Dutch Conversation-Grammar 1732 Studios

Dutch · Unit 23

Book II, Unit 2: Unit 2

Refresher Course, Books II and III

Unit 2

161 lines

Bij de Tandarts

A conversation to listen to

A spontaneous conversation between two educated Dutch speakers, recorded in 1961 without a script. The text keeps what they said as they said it: hesitations, repeated words, words left out.

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

  1. 1

    Good morning, sir, can I help you?

    Goedemorgen,good morning
    mijnheer,sir!; Mr. (as a title before a name)
    kanto be able (can)
    ikI
    Uyou (polite)
    helpen?to help
  2. 2

    Oh, is the doctor here?

  3. 3

    He is busy with a patient at the moment. Would you mind waiting for a moment?

  4. 4

    Oh, that's a nuisance. I've got such a terrible tooth-ache.

  5. 5

    Did you make an appointment beforehand, or not?

  6. 6

    No, no, I came right here. I wasn't able to sleep all night.

  7. 7

    Yes, that's terrible, sir. But you must understand that the doctor is very busy and he only takes patients on appointment and right now there are five people waiting.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 8. Bij de Tandarts

This is a spontaneous conversation between educated and imaginative Dutch speakers. No scripts were used in recording. The result is natural spoken Dutch.

All the dialogs entitled Dialog for Listening have been reproduced in your text in such a way as to capture their spontaneity. This includes hesitation sounds, repetitions, omitted words and other features that are characteristic of unrehearsed, non-selfconscious, conversational-style speech.

The Dialog 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. 8

    Oh, but when he is through with this patient, couldn't I just step in for a moment?

  2. 9

    Well, it seems very unlikely to me. I'll try for you. Are you in very much pain?

  3. 10

    Yes, it's really terrible.

  4. 11

    Did you take any medicine, or . . .

  5. 12

    No, I didn't take anything.

  6. 13

    No aspirin or something like that?

  7. 14

    No, I never take aspirin. Aspirins don't agree with me.

  1. 15

    Perhaps I can give you a shot.

  2. 16

    Would you mind asking if the doctor can't come?

  3. 17

    One moment, please. I'm very sorry, sir, the dentist is very busy right now. The best thing is for me to give you an injection.

  4. 18

    Yes, that's fine, if you can do that.

Een Avonturier

  1. 19

    To be exact, I was a seaman for 96 days.

  2. 20

    And then you returned to Holland?

  3. 21

    Yes.

  4. 22

    And there you went to the MTS (intermediate level technical school)?

  5. 23

    No, we had to do practical work for a year.

  6. 24

    Oh, yes, yes.

  7. 25

    I was with Stork, I was, and with Philips, and after that I went sailing for three months.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 9. Een Avonturier

This is a spontaneous conversation between educated and imaginative Dutch speakers. No scripts were used in recording. The result is natural spoken Dutch.

All the dialogs entitled Dialog for Listening have been reproduced in your text in such a way as to capture their spontaneity. This includes hesitation sounds, repetitions, omitted words and other features that are characteristic of unrehearsed, non-selfconscious, conversational-style speech.

The Dialog 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. 26

    Oh, yes. And then you were here. How long?

  2. 27

    I was here about twenty months.

  3. 28

    Twenty months. And then you worked as a chauffeur.

  4. 29

    Yes, as a chauffeur. Look, I'm inclined to be a bit adventurous, see. I would like, let's say, to sail for about four months to be on shore for about five or six months. And then, again -off!

  5. 30

    Yes.

  6. 31

    To meet other girls.

  7. 32

    So you don't want to get married?

  1. 33

    Well, I want that, too, see?

  2. 34

    But only when you're about forty and ailing.

  3. 35

    No, why?

  4. 36

    Why else should you get married?

  5. 37

    Well, look, I do find that in later life it is better if you do get married.

  6. 38

    Yes, that's what I say. When you're about forty.

