Where are you from?
Waar kom je vandaan?
- Ask somebody where they are from
- Say your nationality
- Definite and indefinite articles (de, het, een)
- The noun (singular & plural)
Learn to ask and answer questions about origin and nationality in Dutch, using key phrases like "Waar kom je vandaan?" and vocabulary including countries (Nederland, België) and words for nationality (de nationaliteit). Practice definite and indefinite articles (de, het, een) and singular/plural nouns to confidently discuss where you and others come from.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (22) 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: Sort the words into the correct categories: countries of origin and words related to nationality and language.
Landen van herkomst
Nationaliteit en taal
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Duitsland
Germany
2
Wonen
To live
3
Portugal
Portugal
4
Komen
To come
5
Denemarken
Denmark
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Describe the nationality of each person. (Describe the nationality of each person.)
- Say where do they currently live. (Say where do they currently live.)
- Tell where you live. (Tell where you live.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Eero komt uit Frankrijk. Eero is from France. |
|
Ola komt uit Polen en ze woont in Londen. Ola comes from Poland and she lives in London. |
|
Maria is Spaans. Maria is Spanish. |
|
Jan komt uit Nederland. Jan is from the Netherlands. |
|
Waar kom je vandaan? Where are you from? |
|
Waar woon je? Where do you live? |
| ... |
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. Waar ____ jij vandaan?
(Where ____ you come from?)2. Ik ____ uit Nederland en ik woon in Amsterdam.
(I ____ from the Netherlands and I live in Amsterdam.)3. Mijn vriend ____ in een kleine stad.
(My friend ____ in a small town.)4. Wij ____ samen in een appartement in het centrum.
(We ____ together in an apartment in the city center.)Exercise 8: Where do you come from?
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Wonen - Live
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik woon
- jij woont
- hij/zij/het woont
- wij wonen
- jullie wonen
- zij wonen
Komen - Come
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik kom
- jij komt
- hij/zij/het komt
- wij komen
- jullie komen
- zij komen
Exercise 9: Bepaalde en onbepaalde lidwoorden (de, het, een)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Definite and indefinite articles (de, het, een)
Show translation Show answersde, het, een
Exercise 10: Het zelfstandig naamwoord (enkelvoud & meervoud)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The noun (singular & plural)
Show translation Show answerssteden, boeken, baby’s, vrouwen, huizen, talen, programma’s, brieven
Grammar Share Copied!
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A1.3.2 Grammatica
Bepaalde en onbepaalde lidwoorden (de, het, een)
Definite and indefinite articles (de, het, een)
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Wonen to live Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) woon | I live |
| (jij) woont/woon | you live |
| (hij/zij/het) woont | he/she/it lives |
| (wij) wonen | we live |
| (jullie) wonen | you live |
| (zij) wonen | they live |
Komen to come Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) kom | I come |
| (jij) komt/kom | You come/come |
| (hij/zij/het) komt | he/She/It comes |
| (wij) komen | we come |
| (jullie) komen | you come |
| (zij) komen | they come |
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Lesson Overview: Introducing Yourself and Asking "Where Are You From?"
This lesson is designed for A1 level Dutch learners to practice basic conversations about origins, nationality, and languages. You will learn key vocabulary related to countries, nationalities, and languages, as well as important grammatical elements like definite and indefinite articles (de, het, een), singular and plural forms of nouns, and present tense verb conjugations of common verbs like komen (to come) and wonen (to live).
Key Topics and Vocabulary
- Countries and Places of Origin: België, Nederland, Duitsland, Frankrijk, Spanje
- Nationalities and Languages: de nationaliteit, de taal, vragen zoals "Waar kom je vandaan?" en uitdrukkingen over geboorteplaatsen
- Grammar Focus: Use of definite (de, het) and indefinite (een) articles, singular and plural nouns, and present tense conjugation of irregular verbs
Example Sentences for Everyday Use
- Waar kom je vandaan? Ik kom uit Nederland.
- Ben jij geboren in België?
- Wat is jouw nationaliteit?
- Ik spreek twee talen: Nederlands en Engels.
Practice Conversations
Dialogues include practical situations such as introductions at work, encountering someone on the street, and chatting in a café. Example exchange:
Hallo, waar kom je vandaan?
Ik kom uit Duitsland. En jij?
Ik ben Nederlander, ik kom uit Nederland.
Verb Conjugation Focus
You'll practice conjugating key verbs in the present tense, including:
- Komen (to come): ik kom, jij komt, hij/zij komt, wij komen, jullie komen, zij komen
- Wonen (to live): ik woon, jij woont, hij/zij woont, wij wonen, jullie wonen, zij wonen
Additional Study Notes: Dutch vs. English
Unlike English, Dutch nouns often require a definite article (de or het) or an indefinite article (een). For example, "de taal" means "the language." Articles must agree with the gender and number of the noun, which is a new concept compared to English.
Another difference is the way questions are formed and verb placement. For example, "Waar kom je vandaan?" literally translates as "Where come you from?" This inverted word order is a typical Dutch sentence structure.
Useful Phrases
- Waar kom je vandaan? — Where are you from?
- Ik kom uit ... — I come from ...
- Ben jij geboren in ...? — Were you born in ...?
- Wat is jouw nationaliteit? — What is your nationality?
- Ik spreek ... en ... — I speak ... and ...
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