Our house
Ons huis
- Describe all the rooms and floors of a house.
- Understand a house rental or sales ad.
- Use of 'er' and 'daar'
Discover key Dutch words like 'de keuken' (the kitchen), 'de trap' (the stairs), and 'de tuin' (the garden) as you learn to describe rooms and parts of a house using 'er is' and 'daar' for clear location expressions.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (14) 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 into two groups: rooms in the house and parts of the house.
Kamers in het huis
Onderdelen van het huis
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
De garage
The garage
2
De tuin
The garden
3
Binnenkomen
To enter
4
De eetkamer
The dining room
5
De woonkamer
The living room
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Name the rooms of your house or appartment. (Name the rooms of your house or appartment.)
- Describe different housing types. (Describe different housing types.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Dit huis heeft zes kamers. This house has six rooms. |
|
De woonkamer bevindt zich op de begane grond, naast de hal. The living room is on the ground level, next to the entrance hall. |
|
Er is een balkon op de eerste verdieping. There is a balcony on the first floor. |
|
Mijn appartement heeft een keuken, een slaapkamer en een badkamer. My apartment has a kitchen, a bedroom, and a bathroom. |
|
De slaapkamer heeft een balkon. The bedroom has a balcony. |
|
Ik ben op zoek naar een eenkamerappartement. I am looking for a one-bedroom apartment. |
|
De huur voor de studio omvat alle maandelijkse kosten. The rent for the studio includes all monthly costs. |
| ... |
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. We ____ volgende week naar een nieuw huis in Amsterdam.
(We ____ next week to a new house in Amsterdam.)2. Er ____ een mooie tuin achter het huis waar ik graag werk.
(There ____ a beautiful garden behind the house where I like to work.)3. Daar ____ de garage naast de keuken, dat is heel handig voor de fietsen.
(There ____ the garage next to the kitchen, that is very convenient for the bikes.)4. We ____ nu de woonkamer aan het schoonmaken voor de gasten.
(We ____ now cleaning the living room for the guests.)Exercise 8: Our new house
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Verhuizen - Move
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik verhuis
- jij verhuist
- hij/zij verhuist
- wij verhuizen
- jullie verhuizen
- zij verhuizen
Pakken - Pack
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik pak
- jij pakt
- hij/zij pakt
- wij pakken
- jullie pakken
- zij pakken
Staan - Be
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik sta
- jij staat
- hij/zij staat
- wij staan
- jullie staan
- zij staan
Maken schoon - Clean
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik maak schoon
- jij maakt schoon
- hij/zij maakt schoon
- wij maken schoon
- jullie maken schoon
- zij maken schoon
Spelen - Play
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd
- ik speel
- jij speelt
- hij/zij speelt
- wij spelen
- jullie spelen
- zij spelen
Exercise 9: Gebruik van 'er' en 'daar'
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Use of 'er' and 'daar'
Show translation Show answersEr, er, daar
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Verhuizen to move house Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) verhuis / verhuis | I move house |
| (jij) verhuist / verhuis | you move house |
| (hij/zij/het) verhuist | he/she/it moves house |
| (wij) verhuizen | we are moving house |
| (jullie) verhuizen | you move house |
| (zij) verhuizen | they move house |
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Lesson Overview: Our House (Ons Huis)
This lesson introduces basic vocabulary and expressions related to rooms and parts of a house in Dutch. It is designed for A1-level learners and focuses on simple sentence structures, the use of the words er and daar, and practical conversations about houses.
Key Vocabulary: Rooms and House Parts
Students learn the names of common rooms such as de woonkamer (living room), de eetkamer (dining room), de keuken (kitchen), de slaapkamer (bedroom), and de badkamer (bathroom). They also study parts of the house like de gang (hallway), de trap (stairs), and de muur (wall).
Using er and daar
The lesson explains how to use the Dutch pronouns er and daar to point out locations or existence. For example, Er is een keuken met veel licht means "There is a kitchen with a lot of light," while Daar staat de trap naast de woonkamer emphasizes the location "There stands the stairs next to the living room."
Practical Dialogues
Through dialogues, learners practice describing houses, asking questions about advertisements, and talking about rooms during a house visit. These conversations include everyday vocabulary and phrases useful in real-life situations.
Verb Conjugation Focus
The lesson covers present tense conjugations of common verbs related to moving and household activities, such as:
- verhuizen (to move)
- pakken (to pack)
- staan (to stand)
- maken schoon (to clean)
- spelen (to play)
This conjugation practice helps students build basic sentence structures and express routines or actions related to the home.
Additional Insights: Comparing Dutch and English Expressions
In Dutch, the words er and daar often replace English "there" but are used differently. Er typically introduces or points to the existence of something, similar to "there is/are," while daar points to a specific location, like "there over there."
For example, Er is een grote tuin achter het huis translates as "There is a big garden behind the house," and Daar wonen wij al zes maanden means "There we have been living for six months." Understanding these nuances is essential for natural Dutch communication.
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