  7. 39

    Well, no, I don't want to wait that long. The difficulty is to . . . to find the right person, huh?

Het Westland

  1. 40

    Close to The Hague, really south of The Hague, you have . . . there is the Westland, the country of the greenhouses. Have you ever been there?

  2. 41

    Yes. As far as I can remember from geography, it's actually the horticultural district of the Netherlands, isn't it?

  3. 42

    Yes, that's where all the green vegetables are raised; that's where we have the hothouse grapes.

  4. 43

    Holland has grapes?

  5. 44

    Yes, you can see them in the shops, of course, but these grapes are from the hothouses of the Westland.

  6. 45

    I bet the grapes from those hothouses are much cheaper than the grapes which have to be imported.

  7. 46

    No, they are about the same price because the heating in winter is so expensive.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 10. Het Westland

This is a spontaneous conversation between educated and imaginative Dutch speakers. No scripts were used in recording. The result is natural spoken Dutch.

All the dialogs entitled Dialog for Listening have been reproduced in your text in such a way as to capture their spontaneity. This includes hesitation sounds, repetitions, omitted words and other features that are characteristic of unrehearsed, non-selfconscious, conversational-style speech.

The Dialog 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. 47

    Oh, I see. But what really is expensive is when the first vegetables from the greenhouses are out, like cucumbers and tomatoes and lettuce.

  2. 48

    That must be true.

  3. 49

    Early in the season, of course, everybody wants them.

  4. 50

    And not just that, but most of them are exported.

In de Schoenenwinkel

  1. 51

    Good afternoon, sir, can I help you?

  2. 52

    Yes, I would like to buy a pair of shoes. Could you help me?

  3. 53

    Yes, sit down here, please, here, yes. Would you lift your feet up a moment and place them on the bench?

  4. 54

    Yes.

  5. 55

    Fine, and what is your size?

  6. 56

    Oh, I always forget that; somewhere around 42 or 43, I think.

  7. 57

    Yes, let's measure it then. Put your foot here; right. Let's see; 42, correct. And, eh, what sort of shoes would you like? Evening shoes, walking shoes, or shoes for sport?

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 11. In de Schoenenwinkel

This is a spontaneous conversation between educated and imaginative Dutch speakers. No scripts were used in recording. The result is natural spoken Dutch.

All the dialogs entitled Dialog for Listening have been reproduced in your text in such a way as to capture their spontaneity. This includes hesitation sounds, repetitions, omitted words and other features that are characteristic of unrehearsed, non-selfconscious, conversational-style speech.

The Dialog 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. 58

    Eh . . . Walking shoes. Oxfords.

  2. 59

    Try these on, these should be your size.

  3. 60

    Yes, yes, you're right. Hm . . . I think I'll take these.

  4. 61

    Certainly, sir. If you would like to go to the cashier, I'll be right there, eh, with your shoes wrapped up.

  5. 62

    Yes, excellent, thank you, sir.

  6. 63

    Thank you, sir.

Bij het Benzinestation

  1. 64

    Good morning, ma'am.

  2. 65

    Good morning. Is it already my turn?

  3. 66

    Could you wait a moment? That gentleman standing there on the other side of the pump was here before you.

  4. 67

    Sure, I'm not in a hurry. Go ahead.

  5. 68

    He said he could wait a while.

  6. 69

    If you could help me then, please, because I want to go into town.

  7. 70

    All right.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 12. Bij het Benzinestation

This is a spontaneous conversation between educated and imaginative Dutch speakers. No scripts were used in recording. The result is natural spoken Dutch.

All the dialogs entitled Dialog for Listening have been reproduced in your text in such a way as to capture their spontaneity. This includes hesitation sounds, repetitions, omitted words and other features that are characteristic of unrehearsed, non-selfconscious, conversational-style speech.

The Dialog 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. 71

    Well, I would like to have some gas. Please give me fifteen liters. Do you think that it's already cold enough to put anti-freeze in?

  2. 72

    You didn't do that yet?

