Clarifying dependencies in a tense priority discussion | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: In a workplace feedback session, two colleagues discuss how a tense priority debate can be made clearer with a dependency map..

EN → NL / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Clarifying dependencies in a tense priority discussion to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

De discussie werd gespannen toen mensen ieders prioriteiten begonnen te rangschikken.

duh dih-SKUS-see vairt khuh-SPAH-nun toon MEN-sun EE-durs pree-oh-ree-TAY-tun buh-KHOH-nun tuh RAHNG-skhik-un The discussion got tense once people started ranking everyone's priorities.
B

Het klonk alsof sommige teams het gevoel hadden dat hun werk opzij werd geschoven.

hut klon(k) ahl-SOF SOM-ih-khuh taams hut khuh-VOOL HAH-dun daht huhn vairk op-ZEYE vairt khuh-SKHOH-vun It sounded like some teams felt their work was being pushed aside.
A

Dat kan het vertrouwen schaden, ook als niemand dat zo bedoelde.

daht kahn hut vuh-TROW-un SKHAH-dun, ohk ahls NEE-mahnt daht zoh buh-DOOL-duh That can hurt trust, even if nobody meant it that way.
B

Misschien moeten we afhankelijkheden en belang uit elkaar halen voordat we de volgende vergadering hebben.

muh-SKHEEN MOO-tun vuh AHF-hahng-kuh-luk-KHAY-dun un buh-LAHNG ow-tuh-KAHR HAH-lun vohr-DAHT vuh duh VOL-khun-duh vuh-GHAH-duh-ring HEB-un Maybe we should separate dependencies from importance before the next meeting.
A

Sommige taken moeten eerst worden uitgevoerd.

SOM-ih-khuh TAH-kun MOO-tun airst VOHR-dun OWT-vohr-un Some tasks need to happen first.
A

Maar daardoor zijn ze niet waardevoller.

mahr DAHR-dohr zine zuh neet WAHR-duh-VOH-lur But that does not make them more valuable.
B

Ik kan een overzicht van de afhankelijkheden maken voordat we weer bij elkaar komen.

ik kahn un OH-vur-zikht vahn duh AHF-hahng-kuh-luk-KHAY-dun MAH-kun vohr-DAHT vuh vair bye ul-KAHR KOH-mun I can put together a dependency map before we meet again.
A

Dat zou de discussie concreet moeten houden, in plaats van persoonlijk te laten worden.

daht zow duh dih-SKUS-see kun-KRAYT MOO-tun HOW-dun, in PLAHTS vahn pair-soh-NEE-luk tuh LAH-tun VOHR-dun That should keep the discussion concrete instead of personal.
B

Dan kunnen mensen de discussie op dezelfde informatie baseren, en niet alleen op hun frustraties.

dahn KUN-un MEN-sun duh dih-SKUS-see op duh-ZELF-duh in-for-MAH-tsee bah-ZAY-run, un neet ah-LEEN op huhn fruh-STRAHT-sees Then people can base the discussion on the same information, not just their frustrations.

