Cleaning up a shared room | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: After an event in a common room, two adults use a checklist to clean up, reset furniture, and look for forgotten items..

EN → NL / Level: B1

About This Lesson

Use Cleaning up a shared room to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

De gemeenschappelijke ruimte ziet er na het evenement rommelig uit.

duh khuh-MAYN-skhap-uh-luh-kuh ROY-mtuh ZEET ur nah ut ay-vuh-nuh-MENT ROM-uh-likh OWT. The common room looks messy after the event.
B

We moeten de ruimte schoonmaken, omdat we die hebben gereserveerd.

vuh MOO-tun duh ROY-mtuh SKHOHN-mah-kun, ohm-DAHT vuh dee hay-bun khuh-ray-zur-VAYRT. We need to clean it because we reserved it.
A

Laten we een checklist gebruiken, zodat we niets missen.

LAH-tun vuh un CHEK-list khuh-BROY-kun, zoh-DAHT vuh NEETS MISS-un. Let's use a checklist so we don't miss anything.
B

Ik kan het afval verzamelen en jij kunt de stoelen terugzetten.

ik kahn ut AHF-vahl vur-ZAH-muh-lun un yay künt duh STOO-lun tuh-RUKH-ZET-un. I can collect the trash, and you can put the chairs back.
A

Moeten de tafels weer staan zoals ze stonden?

MOO-tun duh TAH-fuls vayr STAHN zoh-AHLS zuh STON-dun? Should the tables go back the way they were?
B

De volgende groep verwacht de gebruikelijke opstelling.

duh VOL-khun-duh khroop vur-VAKHTS duh khuh-BROY-kuh-luh-kuh OP-stel-ling. The next group will expect the usual setup.
A

Ik zal ook controleren of iemand persoonlijke spullen heeft laten liggen.

ik zahl ohk kun-troh-LAY-run of EE-munt pur-SOHN-luh-kuh SPÜL-un hayft LAH-tun LIKH-un. I'll also check whether anyone left personal items behind.
B

Je vergeet gemakkelijk opladers en notitieboeken.

yuh vur-KHAYT khuh-MAH-kuh-luk AHP-lah-durs un noh-TEE-tsee-BOO-kun. Chargers and notebooks are easy to forget.
A

De ruimte is nu klaar.

duh ROY-mtuh iss nüü KLAHR. The room looks ready now.
B

De ruimte schoon achterlaten zou het gemakkelijker moeten maken om die opnieuw te boeken.

duh ROY-mtuh SKHOHN AHKH-tur-LAH-tun zow ut khuh-MAH-kuh-luk MOO-tun MAH-kun om dee ohp-NYOO tuh BOO-kun. Leaving it clean should make it easier to book again.

