Seasons, months and parts of the year
Seizoenen, maanden en delen van het jaar
- Learn the seasons and months.
- Describe the weather in each season and month.
- Advanced: tell what you do in what month of the year.
- Future tense with 'gaan'
This lesson covers Dutch seasons (de lente, de zomer, de herfst, de winter) and months (januari, april, juli, oktober, december) with practical future tense sentences using 'gaan'. Learn to talk about weather, plans, and activities throughout the year.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (21) 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: Divide the words below into two groups: months and seasons.
Maanden van het jaar
Seizoenen
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
April
April
2
Veranderen
Change
3
Maart
March
4
Verkiezen
Prefer
5
Februari
February
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Can you name the seasons and months? (Can you name the seasons and months?)
- What is the weather like in each season? (What is the weather like in each season?)
- Which months are in each season? (Which months are in each season?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Er zijn drie maanden in de zomer: juni, juli en augustus. There are three months in summer: June, July, and August. |
|
In de zomer is het heet. In summer it is hot. |
|
September, oktober en november zijn in de herfst, en het regent vaak. September, October, and November are in autumn, and it often rains. |
|
December, januari en februari zijn de wintermaanden. December, January and February are the winter months. |
|
In de wintermaanden sneeuwt het soms. In the winter months it snows sometimes. |
|
Maart, april en mei zijn de lentemaanden en het weer is fris. March, April and May are the spring months and the weather is fresh. |
| ... |
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. In april ____ het weer vaak veranderen.
(In April ____ the weather often changes.)2. Wij ____ in de zomer buiten sporten.
(We ____ go outside to exercise in the summer.)3. Hij ____ in juni zijn familie bezoeken.
(He ____ will visit his family in June.)4. Jullie ____ in december kerst vieren.
(You (plural) ____ celebrate Christmas in December.)Exercise 8: Making Plans for the Seasons
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Gaan - Go
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- Ik ga
- Jij gaat
- U gaat
- Hij/zij/het gaat
- Wij gaan
- Jullie gaan
- Zij gaan
Exercise 9: Toekomende tijd met 'gaan'
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Future tense with 'gaan'
Show translation Show answersgaat, Ga, gaan, ga
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Gaan go Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) ga | I go |
| (jij) gaat/ga | you go/go |
| (hij/zij/het) gaat | he/she/it goes |
| (wij) gaan | we go |
| (jullie) gaan | you go |
| (zij) gaan | they go |
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Lesson Overview: Seasons, Months, and Parts of the Year in Dutch
This lesson introduces you to essential vocabulary and expressions related to the seasons, months, and parts of the year in Dutch, focusing on how to talk about plans, weather, and activities across different times. You will also learn to use the verb gaan in the near future tense, which is crucial for making statements about what you are going to do in various seasons or months.
Key Vocabulary: Months and Seasons
- Months of the year: januari, april, juli, oktober, december
- Seasons: de lente (spring), de zomer (summer), de herfst (autumn), de winter (winter)
Using the Verb Gaan to Express Future Plans
The verb gaan (to go) is commonly used in Dutch to indicate future actions. It combines with an infinitive verb to describe what you or others are going to do.
Example sentences:
- Ik ga in april fietsen in de lente. (I am going cycling in April in the spring.)
- Wij gaan in november een herfstwandeling maken. (We are going on an autumn walk in November.)
- Ga jij in februari in de winter schaatsen? (Are you going to skate in February in winter?)
Practice through Dialogues and Story
The lesson includes conversational practice to discuss weather, seasons, and plans with partners. You will learn common phrases to describe how the weather changes and what activities are typical in different months.
Sample dialogue topic: Talking about weather and activities in various seasons.
Important Notes on Linguistic Differences
In English, the future tense is often expressed with "will" or "going to," but in Dutch, gaan plus an infinitive is a natural way to describe near-future actions. For example, "I am going to walk" translates as "Ik ga wandelen." The structure is similar but uses gaan explicitly.
Also, note that Dutch months and season names are typically not capitalized, unlike in English.
Useful expressions:
- Het weer (the weather)
- Wandelen (to walk)
- Fietsen (to cycle)
- Kerst vieren (to celebrate Christmas)
Verb Conjugation Highlight
The present tense form of gaan is irregular:
- Ik ga
- Jij gaat
- Hij/Zij/Het gaat
- Wij gaan
- Jullie gaan
- Zij gaan
Knowing these forms will help you correctly talk about planned future activities with gaan.
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