Dutch Conversation-Grammar 1732 Studios

Dutch · Unit 31

Book III, Unit 4: Unit 4

Refresher Course, Books II and III

Unit 4

144 lines

De Europort

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

    Eh, Jan, you're an economics major. Maybe you can help me. I have to write an article for the, eh, student paper of the University of Leyden, on the Europort.

    Eh,eh
    Jan,Jan
    jijyou
    bentto be (irregular)
    ekonomischeconomics
    student.student
    Misschienperhaps (het mag geschien)
    kanto be able (can)
    jijyou
    mijme
    helpen.to help
    IkI
    moetto have to, must
    eena
    stukpiece
    schrijvento write
    inin
    dethe
    eh,eh
    studentenkrantstudent paper
    vanof, from
    dethe
    LeidseLeiden
    UniversiteitUniversity
    overacross, over
    dethe
    Europort.Europort
  2. 2

    I'm glad you asked that. I'm very interested in it. First, the Europort is Rotterdam's answer to the European Economic Union.

  3. 3

    Yes.

  4. 4

    So, Rotterdam wants to expand in order to get the new trade that the E.E.C. will bring to Europe.

  5. 5

    Does that mean that Rotterdam itself will be eliminated by the Europort or is it only an extension of the port?

  6. 6

    It's an expansion, an extension of Rotterdam.

  7. 7

    Yes. But how did the directors of the various, eh, what do you call them harbor companies, react to that?

  8. 8

    Well, actually they find it all very good, for what does it really signify, the Europort? It means that more trade will go to Rotterdam that way.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 22. De Europort

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.

Naar Huis

  1. 9

    Well, I want to tell you something.

  2. 10

    Yes . . . Tell me something.

  3. 11

    I'm going home.

  4. 12

    When are you going home?

  5. 13

    As soon as I can get a ship.

  6. 14

    But when will you know that?

  7. 15

    That's just what's tough, I don't know. As a matter of fact, I want to try to work my way over.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 23. Naar Huis

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. 16

    Yes, so you don't have to pay anything.

  2. 17

    That's it, because I'm going to study again.

  3. 18

    Where, in Holland?

  4. 19

    Yes, in Delft.

  5. 20

    In Delft?

  6. 21

    Yes . . .

  7. 22

    What are you going to study in Delft?

  1. 23

    I'm going to continue my studies, mechanical engineering.

  2. 24

    Oh, yes. Have you already started at Delft?

  3. 25

    No, I've . . . completed the MTS in Holland, but there's the possibility now, that, eh, that I can't get a ship.

  4. 26

    Yes.

  5. 27

    That's pretty hard. There are, naturally, very many people who would like to go away like that.

  6. 28

    Oh, yes.

  7. 29

    But, eh . . . I was a sailor once, already, hey!

  1. 30

    When was that?

  2. 31

    That was in 1954. At that time I made a trip to South America.

  3. 32

    Hm . . . well, then you've seen a lot.

  4. 33

    That was an exciting trip, hey!

Nederlandse Wegen

  1. 34

    Say, did you read in the newspaper this morning, about that big accident on the highway near Rotterdam where this car slipped on these cobblestones? It had rained a little.

  2. 35

    Yes, I heard about the accident, but that it happened because of the cobblestones, this I really . . . I didn't notice that.

  3. 36

    Yes, it is . . .

  4. 37

    They still have them there? That really surprises me.

  5. 38

    Yes, it's part of the highway that they never got repaired or covered with modern asphalt or cement.

  6. 39

    Yes. . . . The black color of the asphalt makes driving pleasant when the sun is high; you don't have this white light over the road and it tires the eyes in the long run; you never have that with asphalt.

  7. 40

    Yes, I think so, too, and especially at night, the black asphalt with the white lines, eh . . .

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 24. Nederlandse Wegen

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. 41

    You see them better.

  2. 42

    You see them better than white lines on cement at night. It's also more pleasant to drive.

  3. 43

    Yes. On the other hand, of course, when it's really hot, the sun shines and it's summer and warm; then, sometimes the asphalt gets soft and seems to stick to your tires.

  4. 44

    Yes . . . . I think they waited too long to replace this part of the highway near Rotterdam with asphalt or cement.

  5. 45

    Oh, there is no doubt about that.

De Filmkeuring

  1. 46

    What do you think of movie censorship in the Netherlands? I don't know very much about it, but maybe . . .

  2. 47

    I know that there is a government censorship and that the movie theaters are committed to comply with it.

  3. 48

    In the predominantly Catholic areas, in the South, therefore, movie censorship is generally more strict than it is in the North.

  4. 49

    Yes, yes.

