Basic Expressions in Dutch

In Brief

A small set of Dutch expressions lets you greet someone, be polite, answer a simple question, and say goodbye. The main beginner distinction is between informal forms such as dank je and alsjeblieft and polite forms such as dank u and alstublieft. Learn each expression as a complete phrase rather than translating it word by word.

Overview

Basic expressions are short, ready-made phrases used to manage a conversation: hallo (“hello”), dank u wel (“thank you”), sorry (“sorry”), and tot ziens (“goodbye”). They may not form complete sentences in the usual grammatical sense, but they perform complete social actions. Linguists call these formulaic expressions—fixed or partly fixed phrases that speakers retrieve as a unit.

This is an A1 topic because these phrases are useful from your first Dutch interaction. They help you enter and leave a shop, respond courteously, show that you agree or disagree, and ask someone to repeat something. Correct register matters as much as literal meaning: Dutch distinguishes informal je/jij (“you”) from polite u (“you”), and several courtesy formulas change with that choice.

English and Dutch overlap in useful ways: hallo, sorry, and oké are immediately recognizable. Other apparent matches need care. English “please” has several jobs, while Dutch normally chooses between alstublieft/alsjeblieft for a request or when handing something over, and graag in phrases such as ja, graag (“yes, please”).

How It Works

Greeting someone

Choose a greeting according to the situation and, sometimes, the time of day.

Dutch	Basic meaning	Typical use
Hallo!	Hello!	Neutral and widely usable
Hoi!	Hi!	Informal
Dag!	Hello! / Bye!	Neutral; can open or close an interaction
Goedemorgen!	Good morning!	In the morning
Goedemiddag!	Good afternoon!	From around midday into the late afternoon
Goedenavond!	Good evening!	In the evening
Goedendag!	Good day!	Polite or somewhat formal; also a general daytime greeting

The extra -n- in goedenavond and goedendag belongs to the conventional form. In everyday pronunciation it may be hard to hear, but it remains in standard spelling. By contrast, the established forms are goedemorgen and goedemiddag.

After a greeting, you can ask:

• Hoe gaat het? — “How are you?” or literally “How is it going?”
• Hoe gaat het met u? — “How are you?” with polite u
• Hoe gaat het met je? — “How are you?” with informal je

The pronoun het here does not refer to a particular object. It is part of the fixed question Hoe gaat het? Natural short answers include Goed, dank je, Prima, Het gaat goed, and Niet zo goed.

Choosing informal or polite language

Dutch uses je/jij with friends, relatives, children, and in many relaxed settings. U is the polite form, useful with customers, officials, older strangers, or whenever a more respectful distance feels appropriate. Social practice varies, so follow the other speaker’s choice when possible.

Function	Informal	Polite	English
Thanking	Dank je (wel).	Dank u (wel).	Thank you.
Request / handing over	Alsjeblieft.	Alstublieft.	Please. / Here you go.
Asking how someone is	Hoe gaat het met je?	Hoe gaat het met u?	How are you?

Dankjewel and alsjeblieft are also commonly written as single words. In the expanded phrases, wel adds warmth or emphasis; both dank je and dank je wel are normal. A very casual alternative is bedankt (“thanks”).

The long forms reveal their history: alsjeblieft contains je, while alstublieft contains u. For a beginner, however, it is easier and safer to memorize them as whole expressions.

Making requests and responding politely

Place alstublieft or alsjeblieft at the beginning or end of a request:

• Een koffie, alstublieft. — “A coffee, please.”
• Kunt u dat herhalen, alstublieft? — “Could you repeat that, please?”
• Wacht even, alsjeblieft. — “Wait a moment, please.”

The same words are used when giving someone an item:

• Alstublieft, uw koffie. — “Here you are, your coffee.”

A receiver can answer Dank u wel. The giver may respond Graag gedaan (“You’re welcome”). Geen dank (“Don’t mention it”) is another response, while alstublieft itself can sometimes function like “you’re welcome” in a brief exchange. For clear beginner Dutch, graag gedaan is a dependable choice.

English speakers should not insert alstublieft into every expression containing “please.” When accepting an offer, Dutch normally uses graag:

• Wilt u koffie? — Ja, graag. — “Would you like coffee? — Yes, please.”

