Prices and money

Introduction to Prices and Money in Dutch

This lesson covers essential vocabulary and phrases you need when dealing with prices and money in everyday Dutch situations. By focusing on practical expressions used in markets, shops, and bakeries, you will learn how to ask about prices, talk about money, and handle payments confidently.

Key Vocabulary

Words Related to Payment and Money

• de euro – the euro (currency)
• het contant geld – cash money
• de kaart – card (bank or credit card)
• pinnen – to pay by card (PIN)
• de portemonnee – wallet

Words Related to Prices and Costs

• de prijs – the price
• goedkoop – cheap, inexpensive
• duur – expensive
• de korting – discount

Important Expressions and Sentences

• Hoeveel kost deze trui? – How much does this sweater cost?
• Ik wil graag met de kaart betalen. – I would like to pay by card.
• Is er genoeg fruit in de winkel? – Is there enough fruit in the store?
• Er is weinig contant geld in de portemonnee. – There is little cash in the wallet.
• Heb je vandaag veel korting? – Do you have a lot of discount today?

Using Adverbs of Quantity

Adverbs such as veel (a lot), weinig (a little/few), and genoeg (enough) are common when talking about amounts, especially money and products in shops.

Examples:

• Heb je genoeg geld? – Do you have enough money?
• Ik heb een beetje geld in mijn portemonnee. – I have a little money in my wallet.

Common Dialogues to Practice

At the Supermarket Checkout

Practice asking and telling prices:

• Hoeveel kost deze kaas? – How much does this cheese cost?
• De kaas kost vijf euro. – The cheese costs five euros.
• Heb je genoeg geld? – Do you have enough money?

At the Bakery

Learn how to ask prices and pay with different methods:

• Kan ik met pin betalen? – Can I pay by card?
• Een croissant kost één euro. – A croissant costs one euro.

At the Market

Use quantity adverbs when buying vegetables or fruits:

• Is er veel komkommer? – Is there a lot of cucumber?
• Ik wil een beetje komkommer. – I want a little cucumber.

Verb Practice: Present Tense Conjugations

Key verbs to study include:

• betalen (to pay) – ik betaal, jij betaalt, hij betaalt, wij betalen…
• kopen (to buy) – ik koop, jij koopt, hij koopt, wij kopen…
• verkopen (to sell) – ik verkoop, jij verkoopt, hij verkoopt, wij verkopen…
• geven (to give) – ik geef, jij geeft, hij geeft, wij geven…
• lopen (to walk) – ik loop, jij loopt, hij loopt, wij lopen…

Short Story Example

"Ik betaal altijd met mijn pinpas in de lokale winkel. Vandaag koop ik een paar appels en een brood. De verkoper verkoopt verse producten en hij geeft vaak korting. Mijn broer betaalt contant en hij zegt dat dat soms handig is. We kopen samen genoeg voor de lunch en daarna lopen we naar huis." This story demonstrates common verbs and vocabulary in a practical context.

Differences Between Dutch and English in This Context

In Dutch, the verb conjugations change according to the subject and are important to master for clear communication. Unlike English, where verb forms are mostly the same except for the third person singular, Dutch requires knowledge of these conjugations for verbs like betalen and kopen.

Useful phrases different from English include:

• pinnen – This verb specifically means paying by card using a PIN, which has no exact one-word equivalent in English.
• contant geld – Cash money; in Dutch, it’s often specified to differentiate from card payments.

Remember, polite questions such as Hoeveel kost…? (How much does… cost?) are essential when shopping or negotiating prices.