Dutch Conversation-Grammar 1732 Studios

Dutch · Unit 16

Unit 4: Een Hollandse lekkernij

Refresher Course, Book I

Een Hollandse lekkernij

179 lines

Een Hollandse lekkernij: the narrative

The narrative

Each unit of Book I opens with a short account of one side of life in Holland. The 1961 speaker reads it at the speed of ordinary speech.

Read each sentence, then listen to it. The English is beside it. The words of the narrative come back in every section that follows, so this reading is the ground of the unit.

  1. 1

    Many a foreigner can't believe his eyes when he sees countless Dutchmen, in May or June, standing on the streets near stands eating raw fish.

    Menigemany a
    vreemdelingstranger
    kanto be able (can)
    zijnhis; to be
    ogeneye
    nietnot
    geloven,to believe
    alsif
    hijhe
    inin
    meiMay
    ofor
    junijuni
    tallozecountless
    HollandersDutchmen
    ziet,to see
    diewho (relative)
    opon, upon
    straatstreet
    bijwith
    eena
    stalletjestall
    rauweraw
    visfish
    staanto stand
    teto
    eten.to eat
  2. 2

    The raw fish is the famous Dutch herring; for the Dutch, a real delicacy.

  3. 3

    The herring are caught in the North Sea, in the vicinity of the Dogger Bank.

  4. 4

    On board they are salted (the fishermen say, “gutted”), and on the dock they are cleaned by the fish peddlers.

  5. 5

    Many people like to pull a herring through chopped onions first, and then let it slide down their throats.

  6. 6

    It is great fun to experience the spring departure of the herring fleet.

  7. 7

    The fishing smacks have been repainted; the nets have been repaired, and the entire fleet is gaily decorated with signal flags.

I. Narrative

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij.

The section appearing as "I. Narrative" presents an account, read at normal conversational speed, of an historical or cultural facet of life in Holland, and is accompanied by both Dutch and English texts.
  1. 8

    The day before the departure is “flag day” in such fishermen's towns as Scheveningen, IJmuiden, and Katwijk.

  2. 9

    There is festival music on the quais and all kinds of activity.

  3. 10

    Then the boats run out and the “herring race” begins.

  4. 11

    Who'll bring in the first catch?

  5. 12

    Tradition has it that the skipper of the winning smack brings the first barrel of herring to the Queen.

  6. 13

    Only thereafter are the rest of the herring brought to market.

  7. 14

    The first, “green” herring of the season is always very expensive, yet there are always plenty of buyers to be found.

  8. 15

    Herring caught later are also marinated and then sold as “sour herring” or smoked and brought to market as “kippers.”

  9. 16

    But the raw, salt herring is the true, and also very healthful, “New Dutch.”

Een Hollandse lekkernij: vocabulary, part 1

Vocabulary practice

These are the words and phrases of the narrative, one at a time, in the speaker's voice.

Listen to each one, then say it. The scorer on the device compares your reading with the speaker's and shows which sounds matched.

  1. 17

    zijn ogen niet geloven

    unable to believe his eyes

  2. 18

    de vreemdeling

    foreigner, stranger

  3. 19

    menige

    many

  4. 20

    veel

    many

  5. 21

    talloze

    countless, many

  6. 22

    lekker

    tasty

  7. 23

    de haring

    the herring

A. Vocabulary Practice

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 1.

This part contains words and phrases which you will later hear used in the narrative sections of this unit. On tape you will hear the word or phrase in Dutch, then in English. You will immediately repeat the Dutch word or phrase on tape in the pause left for this purpose. The native speaker will then repeat the word or phrase in Dutch as a guide to good pronunciation before continuing with the new word or phrase in both Dutch and English.

Before moving on to the next part of this lesson, try doing the vocabulary practice again with your book closed.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: oral reading, part 1

Oral reading

The narrative's sentences come back in the book's variations: a change of tense, of case, of modifier. They build up to the sentence as the narrative has it.

Say each variation after the speaker. The sentence marked as basic is the narrative's own, and it closes the run.

  1. 24

    He doesn't believe his eyes

  2. 25

    He didn't believe his eyes

  3. 26

    He didn't believe his eyes

  4. 27

    Many foreigners can

  5. 28

    Many a foreigner can

  6. 29

    Many a foreigner can't believe his eyes.

  7. 30

    He stands on the streets

B. Oral Reading Comprehension

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 1.

