Dutch Conversation-Grammar 1732 Studios

Dutch · Unit 24

Book II, Unit 3: Unit 3

Refresher Course, Books II and III

Unit 3

162 lines

Het Zwin

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

    Have you ever been to the “Zwin”?

    Bentare
    Uyou (polite)
    danthen
    alalready
    eensonce, one day
    naarto, towards
    hetit; the
    ZwinZwin
    geweest?to be (irregular)
  2. 2

    No, I've never heard of it, no. Where is that?

  3. 3

    On the border between Zeeuws-Vlaanderen and Belgium, close to Katzand.

  4. 4

    Oh, there in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen.

  5. 5

    That's right.

  6. 6

    I've never really been there. I've never been in Zeeland.

  7. 7

    Never been in Zeeland?

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 15. Het Zwin

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

    That would be a good trip, then, for next time. How long, how much of a drive is it from The Hague?

  2. 9

    Well, from The Hague it's about three hours. You can go by way of Antwerp, but you can also go via the ferry at Pekpolder or at Flushing.

  3. 10

    Oh, the children would much rather go on the ferry.

  4. 11

    On the ferry. The best way, then, is via Rotterdam over the Moerdijk bridge to, eh . . . Rozendaal, Bergen-op-Zoom, and over Goes, Middelburg and Flushing, with the ferry to Breskens, and from Breskens it's only half an hour's drive to the “Zwin.”

  5. 12

    Oh, you seem to know the way very well. Do you go there often?

  6. 13

    Well, my parents come from Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, from Terneuzen. It's very nice and, especially these last few years, it's grown. In Katzand they're building vacation houses.

  7. 14

    So it would be nice for the family next summer vacation. They've had about enough of Veluwe.

Gaan Vissen

  1. 15

    Good morning, Shuul. It's Saturday today; do you feel like, eh . . . going fishing together tomorrow afternoon?

  2. 16

    That's a good idea. I haven't done it for a long time.

  3. 17

    It's so nice and quiet. I really feel like going. I have a hard week behind me. It was very busy in the office; I really feel like getting away from it all.

  4. 18

    Do you have your own spot somewhere, where you go regularly?

  5. 19

    I like to ride through the Westland on my bike and just look for a quiet spot.

  6. 20

    That is an excellent idea. Yes.

  7. 21

    Where do you go most of the time for fishing?

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 16. Gaan Vissen

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. 22

    Oh, I do have my own spot. It's far out in the Westland. And, eh, the best way for me to show you is for you to go with me. Then I can tell you about it.

  2. 23

    Perhaps we could go there?

  3. 24

    The other day I made a beautiful catch.

  4. 25

    Really?

  5. 26

    A beautiful bass.

  6. 27

    Yes, and especially for the Westland. There are very few that grow that big. So many people are going there to fish.

  7. 28

    Oh, yes. And, in a certain sense, it is a beautiful sport. And when you're sitting there, on the one hand you can exert yourself just as much as you want; and, on the other hand, you have to keep busy watching the bobber and take care that it doesn't get away.

  8. 29

    That's exactly the way I think about it.

Bij de Apoteker

  1. 30

    Good morning, ma'am.

  2. 31

    Good morning, sir. Maybe you can help me?

  3. 32

    Well, what is it?

  4. 33

    My little son has had a cold for the last . . . for the last two weeks and he's coughing all night long.

  5. 34

    Oh, I see.

  6. 35

    Don't you have something special for children? He's only four years old.

  7. 36

    Did you already give him something?

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 17. Bij de Apoteker

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. 37

    Yes, children's cough powders and . . . and syrups and drops, but they just don't seem to help.

  2. 38

    Did you go to a physician for that?

  3. 39

    Well, our doctor is on vacation at the moment, and his substitute is such a horrible man for children.

  4. 40

    I see, well, I shall give you this. But you shouldn't give him more than one tablet . . .

  5. 41

    Yes . . .

  6. 42

    . . . per half day; so, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

  7. 43

    And one in the afternoon. And is that before supper or after?

  1. 44

    Before supper!

  2. 45

    And what's the price of a box like that?

  3. 46

    Yes, they are rather expensive, that is, “two guilders” for twenty tablets.

  4. 47

    Well, that's not so bad, as long as it helps. Don't you have something for headaches? Don't you have powders for headaches or something like that?

  5. 48

    Well, there are these here. This is not a powder, this is a solution and sometimes it helps. Shall I wrap it for you?

  6. 49

    Yes, please, if you will do that. How much is it altogether?

  7. 50

    Well, together it will be two and one and a half guilder - three guilders and fifty cents.

  8. 51

    Three guilders and fifty cents. Fine, thank you very much; I hope it'll help.

Gedurende het Avondeten

  1. 52

    Vince, is that you?

