The weather
Het weer
- Talk about the weather
- Basic weather vocabulary
- Impersonal verbs
Learn key Dutch weather vocabulary like 'de regen' (rain), 'de sneeuw' (snow), and expressions with onpersoonlijke werkwoorden such as 'Het regent' (It is raining) and 'Het wordt warmer' (It is getting warmer) to discuss daily weather and forecasts confidently.
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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Lesson Overview: Talking About The Weather in Dutch
This lesson focuses on understanding and discussing the weather (« het weer ») in Dutch, tailored for beginners (A1 level). You will learn key vocabulary related to weather conditions, how to use impersonal verbs that commonly describe weather, and practice practical dialogues for everyday conversations.
Key Topics Covered
- Impersonal Verbs for Weather: Learn verbs like regent (raining), waait (windy), sneeuwt (snowing), and wordt (becomes) used impersonally to describe weather phenomena.
- Weather Vocabulary: Grouped clusters of words related to precipitation such as de regen (rain), de sneeuw (snow), and weather descriptions like de zon (sun), fris (cool), droog (dry).
- Practical Dialogues: Realistic expressions and sentences for conversations about weather in different everyday contexts like on the street, at a café, or at work.
- Verb Conjugation Practice: Exercises focusing on present tense conjugations of weather verbs to reinforce grammar.
- Short Story: A contextually rich narrative illustrating the use of various weather expressions and verbs in present tense, with verb tables to aid comprehension.
Understanding Impersonal Verbs in Weather Contexts
In Dutch, weather is often described using impersonal verbs where the subject is always het (it). Examples include:
- Het regent de hele dag. (It rains all day.)
- Het waait hard vandaag. (It is windy today.)
- Het wordt fris in de avond. (It becomes cool in the evening.)
These verbs do not refer to a person but to the weather conditions, and they stay in the third person singular form.
Useful Vocabulary Groups
The lesson divides words into two helpful categories to build your weather-related vocabulary:
- Neerslag (Precipitation): de regen (rain), de sneeuw (snow), de mist (fog), het hagelt (it's hail).
- Weerbeschrijving (Weather Description): de zon (sun), de wind (wind), droog (dry), fris (cool).
Common Expressions About Weather and Their English Equivalents
Here are key phrases that you will encounter in the lesson along with their English counterparts for easier understanding:
- Het regent vandaag. – It is raining today.
- Het sneeuwt soms in januari. – It sometimes snows in January.
- Het waait hard buiten. – It is very windy outside.
- Het wordt morgen warmer. – It will become warmer tomorrow.
Differences Between English and Dutch Weather Expressions
In English, weather is often described impersonally as well, using 'it' as the subject, similar to Dutch het. However, Dutch uses specific impersonal verb forms that must agree with het (third-person singular) even though het refers to the weather, not a person or object. For example, unlike English ''It rains,'' Dutch uses het regent. Understanding and practicing these verb forms is essential for natural and correct weather descriptions.
Additionally, many Dutch weather words are gendered (de or het), which might differ from English namings that are usually neutral.
Practical Phrases to Use
- Neem je een paraplu mee? – Are you taking an umbrella?
- Het blijft vandaag droog en zonnig. – It stays dry and sunny today.
- Het wordt volgende week warmer. – It will be warmer next week.
- Het sneeuwt niet overal. – It is not snowing everywhere.
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