  5. 50

    So that must be a sign that the Catholic movie censorship operates absolutely independently of the government censorship.

  6. 51

    Yes, that's done, naturally, with a . . . because of a simple reason.

  7. 52

    Naturally.

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 25. De Filmkeuring

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. 53

    Well, wouldn't it be the same difference, I mean a boy of eighteen, in the South, for example, probably hasn't seen so many of the things that are rejected as has a boy of the same age in the North.

  2. 54

    And, naturally, not only that, after all, it's up to the individual to go to the movies and . . . or not.

  3. 55

    Yes, and, finally it is only a recommendation . . .

  4. 56

    Oh, yes, of course, and . . .

  5. 57

    On the part of the Catholic movie censorship.

  6. 58

    I mean, of course, nobody can be excluded; after all, you are not asked when you enter, whether you are Catholic or not.

  7. 59

    No . . .

  8. 60

    On the other hand, they do ask how old you are, so that is . . .

  9. 61

    Yes.

Prinsjesdag

  1. 62

    Jan, when did you last go to the opening of parliament? [lit. "Prince's Day"].

  2. 63

    Well, that was about four years ago.

  3. 64

    When exactly is the opening of parliament?

  4. 65

    It's the third Tuesday in September.

  5. 66

    That's the opening of parliament, right?

  6. 67

    Right, the Queen goes in the golden carriage; then she goes to the parliament building in The Hague, on the Binnenhof, and there she opens the Senate.

  7. 68

    It's always a very colorful display, I think. Don't you think so?

I. Dialog for Listening

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 26. Prinsjesdag

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. 69

    Ah, yes! With that golden carriage. Do the princesses go along too nowadays?

  2. 70

    As soon as they've reached their eighteenth birthday.

  3. 71

    Oh, I thought that only the crown princess went along. And eh, what is the function of the Prince there?

  4. 72

    I think he only goes along to watch. The Queen opens parliament with a speech from the throne.

  5. 73

    Oh, then, . . . She gives a speech from the throne.

  6. 74

    Yes, at this occasion she sets forth the state of affairs in the past year and what has been decided for the coming year. It's really the closing and opening of the financial year.

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. 75

    Wat vindt U van de filmkeuring in Nederland?

    What do you think of the film censorship in the Netherlands?

  2. 76

    Wat vindt U van de verkeersregels in Nederland?

    What do you think of the traffic rules in the Netherlands?

  3. 77

    Wat vindt U van de Delta-werken in Nederland?

    What do you think of the Delta works in the Netherlands?

  4. 78

    Wat vindt U van de huidige regering in Nederland?

    What do you think of the present government in the Netherlands?

  5. 79

    Wat vindt U van de radio-uitzendingen in Nederland?

    What do you think of the radio programs in the Netherlands?

  6. 80

    Wat vindt U van de televisie-programma's in Nederland?

    What do you think of the television programs in the Netherlands?

  7. 81

    Wat vindt U van de woningnood in Nederland?

    What do you think of the housing shortage in the Netherlands?

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 27. 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. 82

    Wat vindt U van de filmkeuring in Nederland?

    What do you think of the film censorship in the Netherlands?

  2. 83

    Wat vindt U van het verkeer in Nederland?

    What do you think of the traffic in the Netherlands?

  3. 84

    Wat vindt U van al die lawaaierige fietsen in Nederland?

    What do you think of all the noisy bikes in the Netherlands?

  4. 85

    Wat vindt U van de filmkeuring in Nederland?

    What do you think of the film censorship in the Netherlands?

Substitution drill 2, part 1

  1. 86

    En wat is de funktie van de Prins daar?

    And what is the function of the Prince there?

  2. 87

    En wat is de funktie van de Koningin daar?

    And what is the function of the Queen there?

  3. 88

    En wat is de funktie van de prinsessen daar?

    And what is the function of the princesses there?

  4. 89

    En wat is de funktie van de eerste minister?

    And what is the function of the prime minister?

  5. 90

    En wat is de funktie van de provinciale staten?

    And what is the function of the provincial councils?

  6. 91

    En wat is de funktie van de burgemeester?

    And what is the function of the mayor?

  7. 92

    En wat is de funktie van de penningmeester?

    And what is the function of the treasurer?

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 27. 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. 93

    En wat is de funktie van de Prins daar?

    And what is the function of the Prince there?

  2. 94

    En wat is de funktie van de Tweede Kamer?

    And what is the function of the House of Representatives?

  3. 95

    En wat is de funktie van de Eerste Kamer?

    And what is the function of the Senate?

  4. 96

    En wat is de funktie van de Prins daar?

