Checking an Apartment Before a Long Trip | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: Before leaving for a long trip, two adults check an apartment's appliances, locks, thermostat, and package arrangements..

EN → NL / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Checking an Apartment Before a Long Trip to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

We zijn enkele dagen weg, dus laten we het appartement nog eens goed controleren.

wuh zine EN-kuh-luh DAH-ghun wekh, dews LAH-tun wuh ut ah-pahr-tuh-MENT nokh AINS khoot kun-troh-LAY-run. We'll be away for several days, so let's double-check the apartment.
B

Ik heb de kleine apparaten uit het stopcontact gehaald en het fornuis uitgezet.

ik hep duh KLAY-nuh ah-pah-RAH-tun owyt ut STOP-kon-takt khuh-HAALT un ut for-NOWYS OWYT-ghuh-ZET. I unplugged the small appliances and turned off the stove.
A

Zijn de balkondeur en de ramen van de slaapkamer goed afgesloten?

zine duh BALK-on-dur un duh RAH-mun van duh SLAHP-kah-mur khoot AF-ghuh-sloh-tun? Are the balcony door and bedroom windows secure?
B

De balkondeur is op slot en ik ga de ramen van de slaapkamer nu controleren.

duh BALK-on-dur iz op SLOT, un ik khah duh RAH-mun van duh SLAHP-kah-mur new kun-troh-LAY-run. The balcony door is locked, and I will check the bedroom windows now.
A

Zullen we de thermostaat lager zetten zolang we weg zijn?

ZUL-un wuh duh ter-moh-STAAT LAH-ghur ZET-un zoh-LAHNG wuh wekh zine? Should we lower the thermostat while we are gone?
B

Zet hem lager, maar niet zo laag dat het appartement te koud wordt.

ZET um LAH-ghur, mahr neet zoh laakh daht ut ah-pahr-tuh-MENT tuh kowt vort. Set it lower, but not so low that the apartment gets too cold.
A

Ik heb onze buur ook gevraagd om eventuele pakketten aan te nemen.

ik hep ON-zuh byoor ohk khuh-VRAHKT om ay-ven-TOO-uh-luh PAH-kuh-tun ahn tuh NAY-mun. I also asked our neighbor to collect any packages.
B

Zo lijkt het alsof er iemand thuis is terwijl we weg zijn.

zoh LIKE ut ahl-SOF er EE-munt TOWS iz ter-WILE wuh wekh zine. That helps the place look occupied while we are away.
A

Nu voel ik me meer op mijn gemak om weg te gaan.

new fool ik muh mair op mine ghuh-MAK om wekh tuh khahn. Now I feel more relaxed about leaving.
B

Deze checklist kostte wat tijd, maar het was de moeite waard.

DAY-zuh CHECK-list KOS-tuh waht tite, mahr ut wahs duh MOOY-tuh vahrt. This checklist took a little time, but it was worth it.