Saying yes, no, and perhaps

Dutch	Meaning	Note
Ja.	Yes.	Basic agreement or confirmation
Nee.	No.	Basic disagreement or refusal
Oké.	Okay.	Acceptance or acknowledgment
Natuurlijk.	Of course.	Positive, confident response
Misschien.	Maybe.	Uncertain response
Ja, graag.	Yes, please.	Accepting an offer
Nee, dank u.	No, thank you.	Polite refusal

A bare nee is grammatically correct, but nee, dank je/u often sounds friendlier when declining an offer. Similarly, ja, graag is more natural than just ja when someone offers food, drink, or help.

Apologizing and repairing a conversation

Sorry is common and flexible. Pardon can mean “excuse me,” especially when you did not hear someone or need to pass. Excuseer and excuseert u mij are more formal.

Useful repair phrases—expressions that fix a communication problem—include:

• Sorry, ik begrijp het niet. — “Sorry, I don’t understand.”
• Pardon? — “Sorry?” / “Pardon?”
• Kunt u dat herhalen? — “Could you repeat that?”
• Kun je dat herhalen? — “Can you repeat that?”
• Langzamer, alstublieft. — “More slowly, please.”
• Wat betekent dat? — “What does that mean?”

Notice the matching register: polite kunt u goes naturally with alstublieft, while informal kun je goes with alsjeblieft.

Ending an interaction

Dutch	Meaning	Register or situation
Tot ziens!	Goodbye!	Neutral to polite
Dag!	Bye!	Broadly usable
Doei!	Bye!	Informal
Tot straks!	See you shortly!	Later the same day, fairly soon
Tot later!	See you later!	Later, time not precise
Tot morgen!	See you tomorrow!	When you expect to meet tomorrow
Prettige dag!	Have a nice day!	Friendly, common in service encounters
Welterusten!	Good night!	Said when someone is going to sleep

Dutch distinguishes an evening greeting from a bedtime wish. Goedenavond greets someone in the evening; welterusten wishes someone a good night’s sleep. This is similar to the difference between English “good evening” and “good night,” but welterusten is especially tied to bedtime.

Examples in Context

Dutch	English	Note
Goedemorgen! Hoe gaat het?	Good morning! How are you?	Neutral opening
Goed, dank je. En met jou?	Fine, thank you. And you?	Informal response
Het gaat prima, dank u wel.	I’m doing very well, thank you.	Polite response
Hoi, ik ben Sara.	Hi, I’m Sara.	Informal introduction
Een thee, alstublieft.	A tea, please.	Polite request
Alstublieft, uw kaartje.	Here you are, your ticket.	Said while handing something over
Dank u wel. — Graag gedaan.	Thank you. — You’re welcome.	Polite exchange
Wil je nog koffie? — Ja, graag.	Would you like more coffee? — Yes, please.	Accepting an offer
Wilt u suiker? — Nee, dank u.	Would you like sugar? — No, thank you.	Polite refusal
Sorry, ik begrijp het niet.	Sorry, I don’t understand.	Communication repair
Pardon, kunt u dat herhalen?	Sorry, could you repeat that?	Polite request
Kun je wat langzamer spreken, alsjeblieft?	Can you speak a little more slowly, please?	Informal request
Oké, tot straks!	Okay, see you shortly!	Meeting again soon
Tot ziens! Prettige dag!	Goodbye! Have a nice day!	Friendly closing
Welterusten, tot morgen.	Good night, see you tomorrow.	At bedtime

Common Mistakes

Using the informal form in a polite exchange

• Wrong: Dank je wel, meneer. Alstublieft?
• Right: Dank u wel, meneer. Alstublieft?
• Why: Je is informal, while u is polite. With meneer (“sir”), the polite forms usually make a more consistent first choice. A speaker may invite you to use je later.

Translating every “please” as alstublieft

• Wrong: Wil je koffie? — Ja, alsjeblieft.
• Right: Wil je koffie? — Ja, graag.
• Why: Use graag when gladly accepting an offer. Use alsjeblieft/alstublieft mainly in requests or when handing something over.