  3. 73

    No, I didn't.

  4. 74

    Well, it is definitely the right time.

  5. 75

    I've been lucky, then, because I always leave the car outside during the night.

  6. 76

    Yes, because we've had quite a bit of night-frost lately.

  7. 77

    That's true. Now that you mention it, I have had trouble starting the car in the morning. Sometimes it takes me five minutes.

  1. 78

    Well, if I may give you some advice, then I'd say put anti-freeze in it.

  2. 79

    Yes, well, during the day it won't be as bad, of course. When I bring the car tonight, you can do that at the same time.

  3. 80

    Very well.

  4. 81

    And then the tires need some air, of course. Perhaps the engine can be oiled at the same time. That . . .

  5. 82

    Yes.

  6. 83

    We better do everything at the same time. But maybe you can clean the windows now?

  7. 84

    That's always included.

  1. 85

    Oh, fine. Will you add the gas to the bill tonight?

  2. 86

    Yes, that's all right. We can do that.

  3. 87

    I live around the corner; that's all right.

  4. 88

    Yes, yes, I know you.

  5. 89

    By the way, if I bring the car tonight, can I have it back by tomorrow at noon?

  6. 90

    Yes, I think so.

  7. 91

    Please, because I would like to go to The Hague tomorrow afternoon and, as long as I have a car, I don't see any point in taking a train.

Substitution drill 1, part 1

Substitution drills

A drill starts from one sentence of the dialogs. Each turn gives a new word or phrase to put in the sentence in place of one of its parts.

Say the whole sentence again with the new part in place. The shape of the sentence does not change. Only the one part does.

  1. 92

    Nee, het is werkelijk heel erg.

    No, it really is terrible.

  2. 93

    Nee, het is werkelijk niets bijzonders.

    No, it really is nothing special.

  3. 94

    Nee, het is werkelijk vervelend.

    No, it really is a nuisance.

  4. 95

    Nee, het is werkelijk van belang dat het gebeurt.

    No, it really is important that it happens.

  5. 96

    Nee, het is werkelijk te groot voor mij.

    No, it really is too big for me.

  6. 97

    Nee, het is werkelijk veel te duur.

    No, it really is much too expensive.

  7. 98

    Nee, het is werkelijk te gek om los te lopen.

    No, it really is too funny to be true.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 13. Substitution Drill 1.

Listen to and repeat the first sentence of the drill on tape. Your voice will be followed by a low voice on tape to correct any mistakes in your utterance. You will now immediately hear a word or phrase that you are to substitute into the original sentence. Without hesitating, say the entire sentence again, this time with the new element in place of an element in the original sentence. You will again be corrected. Then you will hear, as before, another element for substitution. Again you will repeat the entire sentence, dropping the old element and substituting the new element in its place.

They are based on the previous five dialogs. Their purpose is to give you fluency in controlling sentences of the dialogs with additional variations provided by the substitution elements. You will observe that the basic structure of the dialog sentences does not change in these drills.

Substitution drill 1, part 2

  1. 99

    Nee, het is werkelijk heel erg.

    No, it really is terrible.

  2. 100

    Nee, het is werkelijk helemaal niet waar.

    No, it really is not true at all.

  3. 101

    Nee, het is werkelijk niet te harden.

    No, it really is unbearable.

  4. 102

    Nee, het is werkelijk heel erg.

    No, it really is terrible.

Substitution drill 2, part 1

  1. 103

    Wij moesten een jaar praktisch werken.

    We had to do practical work for a year.

  2. 104

    Wij moesten een jaar lang studeren.

    We had to study for a year.

  3. 105

    Wij moesten enkele maanden onderduiken.

    We had to go underground for a few months.

  4. 106

    Wij moesten direkt met de politie mee.

    We had to go with the police immediately.

  5. 107

    Wij moesten altijd ’s morgens vroeg opstaan.

    We always had to get up early.

  6. 108

    Wij moesten dikwijls werken.

    We had to work often.

