Getting around in Dutch
Left, right, the station, one ticket, where is the toilet. Play the ten Dutch words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Dutch phrases in this lesson
- Waar is het toilet?vaar is hut twah-LET
- Where is the toilet?
- Hoe kom ik bij...?hoo kom ik BAY
- How do I get to...?
- Naar linksnaar LINKS
- To the left
- Naar rechtsnaar REKHTS
- To the right
- RechtdoorREKHT-doar
- Straight ahead
- Hierheer
- Here
- Centraal Stationsen-TRAAL stah-SYON
- Train station
- Busbus
- Bus
- VliegveldVLEEKH-velt
- Airport
- Eén kaartje alsjeblieftayn KAART-yuh ALS-yuh-bleeft
- One ticket, please
Toilet is the standard word. WC (vay-say) is also widely used on signs. In bars and restaurants, toilets are often downstairs.
When cycling, signal with your arm. Everyone else does.
Literally "right through." This is the word for going straight ahead. Gewoon rechtdoor (just straight ahead) is a common full answer from locals giving directions.
Used to indicate your current location or to tell a taxi driver where to stop. Hier alsjeblieft (here please) is the natural phrase to stop a vehicle.
Every major Dutch city has a Centraal Station (central station). Amsterdam Centraal is the busiest, with direct trains to Schiphol airport and international connections.
Check in and out with a bank card or OV-chipkaart.
Schiphol is a short train ride from Amsterdam Centraal.
The diminutive kaartje is standard for a single ticket. In the Netherlands, most public transit now runs on contactless payment rather than paper tickets.