The weather
Het weer
- Talk about the weather
- Basic weather vocabulary
- Impersonal verbs
Discover basic Dutch weather expressions like 'het regent' (it rains) and 'het waait' (it winds). Learn impersonal verbs to describe weather conditions and useful vocabulary such as 'de regen' (rain) and 'de zon' (sun) in everyday conversations.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Put the words into two groups: words about precipitation and words that describe the weather in another way.
Neerslag
Weerbeschrijving
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Regenen
To rain
2
De sneeuw
The snow
3
Koud
Cold
4
Het weer
The weather
5
Droog
Dry
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Tell what weather it is on the picture. (Tell what weather it is on the picture.)
- Tell what weather it is right now in your city. (Tell what weather it is right now in your city.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Het regent. It rains. |
|
Het waait. It is windy. |
|
Het is zonnig. It is sunny. |
|
Het is erg heet. It is very hot. |
|
Hoe is het weer vandaag? How is the weather today? |
|
Vandaag is het zonnig en een beetje winderig. Today it's sunny and a bit windy. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Het ___ vandaag, dus neem een paraplu mee.
(It ___ today, so take an umbrella with you.)2. In de winter ___ het vaak in Nederland.
(In winter it ___ often in the Netherlands.)3. Het ___ hard vandaag, dus trek een jas aan.
(It ___ windy today, so put on a coat.)4. Het ___ volgende week warmer met zonnig weer.
(It ___ warmer with sunny weather next week.)Exercise 8: A walk in changeable weather
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Voelen - Feel
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik voel
- jij voelt
- hij/zij voelt
- wij voelen
- jullie voelen
- zij voelen
Pakken - Take
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik pak
- jij pakt
- hij/zij pakt
- wij pakken
- jullie pakken
- zij pakken
Waaien - Blow
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik waai
- jij waait
- hij/zij waait
- wij waaien
- jullie waaien
- zij waaien
Regenen - Rain
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik regen
- jij regent
- hij/zij regent
- wij regenen
- jullie regenen
- zij regenen
Vinden - Find
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik vind
- jij vindt
- hij/zij vindt
- wij vinden
- jullie vinden
- zij vinden
Worden - Get
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik word
- jij wordt
- hij/zij wordt
- wij worden
- jullie worden
- zij worden
Blijven - Stay
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik blijf
- jij blijft
- hij/zij blijft
- wij blijven
- jullie blijven
- zij blijven
Gaan - Go
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik ga
- jij gaat
- hij/zij gaat
- wij gaan
- jullie gaan
- zij gaan
Exercise 9: Onpersoonlijke werkwoorden
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Impersonal verbs
Show translation Show answersHet regent, Het vriest, Het wordt, Het hagelt, Het onweert, Het blijft, Het sneeuwt, Het is
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Voelen to feel Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) voel | I feel |
| (jij) voelt/voel | you feel |
| (hij/zij/het) voelt | he/she/it feels |
| (wij) voelen | we feel |
| (jullie) voelen | you feel |
| (zij) voelen | they feel |
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About This Lesson: The Weather (Het weer)
This lesson focuses on expressing weather conditions in Dutch, suitable for A1 beginners. You learn how to describe typical weather patterns and use common impersonal verbs related to the weather. Key vocabulary includes terms for precipitation like de regen (rain), de sneeuw (snow), as well as words to describe weather in general such as de zon (the sun), de wind (wind), droog (dry), and fris (cool). Examples of practical sentences are Het regent de hele dag (It rains all day) and Het waait hard vandaag (It is windy today).
Impersonal Verbs on Weather
Dutch often uses impersonal verbs when talking about weather. These verbs are used only in the third person singular form, preceded by het (it) as the subject. Examples include:
- Het regent - It rains
- Het sneeuwt - It snows
- Het waait - It is windy
- Het wordt - It becomes (used for changes in weather, like warmer or colder)
Useful Weather-Related Words Grouped by Type
- Precipitation: de regen (rain), de sneeuw (snow), de mist (fog), het hagelt (hail)
- Weather Description: de zon (the sun), de wind (the wind), droog (dry), fris (cool)
Practical Dialogues
This lesson includes dialogues for everyday situations such as talking about the weather on the street, at a café, or at work. These are designed for practicing natural conversations about current weather, weather forecasts, and personal opinions on the weather conditions.
Verb Conjugation Practice
You practice the present tense conjugations of these impersonal verbs and other related verbs, which helps grasp regular verb endings and sentence formation like Het regent vandaag or Het wordt warmer.
Mini Story: A Walk in Changeable Weather
A short story describes a walk on a cool and windy day, with verbs highlighted in present tense to reinforce vocabulary and grammar: voelen (to feel), pakken (to take), waaien (to blow), regenen (to rain), vinden (to find/feel), worden (to become), blijven (to stay), and gaan (to go).
Comments on Dutch and English Differences
In Dutch, weather verbs are mostly impersonal, always used with het in the third person singular, even though het has no specific meaning besides serving as a grammatical subject. This differs from English, where pronouns like "it" clearly refer to the weather or other situations. Also, weather verbs in Dutch do not change person or number beyond the third person singular form. Useful phrases to remember are:
- Het regent – It is raining
- Het sneeuwt – It is snowing
- Het waait – It is windy
- Het wordt warm – It becomes warm
Learning these will help you talk naturally about weather, one of the most common daily conversation topics in Dutch.
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