Raising a noise issue calmly | Learn Dutch in English

Dutch lesson set in a contemporary Amsterdam everyday setting: In a shared building, one neighbor calmly explains that music carries through the wall late at night and agrees on practical adjustments..

EN → NL / Level: B2

About This Lesson

Use Raising a noise issue calmly to practice Dutch conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.

Dialogue

A

Ik wilde even zeggen dat je muziek heel duidelijk door de muur heen te horen is.

ik VIL-duh AY-vuh ZEG-khuh(n) daht yuh muh-ZEEK hayl DOY-duh-luk dohr duh MYOOR hayn tuh HOHR-uhn is. I wanted to mention that your music carries clearly through the wall.
B

Ik had niet door dat de muziek aan jouw kant te horen was.

ik haht neet DOHR daht duh muh-ZEEK ahn yow kahnt tuh HOHR-uhn vahs. I did not realize it was reaching your side.
A

Je hoort het vooral laat op de avond, wanneer het rustig is in het gebouw.

yuh HOHRT ut vohr-AHL laht op duh AH-vunt, vah-NAIR ut ROOS-tukh is in ut khuh-BOW. It is mostly noticeable late at night, when the building is quiet.
B

Ik kan de bas zachter zetten en de speakers van de muur af zetten.

ik kahn duh bahs ZAHKH-tur ZET-uh un duh SPAY-kurs vahn duh MYOOR ahf ZET-uh. I can lower the bass and move the speakers away from the wall.
A

Dat zou helpen, vooral op avonden vóór een werkdag.

daht zow HEL-pun, vohr-AHL op AH-vun-dun vohr uhn VAIRK-dahkh. That would help, especially on work nights.
B

Laat het me alsjeblieft weten als de verandering niet genoeg is.

laht ut muh ahls-yuh-BLEEFT VAY-tun ahls duh vuh-RAHN-duh-ring neet guh-NOOKH is. Please tell me if the change is not enough.
A

Ik waardeer het dat je erover wilt praten.

ik vahr-DAIR ut daht yuh AIR-oh-vur vilt PRAH-tun. I appreciate you being willing to talk about it.
B

Het is beter om dit uit te praten voordat er spanning ontstaat.

ut is BAY-tur om dit OWT tuh PRAH-tun vohr-DAHT ur SPAHN-ing on-STAHT. It is better to sort this out before it turns into tension.