Word by Word

De 'De' means “the” in 'De gemeenschappelijke ruimte' and identifies the room being discussed. Use 'de' before a noun phrase such as 'de ruimte' when referring to this shared room in a practical conversation.
gemeenschappelijke 'gemeenschappelijke' means “shared” or “common” and describes 'ruimte' in 'De gemeenschappelijke ruimte'. A reusable phrase is 'de gemeenschappelijke ruimte' when discussing a room used by several people.
ruimte 'ruimte' means “room” or “space” here, referring to the common room that is being cleaned. The dialogue also uses 'de ruimte schoonmaken' for cleaning the room.
ziet 'ziet' means “looks” in the expression 'De gemeenschappelijke ruimte ziet er na het evenement rommelig uit'. It is the form of 'zien' used with the room as the subject; a reusable pattern is 'iets ziet er ... uit' when describing its appearance.
er 'er' helps form the appearance expression in 'De gemeenschappelijke ruimte ziet er na het evenement rommelig uit'. Use it together with 'ziet' and the final 'uit' when saying how something looks.
na 'na' means “after” in 'na het evenement', placing the event before the room’s messy appearance. Use 'na' before a time or event when describing what happens afterward.
het 'het' means “the” in 'het evenement' and 'het afval'. Use it as the article in these exact noun phrases when identifying the event or the trash.
evenement 'evenement' means “event” in 'na het evenement'. Use it after 'na' when referring to something that happened before the current cleanup.
rommelig 'rommelig' means “messy” and describes how the room appears after the event. In 'De gemeenschappelijke ruimte ziet er na het evenement rommelig uit', it gives the condition that is being observed.
uit 'uit' is the final part of the appearance expression in 'De gemeenschappelijke ruimte ziet er na het evenement rommelig uit'. Use it with 'ziet er' when describing how something looks.
We 'We' means “we” and is the subject of 'We moeten de ruimte schoonmaken'. Use 'we' when speaking about yourself together with one or more other people responsible for an action.
moeten 'moeten' means “must” or “need to” in 'We moeten de ruimte schoonmaken'. It is the form of 'moeten' used with 'we'; a reusable pattern is 'subject + moeten + infinitive' for an obligation.
schoonmaken 'schoonmaken' means “clean” in 'de ruimte schoonmaken'. It is the infinitive after 'moeten', and you can reuse it with the thing being cleaned, such as 'de ruimte schoonmaken'.
omdat 'omdat' means “because” and introduces the reason in 'omdat we die hebben gereserveerd'. Use 'omdat' before a clause that explains why something is necessary.
die 'die' means “it” here and refers back to 'de ruimte' in 'omdat we die hebben gereserveerd'. Use it to refer back to the room instead of repeating the noun in the reason clause.
hebben 'hebben' means “have” in the construction 'hebben gereserveerd'. It is the form of 'hebben' used with 'we' as part of the completed-action construction; a reusable pattern is 'we hebben + completed action'.
gereserveerd 'gereserveerd' means “reserved” in 'we die hebben gereserveerd'. It is the form related to 'reserveren' used with 'hebben' to say that the room was booked in advance.
Laten 'Laten' helps express the suggestion “let’s” in 'Laten we een checklist gebruiken'. Use 'Laten we' when proposing a joint action, such as using a checklist together.
een 'een' means “a” in 'een checklist', introducing one unspecified checklist. Use 'een' before a singular noun when introducing it for the first time.
checklist 'checklist' means “checklist” in 'een checklist gebruiken'. In this situation, it is the list used to make sure no cleanup task is forgotten.
gebruiken 'gebruiken' means “use” in 'Laten we een checklist gebruiken'. It is the infinitive in the suggestion; a reusable pattern is 'iets gebruiken' when saying what tool or object you use.
zodat 'zodat' means “so that” and introduces the intended result in 'zodat we niets missen'. Use it before a clause explaining the result you want an action to achieve.
niets 'niets' means “nothing” and is the thing not overlooked in 'zodat we niets missen'. Use 'niets' with a verb when saying that no thing is involved or missed.
missen 'missen' means “miss” or “overlook” in 'zodat we niets missen'. It is the infinitive after 'we' in this purpose clause; the cleanup context uses it for failing to notice an item or task.
Ik 'Ik' means “I” and is the speaker’s subject in 'Ik kan het afval verzamelen'. Use 'ik' when offering or describing your own action during a shared task.
kan 'kan' means “can” in 'Ik kan het afval verzamelen'. It is the form of 'kunnen' used with 'ik'; a reusable pattern is 'Ik kan + infinitive' when offering an ability or action.
afval 'afval' means “trash” or “waste” in 'het afval verzamelen'. Use it as the object of a cleanup action when referring to discarded material in a shared room.
verzamelen 'verzamelen' means “collect” in 'het afval verzamelen'. It is the infinitive after 'kan'; a reusable phrase is 'afval verzamelen' when gathering trash.
en 'en' means “and” and links the two actions in 'het afval verzamelen en jij kunt de stoelen terugzetten'. Use it to connect actions or clauses performed by different people.
jij 'jij' means “you” and is the subject of 'jij kunt de stoelen terugzetten'. Use it when addressing the other person about the action they can do.
kunt 'kunt' means “can” in 'jij kunt de stoelen terugzetten'. It is the form of 'kunnen' used with 'jij'; a reusable pattern is 'jij kunt + infinitive' for describing the other person’s possible action.
stoelen 'stoelen' means “chairs” and is the object in 'de stoelen terugzetten'. It is the plural form related to 'stoel'; use it when referring to several chairs that need to be put back.
terugzetten 'terugzetten' means “put back” in 'de stoelen terugzetten'. It is the infinitive after 'kunt', and the object comes before it in the phrase 'de stoelen terugzetten'.
tafels 'tafels' means “tables” in 'Moeten de tafels weer staan zoals ze stonden?'. It is the plural form related to 'tafel' and refers to the tables whose positions are being restored.
