If you are planning a visit to Amsterdam, it is not a bad idea to learn a few keywords and phrases in Dutch, although most of the people there speak English. “Please” and “thank you” are two of the most useful expressions for tourists and will show the Dutch they meet that they have taken the time to familiarize themselves with their culture.
In short, the words to use are alstublieft (AHL-stu-BLEEFT) “please” and dank je (DANK ya) “thanks”, but there are some important variant forms and rules for using these expressions correctly in context.
Say thank you in dutch
An all-purpose expression of thanks is dank je , which translates directly to “thank you,” at a neutral level of politeness. It’s not rude, but it’s not formal either, and it’s by far the most widely used Dutch phrase. Dank is pronounced as written, but heh sounds like “ya”.
The formal expression dank u is best reserved for older people; Dutch society is not particularly formal, so there is little need to be overly polite in shops, restaurants, and similar settings. Dank is pronounced as above; the u , like the “oo” in “boot”.
To add a little emphasis to your thanks, dank je wel and dank u wel are the equivalent of “thank you very much.” The wel is pronounced like the “vel” on “vellum.” If a Dutch speaker has been extraordinarily kind or helpful, hartelijk bedankt (“sincere thanks”) is a thoughtful response. This phrase is roughly pronounced as “HEART-a-luck buh-DANKT.”
If all of this is too troublesome to remember, bedankt is appropriate anytime, anywhere among Dutch speakers. But don’t worry about it; Most Dutch you come across will be pleasantly surprised that you took the time to learn Dutch.
The equivalent of “you’re welcome” is optional in the Netherlands. If you really feel the need, you can use geen dank (“Don’t mention it”). You may not be inclined to use this phrase much, and it will not be considered rude. Many non-Dutch speakers have difficulty pronouncing the initial sound, which is the same as the “ch” in the Hebrew word Chanukkah . The “ee” is pronounced like the “a” in “capable.”
Say please in dutch
To be brief, alstublieft (AHL-stu-BLEEFT) is the universal equivalent of “please” in English. It can be used with any request, such as Een biertje, alstublieft (“A beer, please”). Replace biertje (BEER-tya) with any item of your choice in this versatile Dutch expression.
Alstublieft is actually the polite way. It is a contraction of everything you believe in , or “if you like it”, an exact Dutch translation of s’il vous plait (“please” in French). The informal version is alsjeblieft (“als het je belieft”), but it is not used as often, despite the fact that the Dutch often speak in informal terms.
The phrases alstublieft and alsjeblieft are also used when you offer an item to someone; in a store, for example, the cashier will pronounce Alstublieft! as he / she hands you his / her receipt.
