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 lesson covers the Dutch 'onvoltooid verleden toekomende tijd' with practical dialogues about renting and buying homes. Key words include 'zou' (would), 'huren' (to rent), and 'kopen' (to buy), helping you discuss real estate politely and clearly.
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: 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. Als ik op zoek was naar een appartement, ___ ik de buurt goed bekijken.
(If I were looking for an apartment, ___ I would look closely at the neighborhood.)2. Zou u het huurcontract willen ___ voordat u het appartement betrekt?
(Would you like to ___ the rental contract before moving into the apartment?)3. Ik zou graag een hypotheek ___ als ik een huis koop.
(I would like to ___ a mortgage if I buy a house.)4. We zouden graag de servicekosten willen ___ voordat we iets besluiten.
(We would like to ___ the service charges before we decide anything.)Exercise 5: Discussion with the realtor about an apartment
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Zoeken - Zoeken
CTT
- Ik zou zoeken
- Jij zou zoeken
- Hij/Zij zou zoeken
- Wij zouden zoeken
- Jullie zouden zoeken
- Zij zouden zoeken
Bellen - Bellen
CTT
- Ik zou bellen
- Jij zou bellen
- Hij/Zij zou bellen
- Wij zouden bellen
- Jullie zouden bellen
- Zij zouden bellen
Zijn - Zijn
CTT
- Ik zou zijn
- Jij zou zijn
- Hij/Zij zou zijn
- Wij zouden zijn
- Jullie zouden zijn
- Zij zouden zijn
Huren - Huren
CTT
- Ik zou huren
- Jij zou huren
- Hij/Zij zou huren
- Wij zouden huren
- Jullie zouden huren
- Zij zouden huren
Afsluiten - Afsluiten
CTT
- Ik zou afsluiten
- Jij zou afsluiten
- Hij/Zij zou afsluiten
- Wij zouden afsluiten
- Jullie zouden afsluiten
- Zij zouden afsluiten
Kopen - Kopen
CTT
- Ik zou kopen
- Jij zou kopen
- Hij/Zij zou kopen
- Wij zouden kopen
- Jullie zouden kopen
- Zij zouden kopen
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 |
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: Using the Conditional Present Tense in Real Estate Situations
This lesson focuses on the onvoltooid verleden toekomende tijd, known in Dutch as the conditionele tegenwoordige tijd or conditional present tense. It teaches how to express polite requests, hypothetical situations, and polite offers—especially useful when talking to a real estate agent about renting or buying a home.
Key Grammar Point: The Conditional Present Tense
The conditional present tense is formed with zou/zouden (would) plus the infinitive verb. It allows you to talk about things that would happen under certain conditions or to make polite questions and suggestions.
- zouden (would) + infinitive verb (e.g., huren – to rent, kopen – to buy)
- Example: Ik zou graag een appartement huren. (I would like to rent an apartment.)
- Useful for polite questions: Zou u misschien de makelaar kunnen bellen? (Would you maybe call the agent?)
Practical Vocabulary and Expressions
The lesson presents dialogues where learners practice discussing real estate ads and asking about houses. Important words and phrases include:
- de advertentie — advertisement
- de makelaar — real estate agent
- de huurprijs — rental price
- de bezichtiging — viewing/inspection appointment
- de hypotheek — mortgage
- Polite questions introduced with Zou ik... kunnen? (Could I...?)
Examples of Conditional Present Tense Usage
See how the conditional tense operates in context:
- Ik zou graag een appartement in deze buurt huren. (I would like to rent an apartment in this neighborhood.)
- Als ik jou was, zou ik eerst de servicekosten vragen. (If I were you, I would ask about the service costs first.)
- We zouden binnenkort een hypotheek afsluiten als we het huis kopen. (We would take out a mortgage soon if we buy the house.)
Verb Conjugation Patterns
The lesson provides full conjugation tables for key verbs in the conditional present tense:
- ik zou, jij zou, hij/zij/het zou, wij zouden, jullie zouden, zij zouden
- Verbs like huren, kopen, zoeken, and nemen follow a consistent pattern combining zou/zouden with the infinitive.
Short Story Practice
The included mini story is a practical example combining conditional phrases about renting and buying, giving learners a natural context to see grammar and vocabulary working together.
Important Differences and Useful Phrases
While English uses “would” similarly, Dutch places zou/zouden before the infinitive verb without needing an additional modal verb. Also, Dutch tends to use this form for polite questions more often than English might.
Useful polite phrases you will encounter include:
- Zou ik de makelaar even kunnen spreken? — May I speak with the agent for a moment?
- Zou u me kunnen vertellen…? — Could you tell me…?
- Zouden we samen de makelaar kunnen bellen? — Could we call the agent together?
These phrases soften requests and help maintain politeness in formal conversations, perfect when discussing property matters.
These lessons would not be possible without our amazing partners🙏
