At the bank
Bij de bank
- Open a bank account.
- Make online purchases and be familiar with common payment methods.
- Get to know the biggest banks of the country.
- Expressing wishes with the imperfect tense
This lesson covers essential banking vocabulary such as bankrekening (bank account), betalen (to pay), and geldautomaat (ATM), while practicing the Dutch past tense (onvoltooid verleden tijd) to express wishes and past events in everyday banking situations.
Vocabulary (13) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Sparen
To save
2
Het biljet
The banknote
3
De cheque
The cheque
4
Geld afhalen
Withdrawing money
5
De geldautomaat
The cash machine
Oefening 2: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Bespreek de verschillende betaalmethoden die je ziet. (Discuss the different payment methods that you see.)
- Koop je liever online of in een winkel? Houd je van telefoneren? (Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone?)
- Is het gebruikelijk in uw land om een fooi te geven? (Is it common in your country to leave a tip? )
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Ik betaal liever met de kaart omdat het sneller is. I prefer paying by card because it is faster. |
|
Ik heb graag contant geld omdat je soms niet met een kaart kunt betalen. I like to have cash because sometimes you can not pay by card. |
|
Ik vind online winkelen leuker omdat het minder stressvol voor me is. I like online shopping more because it is less stressful for me. |
|
Ik betaal liever met mijn bankapplicatie. I prefer paying with my bank application. |
|
We betalen via bankoverschrijving. We pay by bank transfer. |
|
Bijna niemand geeft een fooi in mijn land, dus ik doe het nooit. Almost nobody leaves a tip in my country so I never do it. |
| ... |
Exercise 3: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 4: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Had ik maar eerder een bankrekening ________, dan kon ik nu makkelijker betalen.
(If only I had ________ a bank account earlier, then I could pay more easily now.)2. Kon ik maar contant ________, dan hoefde ik geen pinpas te gebruiken.
(If only I could pay ________ cash, then I wouldn’t have to use a debit card.)3. Wist ik maar hoe ik online een betaling ________, dan had ik het gisteren kunnen regelen.
(If only I knew how to ________ an online payment, then I could have arranged it yesterday.)4. Had ik maar meer geld ________, dan kon ik vandaag geld opnemen bij de geldautomaat.
(If only I had ________ more money, then I could withdraw money today at the ATM.)Exercise 5: At the bank
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Gaan - Go
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik ging
- jij ging
- hij/zij/het ging
- wij gingen
- jullie gingen
- zij gingen
Hebben - Have
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik had
- jij had
- hij/zij/het had
- wij hadden
- jullie hadden
- zij hadden
Nemen - Take
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik nam
- jij nam
- hij/zij/het nam
- wij namen
- jullie namen
- zij namen
Zijn - Be
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik was
- jij was
- hij/zij/het was
- wij waren
- jullie waren
- zij waren
Zullen - Will
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik zou
- jij zou
- hij/zij/het zou
- wij zouden
- jullie zouden
- zij zouden
Weten - Know
Onvoltooid verleden tijd
- ik wist
- jij wist
- hij/zij/het wist
- wij wisten
- jullie wisten
- zij wisten
Exercise 6: Wensen uitdrukken met de onvoltooid verleden tijd
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Expressing wishes with the imperfect tense
Show translation Show answersHad, moest, kocht, Kon, Wist, ging
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A2.13.1 Grammatica
Wensen uitdrukken met de onvoltooid verleden tijd
Expressing wishes with the imperfect tense
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Nemen to take Share Copied!
Onvoltooid verleden tijd (OVT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) nam | I took |
| (jij) nam/namt | you took |
| (hij/zij/het) nam | he/she/it took |
| (wij) namen | we took |
| (jullie) namen | you took |
| (zij) namen | they took |
Hebben have Share Copied!
Onvoltooid verleden tijd (OVT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) had | I had |
| (jij) had/hadde | you had |
| (hij/zij/het) had | he/she/it had |
| (wij) hadden | we had |
| (jullie) hadden | you have |
| (zij) hadden | they had |
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Overview of the Lesson: At the Bank
This lesson focuses on everyday situations related to banking in the Netherlands, ideal for A2 level Dutch learners. It covers practical topics such as opening a bank account, making online purchases and payments, and learning about the major Dutch banks. The lesson places special emphasis on expressing wishes and regrets using the onvoltooid verleden tijd (simple past tense), especially with phrases like "Had ik maar..." which means "If only I had..." or "I wish I had...".
Key Topics and Language Content
1. Banking Conversations and Expressions
Students will practice dialogues for situations like:
- Opening a new bank account (e.g., "Goedemiddag, ik wil graag een nieuwe bankrekening openen.")
- Using online payment methods such as iDEAL, credit cards, and PayPal
- Discussing the major banks in the Netherlands, including Rabobank, ING and ABN AMRO
2. Grammar Focus: Wishes with Simple Past Tense (Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd)
The lesson highlights how to express wishes or regrets about past actions with verbs in the simple past tense. Examples include:
- "Had ik maar eerder een bankrekening geopend" (If only I had opened a bank account earlier)
- "Had ik maar geweten hoe ik online moest betalen" (I wish I had known how to pay online)
3. Important Vocabulary Words and Phrases
- bankrekening – bank account
- pinpas – debit card
- contant betalen – paying cash
- geldautomaat – ATM
- identiteitsbewijs – identification document
- betaalmethoden – payment methods
- online bankieren – online banking
Short Story and Verb Tables
The lesson includes a short story titled "Bij de bank" which illustrates past events using the simple past tense. Verbs such as gaan (to go), hebben (to have), nemen (to take), zijn (to be), zullen (will/shall), and weten (to know) are conjugated in the simple past tense to deepen understanding.
Useful Language Notes for English Speakers
Unlike English, Dutch often expresses wishes about the past by using the simple past tense with "Had ik maar..." which translates as "If only I had..." rather than a perfect tense construction. For example, "Had ik maar eerder een bankrekening geopend" corresponds to "If only I had opened a bank account earlier."
Additionally, Dutch uses separable verbs (e.g., opengemaakt is incorrect for "opened" here; the preferred past participle is geopend). Careful attention is needed when forming past tenses and participles.
Examples of useful phrases:
Had ik maar... – I wish I had...
Kon ik maar... – If only I could...
Ik wil graag... – I would like to...
Kan ik hier... – Can I here... (e.g., open an account)
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