  2. 53

    Yes.

  3. 54

    Where have you been?

  4. 55

    I'm very sorry, but I'm a little late tonight.

  5. 56

    You are almost two hours late.

  6. 57

    Oh, come now, don't get excited, because I've been out with George and, eh, yesterday we couldn't get the car fixed, so . . . Is dinner ready?

  7. 58

    Yes, dinner is ready, but by now it's all tasteless, of course.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 18. Gedurende het Avondeten

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. 59

    Well, let's begin, then.

  2. 60

    Yes, but for Pete's sake, and the dog has to be let out.

  3. 61

    Where is the dog?

  4. 62

    Yes, the dog is sitting in the front room now; he has been fed.

  5. 63

    Kees!

  6. 64

    Yes, Kees come here! Come here!

  7. 65

    Come, Kees! Nice dog! Nice dog!

  1. 66

    Go lie under the table.

  2. 67

    Yes.

  3. 68

    Well, let's start now.

  4. 69

    Say, what did you cook this evening? I, er.. those potatoes don't taste good, ugh!

  5. 70

    No, the American potatoes are not so good . . . They're, they're watery potatoes.

  6. 71

    Is that steak okay? I don't care too much for it; I don't think I'll eat any more. I'm going to visit a friend of mine tonight and, er . . . You look after Kees and we'll see from there. O.K?

  7. 72

    But can't you eat the steak first? It's a good steak.

  8. 73

    No, I've had enough to eat. Thank you.

Bij de Tramhalte

  1. 74

    Good afternoon, Shuul, I've come to keep you company. I'm waiting for the No.9 streetcar.

  2. 75

    Oh, I've been waiting for it for a while already.

  3. 76

    I haven't seen you for quite some time. What have you been doing lately?

  4. 77

    Oh, I've been in town all the time, and I've been to work and back everyday, as usual.

  5. 78

    That's probably the reason.

  6. 79

    Yes, that's probably the reason. I'll really have to call you up sometime so I can drop by.

  7. 80

    We probably haven't seen each other, because you haven't done anything lately.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 19. Bij de Tramhalte

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. 81

    Yes, that must be the reason.

  2. 82

    I've gone my usual way, too, and at the office we don't run into each other.

  3. 83

    No, how long it takes before this streetcar comes!

  4. 84

    Yes, it's strange, sometimes you . . . Sometimes you have to wait for five minutes and sometimes you get one immediately. They don't run regularly at all, nowadays.

  5. 85

    No, it's because the routes are too long. They have to go all the way through downtown before they come here and then every bridge and every small traffic jam is enough to hold them up.

  6. 86

    Luckily it's not raining today. That would really have been bad.

  7. 87

    Yes, that's true.

  1. 88

    I don't even have a raincoat with me today.

  2. 89

    Yes.

  3. 90

    That's why I'm shivering a little.

  4. 91

    Oh, well, there it comes, finally, back there.

  5. 92

    Yes, luckily.

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. 93

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor volgende keer.

    That would then be a good trip for next time.

  2. 94

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor de vacantie.

    That would then be a good trip for the summer vacation.

  3. 95

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor de volgende week.

    That would then be a good trip for next week.

  4. 96

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor het najaar.

    That would then be a good trip for the autumn.

  5. 97

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor het voorjaar.

    That would then be a good trip for springtime.

  6. 98

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn gedurende de winter.

    That would then be a good trip during the winter.

  7. 99

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn gedurende het paasverlof.

    That would then be a good trip during Easter vacation.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 20. 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. 100

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor volgende keer.

    That would then be a good trip for next time.

  2. 101

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn gedurende het kerstverlof.

    That would then be a good trip during Christmas vacation.

  3. 102

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor mijn vrouw en kinderen.

    That would then be a good trip for my wife and children.

  4. 103

    Dat zou dan een goed uitstapje zijn voor de volgende keer.

    That would then be a good trip for next time.

Substitution drill 2, part 1

  1. 104

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag te gaan vissen samen?

    Do you feel like going fishing together tomorrow afternoon?

  2. 105

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag een bioskoopje te pikken?

    Do you feel like going to a movie tomorrow afternoon?

  3. 106

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag te gaan zwemmen?

    Do you feel like going swimming tomorrow afternoon?

  4. 107

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag uit te gaan met me?

    Do you feel like going out with me tomorrow afternoon?

  5. 108

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag te gaan kegelen?

    Do you feel like going bowling tomorrow afternoon?

  6. 109

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag naar een voetbalwedstrijd te gaan?

    Do you feel like going to a soccer game tomorrow afternoon?

  7. 110

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag bij de buren op bezoek te gaan?

    Do you feel like visiting the neighbors tomorrow afternoon?