  7. 109

    Wij moesten altijd op onze tellen passen.

    We always had to be careful.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 13. Substitution Drill 2.

Listen to and repeat the first sentence of the drill on tape. Your voice will be followed by a low voice on tape to correct any mistakes in your utterance. You will now immediately hear a word or phrase that you are to substitute into the original sentence. Without hesitating, say the entire sentence again, this time with the new element in place of an element in the original sentence. You will again be corrected. Then you will hear, as before, another element for substitution. Again you will repeat the entire sentence, dropping the old element and substituting the new element in its place.

They are based on the previous five dialogs. Their purpose is to give you fluency in controlling sentences of the dialogs with additional variations provided by the substitution elements. You will observe that the basic structure of the dialog sentences does not change in these drills.

Substitution drill 2, part 2

  1. 110

    Wij moesten een jaar praktisch werken.

    We had to do practical work for a year.

  2. 111

    Wij moesten een rapport opstellen.

    We had to make up a report.

  3. 112

    Wij moesten minstens twee talen machtig zijn.

    We had to be able to speak at least two languages.

  4. 113

    Wij moesten een jaar praktisch werken.

    We had to do practical work for a year.

Substitution drill 3, part 1

  1. 114

    Ben je daar ooit geweest?

    Have you ever been there?

  2. 115

    Ben je in het buitenland geweest?

    Have you been abroad?

  3. 116

    Ben je naar het concert geweest?

    Have you been to the concert?

  4. 117

    Ben je erg ziek geweest?

    Have you been very sick?

  5. 118

    Ben je er alleen geweest?

    Have you been there alone?

  6. 119

    Ben je naar de dokter geweest?

    Have you been to the doctor?

  7. 120

    Ben je naar de tandarts geweest?

    Have you been to the dentist?

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 13. Substitution Drill 3.

Listen to and repeat the first sentence of the drill on tape. Your voice will be followed by a low voice on tape to correct any mistakes in your utterance. You will now immediately hear a word or phrase that you are to substitute into the original sentence. Without hesitating, say the entire sentence again, this time with the new element in place of an element in the original sentence. You will again be corrected. Then you will hear, as before, another element for substitution. Again you will repeat the entire sentence, dropping the old element and substituting the new element in its place.

They are based on the previous five dialogs. Their purpose is to give you fluency in controlling sentences of the dialogs with additional variations provided by the substitution elements. You will observe that the basic structure of the dialog sentences does not change in these drills.

Substitution drill 3, part 2

  1. 121

    Ben je daar ooit geweest?

    Have you ever been there?

  2. 122

    Ben je naar de zaak geweest?

    Have you been to the office?

  3. 123

    Ben je hier al geweest?

    Have you been here already?

  4. 124

    Ben je daar ooit geweest?

    Have you ever been there?

Substitution drill 4, part 1

  1. 125

    Probeert U deze eens aan te passen.

    Try these on.

  2. 126

    Probeert U deze jas eens aan.

    Try this coat on.

  3. 127

    Probeert U deze schoen eens aan.

    Try this shoe on.

  4. 128

    Probeert U eens wat duidelijker te spreken.

    Try to speak a little clearer.

  5. 129

    Probeert U deze jurk eens aan.

    Try this dress on.

  6. 130

    Probeert U eens wat beter te schrijven.

    Try to write a little better.

  7. 131

    Probeert U eens langzamer te lopen.

    Try to walk a little slower.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 13. Substitution Drill 4.

Listen to and repeat the first sentence of the drill on tape. Your voice will be followed by a low voice on tape to correct any mistakes in your utterance. You will now immediately hear a word or phrase that you are to substitute into the original sentence. Without hesitating, say the entire sentence again, this time with the new element in place of an element in the original sentence. You will again be corrected. Then you will hear, as before, another element for substitution. Again you will repeat the entire sentence, dropping the old element and substituting the new element in its place.

