Dutch Language Blog

The other day I was doing some work with Radio 538 playing in the background, when a song came on that I hadn’t heard before.  The melody was pretty catchy in one of those “stuck in your head for three hours” type of ways.  It didn’t help that there weren’t too many words in the song and the ones that were in it were mainly words I knew.

I made a note of the song because I thought it would be a good one to share with you.  If you have wanted to learn the names of some of the animals you might find on a farm, then you will be off to a good start just with the song title alone, which is Kip Paard Koe (Chicken Horse Cow) by Want Want.

Below you will find the song lyrics as well as some of the English translations.  There are loads of different videos that have been made for this song.  Here is the original.

And just in case you haven’t heard enough, here is a different video:

Dutch – English Vocabulary

• ik wil – I want
• kip – chicken
• paard – horse
• koe – cow
• samen – together
• gebakken ei – fried egg
• karnemelk – sour milk buttermilk (thanks, Andy!)
• groentes verbouwen – growing vegetables
• planten die krop – plant those crops

Kip Paard Koe – Lyrics by Songteksten.nl

Ik wil een kip en een paard en een koe

Een kip en een paard en koe

Kampen daar wil ik naar toe

Samen met mijn kip en mijn paard en mijn koe

Hamlap met spekjes

Gebakken ei, karnemelk en kaasjes erbij

Koetjes en kalfjes, kwart voor 6 op

Groentes verbouwen, planten die krop

Ik wil een kip en een paard en een koe

Een kip en een paard en koe

Kampen daar wil ik naar toe

Samen met mijn kip en mijn paard en mijn koe

Ik wil een kip

Hamlap met spekjes

Gebakken ei, karnemelk en kaasjes erbij

Koetjes en kalfjes, kwart voor 6 op

Groentes verbouwen, planten die krop

Ik wil een kip en een paard en een koe

Een kip en een paard en koe

Kampen daar wil ik naar toe

Samen met mijn kip en mijn paard en mijn koe

Ik wil een kip en een paard en een koe

Een kip en een paard en koe

Kampen daar wil ik naar toe

Samen met mijn kip en mijn paard en mijn koe

Image Credit: jsnflo

If you are relatively new to learning the Dutch language, then one of the first things you probably want to learn is how to count.  A good goal, especially as knowing the numbers really does open doors.  For example, you’ll be able to understand how much something costs when the salesperson tells you the amount, you can specify how many of something you want and perhaps even more important, you can understand where the traffic cameras are when the radio station rattles off their location (you’ll hear the road name/number and the kilometer location).

So let’s start off with the numbers zero to ten:

If you are more of an audio learner, then this handy clip by Bert and his pet pigeon should be just up your ally, although Bernice doesn’t seem to know the word for zero.  One thing to remember with this set of numbers is the number one (één).  Those marks above the e’s are important.  They let you know that the word is één, meaning one and not een, meaning a/an (and that you should pronounce them accordingly).

Moving Up in the Number World

Presuming you are feeling pretty confident with your nul to tien knowledge, let’s go a little higher.  This time Ernie will help us out on this one.

Here you need to look out for the irregular spelling of 13 (dertien) and 14 (veertien).

Becoming a Number Pro

If you are looking to count even higher, then the following numbers will come in handy for you.  Keep an eye out for the irregular spelling of 80 (tachtig).

If you want to put some of these numbers together, then you will need to know a little bit about the format.  In English, when you count up from 20 the format comes in the form of “twenty plus four,” so you get twenty-four.  But in Dutch it is the other way round.  So, the form is “four plus twenty,” equaling vierentwintig.

Once you get your head around it, it can be quite fun and you can impress everyone with the ability to read really long words (you don’t have to mention that they are numbers).  For example:

vierenveertighonderdachtennegentig = 4498

If you really want to hear all the numbers from zero to 100 be pronounced then you can take a look at this video.  I do warn you though, it is not the most exciting.

Photo Credit: lusi

One of the most handy things to be able to understand and talk about in a foreign language is how to get somewhere.  It’s practical (you aren’t learning how to say your job is a rocket scientist/ballerina/astronaut when you clearly aren’t), concrete (there is a clear sequence to the conversation) and useful (hey, we all have to get somewhere).  Yet, ironically enough, it is also one of the most difficult topics for foreign language speakers.  Why?  Because usually after you have asked where something is in your well rehearsed Dutch, you get a response back that is spoken so fast and is so long that you don’t know what hit you.

So, over the next few weeks, we are going to go over some of the most important aspects of giving and asking directions.  By the end you’ll be a pro but today we will begin by focusing on some vocabulary.

Some Key Vocabulary

• aan de andere kant (on the other side)
• aan de overkant van de straat (across the street)
• achter (behind)
• blijf rechtdoor gaan (keep going straight)
• de afslag (turning/exit)
• de plattegrond (streetmap)
• de rotonde (roundabout)
• de snelweg (motorway)
• de straat (street)
• de weg (road)
• ergens (somewhere)
• ga linksaf (turn left)
• ga rechtsaf (turn right)
• ga verder over (continue on)
  

  Photo Credit: andrewatla

• het stoplicht (traffic light)
• het zebrapad (zebra crossing)
• kruispunt (intersection)
• maak een bocht van 180 graden (make a U-turn)
• naar (to)
• naast (next to)
• naast de bank (next to the bank)
• rechtdoor (straight ahead)
• tegenover (opposite)
• tot (up to)
• verkeerslichten (set of lights)
• volg de weg (follow the road)
• voor (in front of)
• voorbij (past)

Photo Credit: Dixidito

Ways to Learn the Vocab

Before you cringe and run the other way thinking you can’t learn all that vocab, take a look at these “hands-on” ways to lodge the words in your brain.  You’ll be glad you did and it will make things easier when it comes to the future posts about directions.

1. Change your GPS to Dutch and then use it, even for trips where you know how to get there.  However, you may not want to try this one if you are headed to a new destination and need to be there on time.

2. Create a treasure hunt in Dutch for another Dutch language learner.  Or make one with translations under the Dutch for a non-learner.

3. Use Google Maps to create directions in Dutch.

4. Explore your city/town with your own Dutch directions.  Write out a set of directions in Dutch and then go outside and follow them.  Where do you end up?

5. Give a tour of your neighbourhood using the Dutch words and phrases above.

6. Make flashcards and/or use the BYKI Asking for Directions Dutch list.

Good luck!