At the library
In de bibliotheek
- Talk about a book, fairy tale, or poem you have read.
- Ask for a book or author in the library.
- the unreal conditional
This lesson focuses on Dutch conditional sentences and vocabulary used at the library, including words like 'boeken' (books), 'lenen' (to borrow), and 'gedichten' (poems). You'll practice discussing book genres, poets, and fairy tales, and learn how to form hypothetical expressions such as 'Als ik tijd had, zou ik lezen.'
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
Lenen
To borrow
2
Het gedicht
The poem
3
De poëzie
The poetry
4
De auteur
The author
5
Het sprookje
The fairy tale
Oefening 2: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- You are looking for a book and ask the secretary where to find it. (You are looking for a book and ask the secretary where to find it. )
- Describe a book you recently read and liked; (Describe a book you recently read and liked;)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Hallo! Ik ben op zoek naar het boek dat "The Great Gatsby" heet, maar ik kan het niet vinden. Kunt u mij helpen? Hello! I am looking for this book that is called "The Great Gatsby" but I can not find it. Could you help me? |
| ... |
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 tijd had, ___ ik dit mooie sprookje uit de bibliotheek.
(If I had time, ___ I this beautiful fairy tale from the library.)2. Als ik meer romans ___, zou mijn kennis van literatuur groeien.
(If I ___ more novels, my knowledge of literature would grow.)3. Als de schrijfster vandaag in de bibliotheek ___, zou ik graag haar boek lenen.
(If the author ___ in the library today, I would like to borrow her book.)4. Als ik dat gedicht beter begreep, zou ik het vaker ___.
(If I understood that poem better, I would ___ it more often.)Exercise 5: In the library
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Lezen - Read
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou lezen
- jij zou lezen
- hij/zij zou lezen
- wij zouden lezen
- jullie zouden lezen
- zij zouden lezen
Hebben - Have
Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd
- ik had
- jij had
- hij/zij had
- wij hadden
- jullie hadden
- zij hadden
Vragen - Ask
Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd
- ik vroeg
- jij vroeg
- hij/zij vroeg
- wij vroegen
- jullie vroegen
- zij vroegen
Komen - Come
Onvoltooid Verleden Tijd
- ik kwam
- jij kwam
- hij/zij kwam
- wij kwamen
- jullie kwamen
- zij kwamen
Lenen - Borrow
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou lenen
- jij zou lenen
- hij/zij zou lenen
- wij zouden lenen
- jullie zouden lenen
- zij zouden lenen
Uitlenen - Lend
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd
- ik zou uitlenen
- jij zou uitlenen
- hij/zij zou uitlenen
- wij zouden uitlenen
- jullie zouden uitlenen
- zij zouden uitlenen
Exercise 6: De irreële voorwaarde
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: The unreal conditional
Show translation Show answerslezen, vroeg, zouden, was, zou, werkte, had
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Lezen to read Share Copied!
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd (CTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik zou lezen | I would read |
| jij zou lezen | You would read |
| hij/zij/het zou lezen | he would read/she would read/it would read |
| wij zouden lezen | we would read |
| jullie zouden lezen | you would read |
| zij zouden lezen | they would read |
Lenen to borrow Share Copied!
Conditionele Tegenwoordige Tijd (CTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik zou lenen | I would borrow |
| jij zou lenen / zou jij lenen | you would borrow / would you borrow |
| (hij/zij/het) hij zou lenen / zij zou lenen / het zou lenen | he would borrow / she would borrow / it would borrow |
| wij zouden lenen | we would borrow |
| jullie zouden lenen | you would borrow |
| zij zouden lenen | they would borrow |
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Lesson Overview: At the Library
This lesson focuses on practical conversations and language skills related to visiting a library in Dutch at the A2 level. It covers how to ask for specific books or authors, talk about stories and poems, and explore polite and conditional expressions used in everyday library situations.
Key Topics Covered
- Asking for books or authors: Phrases to inquire about availability, such as "<em>Heeft u boeken van J.K. Rowling?</em>" (Do you have books by J.K. Rowling?).
- Talking about stories and fairy tales: Expressing opinions on stories like "Assepoester" (Cinderella) and discussing their morals.
- Discussing poetry: Requesting poetry collections and sharing feelings about poems.
- Using the irreële voorwaarde (irrealis conditional): This grammatical structure is often used to talk about hypothetical situations and wishes, such as "Als ik tijd had, zou ik dit mooie sprookje uit de bibliotheek lenen." (If I had time, I would borrow this beautiful fairy tale from the library.)
Important Vocabulary and Expressions
- Boek – book
- Bibliotheek – library
- Sprookje – fairy tale
- Gedichtenbundel – poetry collection
- Vraag – question, to ask
- Lenen – to borrow
- Voorwaarde (irreële voorwaarde) – conditional clause (hypothetical situations)
Sample Phrases for Practice
- Goedemiddag, heeft u boeken van J.K. Rowling? (Good afternoon, do you have books by J.K. Rowling?)
- Als ik meer tijd had, zou ik al haar boeken willen lezen. (If I had more time, I would want to read all her books.)
- Ken je het sprookje 'De Kleine Zeemeermin'? (Do you know the fairy tale 'The Little Mermaid'?)
- Het verhaal is erg emotioneel. (The story is very emotional.)
Grammatical Focus: The Irrealis Conditional (Irreële Voorwaarde)
This lesson highlights the conditional mood in Dutch, used to talk about hypothetical or unreal situations. It often combines past tense (imperfect) verbs with the auxiliary verb zou plus an infinitive, for example:
- Als ik tijd had (If I had time) + zou ik lezen (I would read)
Useful for expressing wishes, polite requests, or imagined scenarios.
Verb Examples
- Lezen (to read): ik zou lezen (I would read)
- Hebben (to have): ik had (I had)
- Vragen (to ask): ik vroeg (I asked)
Comparing Dutch and English
While English and Dutch share many similarities, the Dutch irrealis conditional using zou plus infinitive has no exact single-word equivalent in English but conveys meaning similar to “would” + verb. For example, Ik zou lezen = “I would read.” Dutch often expresses conditions more explicitly with als (if) clauses combined with past tense verbs, whereas English sometimes simplifies or uses different constructions.
Useful Dutch phrases include:
- Heeft u ...? – Do you have ...?
- Ik zoek ... – I am looking for ...
- Als ik tijd had, zou ik ... – If I had time, I would ...
- Dat klinkt goed. – That sounds good.
This lesson equips learners with common expressions and grammatical structures to confidently navigate a library visit and discuss literature.
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