Word by Word

Ik “Ik” means “I” and identifies the speaker in “Ik wilde even zeggen”. It is used before a verb when stating what you yourself think, feel, or do. New example: “Ik begrijp het.”
wilde “wilde” expresses “wanted” in “Ik wilde even zeggen”: the speaker introduces something they intended to mention. With “Ik” it appears before an infinitive such as “zeggen”. This is useful when raising a topic politely rather than making a sudden complaint.
even In “Ik wilde even zeggen”, “even” softens the statement and suggests that the speaker only wants to say something briefly. It commonly appears with verbs such as “zeggen” in a polite introductory phrase. You can use it when starting a short request or comment.
zeggen “zeggen” means “to say” in “Ik wilde even zeggen dat...”. It is the infinitive used after “wilde”, followed here by the information being mentioned. New example: “Ik wil iets zeggen.”
dat The lowercase “dat” introduces the information being mentioned after “zeggen”: “zeggen dat je muziek...”. It links the introductory statement to a complete clause. New example: “Ik weet dat hij komt.”
je In “dat je muziek...”, “je” means “your” and identifies whose music is being discussed. It appears directly before the noun “muziek”. The same form can also mean “you” in other contexts, so the following word helps show its function here.
muziek “muziek” means “music” and is the sound being discussed in the conversation. In “je muziek” it follows the possessive “je”. New example: “De muziek staat zacht.”
heel “heel” strengthens “duidelijk” in “heel duidelijk”: the music can be heard very clearly. It commonly comes directly before the adjective or adverb it intensifies. New example: “Dat is heel duidelijk.”
duidelijk “duidelijk” means “clearly” in “heel duidelijk door de muur heen te horen”: the sound is easy to hear through the wall. Here it describes how noticeable the sound is, together with “te horen”. New example: “Ik kan je duidelijk horen.”
door “door” expresses movement or transmission through something in “door de muur heen”. It is followed by the object “de muur” and works together with “heen” to emphasize passage through the wall. New example: “Het licht komt door het raam.”
de In “de muur”, “de” is the definite article meaning “the”. It comes before the noun “muur”. New example: “de deur”.
muur “muur” means “wall” in “door de muur heen”. It names the surface through which the music can be heard. New example: “De muur is dik.”
heen In “door de muur heen”, “heen” reinforces the idea of passing through or across the wall. It belongs to the full directional expression and should not be treated as the whole meaning by itself. This pattern is useful when emphasizing that something reaches the other side.
te In “te horen”, “te” marks the infinitive in the expression describing what can be heard. Together with “te horen” it forms part of “heel duidelijk door de muur heen te horen”. It commonly appears before an infinitive in such descriptions.
horen “horen” means “to hear” in “te horen”: the music is audible through the wall. It follows “te” in this infinitive construction. New example: “Ik kan de muziek horen.”
is “is” expresses “is” at the end of “te horen is”, stating that the music can be heard through the wall. It links “je muziek” with the description of its audibility. New example: “De deur is open.”
had “had” expresses that the speaker previously had or possessed something in the expression “had niet door”. Together, “had niet door” means that the speaker did not realize or notice something. New example: “Ik had dat niet door.”
niet “niet” negates the expression “had door” in “Ik had niet door”. It shows that the speaker did not realize that the music could be heard on the other side. It commonly comes before the part of the sentence being negated.
aan In “aan jouw kant”, “aan” places something at or on a side. It is followed by “jouw kant” and identifies the neighbor’s side of the wall. New example: “Aan de andere kant is het stil.”
jouw “jouw” means “your” in “aan jouw kant”. It identifies the side belonging to the person being addressed and comes before “kant”. New example: “jouw kamer”.
kant “kant” means “side” in “aan jouw kant”, referring to the other person’s side of the building or wall. The reusable expression is “aan ... kant”. New example: “aan mijn kant”.
was “was” expresses that something was the case in the past in “te horen was”. It describes the music as being audible on the other person’s side at that earlier point. New example: “Het was rustig.”
hoort In “Je hoort het vooral”, “hoort” means “hear” or “can hear” with the subject “je”. It introduces what a person notices by hearing, followed by the object “het”. New example: “Je hoort de muziek.”
het In “Je hoort het”, “het” means “it” and refers to the music or sound already being discussed. It comes after “hoort” as the thing that can be heard. The capitalized “Het” in “Het is beter” instead means “it” as the subject of a general statement.
vooral “vooral” means “especially” or “mainly” in “Je hoort het vooral laat op de avond”. It focuses attention on the time when the sound is most noticeable. It commonly comes before the time or circumstance being emphasized.
laat In “laat op de avond”, “laat” means “late” and describes the time of the evening. It comes before “op de avond” in this time expression. The capitalized “Laat” in “Laat het me weten” is a different use meaning “let” in a request.
op In “op de avond”, “op” is part of the expression locating something in the evening. It comes before the article and noun “de avond”. New example: “op maandagavond”.
avond “avond” means “evening” in “laat op de avond”. It identifies the time when the building is quiet and the music is especially noticeable. New example: “Vanavond blijf ik thuis.”
wanneer “wanneer” means “when” and introduces the circumstance “wanneer het rustig is in het gebouw”. It connects the time or condition with the main statement about hearing the music. New example: “Wanneer kom je?”
rustig “rustig” means “quiet” in “wanneer het rustig is in het gebouw”. It describes the building as having little other noise, making the music more noticeable. New example: “De straat is rustig.”
in “in” places something inside a location in “in het gebouw”. It is followed by the article and noun “het gebouw”. New example: “in de kamer”.
gebouw “gebouw” means “building” in “in het gebouw”. It identifies the shared place where both neighbors live. New example: “Het gebouw is oud.”
