Remote work or the office?
Thuiswerken of het kantoor?
- Daily office vocabulary
- Remote work vocabulary
- Passive sentences
Explore Dutch passive sentences through practical dialogues about thuiswerken (working from home) and kantoor (office). Key verbs include melden (to report/register) and worden (to be), essential for discussing remote work routines.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (12) 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
Verbinden
To connect
2
De laptop
The laptop
3
Op afstand
Remotely
4
Het telewerken
Remote working
5
Zich afmelden
To sign out
Oefening 2: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- Do you work remote or in-person or both? (Do you work remote or in-person or both?)
- Tell your opinion on working remotely. (Tell your opinion on working remotely.)
- Do you prefer video calls or in-person meetings? (Do you prefer video calls or in-person meetings?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Ik doe beide. Ik werk twee dagen vanuit huis en ga drie dagen naar kantoor. I do both. I work from home two days and go to work three days. |
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Ik ga naar het kantoor. Ik werk persoonlijk samen met mijn team. I go to the office. I work in-person with my team. |
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Naar mijn mening is thuiswerken beter. Ik kan meer bij mijn familie zijn. In my opinion, remote work is better. I can stay with my family more. |
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Ik denk van wel, remote werken is nuttig. Ik kan op een rustige plek werken. I think so, remote work is useful. I can work in a quiet place. |
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Videogesprekken zijn beter voor mij. Ik bespaar tijd en hoef niet te reizen. Video calls are better for me. I save time and don’t travel. |
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Ik geef de voorkeur aan vergaderingen in persoon. Het is makkelijker om te spreken en te begrijpen. I prefer in-person meetings. It’s easier to speak and understand. |
| ... |
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. Iedere ochtend _____ hij zich aan voor het videogesprek.
(Every morning _____ he registers for the video call.)2. Als hij klaar is, _____ hij zich af bij de vergadering.
(When he is ready, _____ he logs off the meeting.)3. De verbinding _____ vaak gecontroleerd door de IT-afdeling.
(The connection _____ is often checked by the IT department.)4. Het platform _____ elke dag door duizenden mensen gebruikt.
(The platform _____ is used every day by thousands of people.)Exercise 5: Working from home or at the office?
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Zich afmelden - To log out
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik meld me af
- jij meldt je af
- hij/zij/het meldt zich af
- wij melden ons af
- jullie melden je af
- zij melden zich af
Zich aanmelden - To log in
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik meld me aan
- jij meldt je aan
- hij/zij/het meldt zich aan
- wij melden ons aan
- jullie melden je aan
- zij melden zich aan
Worden - To become / To be (auxiliary)
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik word
- jij wordt
- hij/zij/het wordt
- wij worden
- jullie worden
- zij worden
Zijn - To be
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik ben
- jij bent
- hij/zij/het is
- wij zijn
- jullie zijn
- zij zijn
Exercise 6: Passieve zinnen
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Passive sentences
Show translation Show answersis, werd, wordt, was
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Zich afmelden to sign out Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) meld mij af | I sign out |
| (jij) meldt/jij meldt af | You sign out/You cancel |
| (hij/zij/het) meldt af | he/she/it signs out |
| (wij) melden ons af | we sign out |
| (jullie) melden je af | you sign out |
| (zij) melden zich af | they sign out |
Zich aanmelden to sign in Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) meld me aan | I sign in |
| (jij) meldt je aan/meld aan | You sign in/sign in |
| (hij/zij/het) meldt zich aan | he/she/it signs in |
| (wij) melden ons aan | we sign in |
| (jullie) melden je aan/melden je aan | you sign in |
| (zij) melden zich aan | they sign in |
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Remote Work or the Office?
This lesson focuses on discussing the topic of working from home (thuiswerken) versus working in the office, with a specific emphasis on using passive sentences in Dutch, a key grammar point at the A2 level.
Lesson Content Overview
You will engage with dialogues that explore practical conversations between colleagues about the advantages and challenges of working remotely and organizing video meetings at the office. These dialogues include useful vocabulary and expressions relevant to modern workplace communication.
Grammar Focus: Passive Sentences (Passieve Zinnen)
The lesson highlights how to form passive voice in Dutch, which is important for discussing actions where the subject is acted upon rather than performing the action. Examples include phrases like:
- Het videogesprek wordt om tien uur gestart. (The video meeting is started at ten o'clock.)
- De documenten worden digitaal gedeeld. (The documents are shared digitally.)
The use of verbs such as worden (to become / to be) in passive constructions is extensively practiced with multiple-choice exercises and fill-in-the-gap mini stories.
Vocabulary and Useful Expressions
- Thuiswerken – working from home
- Videogesprek – video meeting
- Melden zich aan / af – to sign in / sign out
- De verbinding – the connection (e.g., internet connection)
- IT-afdeling – IT department
These terms are integrated naturally in the dialogues and exercises to enhance your everyday workplace Dutch vocabulary.
Key Verbs and Their Conjugations
You learn important verbs like zich aanmelden (to sign in), zich afmelden (to sign out), worden (used in passive voice), and zijn (to be). The lesson provides conjugation tables in the present tense to reinforce correct verb usage.
Instruction Language Insight: English vs. Dutch
In this lesson, English serves as the instruction language while Dutch is the learning language. Unlike English, where the passive voice frequently uses the verb "to be" plus a past participle, Dutch primarily uses worden to form the passive in the present tense. For example, English "The report is written" translates to Dutch "Het rapport wordt geschreven."
Additionally, reflexive verbs such as zich aanmelden (to sign in) require reflexive pronouns, which do not have exact one-word counterparts in English but are essential in Dutch grammar.
Useful English-Dutch phrase comparisons:
- "The video meeting is started by the manager." – Het videogesprek wordt gestart door de manager.
- "He signs in for the meeting." – Hij meld zich aan voor de vergadering.
- "The connection is often checked by IT." – De verbinding wordt vaak gecontroleerd door IT.
This understanding helps you grasp both the structure and practical usage of Dutch passive and reflexive forms in workplace settings.
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