Word by Word

We In this dialogue, We means “we,” the speaker together with at least one other person. It is the subject in We zijn enkele dagen weg and can be reused before a verb when referring to a group that includes the speaker.
zijn The form zijn expresses being: We zijn enkele dagen weg says that the speakers are away, while Zijn de balkondeur ...? asks about a current state. A common pattern is zijn + a description of a person, place, or condition.
enkele Enkele means several or a few in enkele dagen. It comes before a plural noun to indicate a limited number without giving an exact count.
dagen Dagen means days and names the period of the speakers’ absence in enkele dagen weg. Use dagen with a quantity or another expression of duration.
weg Weg means away or absent from home in We zijn enkele dagen weg. It commonly follows zijn when describing that someone is away.
dus Dus means so or therefore and connects the speakers’ absence with their decision to check the apartment. A reusable pattern is a statement followed by dus and a consequence.
laten In laten we het appartement nog eens goed controleren, laten helps form the suggestion “let’s check the apartment again.” The pattern laten we + an infinitive is used for a joint suggestion.
het Het means the in het appartement and identifies the specific apartment being discussed. It is placed directly before the noun in this phrase.
appartement Appartement means apartment, the place the speakers are checking before their trip. In het appartement, it follows the definite article het.
nog In nog eens goed controleren, nog adds the idea of doing something again or once more. The reusable expression nog eens + an action means once again.
eens In nog eens, eens contributes to the expression once again rather than meaning a separate count of one. Use nog eens before an action when repeating a check or request.
goed Goed means well or thoroughly in nog eens goed controleren. It describes the checking as being done properly, and goed can be used with an action to show careful quality.
controleren Controleren means to check or inspect in laten we het appartement nog eens goed controleren. It names the action being suggested and can be used with the thing that is being checked.
Ik Ik means I and refers to the speaker in Ik heb de kleine apparaten uit het stopcontact gehaald. It is used as the subject before a verb when the speaker describes their own action.
heb Heb works with gehaald and gevraagd in the dialogue to report actions that have already been carried out. A common pattern is Ik heb + a completed-action form when describing what the speaker has done.
de De means the in de kleine apparaten and de ramen van de slaapkamer. It marks the specific appliances and windows being discussed and comes before the noun phrase.
kleine Kleine means small and describes the appliances in de kleine apparaten. It appears before the noun it describes in this phrase.
apparaten Apparaten means appliances or devices and refers to the household items that were unplugged. In de kleine apparaten, it is the plural noun after the adjective kleine.
uit In uit het stopcontact gehaald, uit means out of and indicates that the appliances were removed from the socket. The pattern iets uit het stopcontact halen is used for unplugging something.
stopcontact Stopcontact means electrical socket or outlet in uit het stopcontact. It identifies the place from which the appliances were removed.
gehaald Gehaald means taken out or removed in uit het stopcontact gehaald. With heb, it reports the completed removal, and the exact form is related to the verb halen.
en En means and and joins the two actions uit het stopcontact gehaald and het fornuis uitgezet. It can connect two words, phrases, or actions of equal importance.
fornuis Fornuis means stove or cooker and is the appliance that was switched off in het fornuis uitgezet. It is used for the cooking appliance in the apartment.
uitgezet Uitgezet means switched off in het fornuis uitgezet. It reports that the stove was turned off, and the exact form is related to uitzetten; a common pattern is an appliance + uitzetten.
balkondeur Balkondeur means balcony door and refers to the door whose security is being checked. In De balkondeur is op slot, it is the subject of the statement about its locked state.
ramen Ramen means windows and refers specifically to the bedroom windows in de ramen van de slaapkamer. It can be followed by van + a place or person to specify which windows are meant.
van Van means of in de ramen van de slaapkamer and links the windows to the bedroom. A common use is van to specify a relationship, source, or belonging.
slaapkamer Slaapkamer means bedroom and identifies which windows are being discussed in de ramen van de slaapkamer. It follows de after van in this phrase.
afgesloten Afgesloten means closed and secured in goed afgesloten. Here it asks whether the balcony door and bedroom windows are securely closed, and it is used for doors or windows whose closure matters.
is Is states the condition of the balcony door in De balkondeur is op slot. It connects a subject with a current state or description.
op slot Together, op slot means locked or secured. In this expression, op presents the door as being in a locked state and slot refers to the lock; use the full expression after zijn, as in De balkondeur is op slot.
ga In ik ga de ramen van de slaapkamer nu controleren, ga helps express that the speaker is going to check them next. A common pattern is Ik ga + an infinitive to describe an intended or imminent action.
nu Nu means now and places the checking at the present moment in de ramen van de slaapkamer nu controleren. It can be placed near the action whose timing is immediate.
Zullen At the start of Zullen we de thermostaat lager zetten?, Zullen introduces a suggestion about what the speakers should do together. The pattern Zullen we + an infinitive? is used to propose a joint action.
thermostaat Thermostaat means thermostat and is the object whose setting the speakers want to lower. It is used with zetten when describing an adjustment to the setting.
lager Lager means lower in de thermostaat lager zetten and describes the desired lower setting. Use lager with zetten when reducing a setting such as temperature or volume.
zetten Zetten means to set or put in thermostaat lager zetten. Here it means adjusting the thermostat to a lower level; a reusable pattern is iets lager zetten.
zolang Zolang means as long as or while in zolang we weg zijn. It introduces a condition that continues for the period described by the following clause.
hem Hem refers back to the thermostat in Zet hem lager. It replaces the already mentioned object so the speaker does not need to repeat thermostaat.
maar Maar means but and introduces a limitation to the instruction to lower the thermostat. It connects the first action with a contrasting condition.
niet Niet means not and negates the degree in niet zo laag. It is placed before the word or phrase whose meaning is being limited.
zo Zo means so in niet zo laag dat het appartement te koud wordt and marks the degree of lowness. Together with laag and dat, it helps set a limit by introducing the resulting condition.
laag Laag means low and describes the thermostat setting in zo laag. It is used with zetten when talking about lowering a setting.
dat Dat means that and introduces the result clause in zo laag dat het appartement te koud wordt. The clause explains what would happen if the setting were made too low.
te Te means too in te koud and marks an excessive degree. The pattern te + an adjective describes something as more than is wanted or appropriate.
koud Koud means cold and describes the possible condition of the apartment in te koud wordt. It can be used with worden to describe becoming cold.
wordt Wordt means becomes or gets in het appartement te koud wordt. It expresses a change into the condition described by te koud; a common pattern is a subject + wordt + an adjective.
onze Onze means our and identifies the neighbor as belonging to or being associated with the speakers in onze buur. It is placed before the noun it describes.
buur Buur means neighbor and refers to the person asked to accept packages. In onze buur, it is identified through the possessive word onze.
ook Ook means also or too and marks asking the neighbor as an additional action in onze buur ook gevraagd. It is used when adding another person, action, or fact to what has already been mentioned.
gevraagd Gevraagd means asked or requested in onze buur ook gevraagd om eventuele pakketten aan te nemen. With heb, it reports that the request was made, and a useful pattern is iemand vragen om iets te doen.
om In gevraagd om eventuele pakketten aan te nemen, om introduces the action that the neighbor was asked to perform. The pattern iemand vragen om iets te doen connects the person asked with the requested action.
eventuele Eventuele means any possible in eventuele pakketten and refers to packages that may arrive or be present. It comes before a noun when the thing is possible but not certain.
pakketten Pakketten means packages or parcels and refers to the deliveries the neighbor may accept. In eventuele pakketten aan te nemen, it is the object of accepting.
aan In aan te nemen, aan is part of the combination aannemen, which means to accept or take delivery of something. The full phrase aan te nemen expresses the requested action of accepting the packages.
nemen In aan te nemen, nemen contributes the action of taking or accepting as part of aannemen. After te, it names the action the neighbor was asked to perform.
lijkt Lijkt means seems or appears in Zo lijkt het alsof er iemand thuis is. It presents the impression that someone is at home rather than stating that as direct certainty; a common pattern is het lijkt alsof + a clause.
alsof Alsof means as if and introduces the appearance clause in lijkt het alsof er iemand thuis is. Use alsof + a clause when describing an impression or situation that appears to be true.
er Er helps express presence in er iemand thuis is, meaning that there is someone at home. It does not name a location here; a common pattern is er + a form of zijn + a person or thing.
iemand Iemand means someone and refers to an unspecified person in er iemand thuis is. It can be used when the person’s identity is unknown or not important.
thuis Thuis means at home in iemand thuis is. It describes a person’s location or home state and is commonly used with zijn.
terwijl Terwijl means while and introduces the simultaneous time clause terwijl we weg zijn. Use terwijl + a clause when two situations occur during the same period.
voel Voel means feel in Nu voel ik me meer op mijn gemak and describes the speaker’s current emotional state. The pattern Ik voel me + a state or description is used to say how someone feels.
me Me refers back to the speaker in voel ik me and completes the expression for describing the speaker’s own feeling. It is used after voel in the pattern Ik voel me ...
meer Meer means more in meer op mijn gemak and shows an increased degree of ease compared with before. It can be placed before a state or description to indicate a higher degree.
op mijn gemak Together, op mijn gemak means at ease or relaxed. In the expression, op frames the state, mijn identifies it as the speaker’s, and gemak refers to ease or comfort; use the full expression after a feeling verb to describe being comfortable.
gaan Gaan means to go or leave in om weg te gaan. Here it refers to leaving the apartment, and the phrase om weg te gaan names that departure as an infinitive expression.
Deze Deze means this and points to the particular checklist being discussed in Deze checklist. It is placed before a noun when referring to a specific nearby item.
checklist Checklist means checklist and refers to the list used to verify the apartment before leaving. In Deze checklist, it is identified as the specific list the speakers have just used.
kostte Kostte means took in terms of time in Deze checklist kostte wat tijd. Here it refers to time required, not a monetary price; it is used with a time expression to describe how long an activity required.
wat Wat means some or a little in wat tijd and gives an imprecise amount of time. It is used here with tijd to say that the checklist required a certain amount of time without specifying how much.
tijd Tijd means time in wat tijd. It names the duration required by the checklist and can be used with kosten when describing time needed.
was Was means was in het was de moeite waard and places the evaluation in the past. The whole expression says that the completed checklist was worth the effort.
de moeite waard Together, de moeite waard means worth it. De identifies moeite, moeite refers to effort, and waard expresses value; use the full pattern [something] is de moeite waard when an effort has a worthwhile result. New example: De reis is de moeite waard.