They are based on the previous five dialogs. Their purpose is to give you fluency in controlling sentences of the dialogs with additional variations provided by the substitution elements. You will observe that the basic structure of the dialog sentences does not change in these drills.

Substitution drill 4, part 2

  1. 132

    Probeert U deze eens aan te passen.

    Try these on.

  2. 133

    Probeert U eens na te denken.

    Try to think.

  3. 134

    Probeert U dit model eens.

    Try this model.

  4. 135

    Probeert U deze eens aan te passen.

    Try these on.

Substitution drill 5, part 1

  1. 136

    Hij zegt hij kan wel even wachten.

    He says he can wait a while.

  2. 137

    Hij zegt hij kan het zelf wel doen.

    He says he can do it himself.

  3. 138

    Hij zegt hij kan helemaal niet meer vooruit.

    He says he can not move anymore.

  4. 139

    Hij zegt hij kan het wel repareren.

    He says he can repair it.

  5. 140

    Hij zegt hij kan goed auto rijden.

    He says he can drive well.

  6. 141

    Hij zegt hij kan het nodige geld niet opbrengen.

    He says he can not produce the necessary money.

  7. 142

    Hij zegt hij kan goed met zijn baas overweg.

    He says he can get along well with his boss.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 13. Substitution Drill 5.

Listen to and repeat the first sentence of the drill on tape. Your voice will be followed by a low voice on tape to correct any mistakes in your utterance. You will now immediately hear a word or phrase that you are to substitute into the original sentence. Without hesitating, say the entire sentence again, this time with the new element in place of an element in the original sentence. You will again be corrected. Then you will hear, as before, another element for substitution. Again you will repeat the entire sentence, dropping the old element and substituting the new element in its place.

They are based on the previous five dialogs. Their purpose is to give you fluency in controlling sentences of the dialogs with additional variations provided by the substitution elements. You will observe that the basic structure of the dialog sentences does not change in these drills.

Substitution drill 5, part 2

  1. 143

    Hij zegt hij kan wel even wachten.

    He says he can wait a while.

  2. 144

    Hij zegt hij kan niet goed lezen.

    He says he can not read well.

  3. 145

    Hij zegt hij kan het alleen niet af.

    He says he can not do it himself.

  4. 146

    Hij zegt hij kan wel even wachten.

    He says he can wait a while.

Unit 2 test, part 1

The unit's test

Fifteen sentences from the unit's dialogs, heard once each.

Write the English for each. Any English that says the same thing is right. The test asks only whether the sentence was understood.

  1. 147

    Did you make an appointment in advance, or not?

  2. 148

    But when he is through with his patient, couldn't I just step in for a moment?

  3. 149

    I'm very sorry, the dentist is very busy now.

  4. 150

    To be exact, I was a seaman for 96 days.

  5. 151

    I would like to sail for about four months.

  6. 152

    I do think that in later life it is better if you do get married.

  7. 153

    As far as I can remember, it really is the horticultural district of the Netherlands.

Test on the Unit

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 14. Test on Unit 2.

The test tape consists of a translation drill containing fifteen sentences taken from the dialogs of the unit. This is a test for comprehension.

Have pencil and paper ready. Listen to the sentences and write an English equivalent in the time allotted.

The test tape tests only your comprehension of dialog sentences. The English provided in these answers is an equivalent and not a literal translation. Any parallel English sentence would be acceptable.

Unit 2 test, part 2

  1. 154

    No, they are about the same price because the heating in the winter is so expensive.

  2. 155

    Good afternoon, sir. May I help you?

  3. 156

    Would you lift your feet up a moment and place them on the bench?

  4. 157

    Try these on!

  5. 158

    I think I will take these.

  6. 159

    If you would like to go to the cashier, I'll be right there, with your shoes wrapped up.

  7. 160

    That gentleman who is standing there at the other side of the pump was here earlier.

  8. 161

    If I bring the car tonight, can I have it back by tomorrow noon?

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
Two whoopie pies and a pine. An inside joke.