Watch the video of a tourist asking for directions in the city centre without reading the text. Try to understand what is happening and what they are saying.
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Watch the video again while reading the text. Check whether you understand more and pay attention to how the words are pronounced.
A: Pardon, kunt u mij helpen?
B: Natuurlijk! Wat zoekt u?
A: Waar is het station?
B: Het station? Dat is niet ver.
A: Kunt u het mij uitleggen?
B: Ja. Ga rechtdoor tot het kruispunt. Daar slaat u linksaf.
A: Links bij het kruispunt. Oké.
B: Dan ziet u het station aan de rechterkant, naast het postkantoor.
A: Ah, ik begrijp het. Dank u wel!
B: Graag gedaan! Succes en nog fijne dag!
A: U ook een fijne dag!
Read the English translation. Make sure you understand the Dutch conversation.
A: Excuse me, could you help me?
B: Of course! What are you looking for?
A: Where is the station?
B: The station? That’s not far.
A: Could you explain it to me?
B: Yes. Go straight ahead until the crossroads. Turn left there.
A: Left at the crossroads. Okay.
B: Then you’ll see the station on the right, next to the post office.
A: Ah, I understand. Thank you!
B: You’re welcome! Good luck and have a nice day!
A: You have a nice day too!
Listen to the conversation and repeat each sentence.
Dutch | English |
Pardon | Excuse me |
Kunt u mij helpen? | Could you help me? |
het station (-s) | (train) station |
uitleggen | to explain |
rechtdoor | straight ahead |
het kruispunt (-en) | crossroads / intersection |
links | left |
rechts | right |
het postkantoor (-en) | post office |
Ik begrijp het. | I understand. |
het dorp (-en) | village |
Imperative (commands)
You use the imperative when you:
Most common form: the verb stem
Use the verb stem (the infinitive without -en).
Examples:
The plural imperative is the same as the singular:
Negative imperative
You can make it negative in two common ways:
Complete the sentences with the correct imperative form (use only the verb stem).
Dutch | English |
Waar is …? | Where is …? |
Hoe kom ik bij …? | How do I get to …? |
de straat (-en) | street |
de rotonde (-s) | roundabout |
oversteken | to cross |
de brug (-en) | bridge |
het verkeerslicht (-en) | traffic light |
voorbijgaan | to pass (by) |
tegenover | opposite |
dichtbij | nearby |
How do you ask for directions?
How do you give directions?
Practise by giving directions to different places in your town/city.
Doing exercises is an essential part of the learning process. Don't worry about how many mistakes you make—mistakes are a normal and valuable part of learning.
When checking your answers, focus on understanding why an answer is correct. This will help you learn more effectively and avoid making the same mistakes in the future.