The sentences of the narrative now appear in a variety of grammatical patterns to facilitate the learning process. Repeat each phrase or sentence on tape after the native speaker, building up to sentences which are contextually equivalent to those in the narrative. At the end of each quarter these sentences appear in their natural contextual sequence on tape and in the book. Repeat each sentence after the native speaker.
  1. 31

    He eats herring

  2. 32

    He stands on the streets to eat herring

  3. 33

    He sees countless Dutchmen, that stand on the streets to eat herring.

  4. 34

    Herring is very tasty

  5. 35

    Herring is a real delicacy.

  6. 36

    Many a foreigner can't believe his eyes.

  7. 37

    He sees countless Dutchmen, that stand on the streets to eat herring.

  8. 38

    Herring is a real delicacy.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: vocabulary, part 2

  1. 39

    vangen

    to catch

  2. 40

    aan boord

    on board, aboard

  3. 41

    zouten

    to salt

  4. 42

    schoonmaken

    to clean

  5. 43

    aan de wal

    on shore, ashore

  6. 44

    houden van

    to like, to love

  7. 45

    de gesnipperde ui

    the minced onion

  8. 46

    het keelgat

    gullet, throat

  9. 47

    glijden

    to slide

A. Vocabulary Practice

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 2.

This part contains words and phrases which you will later hear used in the narrative sections of this unit. On tape you will hear the word or phrase in Dutch, then in English. You will immediately repeat the Dutch word or phrase on tape in the pause left for this purpose. The native speaker will then repeat the word or phrase in Dutch as a guide to good pronunciation before continuing with the new word or phrase in both Dutch and English.

Before moving on to the next part of this lesson, try doing the vocabulary practice again with your book closed.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: oral reading, part 2

  1. 48

    The fisherman catches herring

  2. 49

    The fisherman caught herring

  3. 50

    The fisherman has caught herring

  4. 51

    The herring are caught in the North Sea.

  5. 52

    They salt the herring

  6. 53

    They salted the herring

  7. 54

    They have salted the herring

B. Oral Reading Comprehension

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 2.

The sentences of the narrative now appear in a variety of grammatical patterns to facilitate the learning process. Repeat each phrase or sentence on tape after the native speaker, building up to sentences which are contextually equivalent to those in the narrative. At the end of each quarter these sentences appear in their natural contextual sequence on tape and in the book. Repeat each sentence after the native speaker.
  1. 55

    The herring are salted on board.

  2. 56

    The fish merchant cleans them

  3. 57

    The fish merchant cleaned them

  4. 58

    The fish merchant has cleaned them

  5. 59

    On the dock it's cleaned by the fish merchant.

  6. 60

    He is fond of salt herring

  7. 61

    He is fond of salt herring

  1. 62

    He is fond of salting herring

  2. 63

    He is fond of pulling herring through chopped onion

  3. 64

    Many people are fond of first pulling the herring through chopped onion.

  4. 65

    He lets the herring slip down his throat

  5. 66

    He is fond of letting the herring slip down his throat.

  6. 67

    The herring are caught in the North Sea.

  7. 68

    The herring are salted on board.

  1. 69

    On the dock it's cleaned by the fish merchant.

  2. 70

    Many people are fond of first pulling the herring through chopped onion.

  3. 71

    He is fond of letting the herring slip down his throat.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: vocabulary, part 3 (1)

  1. 72

    uitvaren

    to sail out

  2. 73

    meemaken

    to witness

  3. 74

    aardig

    nice

  4. 75

    de schuit

    smack, boat

  5. 76

    verven

    to paint

  6. 77

    opnieuw

    again

  7. 78

    de vissersplaats

    fishing village

A. Vocabulary Practice

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 3.

This part contains words and phrases which you will later hear used in the narrative sections of this unit. On tape you will hear the word or phrase in Dutch, then in English. You will immediately repeat the Dutch word or phrase on tape in the pause left for this purpose. The native speaker will then repeat the word or phrase in Dutch as a guide to good pronunciation before continuing with the new word or phrase in both Dutch and English.

Before moving on to the next part of this lesson, try doing the vocabulary practice again with your book closed.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: vocabulary, part 3 (2)

  1. 79

    de kade

    the quay

  2. 80

    allerlei vermaak

    different kinds of amusement

  3. 81

    de wedstrijd

    the race, match

  4. 82

    binnenbrengen

    to bring in

  5. 83

    de vangst

    the catch

Een Hollandse lekkernij: oral reading, part 3

  1. 84

    The fleet sails out (departs)

  2. 85

    He experiences it

  3. 86

    It's fun to experience the departure of the fleet.