Word by Word

De "De" means "the" before "discussie" and "volgende vergadering". It is the definite article used with these nouns in the dialogue.
discussie "discussie" means discussion, referring here to the workplace debate. It can be used with "de" in "de discussie" when talking about a specific discussion.
werd "werd" means became in "werd gespannen". The same form also helps form the passive expression "werd geschoven" in the dialogue.
gespannen "gespannen" means tense, describing the discussion's atmosphere here. It can follow "werd" to describe a change in situation, as in "werd gespannen".
toen "toen" means when and introduces the time at which people began ranking priorities. It introduces a subordinate clause, as in "toen mensen ... begonnen te rangschikken".
mensen "mensen" means people and is the subject of the clause about ranking priorities. It is the plural form of "mens" and can be followed by an action such as "begonnen te rangschikken".
ieders "ieders" means everyone's or each person's in "ieders prioriteiten". It is placed before the noun to show that the priorities belong to the people being discussed.
prioriteiten "prioriteiten" means priorities, specifically the priorities that people are ranking. It is the plural form of "prioriteit" and can be used with a possessive such as "ieders".
begonnen "begonnen" means started in "begonnen te rangschikken". The pattern "begonnen te" introduces an activity that has started, followed here by "rangschikken".
te "te" marks the infinitive in "te rangschikken" after "begonnen". The pattern "beginnen te" is used to say that someone starts doing something.
rangschikken "rangschikken" means to rank or arrange in order, referring here to people's priorities. It can take a direct object, as in "ieders prioriteiten rangschikken".
Het "Het" means "it" at the beginning of "Het klonk". The same article form appears lowercase in "het gevoel", where it means "the".
klonk "klonk" means sounded in "Het klonk alsof". This expression introduces how a situation seemed to the speaker, followed by a clause beginning with "alsof".
alsof "alsof" means as if or like and introduces the impression that some teams felt their work was being pushed aside. It is followed by a clause, as in "alsof sommige teams het gevoel hadden".
sommige "sommige" means some in "sommige teams" and "Sommige taken". It is placed before a plural noun to refer to part of a group.
teams "teams" means teams, referring to groups whose work was affected by the discussion. It is the plural form of "team" and appears after "sommige" here.
gevoel "gevoel" means feeling in the noun phrase "het gevoel". In "het gevoel hadden dat", it names the feeling that the teams had about their work.
hadden "hadden" means had in "het gevoel hadden dat". It is the past form used with the plural subject "sommige teams" and can be followed by what someone felt or believed.
dat "dat" means that when it introduces the content of the teams' feeling in "hadden dat". The capitalized form "Dat" at the start of the next sentence refers back to the situation just described.
hun "hun" means their in "hun werk", showing that the work belongs to the teams. It is placed before the noun it determines.
werk "werk" means work, referring here to the teams' work. It appears with the possessive "hun" in "hun werk" and can be the thing that is pushed aside.
opzij "opzij" means aside in "opzij werd geschoven". It indicates that the work was moved away from its intended place or attention.
geschoven "geschoven" means pushed or shifted in "werd geschoven". It is the past participle of "schuiven" and appears with "werd" in the passive expression "opzij werd geschoven".
kan "kan" means can in "kan ... schaden", expressing that the situation has the potential to harm trust. A modal form such as "kan" is followed here by the infinitive "schaden".
vertrouwen "vertrouwen" means trust in "het vertrouwen". In the dialogue, it is the thing that can be harmed, as in "het vertrouwen schaden".
schaden "schaden" means harm or damage and is the infinitive after "kan". It can take something affected as its object, here "het vertrouwen".
ook "ook" means even in the expression "ook als", adding a concession. It shows that the result can occur even under the condition that nobody intended it.
als "als" means if in "ook als niemand dat zo bedoelde". It introduces the condition or circumstance under which the statement remains true.
niemand "niemand" means nobody or no one and is the subject of "bedoelde". It refers to no person in the situation being discussed.
zo "zo" means that way or like that in "dat zo bedoelde". It refers to the manner in which the action was understood or intended.
bedoelde "bedoelde" means meant or intended in "niemand dat zo bedoelde". It describes what nobody intended by the situation or action.
Misschien "Misschien" means maybe and introduces a tentative suggestion about the next meeting. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence before the proposed action.
moeten "moeten" means should or need to in "moeten ... uit elkaar halen". It expresses a recommendation or necessity and is followed here by the infinitive phrase "uit elkaar halen".
we "we" means we and refers to the colleagues who should separate dependencies from importance. It is the subject of "moeten" in the suggestion.
afhankelijkheden "afhankelijkheden" means dependencies, referring to relationships in which one task depends on another. It is the plural form of "afhankelijkheid" and is linked with "belang" by "en".
en "en" means and and connects "afhankelijkheden" with "belang". It joins the two things that should be considered separately.
belang "belang" means importance in this discussion. It is paired with "afhankelijkheden" in "afhankelijkheden en belang" as the second factor to separate.
uit "uit" contributes the idea of separating or taking something out in "uit elkaar halen". Together with "elkaar" and "halen", it forms the expression used for separating the dependencies from importance.
elkaar "elkaar" means each other in "uit elkaar halen". Here it indicates that the things are taken apart from one another.
halen "halen" means take or get in "uit elkaar halen", which means separate or take apart. The expression can be used with an object, such as "afhankelijkheden en belang uit elkaar halen".
voordat "voordat" means before and introduces the time relation with the next meeting. It begins the clause "voordat we de volgende vergadering hebben".
volgende "volgende" means next in "de volgende vergadering". It comes before the noun to identify the meeting that follows the current one.
vergadering "vergadering" means meeting, referring here to the next workplace meeting. It appears in the phrase "de volgende vergadering hebben".
hebben "hebben" means have in "we de volgende vergadering hebben". It appears at the end of the subordinate clause and describes the colleagues having or holding the next meeting.
taken "taken" means tasks, referring to pieces of work that must be completed in sequence. It is the plural form of "taak" and appears after "Sommige".
eerst "eerst" means first and marks the required order of the tasks. In "taken moeten eerst worden uitgevoerd", it shows that the tasks are to be carried out before something else.
worden "worden" is the infinitive used with "uitgevoerd" in "moeten eerst worden uitgevoerd". Together they form the passive part of the sentence, meaning that the tasks need to be carried out.
uitgevoerd "uitgevoerd" means carried out or performed, describing what happens to the tasks. It is used with "worden" in "worden uitgevoerd".
Maar "Maar" means but and introduces a contrast with the fact that some tasks must happen first. It connects the required order with the separate judgment about value.
daardoor "daardoor" means because of that or as a result, referring to the fact that the tasks must happen first. It introduces the consequence that they are not therefore more valuable.
zijn "zijn" means are in "zijn ze niet waardevoller". It links the subject "ze" with the description "niet waardevoller".
ze "ze" means they here and refers back to "Sommige taken". It is the subject of "zijn" in the statement about their value.
niet "niet" means not and negates the comparison "waardevoller". The phrase "niet waardevoller" says that the tasks are not more valuable.
waardevoller "waardevoller" means more valuable in "niet waardevoller". The comparison concerns the tasks' value, which the dialogue distinguishes from the order in which they must be done.
Ik "Ik" means I and identifies the speaker who can prepare the dependency overview. It is the subject of "kan" in the sentence.
een "een" means a in "een overzicht". It introduces one unspecified overview that the speaker can make.
overzicht "overzicht" means overview and refers here to a dependency map or structured view of the dependencies. It appears in "een overzicht van de afhankelijkheden".
van "van" means of in "een overzicht van de afhankelijkheden", introducing what the overview covers. It also appears in the expression "in plaats van", where it helps form the meaning "instead of".
maken "maken" means make or create in "een overzicht ... maken". It takes the overview as its object, so the reusable pattern is to make an overview of something.
weer "weer" means again in "weer bij elkaar komen". It shows that the colleagues will come together another time.
bij "bij" contributes the relation of being together in "bij elkaar komen". The expression describes people coming together or meeting.
komen "komen" means come in "bij elkaar komen". With "bij elkaar", it describes the colleagues coming together before the next discussion.
zou "zou" expresses an expected or intended result in "Dat zou ... moeten houden". It presents the speaker's view that the proposed map should help keep the discussion concrete.
concreet "concreet" means concrete or specific, describing a discussion based on clear matters rather than personal reactions. It appears after "de discussie" in "de discussie concreet houden".
houden "houden" means keep in "de discussie concreet ... houden". The pattern "iets ... houden" describes maintaining something in a particular state, here keeping the discussion concrete.
in plaats van "in plaats van" means instead of and introduces the alternative of letting the discussion become personal. In this expression, "in" means in, "plaats" means place, and "van" introduces what is replaced; together they form the construction "in plaats van".
persoonlijk "persoonlijk" means personal in "persoonlijk te laten worden". It describes the undesirable state that the discussion might enter.
laten "laten" means let or allow in "persoonlijk te laten worden". The pattern "iets ... laten worden" describes allowing something to become a particular state, here allowing the discussion to become personal.
Dan "Dan" means then and introduces the expected consequence of using the same information. It links the proposed dependency map with what people can do in the discussion.
kunnen "kunnen" means can or be able to in "kunnen ... baseren". It expresses what people will be able to do when they share the same information and is followed by "baseren".
op "op" means on in the pattern "de discussie op dezelfde informatie baseren". The verb "baseren" uses "op" to introduce the information on which something is based.
dezelfde "dezelfde" means the same in "dezelfde informatie". It emphasizes that all participants use one shared source of information.
informatie "informatie" means information and refers to the shared basis for the discussion. It appears after "op" in "op dezelfde informatie".
baseren "baseren" means base in "de discussie op dezelfde informatie baseren". The reusable pattern is "iets op iets baseren", with the discussion as the first object and the information as the basis.
alleen "alleen" means only or just and limits the basis of the discussion to the frustrations in the negative comparison "niet alleen hun frustraties". It emphasizes that frustrations should not be the sole basis.
frustraties "frustraties" means frustrations, referring to the participants' emotional reactions. It is the plural form of "frustratie" and appears with the possessive "hun".

