The first 101

De eerste 101

A1Core · Core words · 126 phrases

The 101 words that unlock the most Dutch per minute spent. Function words, the verbs that carry every sentence, and the nouns you cannot avoid.

The glue

Functiewoorden25

These have almost no meaning on their own and appear in nearly every sentence. Learn them as reflexes, not as vocabulary.

deduh
the (common gender)
About 75% of nouns take de.
hetut
the (neuter) / it
Also the word for 'it'. Unstressed it sounds like 'ut'.
eenun
a / an
Stressed as één it means 'one'.
ikik
I
jeyuh
you
Unstressed. The stressed form is jij.
hijhay
he
zezuh
she / they
Does double duty. Context decides.
wevuh
we
jullieYUL·lee
you (plural)
uew
you (formal)
Rarer than you'd think — see the je/u note in Grammar.
nietneet
not
geenkhayn
no / not a
Negates an indefinite noun: geen tijd.
enen
and
maarmahr
but
ofof
or / whether
vanfan
of / from
inin
in
opop
on
metmet
with
voorfohr
for / before
aanahn
on / to
tetuh
too / to
te duur = too expensive; om te doen = to do.
datdat
that
Also the word that kicks verbs to the end of a clause.
diedee
that / those / who
erer
there / of it
The hardest small word in Dutch. There's a grammar note on it.

Kernwerkwoorden25

Almost every Dutch sentence runs on one of these. The first eight are irregular — drill them until they're automatic.

zijnzayn
to be
ik ben, jij bent, wij zijn
hebbenHEB·bun
to have
ik heb, jij hebt, wij hebben
wordenVOR·dun
to become / get
Also builds the passive.
kunnenKUN·nun
can / to be able
ik kan, jij kunt
moetenMOO·tun
must / to have to
ik moet, jij moet
willenVIL·lun
to want
ik wil, jij wilt
mogenMOH·khun
may / to be allowed
ik mag, jij mag
zullenZUL·lun
shall / will
ik zal, jij zult
gaankhahn
to go
komenKOH·mun
to come
doendoon
to do
makenMAH·kun
to make
Also 'to repair'.
zeggenZEKH·khun
to say
zienzeen
to see
wetenVAY·tun
to know (a fact)
kennenKEN·nun
to know (a person/thing)
Dutch splits knowing facts from knowing people.
denkenDENG·kun
to think
vindenFIN·dun
to find / to reckon
Ik vind = my opinion.
gevenKHAY·vun
to give
nemenNAY·mun
to take
krijgenKRAY·khun
to get / receive
staanstahn
to stand / to be located
blijvenBLAY·vun
to stay
latenLAH·tun
to let / leave
horenHOH·run
to hear

Mensen en dingen20

Learn every noun with its article. 'Huis' is half a word; 'het huis' is the whole one.

Eigenschappen18

Vragen en verbinden13

Zinnen met deze woorden25

Every sentence here is built only from words in this level. Learn these and you can already hold a basic exchange.