Common Dutch Phrases for Beginners (with Pronunciation)

Textbook phrase lists die in your notebook unless you can say them. Below are the Dutch phrases that genuinely carry daily life, each with a pronunciation respelling in plain English. Say them out loud — right now, badly if necessary. Dutch people would much rather hear imperfect Dutch than perfect English.

Greetings and goodbyes

• Hallo (HAH-loh) — hello. Works everywhere, with everyone.
• Goedendag (KHOO-den-dakh) — good day. Slightly formal, very Dutch.
• Goedemorgen / goedemiddag / goedenavond — good morning / afternoon / evening. The oe is like the "oo" in "food"; avond is AH-font.
• Hoi (hoy) — hi. Informal, extremely common.
• Dag! / Doei! — bye! / bye! (doei is casual, dag works everywhere).
• Tot ziens (tot ZEENS) — see you / farewell.

The politeness essentials

• Alstublieft (AL-stuu-bleeft) — here you are / please (formal). You say this when handing something over — money, a receipt, a drink.
• Alsjeblieft (AHL-shuh-BLEEFT) — same, informal. The sj where als meets je sounds like English "sh". The u in alstublieft is the formal "you"; the je is the informal one.
• Dank u wel / dank je wel — thank you (formal / informal). Dank u (dank ü) rhymes with "flü"; bedankt (be-DUNKT) is a good all-rounder.
• Excuses / sorry — excuse me / sorry. Yes, "sorry" is normal Dutch.
• Graag (khraakh) — gladly / please. Koffie, graag — coffee, please. Possibly the single most useful word on this page.

Starting a conversation

• Hoe gaat het? (hoo khaat hut) — how are you? The standard answer: Goed, en met jou? (khoot, en met yow) — good, and you?
• Hoe heet je? — what's your name? / Ik heet... — my name is...
• Spreekt u Engels? (spraykt ü ENG-uls) — do you speak English? Asking this in Dutch doubles your odds of a friendly reply.
• Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands (ik sprayk un BAY-tyuh NAY-der-lants) — I speak a little Dutch. This sentence buys enormous goodwill.

Out and about

• Waar is...? (var is) — where is...? Waar is het station?
• Hoeveel kost dit? (hoo-VAYL kost dit) — how much does this cost?
• Ik zoek... (ik zook) — I'm looking for... Ik zoek het station.
• Eén momentje (ayn moh-MENT-yuh) — one moment, please.
• Ik begrijp het niet (ik be-KHRAYP hut neet) — I don't understand. Another goodwill multiplier.
• Kunt u dat herhalen? (kunt ü dat her-HAH-lun) — could you repeat that?

Numbers you'll actually need

Eén (ayn) one — double vowel marks the numeral (een the article is a weak "uhn") · twee (tvay) two · drie (dree) three · vier (veer) four · vijf (vayf) five · zes (zes) six · zeven (ZAY-vun) seven · acht (akht) eight · negen (NAY-khun) nine · tien (teen) ten. Paying by card: pinnen — "Kan ik pinnen?" means "can I pay by card?" and is asked at you in almost every shop.

If things go wrong

• Help! — help. Same as English, louder.
• Ik ben mijn weg kwijt — I'm lost. (KWYT, like "wide" with a t.)
• Waar is de dichtstbijzijnde apotheek? — where is the nearest pharmacy?
• Ik wil een arts spreken — I want to speak to a doctor.
• 112 — the European emergency number (one-one-two), not 911.

The sound rules that make all of this easier

Three patterns unlock most Dutch pronunciation:

1. The g/ch is the famous throat sound — like clearing your throat gently. Goedemorgen starts with it. Nobody expects perfection early; effort counts.
2. oe = "oo", eu = a round "u", ui = a sound between "ow" and "ü". These letter combos never vary: learn them once.
3. Stress usually sits on the first syllable — AH-loh, not ah-LOH.

For word-by-word audio, our pronunciation guides cover hundreds of common Dutch words with native audio, phonetic breakdowns, and the mistakes English speakers typically make.

Want to practise these in real sentences instead of memorising lists? Create a free account and take them into speaking practice — say the phrase out loud, get feedback, repeat until it stops feeling foreign. Or try them in an actual conversation: the AI chat coach plays everyday scenarios (at the doctor, at the market) and answers in Dutch matched to your level, so "Hoe gaat het?" finally gets a reply. Flashcard type? The vocab trainer drills vocabulary like this with the article welded on.

Related reading: Dutch word order explained · De vs Het rules

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common Dutch greeting?

Hallo and hoi are the two most common everyday Dutch greetings. Hallo works in virtually any setting with anyone, while hoi is slightly more informal and popular among friends, colleagues, and casual acquaintances.

How do I say "please" and "thank you" in Dutch?

To say "please", use alstublieft (formal) or alsjeblieft (informal) when handing something over, or graag (literally "gladly") when ordering food or accepting an offer. To say "thank you", use dank u wel (formal), dank je wel (informal), or simply bedankt.

Why do Dutch people switch to English when I try to speak Dutch?

Most Dutch people speak fluent English and instinctively switch to make communication faster or easier for you. If you want to keep practicing Dutch, politely say: "Ik wil graag Nederlands oefenen" (I would like to practice Dutch). Most native speakers will gladly continue in Dutch and appreciate your dedication!