappealing,” but it is not part of the fixed sentence. Example: Die aanbieding is verleidelijk. — “That offer is tempting.” Together, De schoenen zijn nodig says that the shoes are necessary. maar contrasts this with die jas is alleen maar verleidelijk, which says that the jacket is only tempting. The complete meaning is: “The shoes are necessary, but the jacket is only tempting.”

4. Houd de jas dan voorlopig uit je mandje.

   Then keep the jacket out of your basket for now.

   Houd

   keep

   jas

   jacket

   dan

   then

   voorlopig

   for now

   uit

   out of

   je

   your

   mandje

   basket

   More detail

   Houd is the imperative of houden (“to keep” or “to hold”). In this sentence it tells the understood subject je (“you”) to keep something in a stated position. Example: Houd de deur dicht. — “Keep the door closed.” jas means “jacket.” Its plural is jassen. The definite article de shows that this is a specific jacket in the sentence; een jas would mean “a jacket.” dan means “then.” Here it links this instruction to the situation or decision already being discussed. It is separate from the time expression that follows. voorlopig means “for now” or “for the time being.” It limits the instruction to the present period rather than stating that it must always remain so. Example: Blijf voorlopig hier. — “Stay here for now.” uit means “out of” in this phrase. It describes movement or position from inside something: Haal het boek uit de tas. — “Take the book out of the bag.” je is the possessive form meaning “your” before a noun. It does not show the noun’s gender or number here; the noun identifies the thing possessed. Compare je jas (“your jacket”) and jullie jas (“your jacket,” addressed to more than one person). mandje means “basket.” It is the diminutive form of mand (“basket”), with the suffix -je; diminutives are grammatically neuter, so one says het mandje. In this sentence, je means “your,” not the diminutive suffix. Together, de jas is “the jacket,” and uit je mandje says that the jacket is to be kept out of your basket. The imperative Houd ... uit ... gives the instruction, while dan means “then” and voorlopig adds “for now.” The complete meaning is: “Then keep the jacket out of your basket for now.”

5. Deze sokken passen bij de schoenen en vervangen mijn versleten paar.

   These socks would match the shoes and replace my worn pair.

   Deze

   these

   sokken

   socks

   passen bij

   match; go with

   schoenen

   shoes

   vervangen

   replace

   mijn

   my

   versleten

   worn-out

   paar

   pair

   More detail

   Deze means “these” and is the plural form of the demonstrative; it agrees with plural sokken. For a singular noun, Dutch uses deze with a de-word and dit with a het-word. Sokken means “socks.” It is the plural of sok: een sok means “a sock,” and sokken means “socks.” Passen bij is a reusable Dutch construction meaning that something matches, suits, or goes well with something else. The verb is passen; bij introduces what it matches. Here passen is present-tense plural because its subject is deze sokken. Example: Deze kleur past bij je jas. — “This color matches your jacket.” The singular form past contrasts with plural passen. Schoenen means “shoes.” It is the plural of schoen: een schoen means “a shoe,” while schoenen means “shoes.” In bij de schoenen, de identifies the shoes being matched; the noun form shows the plural. Vervangen means “replace.” In this sentence it is a finite present-tense plural form, coordinated with passen, so the same subject deze sokken performs both actions. Its spelling is also the Dutch infinitive: vervangen can mean “to replace” after an infinitive-selecting verb, but here it is not an infinitive. Example: Deze sokken vervangen mijn paar. — “These socks replace my pair.” Mijn means “my.” It is a possessive determiner and does not change for the singular or plural of the possessed noun: mijn sok is “my sock,” and mijn sokken is “my socks.” It marks the speaker as the possessor; it does not itself state how many items are possessed. Versleten means “worn-out” or “worn.” Here it describes paar. It is the adjective-like past participle of verslijten, “to wear out”; the observed form is not the infinitive. The same form can occur in versleten schoenen, “worn-out shoes.” Paar means “pair.” Here it is a singular noun referring to a pair as one unit, so mijn versleten paar means “my worn-out pair.” Dutch also uses paar for a pair of items in general, as in een paar schoenen, “a pair of shoes.” The noun is neuter (het paar), though that gender is not visible in this possessive phrase. Together, Deze sokken passen bij de schoenen says “These socks match the shoes,” and en vervangen mijn versleten paar adds a second coordinated action: the socks replace the speaker’s worn-out pair. Thus the complete intended meaning is “These socks would match the shoes and replace my worn pair.” The Dutch verbs are present-tense forms; the English would belongs to the fixed translation’s proposal or hypothetical framing and does not correspond to a separate conditional form visible in the target sentence.

