Holiday disaster?
Vakantieramp?
- Report stolen or lost items at the police station.
- Asking for help with documents at the embassy or consulate.
- Contact emergency services.
- Irregular past participles
This lesson helps you report theft and ask for help at the police station and consulate, using key words like gestolen (stolen), aangifte doen (to file a report), paspoort (passport), and noodoproep (emergency call). You’ll also practice irregular past participles such as gestolen, gedacht, and verloren.
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
Het ongeluk
The accident
2
Denken
To think
3
Kwijt
Lost
4
De website
The website
5
Stelen
To steal
Oefening 2: Conversation exercise
Instructie:
- What bad things can happen on a trip? (What bad things can happen on a trip? )
- What can you do when it happens to you? (What can you do when it happens to you?)
- Has one of those situations ever happened to you? (Has one of those situations ever happened to you?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Je geld kan gestolen worden. Your money can get stolen. |
|
Iemand kan je tas stelen. Somebody can steal your bag. |
|
Je kunt verdwalen tijdens een wandeltocht. You can get lost on a hike. |
|
Je kunt altijd mensen om hulp vragen. You can always ask people for help. |
|
Het is belangrijk om een reisverzekering te hebben. It is important to have a travel insurance. |
|
Ik ben mijn telefoon al eens kwijtgeraakt. I have already lost my phone once. |
| ... |
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 heb mijn portemonnee ______ tijdens de reis.
(I have my wallet ______ during the trip.)2. De politie heeft mijn verhaal goed ______.
(The police have well ______ my story.)3. Ik heb ______ dat het document op de ambassade ligt.
(I have ______ that the document is at the embassy.)4. Mijn rugzak is ______ toen ik in het hotel was.
(My backpack was ______ when I was at the hotel.)Exercise 5: Vacation disaster?
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Stelen - To steal
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
- Ik heb gestolen
- Jij hebt gestolen
- Hij/zij/het heeft gestolen
- Wij hebben gestolen
- Jullie hebben gestolen
- Zij hebben gestolen
Denken - To think
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
- Ik heb gedacht
- Jij hebt gedacht
- Hij/zij/het heeft gedacht
- Wij hebben gedacht
- Jullie hebben gedacht
- Zij hebben gedacht
Hebben - To have
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
- Ik heb gehad
- Jij hebt gehad
- Hij/zij/het heeft gehad
- Wij hebben gehad
- Jullie hebben gehad
- Zij hebben gehad
Zijn - To be
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
- Ik ben geweest
- Jij bent geweest
- Hij/zij/het is geweest
- Wij zijn geweest
- Jullie zijn geweest
- Zij zijn geweest
Wachten - To wait
Tegenwoordige tijd
- Ik wacht
- Jij wacht
- Hij/zij/het wacht
- Wij wachten
- Jullie wachten
- Zij wachten
Exercise 6: Onregelmatige voltooid deelwoorden
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Irregular past participles
Show translation Show answerspolitie, gedaan, gebracht, gegaan, gevonden, gehad, geweest, gedacht
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!
Stelen to steal Share Copied!
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik heb gestolen | I have stolen |
| jij hebt gestolen / heb je gestolen | you have stolen / you stole |
| (hij/zij/het) hij heeft gestolen | he has stolen |
| wij hebben gestolen | We have stolen |
| jullie hebben gestolen | You have stolen |
| zij hebben gestolen | They have stolen |
Denken to think Share Copied!
Voltooid verleden tijd (VVT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| ik had gedacht | I had thought |
| jij had gedacht / had jij gedacht | you had thought / had you thought |
| hij/zij/het had gedacht | he/she/it had thought |
| wij hadden gedacht | we had thought |
| jullie hadden gedacht | you had thought |
| zij hadden gedacht | they had thought |
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Lesson Overview: Reporting Holiday Problems in Dutch
This lesson focuses on practical situations you might encounter during holidays, such as reporting theft, seeking help at a consulate, and making emergency calls. It is designed for A2-level learners to develop confidence in handling urgent and official conversations in Dutch.
Key Themes
- Reporting theft at the police station — learn essential vocabulary and phrases to file a report about lost or stolen items, including describing objects and situations.
- Requesting assistance at the consulate — practice conversations related to lost travel documents and necessary steps to obtain temporary replacements.
- Making emergency calls — understand how to clearly communicate accidents or emergencies to authorities, including providing locations and details.
Focus on Irregular Past Participles
A special emphasis is placed on mastering irregular past participles, which are common in reported speech and past tense narration. Examples include:
- verloren (lost) as in Ik heb mijn portemonnee verloren
- begrepen (understood) in De politie heeft mijn verhaal goed begrepen
- gedacht (thought) as in Ik heb gedacht dat...
- gestolen (stolen) in Mijn rugzak is gestolen
Mini Story and Verb Tables
The mini story "Vakantieramp?" offers a practical context for using these past participles and irregular verbs, helping you see how these forms function in real-life narratives. Verb tables clarify the conjugations of key verbs like stelen, denken, hebben, zijn, and wachten.
Useful Phrases and Differences
In Dutch police and emergency contexts, polite and clear communication is key. Here are some useful Dutch phrases all learners should know:
- Ik wil aangifte doen — I want to file a report.
- Heeft u al gezocht? — Have you already looked?
- We kunnen een tijdelijk document regelen — We can arrange a temporary document.
- Blijft u rustig — Please stay calm.
Important Note: Unlike English, past participles in Dutch often combine with either hebben or zijn depending on the verb, and many common verbs have irregular forms. For example, "verloren" remains the same in both past participle and past tense contexts, which can differ from English usage where "lost" is both past participle and past tense but without auxiliary verbs. Practicing these forms will improve your ability to express past actions accurately.
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