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 20. 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. 111

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag te gaan vissen samen?

    Do you feel like going fishing together tomorrow afternoon?

  2. 112

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag uit te gaan eten?

    Do you feel like eating out tomorrow afternoon?

  3. 113

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag naar de stad te gaan?

    Do you feel like going downtown tomorrow afternoon?

  4. 114

    Heb je zin om morgenmiddag te gaan vissen samen?

    Do you feel like going fishing together tomorrow afternoon?

Substitution drill 3, part 1

  1. 115

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan één pilletje.

    You shouldn't give him more than one tablet.

  2. 116

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan goed voor hem is.

    You shouldn't give him more than is good for him.

  3. 117

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan hij kan bolwerken.

    You shouldn't give him more than he can manage.

  4. 118

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan nodig is.

    You shouldn't give him more than is necessary.

  5. 119

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan ik zeg.

    You shouldn't give him more than I say.

  6. 120

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan hij zegt.

    You shouldn't give him more than he says.

  7. 121

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan hem toekomt.

    You shouldn't give him more than is due him.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 20. 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. 122

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan één pilletje.

    You shouldn't give him more than one tablet.

  2. 123

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan op het flesje staat.

    You shouldn't give him more than is written on the bottle.

  3. 124

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan wij zeggen.

    You shouldn't give him more than we say.

  4. 125

    U moet hem niet meer geven dan één pilletje.

    You shouldn't give him more than one tablet.

Substitution drill 4, part 1

  1. 126

    Zeg wat heb je gekookt vanavond?

    Say, what have you cooked this evening?

  2. 127

    Zeg wat heb je gedaan vandaag?

    Say, what have you done today?

  3. 128

    Zeg wat heb je daar gegeten?

    Say, what did you eat there?

  4. 129

    Zeg wat heb je voor mij klaargemaakt?

    Say, what have you prepared for me?

  5. 130

    Zeg wat heb je bij je?

    Say, what have you with you?

  6. 131

    Zeg wat heb je meegenomen?

    Say, what did you take along?

  7. 132

    Zeg wat heb je allemaal gezegd?

    Say, what did you say?

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 20. 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. 133

    Zeg wat heb je gekookt vanavond?

    Say, what have you cooked this evening?

  2. 134

    Zeg wat heb je haar geschreven?

    Say, what have you written to her?

  3. 135

    Zeg wat heb je hem verteld?

    Say, what have you told him?

  4. 136

    Zeg wat heb je gekookt vanavond?

    Say, what have you cooked this evening?

Substitution drill 5, part 1

  1. 137

    Ik moet je beslist eens opbellen om eens aan te komen.

    I really have to call you sometime about dropping by.

  2. 138

    Ik moet je beslist eens vertellen hoe dat zit.

    I really have to tell you what that is all about.

  3. 139

    Ik moet je beslist eens vertellen over onze vacantie.

    I really have to tell you about our vacation.

  4. 140

    Ik moet je beslist eens ons huis laten zien.

    I really have to show you our house.

  5. 141

    Ik moet je beslist eens onze tuin laten bewonderen.

    I really have to let you admire our garden.

  6. 142

    Ik moet je beslist eens waarschuwen.

    I really have to warn you.

  7. 143

    Ik moet je beslist eens uit eten vragen.

    I really have to ask you out for dinner sometime.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 20. 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. 144

    Ik moet je beslist eens opbellen om eens aan te komen.

    I really have to call you sometime about dropping by.

  2. 145

    Ik moet je beslist eens aan mijn meisje voorstellen.

    I really have to introduce you to my girl friend.

  3. 146

    Ik moet je beslist eens terug betalen.

    I really have to pay you back.

  4. 147

    Ik moet je beslist eens opbellen om eens aan te komen.

    I really have to call you sometime about dropping by.

Unit 3 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. 148

    You seem to know the way very well. Do you often go there?

  2. 149

    It is very nice, and especially in the last few years it has been growing.

  3. 150

    It's Saturday today. Do you feel like going fishing together tomorrow afternoon?

  4. 151

    The best way for me to show you is for you to go with me.

  5. 152

    The other day I made a beautiful catch, you know.

  6. 153

    So many people go there to fish.

  7. 154

    Did you go to a physician for this?

Test on the Unit

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book II, Lesson 21. Test on Unit 3.

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 3 test, part 2

  1. 155

    You shouldn't give him more than one tablet.

  2. 156

    How much is it altogether?

  3. 157

    Don't you have powders for headaches or something like that?

  4. 158

    I'm very sorry, but I'm a little late tonight.

  5. 159

    The dog is now sitting in the front room. It has eaten.

  6. 160

    Well, let's start now.

  7. 161

    I have been waiting for it for a while already.

  8. 162

    How long it takes before that streetcar comes!

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.