6. Ze passen beter bij je plan dan de jas.

   They fit your plan better than the jacket.

   passen

   fit; suit

   beter

   better

   bij je plan

   with your plan; suited to your plan

   dan

   than

   jas

   jacket

   More detail

   passen means “to fit” here, but Dutch passen bij is also commonly used for “to suit” or “to match.” The form passen is the present-tense form used with a plural subject such as ze (“they”). Example: Deze schoenen passen bij mijn jas. — “These shoes match my jacket.” beter is the comparative of goed: goed = good, beter = better, het best = the best. It marks a comparison, so the sentence says that one option suits the plan more successfully than the jacket does. bij je plan uses bij to express suitability or connection: “with your plan” or “suited to your plan.” je is the informal possessive “your”; its form does not show the gender or number of the possessed noun here. Example: Dit past beter bij je idee. — “This fits your idea better.” dan introduces the second side of a comparison: beter ... dan ... = “better ... than ...”. This is different from expressing a simple addition or sequence. jas means “jacket.” The observed noun is singular; its common plural is jassen (“jackets”). In the full sentence, the noun phrase is de jas, with the definite article de. Putting the parts together, ze passen beter bij je plan means “they fit your plan better” or “they suit your plan better,” and dan de jas supplies the comparison: “than the jacket.” The complete utterance is therefore: “They fit your plan better than the jacket.”

7. Ik neem de schoenen en sokken mee en ga dan weg.

   I'll take the shoes and socks, then head out.

   Ik

   I

   neem … mee

   take along

   schoenen

   shoes

   sokken

   socks

   dan

   then

   ga … weg

   head out

   More detail

   Ik means “I” here and is the first-person singular subject. The related object forms are mij and the shorter unstressed me, as in Ze zien mij (“They see me”); subject and object forms should not be exchanged. neem ... mee is the split form of meenemen, “to take along.” In the present tense, ik neem is the first-person singular form, while the separable particle mee moves to the end of the clause: Ik neem een boek mee means “I’m taking a book along.” The object can occur between neem and mee, as in this sentence. schoenen means “shoes” here. It is the plural of schoen; the singular is een schoen (“a shoe”). The preceding de is the definite article, and Dutch uses de with this plural noun. sokken means “socks” here. It is the plural of sok; the singular is een sok (“a sock”). Together with de schoenen, it forms the coordinated object of neem ... mee; the fixed translation gives the intended meaning “the shoes and socks.” dan means “then” and places the next event after the taking-along event. For example, Ik eet en dan vertrek ik means “I eat and then I leave.” ga ... weg is the split form of weggaan, “to go away” or, in this context, “to head out.” The present-tense first-person form is ik ga; the particle weg appears later in the clause: Ik ga nu weg means “I’m leaving now.” Together, Ik neem de schoenen en sokken mee says that the speaker will take the shoes and socks along. The conjunction en links the coordinated objects and then introduces the next action. The same subject continues in ga, dan marks the sequence, and weg completes weggaan. Thus the whole utterance means, “I’ll take the shoes and socks, then head out.”

8. Zo blijft je winkeltrip doelgericht en praktisch.

   That keeps your shopping trip focused and practical.

   Zo

   That way

   blijft

   keeps; remains

   je

   your

   winkeltrip

   shopping trip

   doelgericht

   focused; goal-oriented

   praktisch

   practical

   More detail

   Zo means “that way” here: it links the sentence to the preceding action and presents the result of doing it in that manner. A reusable pattern is Zo + clause for “That way, …” or “In this way, …”. blijft is the present-tense form of blijven for a third-person singular subject. blijven means “to remain” or “to stay”; here it describes the shopping trip continuing to have certain qualities, rather than physically staying in one place. The form chain is blijven → blijft for “he/she/it remains” or for a singular noun such as de winkeltrip blijft. je means “your” before the noun winkeltrip. In this use it is a possessive form: je + noun means that the noun belongs to or is associated with “you.” je can also be a subject or object pronoun in other sentences, but its role here is possessive. winkeltrip is a compound noun meaning “shopping trip.” It combines winkel (“shop/store”) with trip (“trip”). Dutch compounds are written as one word, so this form is not normally split into separate words in writing. doelgericht describes the shopping trip as focused on a purpose or goal. It is an adjective and can also be used in other contexts for an action or person that is purposeful. For example, Ze werkt doelgericht. means “She works purposefully.” praktisch is an adjective meaning “practical” here: the trip remains convenient or useful in its way of being carried out. It does not mean that the trip is physically located somewhere. For example, Deze oplossing is praktisch. means “This solution is practical.” Together, je winkeltrip identifies the shopping trip associated with you. blijft says that it continues in a certain state, and doelgericht en praktisch gives the two qualities that state has. Thus Zo blijft je winkeltrip doelgericht en praktisch. means “That keeps your shopping trip focused and practical.”