Teaching guidelines +/- 15 minutes

This lesson covers expressing preferences and dislikes in Dutch using key verbs like houden van (to love), leuk vinden (to like), dol zijn op (to be fond of), and haten (to hate). Learn to form sentences such as Ik houd van blauw (I love blue) and Ik haat geweld (I hate violence) with clear structure: person + verb + object.
  1. Structure: persoon + werkwoord + object. For example: 'Ik houd van muziek'.
 Uitdrukking (Expression)Voorbeeld (Example)
Voorkeuren (Preferences)Houden van
Leuk vinden
Dol zijn op
Ik houd van blauw. (I like blue.)
Ik vind dansen leuk. (I like dancing.)
Ik ben dol op chocolade. (I love chocolate.)
Afkeuren (Disapprove)Niet houden van
Niet leuk vinden
Haten
Ik houd niet van geel. (I don't like yellow.)
Ik vind dansen niet leuk. (I don't like dancing.)
Ik haat geweld. (I hate violence.)

Exercise 1: Het uitdrukken van voorkeuren en afkeuren

Instruction: Fill in the correct word.

Show translation Show answers

houd, haten, zijn, houdt, vindt

1. Dol zijn op:
Wij ... dol op groene appels.
(We love green apples.)
2. Niet leuk vinden:
Hij ... die gele jas niet leuk.
(He doesn't like that yellow jacket.)
3. Houden van:
Ik ... van de kleur blauw.
(I love the colour blue.)
4. Haten:
Zij ... rode tomaten.
(They hate red tomatoes.)
5. Niet houden van:
Jij ... niet van oranje.
(You don't like orange.)

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct solution

1. Ik houd ___ blauwe muren in de woonkamer.

(I love ___ blue walls in the living room.)

2. Zij vindt rood haar ___ omdat het opvallend is.

(She likes red hair ___ because it is striking.)

3. Wij zijn dol ___ groene planten in het kantoor.

(We are fond ___ green plants in the office.)

4. Hij houdt niet ___ gele muren, ze zijn te fel.

(He does not like ___ yellow walls, they are too bright.)

5. Jij ___ zwarte kleding omdat het somber is.

(You ___ black clothes because they are gloomy.)

6. Ik vind oranje bloemen niet ___ in het huis.

(I do not like orange flowers ___ in the house.)

Expressing Preferences and Dislikes in Dutch

This lesson helps you learn how to express what you like and dislike in Dutch, an essential skill for everyday conversations. You will discover useful phrases and expressions to communicate your preferences clearly.

Key Expressions for Preferences

There are several common ways to express liking something in Dutch:

  • Houden van (to love/like)
  • Leuk vinden (to find something nice/enjoy)
  • Dol zijn op (to be very fond of)

Examples include: Ik houd van blauw. (I love blue.), Ik vind dansen leuk. (I enjoy dancing.), and Ik ben dol op chocolade. (I am very fond of chocolate.)

Expressing Dislikes and Disapproval

To say that you do not like something or you dislike it strongly, use these expressions:

  • Niet houden van (to not like)
  • Niet leuk vinden (to not find nice/don't enjoy)
  • Haten (to hate)

Example sentences: Ik houd niet van geel. (I don't like yellow.), Ik vind dansen niet leuk. (I don't enjoy dancing.), and Ik haat geweld. (I hate violence.)

Basic Sentence Structure

The typical structure for expressing preferences or dislikes is:

Person + verb + object

For example: Ik houd van muziek. (I love music.) This helps you form clear and correct sentences with ease.

Differences Between English and Dutch

In Dutch, expressions like "houden van" require the preposition "van" after the verb when referring to what is liked, which differs from English where a direct object often follows the verb without a preposition. For example, the Dutch phrase Ik houd van blauwe muren literally translates to "I love of blue walls," but in natural English, it's just "I love blue walls." Additionally, the position of negation with "niet" is important and comes right before the phrase you want to negate, e.g., Ik vind oranje bloemen niet leuk.

Useful Vocabulary and Phrases

  • houden van – to love/like
  • leuk vinden – to find nice/enjoy
  • dol zijn op – to be very fond of
  • niet houden van – to not like
  • haten – to hate

Mastering these expressions will enable you to talk about your tastes confidently and understand others when they talk about theirs.

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This content has been designed and reviewed by the coLanguage pedagogical team: About coLanguage

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Kato De Paepe

Business and languages

KdG University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp

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Last Updated:

Thursday, 17/07/2025 22:22