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 teaches you how to discuss banking topics in Dutch at the A2 level, focusing on opening a bankrekening (bank account), online betalen (paying online), and using the onvoltooid verleden tijd (imperfect tense) with verbs like had (had), ging (went), and wist (knew).
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
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:
- Discuss the different payment methods that you see. (Discuss the different payment methods that you see.)
- Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone? (Do you prefer shopping online or in a store? Do you like talking on the phone?)
- Is it common in your country to leave a tip? (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)!
A2.13.2 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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Lesson Overview: At the Bank
This lesson is designed for A2 level Dutch learners to build essential vocabulary and expressions for banking situations. You will explore practical topics like internet and mobile banking, expressing wishes with the past tense, and making online purchases safely.
Key Topics Covered
- Opening a bank account: Practice dialogues enabling you to express your preferences and discuss account options with bank staff, e.g., "Goedemiddag, ik wil graag een nieuwe bankrekening openen." (Good afternoon, I would like to open a new bank account.)
- Doing online shopping and payments: Learn how to talk about various payment methods such as pinpas, iDEAL, credit card, and PayPal, including expressing wishes about knowing how to pay online.
- Information about the largest Dutch banks: Understand how to compare banks like Rabobank, ING, and ABN AMRO, helping you make informed banking choices.
- Expressing wishes with the imperfect past tense (onvoltooid verleden tijd): Many example sentences involve phrases like "Had ik maar..." illustrating how to talk about regrets or wishes, critical for natural conversation and storytelling.
Important Vocabulary & Expressions
- Bankrekening openen — to open a bank account
- pinpas — debit card
- betalen — to pay
- betaalmethode — payment method
- contant betalen — to pay in cash
- Had ik maar... — I wish I had...
Grammar Focus: Imperfect Past Tense for Expressing Wishes
The lesson emphasizes using the imperfect past tense to convey wishes or regrets about past events. For example, "Had ik maar eerder een bankrekening geopend" means "I wish I had opened a bank account earlier." This construction is common in Dutch to talk about hypothetical situations.
Verb Conjugation Highlights
- Gaan (to go): ik ging, jij ging, hij ging...
- Hebben (to have): ik had, jij had, hij had...
- Nemen (to take): ik nam, jij nam, hij nam...
- Zijn (to be): ik was, jij was, hij was...
- Zullen (to will/shall): ik zou, jij zou, hij zou...
- Weten (to know): ik wist, jij wist, hij wist...
Mini Story Context
The mini story "Bij de bank" (At the bank) provides a narrative using verbs in the imperfect past tense. It immerses you in realistic scenarios like visiting a bank, taking identification, and handling cash payments. This helps reinforce vocabulary and grammar in context.
Instruction Language Notes
Since the instruction language is English and the learning language is Dutch, translations are provided only for explanations and instructions. Dutch examples remain in the original language to familiarize learners with authentic phrasing and sentence structure. Dutch uses the imperfect past tense quite frequently to express hypothetical wishes and regrets, often introduced with "Had ik maar..." or "Wist ik maar..." which differs from English modal constructions but serves a similar function in expressing past wishes.
Useful Dutch phrases:
- Ik wil graag... — I would like...
- Had ik maar... — I wish I had...
- Kan ik... — Can I...
- Weet jij welke... — Do you know which...
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