kan “kan” expresses ability or possibility in “Ik kan de bas zachter zetten”. It shows that the speaker is able and willing to make the suggested adjustment. It is followed by infinitives such as “zetten”.
bas “bas” means “bass” and refers to the low-frequency part of the music in “de bas”. It is the sound setting the speaker offers to reduce. New example: “De bas is sterk.”
zachter “zachter” means “softer” or “lower” in “de bas zachter zetten”. The expression means to set the bass at a softer level. This pattern can be reused with a sound or volume setting, such as “de muziek zachter zetten”.
zetten In “de bas zachter zetten”, “zetten” means “to set” or “adjust”, not simply to place something somewhere. It follows “kan” and takes “de bas” as the object with “zachter” describing the new setting. New example: “Zet de muziek zachter.”
en “en” connects the two adjustments in “de bas zachter zetten en de speakers...”. It shows that the speaker offers both actions. New example: “Ik sluit het raam en de deur.”
speakers “speakers” means “speakers” and refers to the devices producing the music. In “de speakers van de muur af zetten”, they are the objects that will be moved away from the wall. New example: “De speakers staan op de kast.”
van In “van de muur af”, “van” marks separation from the wall. It works together with “af” to express moving the speakers away from that surface. New example: “Haal de stoel van de tafel af.”
af In “de speakers van de muur af zetten”, “af” completes the expression meaning to move the speakers away from the wall. Its meaning comes from the full combination “van ... af”, not from “af” alone. This pattern is useful for describing separation from a surface or place.
zou “zou” presents a possible or expected result in “Dat zou helpen”: the suggested changes would probably improve the situation. It is followed by the infinitive “helpen”. This form is useful when responding to a proposal in a measured way.
helpen “helpen” means “to help” in “Dat zou helpen”. The subject “Dat” refers to the proposed changes, and “helpen” describes their positive effect. New example: “Dat kan helpen.”
avonden “avonden” means “evenings” in “op avonden vóór een werkdag”. The plural refers to more than one evening of this type. It follows “op” in the time expression.
vóór “vóór” means “before” in “vóór een werkdag” and identifies evenings occurring before a workday. The accent helps distinguish this time meaning in the written form. New example: “ vóór de vergadering” is a new example of the same time relation.
een In “een werkdag”, “een” means “a” and introduces one non-specific workday. It comes directly before the noun “werkdag”. New example: “een rustige avond”.
werkdag “werkdag” means “workday” in “vóór een werkdag”. It identifies the day after which the neighbor may need to work, explaining why quieter evenings matter. New example: “Morgen is een werkdag.”
me “me” means “me” in “Laat het me weten”. It identifies the person who should receive the information. In this expression it comes before “weten” and after the object “het”.
alsjeblieft “alsjeblieft” means “please” in “Laat het me alsjeblieft weten”. It makes the request sound polite and cooperative. It can be placed inside a request without changing the requested action.
weten In “Laat het me weten”, “weten” means “let me know” as part of the complete expression. The pattern requires the object “het” and the recipient “me”: “Laat het me weten”. Use it when asking someone to inform you about a later result.
als “als” means “if” in “als de verandering niet genoeg is”. It introduces the condition under which the listener should report back. New example: “Bel me als je hulp nodig hebt.”
verandering “verandering” means “change” in “de verandering”. It refers to the adjustments to the bass and speaker position that were just proposed. New example: “De verandering helpt.”
genoeg “genoeg” means “enough” in “niet genoeg is”. It describes whether the change has reduced the noise sufficiently. It commonly follows the thing being evaluated, as in “de verandering is genoeg”.
waardeer “waardeer” means “appreciate” in “Ik waardeer het dat je erover wilt praten”. With “Ik”, it expresses the speaker’s gratitude for the other person’s willingness to discuss the issue. It is followed by “het dat...” when appreciating a whole action or situation.
erover “erover” means “about it” in “erover wilt praten”. It refers to the noise issue already being discussed and combines the reference with “praten”. This form is useful when the topic has already been mentioned.
wilt “wilt” expresses “want” or “are willing to” with “je” in “dat je erover wilt praten”. Here it shows that the other person is willing to talk about the issue. It is followed by the infinitive “praten”.
praten “praten” means “to talk” in “erover wilt praten”. It follows “wilt” and takes “erover” as the topic being discussed. New example: “We kunnen er later over praten.”
beter “beter” means “better” in “Het is beter om dit uit te praten”. It presents resolving the issue as the preferable course of action. It commonly appears in the pattern “Het is beter om ...”.
om In “om dit uit te praten”, “om” introduces the action that is considered better. It works with “te” and the infinitive phrase “dit uit te praten”. This pattern is used after an evaluation such as “Het is beter”.
dit “dit” means “this” in “dit uit te praten” and refers to the noise issue currently under discussion. It comes before the separable expression “uitpraten”, whose parts appear as “uit ... te praten”. New example: “We moeten dit bespreken.”
uit In “dit uit te praten”, “uit” is part of “uitpraten”, meaning to talk something through and resolve it. It appears before “te praten” because the verb’s components are separated in this construction. The whole expression, not “uit” alone, gives the meaning of resolving the issue.
voordat “voordat” means “before” and introduces the point “voordat er spanning ontstaat”. It sets a limit: the neighbors should resolve the issue before tension develops. New example: “Vertel het me voordat je vertrekt.”
er In “er spanning ontstaat”, “er” introduces the existence or development of tension. It is part of the pattern “er ... ontstaat”, where “spanning” is what comes into being. New example: “Er ontstaat een probleem.”
spanning “spanning” means “tension” in “er spanning ontstaat”. It refers to strained relations that could develop between the neighbors if the issue is not discussed. New example: “Er is spanning tussen hen.”
ontstaat “ontstaat” means “arises” or “develops” in “er spanning ontstaat”. It describes tension coming into existence, with “spanning” as what develops. New example: “Er ontstaat verwarring.”

