Lesson 8

To Have (Present Tense) - The Dutch Consonants - Land Reclamation - Weather Vocabulary - Simple Arithmetic

Nescio

(Latin: 'I don't know') was the pen name of J.H.F. Grönloh

, who early in the 20th Century wrote three novellas and a series of sketches that I think are the finest Dutch writing ever; he revealed his real name about twenty years after publication of his first work because it had come to be attributed to someone else.
De Uitvreter

is a person who lives off other people - a parasite. I thought 'scrounger' has the same kind of unpleasant tone.
His other novellas are Titaantjes

('Little Giants') and Dichtertje

('The Little Poet.') The collection of sketches is called Mene Tekel

- Daniel 5:23, the writing on the wall, from Chaldaic: 'Judged (and found wanting.)'
Nescio's work is usually published in the spelling of the early 20th Century; I took the liberty to modernize the spelling to make it easier for my students. Nescio uses the colloquial -ie ('he') and writes it with single I, for instance: als-i. Most Dutchmen would write this as: als-ie or als hij.

The Scrounger Except for the man who thought the Amsterdam Sarpahtistraat the most beautiful spot in Europe, I've never known a more peculiar person than the scrounger.	Nescio: De Uitvreter Behalve de man, die de Sarphatistraat de mooiste plek van Europa vond, heb ik nooit een wonderlijker kerel gekend dan de uitvreter.
The scrounger, who was lying in your bed when you got home late in the evening, dirty shoes and all. The scrounger, who was smoking your cigars, filling up on your tobacco and burning your coal and looking through your cabinets and borrowing your money and wearing your shoes and who put on your coat when he had to get home through the rain.	De uitvreter, die je in je bed vond liggen met zijn vuile schoenen, als je 's avonds laat thuiskwam. De uitvreter, die je sigaren oprookte, en van je tabak stopte en je steenkolen verstookte en je kasten nakeek en geld van je leende en je schoenen opdroeg en een jas van je aantrok als-i in de regen naar huis moest.
The scrounger, always ordering things in other people's names; drinking Duch gin like royalty on the sidewalk tables of café 'Hollandais' at the people's expense; who borrowed but never returned umbrellas; who heated Bavink's secondhand stove until it burst; who wore his brother's double collars and lent out Appi's books, who would travel abroad when once more he'd gotten some money off his old man, and never paid for the suits he wore.	De uitvreter, die altijd wat liet halen op de naam van een ander; die als een vorst jenever zat te drinken op 't terras van 'Hollandais' voor de centen van de lui; die parapluies leende en nooit terugbracht; die een barst stookte in de tweedehands kachel van Bavink; die dubbele boorden droeg van z'n broer en de boeken uitleende van Appi, en buitenlandse reizen maakte als-i z'n ouwe heer weer had afgezet, en pakken droeg, die hij nooit betaalde.

Hebben = to Have (present tense)

hebben
ik heb
jij hebt
hij heeft
wij hebben
jullie hebben
zij hebben
U heeft

to have
I have
you have
he has
we have
you have
they have
you have

ik heb een fiets
jij hebt een fiets
hij heeft een fiets
wij hebben een fiets
jullie hebben een fiets
zij hebben een tandem
U heeft een fiets

(I have a bicycle)
(you have a bicycle)
(he has a bicycle)
(we have a bicycle)
(you have a bicycle)
(they have a tandem bicycle)
(you have a bicycle)

heb ik een fiets?
heb jij een fiets?
heeft hij een fiets?
hebben wij een fiets?
hebben jullie een fiets?
hebben zij een fiets?
heeft U een fiets?

(do I have a bicycle?)
(do you have a bicycle?)
(does he have a bicycle?)
(do we have a bicycle?)
(do you have a bicycle?)
(do they have a bicycle?)
(do you have a bicycle?)

Some Dutchmen say 'U hebt' - like in for instance U hebt een fiets

('you have a bicycle' [you - polite singular]) but I think it's ugly.

Dutch question mode is just turning verb and subject around. Note that only je/jij ('you' informal singular) has a change, dropping the T:

jij hebt een fiets	('you have a bicycle' [you - singular informal])
heb je een fiets?	('do you have a bicycle?' [you - singular informal])
U heeft een fiets	('you have a bicycle' [you - singular polite])
heeft U een fiets?	('do you have a bicycle?' [you - singular polite])
jullie hebben een fiets	('you have a bicycle' [you - plural informal])
hebben jullie een fiets?	('do you have a bicycle?' [you - plural informal])
jullie hebben fietsen	('you have bicycles' [you - plural informal])
hebben jullie fietsen?	('do you have bicycles?' [you - plural informal])

You may have noticed in the previous lesson that Dutch sometimes uses 'to be' where English uses 'to have' - and sometimes Dutch uses 'to have' where English says 'to be.'

ik heb geluk
jij hebt geluk
hij heeft geluk
wij hebben geluk
jullie hebben geluk
zij hebben geluk

I am lucky
you are lucky
he is lucky
we are lucky
you are lucky
they are lucky

heb ik geluk?
heb jij geluk?
heeft hij geluk?
hebben wij geluk
hebben jullie geluk?
hebben zij geluk?

am I lucky?
are you lucky?
is he lucky?
are we lucky?
are you lucky?
are they lucky?

