Saying your age
Je leeftijd zeggen
- Asking somebody's age
- Say how old you are and when your birthday is
- Question words (hoe, hoeveel, waar, wanneer)
Learn to ask and tell your age and birthday in Dutch with phrases like "Hoe oud ben je?" (How old are you?) and "Wanneer ben je jarig?" (When is your birthday?). This lesson includes words for age (leeftijd) and birthday celebrations (verjaardag, cadeau, taart).
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: words about age and words about a birthday.
Leeftijd en leeftijdsaanduidingen
Verjaardag en feest
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Jong
Young
2
Worden
To become
3
Verjaren
To have a birthday
4
Het jaar
The year
5
Voorbereiden
Prepare
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Say the name and age of each person in the image. (Say the name and age of each person in the image.)
- Say your own age. (Say your own age.)
- Ask the others about their age. (Ask the others about their age.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
De naam van de vrouw is Hannah en ze is tweeëndertig jaar oud. The woman's name is Hannah and she is thirtytwo years old. |
|
Het meisje is zeventien jaar oud. The girl is seventeen years old. |
|
Het kind is zes jaar oud. The child is six years old. |
|
De grootmoeder is negenentachtig jaar oud. The grandmother is eightynine years old. |
|
Ik ben dertig jaar oud. I am thirty years old. |
|
Hoe oud ben jij? How old are you? |
| ... |
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. Hoe oud ___ je dit jaar?
(How old ___ you this year?)2. Ik ___ volgende maand drieëndertig.
(I ___ next month thirty-three.)3. Wanneer ___ jij jarig?
(When ___ you have your birthday?)4. Mijn verjaardag is in april, dus ik ___ dan een jaar ouder.
(My birthday is in April, so I ___ one year older then.)Exercise 8: Age and Birthday Party
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Worden - To turn
OTT
- ik word
- jij wordt
- hij/zij/het wordt
- wij worden
- jullie worden
- zij worden
Voorbereiden - To prepare
OTT
- ik bereid voor
- jij bereidt voor
- hij/zij/het bereidt voor
- wij bereiden voor
- jullie bereiden voor
- zij bereiden voor
Hebben - To have
OTT
- ik heb
- jij hebt
- hij/zij/het heeft
- wij hebben
- jullie hebben
- zij hebben
Vragen - To ask
OTT
- ik vraag
- jij vraagt
- hij/zij/het vraagt
- wij vragen
- jullie vragen
- zij vragen
Moeten - To should
OTT
- ik moet
- jij moet
- hij/zij/het moet
- wij moeten
- jullie moeten
- zij moeten
Lachen - To laugh
OTT
- ik lach
- jij lacht
- hij/zij/het lacht
- wij lachen
- jullie lachen
- zij lachen
Uitmaken - To put out
OTT
- ik maak uit
- jij maakt uit
- hij/zij/het maakt uit
- wij maken uit
- jullie maken uit
- zij maken uit
Vieren - To celebrate
OTT
- ik vier
- jij viert
- hij/zij/het viert
- wij vieren
- jullie vieren
- zij vieren
Exercise 9: Vraagwoorden (hoe, hoeveel, waar, wanneer)
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Question words (hoe, hoeveel, waar, wanneer)
Show translation Show answersWanneer, Hoeveel, Hoe, Waar
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A1.6.2 Grammatica
Vraagwoorden (hoe, hoeveel, waar, wanneer)
Question words (hoe, hoeveel, waar, wanneer)
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Worden to become Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) word | I become |
| (jij) wordt/word | you become |
| (hij/zij/het) wordt | he/she/it becomes |
| (wij) worden | we become |
| (jullie) worden | you become |
| (zij) worden | they become |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice Dutch today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Lesson Overview: Saying Your Age and Talking About Birthdays
This lesson introduces you to essential Dutch vocabulary and expressions centered around speaking about your age and celebrating birthdays. You will learn how to ask and answer questions about age, when someone's birthday is, and expressions used during birthday celebrations.
Key Vocabulary Groups
- Age and Age Expressions: de leeftijd (the age), hoe oud ben je? (how old are you?), jong (young), oud (old), het jaar (the year)
- Birthday and Celebration: de verjaardag (the birthday), de taart (the cake), het cadeau (the gift), het feest (the party)
Important Phrases and Sentence Examples
You will find useful conversational phrases, such as:
- Hoe oud ben je dit jaar geworden? (How old did you turn this year?)
- Wanneer is jouw verjaardag? (When is your birthday?)
- Ik word tweeëndertig jaar. (I am turning thirty-two years old.)
- We vieren mijn verjaardag met taart. (We celebrate my birthday with cake.)
- Gelukkige verjaardag! Geniet van de taart. (Happy birthday! Enjoy the cake.)
Dialogues for Practice
The lesson contains practical dialogues for situations such as meeting colleagues, chatting at the supermarket, or speaking with neighbors. These dialogues teach you how to ask and talk about age and birthdays naturally in Dutch.
Focus on Verb Conjugations
A special focus is placed on the verb worden (to become/turn), which is commonly used when stating your new age:
- Ik word 32. (I am turning 32.)
- Wanneer word jij jarig? (When is your birthday?/When do you turn a year older?)
The correct conjugations for present tense (tegenwoordige tijd) of worden are provided to help you form accurate sentences.
Short Story and Usage
A short narrative gives context to using the vocabulary and verbs. It describes a birthday celebration at work and at home, showing how to speak about age and festivities in everyday Dutch.
Language Notes: English vs. Dutch
English speakers should note that when talking about age in Dutch, the verb worden (to become) is used rather than a form of "to be" as in English.
English: I am 32 years old.
Dutch: Ik word tweeëndertig jaar. (Literally: I become 32 years old.)
Also, asking Hoe oud ben je? (How old are you?) is straightforward, but to ask about birthday dates, Dutch uses Wanneer ben jij jarig? (When is your birthday?), literally "When are you birthday-ed?"
Useful Dutch expressions include:
- Hoeveel cadeaus krijg je op je verjaardag? — How many presents do you get on your birthday?
- Waar vieren jullie het feest? — Where do you celebrate the party?
- Gelukkige verjaardag! — Happy birthday!
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
