Ordering food and dining out
Eten bestellen en uit eten gaan
- Ask food from the menu.
- Reserve a table in a restaurant.
- Past participles as adjectives
Learn essential Dutch phrases for ordering food and reserving a table in a restaurant. Key vocabulary includes 'de menukaart' (the menu), 'het gerecht' (the dish), and 'reserveren' (to reserve), focusing on perfect participles like 'bestelde' (ordered) and 'gereserveerde' (reserved).
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (11) 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 following words into two groups: words that refer to places in a restaurant and words related to dishes and drinks.
Plaatsen in het restaurant
Gerechten en drankjes
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Het restaurant
The restaurant
2
Nemen
To take
3
Het hoofdgerecht
The main course
4
Het nagerecht
The dessert
5
Het voorgerecht
The starter
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Order what you want from the menu. (Order what you want from the menu.)
- Play a dialogue in the restaurant. (Play a dialogue in the restaurant.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Mag ik de menukaart alstublieft? Can I have the menu please? |
|
Wil je bestellen? Do you want to order? |
|
Ik wil een salade als voorgerecht. I want to have a salad as a starter. |
|
Ik wil profiteroles als dessert. I want profiteroles for dessert. |
|
Kan ik voor vier personen een tafel reserveren om 8 uur? Can I reserve a table for four people at 8 o’clock? |
|
Ik wil een pizza als hoofdgerecht. I want a pizza as my main dish. |
| ... |
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. Ik _____ een drankje voordat ik de menukaart bestudeer.
(I _____ have a drink before I study the menu.)2. We _____ het hoofdgerecht besteld via de serveerster.
(We _____ ordered the main course through the waitress.)3. De _____ gerechten staan al op tafel klaar.
(The _____ dishes are already ready on the table.)4. Ik _____ de tafel voor twee personen gereserveerd.
(I _____ reserved the table for two people.)Exercise 8: Ordering food and dining out
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Reserveren - To reserve
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik reserveerde
- jij reserveerde
- hij/zij/het reserveerde
- wij reserveerden
- jullie reserveerden
- zij reserveerden
Bestellen - To order
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik bestelde
- jij bestelde
- hij/zij/het bestelde
- wij bestelden
- jullie bestelden
- zij bestelden
Bakken - To bake
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik bakte
- jij bakte
- hij/zij/het bakte
- wij bakten
- jullie bakten
- zij bakten
Nemen - To have / To take
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik nam
- jij nam
- hij/zij/het nam
- wij namen
- jullie namen
- zij namen
Exercise 9: Voltooide deelwoorden als bijvoeglijk naamwoord
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Past participles as adjectives
Show translation Show answersgeserveerde, bestelde, gedronken, gekookte, geboekte, geplande, gekozen, bereide
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Nemen to take Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) neem | I take |
| (jij) neemt / neem | you take / I take |
| (hij/zij/het) neemt | he/she/it takes |
| (wij) nemen | we take |
| (jullie) nemen | you take |
| (zij) nemen | they take |
Bestellen to order Share Copied!
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) heb besteld | I have ordered |
| (jij) hebt besteld / hebt besteld | you have ordered / have ordered |
| (hij/zij/het) heeft besteld | he/she/it has ordered |
| (wij) hebben besteld | we have ordered |
| (jullie) hebben besteld | you have ordered |
| (zij) hebben besteld | they have ordered |
Bakken to bake Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) bak | I bake |
| (jij) bakt/bak | you bake/bake |
| (hij/zij/het) bakt | he/she/it bakes |
| (wij) bakken | we bake |
| (jullie) bakken | you bake |
| (zij) bakken | they bake |
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Ordering Food and Dining Out in Dutch
This lesson covers practical language skills for ordering food and making reservations at restaurants in Dutch, ideal for beginner (A1) learners. You will learn how to reserve a table, ask for the menu, order dishes and drinks, and inquire about chef’s specials. The lesson also explains how to use past participles as adjectives to describe prepared dishes.
Key Vocabulary Groups
The lesson introduces useful words divided into two main categories:
- Places in the restaurant: de bar (the bar), het restaurant (the restaurant), de kantine (the canteen), de menukaart (the menu), de reservatie (the reservation)
- Dishes and drinks: het gerecht (the dish), het drankje (the drink), het voorgerecht (the starter/appetizer)
Language Structures
The lesson focuses on making polite requests and statements such as:
- Ik wil graag een tafel reserveren voor vanavond. (I would like to reserve a table for tonight.)
- Mag ik alstublieft de menukaart om iets te bestellen? (May I please have the menu to order something?)
- Ik neem het hoofdgerecht met de bereide groenten, alstublieft. (I’ll have the main course with the prepared vegetables, please.)
Using Past Participles as Adjectives
In Dutch, completed actions can describe nouns as adjectives, often in sentences about meals ordered or prepared:
- De bestelde soep means "the ordered soup."
- De bereide gerechten means "the prepared dishes."
Notably, the past participle agrees with the noun’s gender and number and is inflected accordingly.
Common Phrases and Dialogues
Practice conversations include reserving a table, ordering from the menu, and asking about daily specials, for example:
- Goedemiddag, ik wil graag een tafel reserveren voor vanavond. (Good afternoon, I’d like to reserve a table for tonight.)
- Heeft u de menukaart al gezien? (Have you seen the menu yet?)
- Wat is de specialiteit van de chef vandaag? (What is the chef’s special today?)
Verb Conjugation Focus
The lesson reviews important past tense forms of verbs common in dining contexts:
- reserveerde (reserved), bestelde (ordered), bakte (baked), nam (took/had)
These verbs describe actions in the past related to dining out.
Comparing English and Dutch Instruction
While English often uses simple past tense in descriptions, Dutch uses the onvoltooid verleden tijd (imperfect past) and past participles as adjectives to convey completed actions influencing nouns. For example, the ordered soup translates to de bestelde soep, where bestelde is a past participle used adjectivally, which is less common in English adjectival usage.
Useful phrases to remember include polite ways to order and request, such as:
- Ik wil graag... (I would like...)
- Mag ik alstublieft... (May I please...)
- Heeft u... (Do you have...)
This structured approach helps you communicate effectively and politely in restaurants while understanding grammar nuances essential for fluent comprehension.
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