    And what is the function of the Prince there?

Substitution drill 3, part 1

  1. 97

    Ik ben blij dat je het vraagt.

    I'm glad that you asked it.

  2. 98

    Ik ben blij dat je er mee bent gekomen.

    I'm glad that you came with it.

  3. 99

    Ik ben blij dat je er ook geïnteresseerd in bent.

    I'm glad that you are also interested in that.

  4. 100

    Ik ben blij dat je me kunt helpen.

    I'm glad that you can help me.

  5. 101

    Ik ben blij dat je een oplossing hebt gevonden.

    I'm glad that you have found a solution.

  6. 102

    Ik ben blij dat je me gevraagd hebt om mee te komen.

    I'm glad that you asked me to come along.

  7. 103

    Ik ben blij dat je het er zo goed afgebracht hebt.

    I'm glad that you are safely back again.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 27. 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. 104

    Ik ben blij dat je het vraagt.

    I'm glad that you asked it.

  2. 105

    Ik ben blij dat je eindelijk een goede baan hebt gevonden.

    I'm glad that you finally found a good job.

  3. 106

    Ik ben blij dat je zo goed geslaagd bent.

    I'm glad that you succeeded so well.

  4. 107

    Ik ben blij dat je het vraagt.

    I'm glad that you asked it.

Substitution drill 4, part 1

  1. 108

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die op die manier weg willen komen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who'd like to get away in this manner.

  2. 109

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die er op zitten te wachten.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who are waiting for it.

  3. 110

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die het graag zouden willen proberen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who'd like to try it.

  4. 111

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die er alles voor over zouden hebben.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who'd be willing to give up anything for it.

  5. 112

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die er niet voor terug zouden deinzen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who'd be unscrupulous enough to do it.

  6. 113

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die het geld goed zouden kunnen gebruiken.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who could use the money well.

  7. 114

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die daardoor op hete kolen zitten.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who are in trouble because of that.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 27. 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. 115

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die op die manier weg willen komen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who'd like to get away in this manner.

  2. 116

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die er naartoe willen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who want to go there.

  3. 117

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die er niet tegen kunnen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who can't stand that.

  4. 118

    Er zijn natuurlijk veel mensen die op die manier weg willen komen.

    There are, of course, a lot of people who'd like to get away in this manner.

Substitution drill 5, part 1

  1. 119

    Ik vind het ook veel prettiger rijden.

    I find driving more pleasant then, too.

  2. 120

    Ik vind het maar een vervelend gedoe.

    I find it a boring activity.

  3. 121

    Ik vind het ook veel te gevaarlijk.

    I find it much too dangerous, too.

  4. 122

    Ik vind het ook te veel moeite.

    I find it too much trouble, too.

  5. 123

    Ik vind het ook zo'n mooi weer buiten.

    I find it such nice weather outside, too.

  6. 124

    Ik vind het zo ook veel gezelliger.

    I find it much more pleasant this way, too.

  7. 125

    Ik vind het maar een armzalige vertoning.

    I find it a poor showing.

Substitution Drills

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 27. 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. 126

    Ik vind het ook veel prettiger rijden.

    I find driving more pleasant then, too.

  2. 127

    Ik vind het weer ook veel te guur.

    I find the weather much too cold, too.

  3. 128

    Ik vind het ijs nog niet dik genoeg om te schaatsen.

    I find the ice not thick enough for skating.

  4. 129

    Ik vind het ook veel prettiger rijden.

    I find driving more pleasant then, too.

Unit 4 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. 130

    I have to write an article for the student paper of the University of Leyden on the Europort.

  2. 131

    That means that more trade will come to Rotterdam.

  3. 132

    Perhaps you can help me.

  4. 133

    As a matter of fact, I want to try to work my way over.

  5. 134

    There are, of course, very many people who would like to go that way.

  6. 135

    At that time I made a trip to South America.

  7. 136

    I do think that they waited too long to change that stretch of road near Rotterdam to asphalt and concrete.

Test on the Unit

DLI Dutch Refresher Course (1961), Book III, Lesson 28. Test on Unit 4.

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 4 test, part 2

  1. 137

    What do you think of movie censorship in the Netherlands?

  2. 138

    In the South, movie censorship is generally stricter than in the North.

  3. 139

    After all, it's up to the individual to go to the movies or not.

  4. 140

    Yes, and, finally, it's only a recommendation.

  5. 141

    On the other hand, they do ask you how old you are.

  6. 142

    That was about four years ago.

  7. 143

    As soon as they've reached their eighteenth birthday.

  8. 144

    The Queen opens the parliament with the speech from the throne.

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.