  4. 87

    It's fun to have experienced the departure of the fleet.

  5. 88

    The herring fleet sails out

  6. 89

    The herring smacks sail out

  7. 90

    A herring smack is a fishing smack

B. Oral Reading Comprehension

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 3.

The sentences of the narrative now appear in a variety of grammatical patterns to facilitate the learning process. Repeat each phrase or sentence on tape after the native speaker, building up to sentences which are contextually equivalent to those in the narrative. At the end of each quarter these sentences appear in their natural contextual sequence on tape and in the book. Repeat each sentence after the native speaker.
  1. 91

    One paints the fishing smacks

  2. 92

    They paint the fishing smacks

  3. 93

    They painted the fishing smacks

  4. 94

    They have painted the fishing smacks

  5. 95

    The fishing smacks are freshly painted.

  6. 96

    Scheveningen and Katwijk are fishing towns

  7. 97

    In fishing towns like Scheveningen and Katwijk it's flag day.

  1. 98

    Music is played on the docks

  2. 99

    There are different kinds of entertainment on the docks

  3. 100

    There is festive music on the docks and all kinds of entertainment.

  4. 101

    Who wins the race?

  5. 102

    Who won the race?

  6. 103

    Who has won the race?

  7. 104

    The winning boat brings in the first herring.

  1. 105

    Who brings the first catch in?

  2. 106

    Who brought the first catch in?

  3. 107

    Who has brought the first catch in?

  4. 108

    Who will bring the first catch in?

  5. 109

    It's fun to experience the departure of the fleet.

  6. 110

    It's fun to have experienced the departure of the fleet.

  7. 111

    The fishing smacks are freshly painted.

  1. 112

    In fishing towns like Scheveningen and Katwijk it's flag day.

  2. 113

    There is festive music on the docks and all kinds of entertainment.

  3. 114

    The winning boat brings in the first herring.

  4. 115

    Who will bring the first catch in?

Een Hollandse lekkernij: vocabulary, part 4

  1. 116

    pas daarna

    only after that

  2. 117

    veel kosten

    to be expensive

  3. 118

    vrij duur

    rather dear, expensive

  4. 119

    seizoen

    the season

  5. 120

    altijd

    always

  6. 121

    vrij

    rather, free

A. Vocabulary Practice

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 4.

This part contains words and phrases which you will later hear used in the narrative sections of this unit. On tape you will hear the word or phrase in Dutch, then in English. You will immediately repeat the Dutch word or phrase on tape in the pause left for this purpose. The native speaker will then repeat the word or phrase in Dutch as a guide to good pronunciation before continuing with the new word or phrase in both Dutch and English.

Before moving on to the next part of this lesson, try doing the vocabulary practice again with your book closed.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: oral reading, part 4

  1. 122

    The herring are put on the market

  2. 123

    The herring are brought to the market place

  3. 124

    The herring are brought to market

  4. 125

    Only after that are the rest of the herring put on the market.

  5. 126

    It costs much

  6. 127

    It is expensive

  7. 128

    The “new” herring of the season is always rather expensive.

B. Oral Reading Comprehension

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 13: Een Hollandse lekkernij. Learning the Narrative, Part 4.

The sentences of the narrative now appear in a variety of grammatical patterns to facilitate the learning process. Repeat each phrase or sentence on tape after the native speaker, building up to sentences which are contextually equivalent to those in the narrative. At the end of each quarter these sentences appear in their natural contextual sequence on tape and in the book. Repeat each sentence after the native speaker.
  1. 129

    One can find buyers

  2. 130

    There are buyers to be found

  3. 131

    But there are always buyers to be found.

  4. 132

    The herring are caught

  5. 133

    The herring are caught later

  6. 134

    The herring caught later are sometimes marinated too.

  7. 135

    Marinated herring is called sour herring

  1. 136

    Smoked herring is called kippers

  2. 137

    Smoked herring is sold as “kippers”.

  3. 138

    The herring is smoked and put on the market as “kippers”.

  4. 139

    Only after that are the rest of the herring put on the market.

  5. 140

    The “new” herring of the season is always rather expensive.

  6. 141

    But there are always buyers to be found.

  7. 142

    The herring caught later are sometimes marinated too.