U heeft geluk
heeft U geluk?

you are lucky
are you lucky?

There is a story that when the promotion of a certain general was discussed, Napoleon asked: "But is he lucky?" I think this was not silly or superstitious, but shows that Napoleon understood that 'luck' is often about being alert, being aware of possibilities, and having the flexibility to adapt your plans.

hij heeft geen auto	('he doesn't have a car')
jij hebt een hond	('you have a dog')
ik heb een boek	('I have a book')
hij heeft griep 2	('he has the flu')
heb je nog even tijd?	('do you still have a moment?')
hebben jullie wel plezier?	('are you really having fun?')
ze hebben drie kinderen	('they have three children')

heb je genoeg water? 2	('do you have enough water?')
heb je genoeg geld?	('do you have enough money?')
heb je genoeg licht?	('do you have enough light?')
ik heb 't koud	('I am cold')
ik ben verkouden	('I have a cold')
ik heb honger	('I [have hunger] am hungry')
ik heb dorst	('I [have thirst] am thirsty')

The Dutch Consonants

Not all Dutch consonants are pronounced like in English, and even those that are may not come naturally to native speakers of other languages.
There are a few exceptions and irregularities that will be explained in a future lesson. >>

double
consonants

A pair of consonants ('two of a kind') is pronounced exactly the same as one single consonant. A double consonant usually means that a preceding single vowel is short (see lessons 3-5); occasionally it is found after a double vowel.
maken makker willen wielen

2
vlot vlotten vloot vloten lood loden

grote grootte hete heette late haatte

[ grote = 'big' - grootte = 'the size' ]

end-of-word B end-of-word B is pronounced as P; otherwise B is B like in English
slab slap slabben slappe
heb step hebben steppen
lip lippen rib ribben
kap lab kapel tabel (kapel and tabel have the stress on the second syllable)
baard paard brak prak 2

B in
compound
words

Final B's in parts of compound words keep their P-pronunciation, and also before the '-je' ending of diminutives:
eb ebben ebstroom wipstaart

ribje hapje slabbetje

C C is pronounced either as K or as S, like in similar English words
K: (before A, O, U and consonants) code collega combinatie cultuur - café 2 - carrière - acteur 2 - actrice
S: (before E, I and Y) cel citroen gefascineerd - cirkel - centrum - centraal - cylinder
K/S: concept concert cycloon cyclus
K/S: accent succes

CH, G and K

CH and G: "like you clear your throat:" ge

[exaggerated] (Flemish 'you')
Saying the Dutch CH and G may be difficult for foreigners. This sound is not found in many other languages - but it does exist in both Hebrew and Arabic.
Single vowels before CH are always 'short.' There is no double CH in Dutch.
dak dag pek pech

slager slachten klagen klachten

slak slag brokkelen rochelen

richel diggelen wikkelen

kachel waggelen wakker

kuiken juichen duigen

vlag lach laag vlaggen lachen lagen

onrecht onterecht trechter

rechten rekten recht rekt zegt

2
chroom chrysanten chronisch

gifgas lachgas

end-of-word D D at the end of a word is pronounced as a T; otherwise D is D and T is T.
wat wad watten wadden
raat raten raad raden
rat ratten pad padden paden
dadel datum kader kater
lid wit midden witte
pet bed petten bedden
blad plat bladeren platen
dak tak deken teken

D in
compound
words Final D's in parts of compound words keep their T-pronunciation, and also before the '-je' ending of diminutives:
huidaandoening doodop rondom 2
platform bladvorm nachtvorst braadworst
kruid kruit buidel sluiter kruidvat kruitvat
brandje krantje eindje geintje

DT, TD

At normal speaking speed, mid-word DT is pronounced as T, and mid-word TD is pronounced as D. Only in deliberately slow speech are the letters pronounced separately, but DT at the end of a verb is always T.
ontdekken ontdaan ont-dekken ont-daan

windtunnel badtas wind-tunnel bad-tas

houtduif broodtafel loodtest rotdag

ontzien onthouden

2
ik word hij wordt

F, V and W English W is formed with rounded lips; Dutch W is formed with relaxed lips, starting with upper teeth resting lightly on lower lip.
fee vee wee
fier vier wier
duif duiven
zalf zalven
vlinders fladderen 2
fel vel fase vazen
wal val Waal vaal
even effen boven boffen
laf laffe laven lava boven boffen
waffel wafel zwavel luifel zuivel 2
oefenen toeven toeval hoewel
duf duw suf sluw ('uw' is always long)
walm walmen (zalm) bedwelmen (2)

W in
Combinations

dwaling dwang dwepen dwingen

kwaken kwakkelen kweken kwekken kwik kwiek

zwaan zwanger zweven zwerven

2
zwalken zwelgen zwerm

- more Dutch W

Dutch J is like English 'consonant Y' (like in YES) - except in the diphthong IJ
ja je jouw jeuk

je jong jongetje

ijs

- IJ hij stijl

K before N

Unlike in English, K before N is pronounced:
nijptang kniptang

knaap knap knapen knappe

knoop knop knopen knoppen

knarsen knerpen knallen knetteren

2 3
knikken knokken knul

Dutch L is very similar to English E - but different from L in many other languages:
ellenlang

- more Dutch L

end-of-word N

Many Dutchmen, maybe even a majority of the population, drop the N in -EN verb and plurals endings. It's not the standard pronunciation, and I think it's sloppy, though I have to admit to a certain softening of my own final N's. You may have noticed it in the Multatuli reading of the previous lesson. Dear students, I think it's easier for you to pronounce these N's, because you have to write them anyway, and dropping them would just add another rule.
De mensen praten plat.