Treating alstublieft as only “please”

• Wrong: Handing over a ticket in silence because “please” seems inappropriate.
• Right: Alstublieft, uw kaartje.
• Why: Dutch uses alstublieft and alsjeblieft for both “please” and “here you go.” The situation determines the English translation.

Mixing up evening and bedtime expressions

• Wrong: Welterusten! when entering a restaurant at 7 p.m.
• Right: Goedenavond!
• Why: Goedenavond is an evening greeting. Welterusten is a farewell or wish when someone is going to sleep.

Answering Hoe gaat het? with an English-style subject

• Wrong: Ik ben goed when you mean “I’m fine.”
• Right: Het gaat goed or simply Goed, dank je.
• Why: Dutch normally answers the question with het gaat... (“it is going...”). Ik ben goed can suggest “I am good/skilled” rather than simply describing how you feel.

Confusing dag with a time-specific greeting

• Wrong assumption: Dag can only mean “good day.”
• Right: Dag! can mean either “hello” or “bye.”
• Why: Its function depends on whether the conversation is beginning or ending.

Usage Notes

Dutch politeness is not a simple formal-versus-informal rule. In the Netherlands, je is common in many workplaces, shops, and conversations between adults who have just met. U still signals respect or distance and remains useful in formal service, with officials, and when addressing someone who prefers it. In Belgium, especially in Flanders, patterns can differ: u may occur more broadly, including in some everyday speech. As a learner, starting with u in clearly formal situations is safe; then mirror the form used by the other person.

Greetings are often shortened in rapid speech. You may hear morgen! for goedemorgen or avond! for goedenavond. These are natural but less neutral than the full forms, so the full greeting is easier to use confidently at A1.

Hoi and doei are friendly and informal. Hallo and dag cover a wider range of situations, while tot ziens is a reliable polite farewell. Tone also matters: a warm dank je can sound more appreciative than a flat, hurried dank u wel. Formula choice and delivery work together.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to produce the following nuances at A1, but you will hear them frequently.

Dutch speakers often soften or color short expressions with modal particles—small words that express attitude rather than a concrete fact. In Dank je wel, hoor, hoor can add reassurance or warmth; it does not literally mean “hear.” In Kom maar binnen, maar makes “come in” sound inviting rather than contrasting two ideas. These particles are highly dependent on tone and context, so first learn to recognize them rather than adding them everywhere.

Some replies have meanings that cannot be calculated word by word:

• Dat geeft niet. — “That’s all right / It doesn’t matter,” often after an apology.
• Geen probleem. — “No problem.”
• Graag gedaan. — “You’re welcome,” literally connected with doing something gladly.
• Insgelijks! — “Likewise!” in response to a wish such as Prettige dag!
• Tot zo! — “See you very soon,” often when the meeting will be shortly.

Advanced learners will also notice that jawel is not merely a stronger ja. It commonly contradicts a negative statement or question: Je komt niet. — Jawel! (“You aren’t coming. — Yes, I am!”). Ordinary positive questions take ja. This distinction is useful, but basic ja and nee should come first.

Written communication has its own conventions. Emails may open with Beste Anna (“Dear Anna”) or formally with Geachte heer/mevrouw (“Dear Sir/Madam”), and close with Met vriendelijke groet (“Kind regards”). These are extensions of greeting and leave-taking, but they belong to correspondence rather than ordinary face-to-face conversation.

Practice Tips

1. Learn mini-dialogues, not isolated words. Rehearse pairs such as Alstublieft — Dank u wel — Graag gedaan and Hoe gaat het? — Goed, dank je. En met jou? This trains both the phrase and the response it invites.
2. Practice each courtesy phrase in two registers. Say the same request once with je/alsjeblieft and once with u/alstublieft. Keeping the pairs together prevents accidental mixing.
3. Attach farewells to a real time. Before a short break say tot straks, before the next day say tot morgen, and at bedtime say welterusten. Meaningful situations make the distinctions easier to remember.

Related Concepts

• Foundation topic: This concept has no prerequisite; the expressions can be learned as complete phrases from your first Dutch lesson.
• Useful next steps: Study Dutch personal pronouns and basic present-tense verbs to understand the internal structure of phrases such as Hoe gaat het met u? and Kun je dat herhalen?
• Conversation building: Question words and basic word order will help you expand fixed expressions into your own questions.