  8. 143

    Smoked herring is sold as “kippers”.

  9. 144

    The herring is smoked and put on the market as “kippers”.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: check-up

Check-up

Two speakers put the narrative as questions and answers.

Answer each question from what the narrative said, then say the answer. Later sections ask the same questions without the text, so answer from memory where you can.

  1. 145

    How is herring eaten by the Dutch?

  2. 146

    Isn't that unhealthy?

  3. 147

    Where is the herring caught?

  4. 148

    Do they catch herring all year round?

  5. 149

    The Dutch eat herring raw.

  6. 150

    On the contrary, it's a very healthy delicacy.

  7. 151

    One catches herring in the North Sea near the Dogger Bank.

  8. 152

    No; the herring fleet first puts to sea early in May.

II. Check-Up

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 14: Een Hollandse lekkernij.

The material of the narrative is now presented in still another form to assist you further in completely assimilating the narrative. You will repeat both questions and answers based on the narrative material after the native speaker. Do this section thoroughly since you will be expected in the sections that follow to answer as well as ask these questions from memory.
  1. 153

    What festival is celebrated then in the fishing villages?

  2. 154

    What do they do with the herring on board the fishing smacks?

  3. 155

    What happens when the first herring is caught?

  4. 156

    What's the “herring race”?

  5. 157

    In the fishing villages they celebrate “flag day” then.

  6. 158

    On board the fishing boats the herring are salted.

  7. 159

    As soon as the first herring is caught, the “herring race” begins.

  8. 160

    The “herring race” is a competition between the different ships to see who brings the first catch home.

  1. 161

    What's the winner's prize in the competition?

  2. 162

    Is herring an expensive delicacy?

  3. 163

    Is herring put on the market in any other way?

  4. 164

    The winner of the race may offer the first barrel of herring to the Queen.

  5. 165

    The first herring of the season is always rather expensive.

  6. 166

    Some of the herring caught later is smoked, and is then called “kippers”; others are marinated and are then called “sour herring”.

Een Hollandse lekkernij: the dialog

A conversation to listen to

Two Dutch speakers talk about the matter of the narrative, recorded without a script.

Listen first with the text, then without it. The aim is to follow the whole conversation by ear.

  1. 167

    What are the people eating there? It looks like raw fish!

  2. 168

    That's the famous Dutch herring. These new or “green” herring are considered a real delicacy.

  3. 169

    I've already been in Holland a few weeks, but all I've seen is people eating herring on the street.

  4. 170

    That's because the first catch of the year was brought in at the end of last week. It's too bad that I didn't know you would be here at the end of May, otherwise, I would have taken you along to see “flag day”.

  5. 171

    A couple of weeks ago I saw the fishing boats lying in the harbor of Scheveningen. They were all decorated with pennants, and music was being played on the dock. It was very gay!

  6. 172

    Oh, then you've already seen “flag day”. Every year the sailing of the fishing fleet is celebrated in that colorful way.

  7. 173

    I once read that the boat that returns first gets a reward; is that true?

I. Dialogue for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book I, Lesson 15: Een Hollandse lekkernij.

The Dialogue for Listening section is for oral comprehension. The student should follow this section in his text, as he listens to it on tape, until such time as he can dispense with the text and understand everything from the tape alone.
  1. 174

    Indeed; the captain of the winning boat may bring the first barrel of herring to the Queen.

  2. 175

    I can imagine that that's a great honor for the captain. But I still can't believe that raw fish can be tasty. I think it's rather repulsive.

  3. 176

    Believe it or not, fresh herring is not only tasty, it's also very healthy!

  4. 177

    And does everyone eat it the way I saw a couple of people doing it, just let it slide down the throat?

  5. 178

    The real connoisseur eats it that way, but let me tell you that the fish has been thoroughly cleaned and lightly salted. Many people think it much tastier to first draw the herring through chopped onions in order to soften the taste somewhat.

  6. 179

    It all sounds very attractive, but I don't know whether I'll be courageous enough to try it myself!

The particulars

The course
Valette, Dutch Conversation-Grammar (1913) and its Key (1893); Defense Language Institute, Dutch Refresher Course, Books I to III (1961). Public domain. The teaching pages, the readings' English, the answers to the conversations and the narration are ours.
Reading aloud
Digital narration, directed by 1732 Studios.
The book
Max Havelaar, the work this course leads to, free to read here.
Data
JSON · Markdown · A guide for agents
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