Grammar Points

alsof + bijzin

Het klonk alsof de discussie gespannen was.

hut klon(k) ahl-SOF duh dih-SKUS-see khuh-SPAH-nun vahs

It sounded as if the discussion was tense.

Alsof introduces an “as if” clause; the finite verb moves to the end of the subordinate clause.

Dutch Vocabulary

afhankelijkheid noun
AHF-hahng-kuh-luk-KHAYT dependency afhankelijkheden
alsof conj
ahl-SOF as if
belang noun
buh-LAHNG importance
discussie noun
dih-SKUS-see discussion
gespannen adj
khuh-SPAH-nun tense
klinken verb
KLINK-un to sound klonk
prioriteit noun
pree-oh-ree-TAYT priority prioriteiten
rangschikken verb
RAHNG-skhik-un to rank
taak noun
TAHK task taken
uit elkaar halen phrase
OWT-uh-KAHR HAH-lun to separate
uitvoeren verb
OWT-VOOR-un to carry out; to perform uitgevoerd
waardevol adj
WAHR-duh-VOHL valuable waardevoller

Quiz

Word Order

Arrange the words in the correct order.

Some tasks need to happen first.

Show AnswerSommige taken moeten eerst worden uitgevoerd.

But that does not make them more valuable.

Show AnswerMaar daardoor zijn ze niet waardevoller.

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

tense

Show Answergespannen

importance

Show Answerbelang

priority

Show Answerprioriteiten

discussion

Show Answerdiscussie