Grammar Points

zolang + bijzin

Zolang het koud is, staat de thermostaat lager.

zoh-LAHNG ut kowt is, staht duh ter-moh-STAAT LAH-ghur.

As long as it is cold, the thermostat is set lower.

zolang introduces a condition. The verb comes after the subject in the subordinate clause.

om ... te + infinitief

Het is de moeite waard om de apparaten nog eens goed te controleren.

ut is duh MOOY-tuh vahrt om duh ah-pah-RAH-tun nokh AINS khoot kun-troh-LAY-run.

It is worth double-checking the appliances carefully.

Use om ... te before an infinitive to express the purpose or content of an action.

Dutch Vocabulary

afgesloten adj
AF-ghuh-sloh-tun closed; secured
apparaten noun
ah-pah-RAH-tun appliances; devices

de kleine apparaten

appartement noun
ah-pahr-tuh-MENT apartment
balkondeur noun
BALK-on-dur balcony door
enkele det
EN-kuh-luh several

enkele dagen

fornuis noun
for-NOWYS stove
nog eens goed controleren phrase
nokh AINS khoot kun-troh-LAY-run to double-check carefully
op slot phrase
op SLOT locked

De balkondeur is op slot

ramen noun
RAH-mun windows

de ramen van de slaapkamer

thermostaat noun
ter-moh-STAAT thermostat
uit het stopcontact gehaald phrase
owyt ut STOP-kon-takt khuh-HAALT unplugged
weg adv
wekh away; gone

We zijn enkele dagen weg

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

several

Show Answerenkele

balcony door

Show Answerbalkondeur

apartment

Show Answerappartement

stove

Show Answerfornuis