weer 'weer' means “back” or “again” here, showing that the tables should return to their earlier position in 'weer staan'. Use it with an action when something is restored to a previous state or place.
staan 'staan' means “stand” or “be positioned” in 'Moeten de tafels weer staan zoals ze stonden?'. It is the infinitive after 'moeten' and describes the tables’ position rather than an action of carrying them.
zoals 'zoals' means “as” or “the way that” in 'zoals ze stonden'. It connects the tables’ desired position with their earlier position in the question.
ze 'ze' means “they” in 'zoals ze stonden' and refers to the tables. Use it as the subject when referring back to several objects already mentioned.
stonden 'stonden' means “stood” or “were positioned” in 'zoals ze stonden'. It is the past form of 'staan', used here to refer to the tables’ earlier arrangement.
volgende 'volgende' means “next” in 'De volgende groep'. It describes the group that will use the room after the current event; a reusable pattern is 'de volgende + noun'.
groep 'groep' means “group” in 'De volgende groep'. It refers to the people expected to use the room after the cleanup.
verwacht 'verwacht' means “expects” in 'De volgende groep verwacht de gebruikelijke opstelling'. It is the form of 'verwachten' used with 'de volgende groep' as the subject; a reusable pattern is 'someone verwacht + noun phrase'.
gebruikelijke 'gebruikelijke' means “usual” or “customary” and describes 'opstelling' in 'de gebruikelijke opstelling'. Use it when referring to the arrangement normally expected in a particular place.
opstelling 'opstelling' means “setup” or “arrangement” in 'de gebruikelijke opstelling'. It refers to how the tables and chairs are arranged for the next group.
zal 'zal' means “will” in 'Ik zal ook controleren'. It is the form of 'zullen' used with 'ik' to state a future intention; a reusable pattern is 'Ik zal + infinitive'.
ook 'ook' means “also” in 'Ik zal ook controleren'. It adds checking forgotten items to the speaker’s other cleanup tasks; place it near the action being added.
controleren 'controleren' means “check” in 'Ik zal ook controleren of iemand persoonlijke spullen heeft laten liggen'. It is the infinitive after 'zal'; a reusable pattern is 'controleren of + clause' when checking whether something is true.
of 'of' means “whether” in 'controleren of iemand persoonlijke spullen heeft laten liggen'. It introduces the yes-or-no question being checked inside the larger sentence.
iemand 'iemand' means “anyone” or “someone” in 'of iemand persoonlijke spullen heeft laten liggen'. Use it when the person is unknown or when asking whether at least one person did something.
persoonlijke 'persoonlijke' means “personal” and describes 'spullen' in 'persoonlijke spullen'. Use it before a noun when identifying belongings connected to an individual rather than to the shared room.
spullen 'spullen' means “items” or “belongings” in 'persoonlijke spullen'. It refers here to personal objects that someone may have left in the room.
heeft 'heeft' means “has” in 'heeft laten liggen'. It is the form of 'hebben' used with 'iemand' in the completed-action construction; 'laten liggen' expresses leaving something behind.
liggen 'liggen' means “lie” or “be left lying” in 'heeft laten liggen'. With 'laten', it describes personal items remaining in a place instead of being taken away.
Je 'Je' means “you” in 'Je vergeet gemakkelijk opladers en notitieboeken'. It addresses the listener in a general statement about things people can forget.
vergeet 'vergeet' means “forget” in 'Je vergeet gemakkelijk opladers en notitieboeken'. It is the form of 'vergeten' used with 'je'; a reusable pattern is 'je vergeet + object' when warning about a forgotten item.
gemakkelijk 'gemakkelijk' means “easily” in 'Je vergeet gemakkelijk opladers en notitieboeken'. It describes how readily the forgetting can happen; use it with a verb to describe an action as easy or occurring without difficulty.
opladers 'opladers' means “chargers” in 'opladers en notitieboeken'. It is a plural noun naming personal items that may be forgotten after an event.
notitieboeken 'notitieboeken' means “notebooks” in 'opladers en notitieboeken'. It is a plural noun joined to 'opladers' as another example of a personal item that can be left behind.
is 'is' means “is” in 'De ruimte is nu klaar'. It is the form of 'zijn' used with 'de ruimte' to state its current condition; a reusable pattern is 'something is + adjective'.
nu 'nu' means “now” in 'De ruimte is nu klaar'. It places the room’s ready condition at the present moment after the cleanup.
klaar 'klaar' means “ready” in 'De ruimte is nu klaar'. It describes the room as prepared for the next use; a reusable pattern is 'de ruimte is klaar'.
schoon 'schoon' means “clean” in 'De ruimte schoon achterlaten'. It describes the condition in which the room should be left; a reusable pattern is 'iets schoon achterlaten'.
achterlaten 'achterlaten' means “leave behind” or “leave” in 'De ruimte schoon achterlaten'. It is used with 'schoon' to say that the room is left in a clean condition.
zou 'zou' means “would” in 'zou het gemakkelijker moeten maken'. It presents the expected effect of leaving the room clean in a tentative or conditional way; a reusable pattern is 'zou + infinitive'.
gemakkelijker 'gemakkelijker' means “easier” in 'het gemakkelijker maken'. It compares the future booking with a situation in which booking would be less easy; use it before 'maken' to describe making something easier.
maken 'maken' means “make” in 'het gemakkelijker maken'. It is the infinitive after 'zou' and describes causing a change in how easy booking is; a reusable pattern is 'iets gemakkelijker maken'.
om 'om' means “in order to” in 'om die opnieuw te boeken'. It begins the purpose construction that explains what becomes easier.
te 'te' marks the infinitive in 'te boeken' after 'om'. Use the pattern 'om ... te + infinitive' to express the purpose of an action.
boeken 'boeken' means “book” or “reserve” in 'die opnieuw te boeken'. It is the infinitive after 'te' and refers to reserving the room again.
opnieuw 'opnieuw' means “again” in 'opnieuw te boeken'. It shows that the room has been booked before and may be reserved another time; use it before an action that is repeated.

