Unemployment
Werkloosheid
- Getting fired from work.
Explore key Dutch vocabulary on 'werkloosheid' (unemployment), including terms like 'banen' (jobs), 'solliciteren' (to apply), and 'uitkering' (benefit). This B1 lesson enhances your practical language skills around employment challenges.
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Lesson Overview: Unemployment in Dutch
This B1-level lesson centers on vocabulary and expressions related to unemployment in Dutch. It aims to equip you with practical terms and phrases useful for discussing joblessness, seeking work, and understanding related social and economic contexts.
Key Vocabulary and Expressions
- Werkloosheid – unemployment
- Werkzoekende – job seeker
- Ontslagen worden – to be laid off
- Een baan vinden – to find a job
- Bijstand – social welfare benefits
- Solliciteren – to apply (for a job)
- Arbeidsbureau – employment office
Grammar and Usage Tips
Notice how verbs related to employment often incorporate prefixes or separable components in Dutch, such as ontslaan which changes form depending on the sentence structure (e.g., Word je ontslagen?). The noun forms like werkloosheid are compound words typical in Dutch.
Communicative Situations Covered
You will practice:
- Describing your employment status and history
- Talking about the job market and economic conditions
- Expressing difficulties in finding work and seeking assistance
Comparison with English
In Dutch, many employment-related terms are compound nouns, unlike in English where separate words are used. For example, werkloosheid corresponds to "unemployment" but is built from werk (work) and loosheid (lessness). Phrases like "to be laid off" translate to ontslagen worden, highlighting the use of the passive form. Moreover, job application activities are described by the verb solliciteren, which doesn't have a direct English cognate but means "to apply for a job." Familiarity with these differences improves your comprehension and speaking skills.
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