At the real estate agent
Bij de makelaar
- Discuss an advertisement for a house or apartment that you just saw.
- Discuss to buy a new house or apartment.
- imperfect future tense
This A2 lesson focuses on polite Dutch conditional expressions using 'zou' to discuss real estate matters, with key vocabulary like 'huren' (to rent), 'kopen' (to buy), and 'afspraak' (appointment). It helps you practice asking questions and making requests when talking to a real estate agent.
Vocabulary (14) 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
De huur betalen
Paying the rent
2
Het huurcontract
The lease agreement
3
De aankondiging
The announcement
4
De makelaar
The estate agent
5
Een appartement zoeken
Looking for a flat
Oefening 2: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Do you rent the appartment or house where you live or did you buy it? (Do you rent the appartment or house where you live or did you buy it?)
- Did you have to renovate your home? How long did that take? (Did you have to renovate your home? How long did that take?)
- Was your home furnished or empty when you moved in? (Was your home furnished or empty when you moved in?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Ik huur mijn appartement. Maar ik zal binnenkort een huis kopen. I rent my appartment. But I will soon buy a house. |
|
Ik heb ons huis 2 jaar geleden samen met mijn partner gekocht. I bought our house 2 years ago together with my partner. |
|
We moesten bijna het hele huis renoveren. Het kostte ons meer dan een jaar. We had to renovate almost the whole house. It took us over a year. |
|
Mijn appartement was net gerenoveerd toen ik het kocht en erin trok. My appartment was freshly renovated when I bought it and moved in. |
|
Het appartement was volledig gemeubileerd toen ik er introk. The appartment was fully furnished when I moved in. |
|
Sommige kamers in het huis waren gemeubileerd, andere niet. Some rooms in the house were furnished, others weren't. |
| ... |
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. Ik ____ graag een appartement in deze buurt huren.
(I ____ like to rent an apartment in this neighborhood.)2. ____ u misschien de makelaar kunnen bellen?
(____ you perhaps be able to call the real estate agent?)3. Als ik jou was, ____ ik eerst de servicekosten vragen voordat ik het huurcontract onderteken.
(If I were you, ____ I first ask about the service charges before signing the rental contract.)4. We ____ binnenkort een hypotheek afsluiten als we het huis kopen.
(We ____ soon take out a mortgage if we buy the house.)Exercise 5: At the realtor
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Zouden - Would
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou
- jij zou
- hij/zij/het zou
- wij zouden
- jullie zouden
- zij zouden
Huren - Rent
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou huren
- jij zou huren
- hij/zij/het zou huren
- wij zouden huren
- jullie zouden huren
- zij zouden huren
Kopen - Buy
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou kopen
- jij zou kopen
- hij/zij/het zou kopen
- wij zouden kopen
- jullie zouden kopen
- zij zouden kopen
Zoeken - Look
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou zoeken
- jij zou zoeken
- hij/zij/het zou zoeken
- wij zouden zoeken
- jullie zouden zoeken
- zij zouden zoeken
Nemen - Make
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou nemen
- jij zou nemen
- hij/zij/het zou nemen
- wij zouden nemen
- jullie zouden nemen
- zij zouden nemen
Exercise 6: Onvoltooid verleden toekomende tijd
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Imperfect future tense
Show translation Show answerszou ondertekenen, zouden, zou huren, betalen, zou bellen, zou, kopen, zijn, zou bevestigen
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Huren to rent Share Copied!
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd (CTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik zou huren | I would rent |
| jij zou huren | you would rent |
| hij/zij/het zou huren | he/she/it would rent |
| wij zouden huren | we would rent |
| jullie zouden huren | you would rent |
| zij zouden huren | they would rent |
Kopen buy Share Copied!
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd (CTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik zou kopen | I would buy |
| jij zou kopen | you would buy |
| hij/zij/het zou kopen | he/she/it would buy |
| wij zouden kopen | we would buy |
| jullie zouden kopen | you would buy |
| zij zouden kopen | they would buy |
Zoeken search Share Copied!
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd (CTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik zou zoeken | I would search |
| jij zou zoeken / zou jij zoeken | you would search / would you search |
| (hij/zij/het) hij zou zoeken | he would search |
| wij zouden zoeken | we would search |
| jullie zouden zoeken | you would search |
| zij zouden zoeken | they would search |
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Lesson Overview: At the Real Estate Agent – The Past Unfinished Future Tense
This lesson focuses on the Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd, often described as the 'past unfinished future tense' in Dutch, which corresponds to the conditional mood expressing polite requests, possibilities, and hypothetical situations. You will practice this tense in contexts typical for discussions at a real estate agent's office.
What You Will Learn
- How to form and use the conditional tense with the auxiliary verb zou/zouden combined with infinitive verbs, such as huren (to rent), kopen (to buy), and zoeken (to search).
- Useful polite expressions for making inquiries or requests, typical in conversations with real estate agents.
- How to discuss desires, possibilities, and hypothetical actions related to housing.
- Practice dialogues simulating real estate discussions, including questions about advertisements, buying a house, and asking the agent politely.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
- Ik zou graag een appartement huren. – I would like to rent an apartment.
- Zou u mij kunnen vertellen... – Could you tell me...
- We zouden eerst goed naar advertenties zoeken. – We would first carefully look at advertisements.
- Als ik jou was, zou ik... – If I were you, I would...
- Zouden we samen de makelaar kunnen bellen? – Could we call the agent together?
Verb Conjugation Highlights
The verb zou (singular) and zouden (plural) are key to conveying conditional meaning and are used before an infinitive verb:
- ik zou huren (I would rent)
- wij zouden kopen (we would buy)
This structure adds politeness and introduces hypothetical or future-in-the-past conditions.
Practical Use in Real Estate Conversations
The lesson provides dialogues for different situations such as:
- Discussing a housing advertisement with the agent.
- Talking about buying a house and negotiating with politeness.
- Asking direct but polite questions about property details such as price, location, and viewing arrangements.
Notes on Language Differences
Unlike English, which uses modal verbs like "would" or "could" followed by the base form, Dutch forms the conditional with zou/zouden plus the infinitive verb. In English, you might say, "I would rent an apartment," whereas in Dutch it's Ik zou een appartement huren. Another difference is the frequent use of polite conditional forms in formal or business settings such as real estate, where Dutch speakers use this tense to express respect and formality.
Key polite phrases include Zou u mij kunnen vertellen... (Could you tell me...), and Zouden we een afspraak kunnen maken? (Could we make an appointment?). These are essential for smooth, courteous communication.
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