Grammar Points

gemeenschappelijke ruimte

gemeenschappelijke ruimte

khuh-MAYN-skhap-uh-luh-kuh ROY-mtuh

shared space

Adjectives before a noun often take -e, as in gemeenschappelijke before ruimte.

laten liggen

laten liggen

LAH-tun LIKH-un

to leave behind

Laten liggen is a fixed Dutch phrase meaning to leave something where it is.

Dutch Vocabulary

afval noun
AHF-vahl trash, waste
checklist noun
CHEK-list checklist
evenement noun
ay-vuh-nuh-MENT event
gebruiken verb
khuh-BROY-kun to use
gemeenschappelijke adj
khuh-MAYN-skhap-uh-luh-kuh shared, common

De gemeenschappelijke ruimte

gereserveerd verb
khuh-ray-zur-VAYRT reserved
missen verb
MISS-un to miss
rommelig adj
ROM-uh-likh messy
ruimte noun
ROY-mtuh room, space
schoonmaken verb
SKHOHN-mah-kun to clean
terugzetten verb
tuh-RUKH-ZET-un to put back
verzamelen verb
vur-ZAH-muh-lun to collect

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Chargers and notebooks are easy to forget.

Show AnswerJe vergeet gemakkelijk opladers en notitieboeken.

The room looks ready now.

Show AnswerDe ruimte is nu klaar.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

event

Show Answerevenement

room, space

Show Answerruimte

checklist

Show Answerchecklist

to miss

Show Answermissen