Greetings and Farewells

Introduction to Greetings and Farewells in Dutch

This lesson covers essential Dutch phrases and vocabulary for greeting others and saying goodbye. It focuses on everyday polite expressions used in social and professional settings. You will learn common greetings such as Hallo, Goedemorgen, and farewells like Tot ziens and Tot straks. The lesson also introduces personal pronouns (ik, jij, hij, zij, wij) to help you form basic sentences.

Understanding these expressions is fundamental for initiating conversations, making introductions, and ending interactions politely in Dutch.

Key Vocabulary: Greetings and Farewells

Greetings

• Hallo – Hello
• Goedemorgen – Good morning
• Goedemiddag – Good afternoon
• Goedenavond – Good evening
• Goedendag – Good day
• Aangenaam – Pleased to meet you

Farewells

• Tot ziens – Goodbye (until we see each other again)
• Tot straks – See you later (the same day)
• Tot morgen – See you tomorrow

Personal Pronouns and Verb Usage

Learn the personal pronouns ik (I), jij (you), hij (he), zij (she/they), and wij (we) to build simple sentences.
Example: Ik ben blij je te ontmoeten. (I am happy to meet you.)

Verb conjugations used in this lesson are mostly in the present tense. Key verbs include zijn (to be) and hebben (to have), essential for expressing states and possession.

Dialogues for Practice

The lesson offers practical dialogues like meeting a colleague at the coffee machine or greeting a new coworker, focusing on using greetings, introductions, and polite farewells.

Useful Phrases

• Hallo, hoe gaat het met je? — Hello, how are you?
• Aangenaam, ik ben Jan. Leuk je te ontmoeten! — Pleased to meet you, I’m Jan.
• Goedemorgen, heeft u een moment? — Good morning, do you have a moment?
• Tot straks, we spreken elkaar straks nog. — See you later, we will talk again soon.

Language Differences: Dutch vs English

In Dutch, polite forms such as u (formal you) are commonly used in greeting new people or in professional contexts, unlike English where "you" covers both formal and informal. The structure of greetings is often more formal, with phrases like Aangenaam translating as "pleased to meet you" which is shorter and more casual in English as "nice to meet you." Personal pronouns are used explicitly in Dutch sentences, whereas in English sometimes they can be omitted in informal speech. Also, Dutch uses specific farewell words depending on the expected time of meeting again, such as Tot straks (see you later today) and Tot morgen (see you tomorrow).