Grammar Points

te + infinitief

De muziek was duidelijk te horen door de muur heen.

duh muh-ZEEK vahs DOY-duh-luk tuh HOHR-uhn dohr duh MYOOR hayn.

The music was clearly audible through the wall.

Dutch uses te before an infinitive to express ‘to be ...-ed’ or ‘to ...’ in this construction.

Scheidbaar werkwoord: had ... door

Ik had niet door dat de bas te horen was.

ik haht neet DOHR daht duh bahs tuh HOHR-uhn vahs.

I did not realize that the bass was audible.

In the past tense, the particle door can appear separately from the verb hebben in had ... door.

Dutch Vocabulary

aan jouw kant phrase
ahn yow kahnt on your side
door de muur heen phrase
dohr duh MYOOR hayn through the wall
duidelijk adv
DOY-duh-luk clearly
even zeggen phrase
AY-vuh ZEG-khuh(n) mention briefly
gebouw noun
khuh-BOW building
had niet door phrase
haht neet DOHR did not realize
laat op de avond phrase
laht op duh AH-vunt late at night
muziek noun
muh-ZEEK music
rustig adj
ROOS-tukh quiet
te horen phrase
tuh HOHR-uhn to be audible; to be heard
vooral adv
vohr-AHL especially; mainly
wilde verb
VIL-duh wanted

Quiz

Spelling

Tap the letters to spell the word.

music

Show Answermuziek

wanted

Show Answerwilde

clearly

Show Answerduidelijk

especially; mainly

Show Answervooral