Professions and studies
Beroepen en studies
- Describe your profession
- Ask somebody's profession
- Talk about studies
- Question words (wie, wat, welk(e))
This lesson covers Dutch professions and studies, teaching key question words like wie, wat, welke and practical phrases such as Wie werkt als dokter? and Welke studie doe jij?. Learn verbs zoals werken en doen in de tegenwoordige tijd to discuss jobs and education.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (16) 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 the correct group: 'Jobs without education' or 'Jobs with education'.
Beroepen zonder studie
Beroepen met studie
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
De student
The student
2
De leraar
The teacher
3
De bestuurder
The driver
4
De politieagent
The police officer
5
Studeren
To study
Oefening 5: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Say the professions of each person. (Say the professions of each person. )
- What is your profession? (What is your profession?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
De jongeman is een student. The young man is a student. |
|
De vrouw is monteur. The woman is a mechanic. |
|
Michael is een politieagent. Michael is a police officer. |
|
Giulia is een journalist. Giulia is a journalist. |
|
Wat doe je voor werk? What do you do for a living? |
|
Ik ben een leraar. I am a teacher. |
| ... |
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 ___ als ingenieur bij een groot bedrijf.
(I ___ as an engineer at a large company.)2. Jij ___ dagelijks veel werk op kantoor.
(You ___ a lot of work at the office daily.)3. Hij ___ hard om zijn doelen te bereiken.
(He ___ hard to achieve his goals.)4. Wij ___ ons best om de klant tevreden te houden.
(We ___ our best to keep the customer satisfied.)Exercise 8: Professions and studies
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Werken - Werken
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- Ik werk
- Jij werkt
- Hij/Zij/Het werkt
- Wij werken
- Jullie werken
- Zij werken
Doen - Doen
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- Ik doe
- Jij doet
- Hij/Zij/Het doet
- Wij doen
- Jullie doen
- Zij doen
Exercise 9: Vraagwoorden (wie, wat, welk(e))
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Question words (wie, wat, welk(e))
Show translation Show answersWelke, Wat, Welk, Wie
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Werken to work Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) werk | I work |
| (jij) werkt/work | you work |
| (hij/zij/het) werkt | he/she/it works |
| (wij) werken | we work |
| (jullie) werken | you work |
| (zij) werken | they work |
Doen do Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) doe | I do |
| (jij) doet / doe | you do |
| (hij/zij/het) doet | he/she/it does |
| (wij) doen | we do |
| (jullie) doen | you do |
| (zij) doen | they do |
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Professions and Studies in Dutch
This lesson focuses on everyday language around professions and educational studies, perfect for beginner Dutch learners (A1 level). You will learn common question words like wie (who), wat (what), and welk(e) (which), useful for asking about people’s jobs and fields of study.
Key Vocabulary: Professions and Studies
- de kapper – the hairdresser
- de dokter – the doctor
- de ingenieur – the engineer
- de student – the student
- de politieagent – the police officer
- de kok – the cook
Question Words for Daily Conversations
The lesson highlights how to use question words naturally in Dutch sentences, for example:
- Wie is jouw docent op de universiteit? (Who is your teacher at the university?)
- Wat studeer je dit jaar aan de hogeschool? (What are you studying this year at college?)
- Welke beroepen ken je in een ziekenhuis? (Which professions do you know in a hospital?)
Verb Practice: "Werken" and "Doen" in Present Tense
A special focus is on the verbs werken (to work) and doen (to do), essential for talking about activities related to jobs and studies. For example:
- Ik werk als ingenieur bij een groot bedrijf.
- Jij doet dagelijks veel werk op kantoor.
The conjugation pattern for these verbs in the present tense is also illustrated for practice.
Practicing Conversations and Context
The material includes dialogues to practice meeting colleagues, discussing studies, and sharing professional information. These simulate real-life conversations to develop practical communication skills.
Grouping Vocabulary: Jobs With and Without Studies
As a helpful categorization, professions are grouped into two categories:
- Professions Without Formal Study: de kapper, de brandweerman, de ober, de monteur
- Professions With Formal Study: de advocaat, de dokter, de ingenieur, de student
Important Notes on Language Differences
In Dutch, question words like wie, wat, and welk(e) start questions similarly to English but with some structural differences. For example, the verb comes right after the question word: Wie werkt als dokter? vs. English, "Who works as a doctor?" Also, verb conjugations adjust according to the subject, so it’s important to learn forms like ik werk, jij werkt, and hij werkt. This differs from English where the base form often remains mostly unchanged.
Useful phrases include:
Wat doet de politieagent? – What does the police officer do?
Welke studie doe jij? – Which study do you do?
Wie werkt als kok? – Who works as a cook?
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