- De mense prate plat.

Dutch NG is like in English NG in THING or STRINGER, NOT like in STRANGER or DANGER
zang zanger

ding dingen

lang langer langst

streng strenger strengst

gang ging gong

hangen kreng strekking

P before S

Unlike in English, P before S is pronounced
psalm pseudoniem psycholoog

Dutch R is quite different from English R:
er

rek roos rits rap

raad veer roef huur huren

At the beginning of a word, English R starts with the tongue touching the top of the palate, and then moving down; it's a 'rolling' sound formed in the middle of the mouth. Dutch R keeps the tongue flat, its tip touching the lower teeth, and is formed in the back of the mouth.

Compare English and Dutch R:

English	road	room	ram	rat	price	fries	great	fern	deer	star	Thank you Cody!
Dutch	rood	roem	rem	rat	prijs	frietjes	Greet	varen	dier	star
meaning of Dutch word	red	fame	a brake	rat	price	fries	(girls' name)	fern	animal, mammal	rigid, inflexible

S and Z

gras grassen grazen

les lessen lezen

zo'n sombere zomer

('such a gloomy Summer')
veinzen grijnzen linzen grenzen

Polders: The Reclaimed Land

(de) polder	2	'polder' (reclaimed land)
(de) dijk		dike, levee
(de) sloot		ditch
(de) molen		windmill
(het) gemaal		pumping station
(het) kanaal		canal, channel
het nieuwe land		the new, reclaimed land

When you're on a levee in Holland, you may notice that on one side the water is just a foot or two from the edge, while the land on the other side is much lower down. The 'polders' are not filled in with soil from elsewhere. The old lake bottom is the new land.

5 feet = 1½ meter - 15 feet = 5 meters

If there were no dikes and dunes, the sea would enter Holland freely, and the waves would roll in twice a day over the area five feet below to five feet above sea level. Actually, the area between the row of islands in the North and the mainland - de Waddenzee

- is a flood plain like that, much of it flooded twice daily. A paradise for coastal birds.

Ten thousand years ago, nomadic hunters were the first men in what's now Holland; when agriculture came a few thousand years later, settlers built dwellings and villages on existing hills, or mounds would be created as safe places from the occasional floods. Those elevations are now usually called by the Frisian word terpen - singular (de) terp . Less common Dutch words: (de) vliedberg ('flee-mountain') and (de) vluchtheuvel ('hill of refuge') - nowadays the word for 'traffic isle,' the safe, slightly raised spot for pedestrians beween the lanes of a busy road.
It was probably during the Roman time (ca. 50BC-400AD) that the first dikes were built and the first canals dug. The collapse of the Roman empire and the invasions by Germanic tribes coincided with a 5-foot (1½ meter) rise of the sea level and a period of very bad weather, which destroyed many of the natural defenses against the sea. Very few people remained at the Dutch coast in this time.
See the shape of Holland change over the years.
The first dikes were probably just walls of earth; later they were covered with rocks or mats of twine or branches, and vegetation also helped to protect it. In the 11th or 12th Century, Waterschappen ('water boards') developed. The people living close to the sea organized themselves to manage the water and worked out a payment system. Some see it as an early form of democracy (of course pioneered by Greeks much earlier.)
The 16th Century development of windmills that could be rotated to face the wind made the draining of larger lakes possible. This was often a commercial venture: investors would pay for reclaiming land that was then rented out to farmers. A famous early water engineer took the name Leeghwater ('empty-water'): Jan Adriaansz Leeghwater 2
In the 19th Century, steam engines made the draining of still larger and deeper lakes possible.
The large 20th Century water projects in the next lesson.

Words

(het) water

- 2

(de) zee

(de) branding

(het) strand

sea

breakers

beach

(de) golf

- 2

(het) zand

- 2

(de) rivier

(Peace River, Canada)

moderne windmolen

(de) molen

= (de) windmolen

(de) wolken

[a street where you can't see far because of the mist]

(de) mist

(de) regen

- 2

regent 't?

[a foot of snow on the ground and in the trees]

(de) sneeuw

't sneeuwt

(de) regenboog

getijden

('tides')

('ebbtide, low tide')

vloed

('floodtide, high tide')

more weather (with Dutch weather expressions.)

Calculations

rekenen

('to do arithmetic')

plus
min
maal
gedeeld door
is

+ (plus)
- (minus)
x (times)
: (divided by)
= (equals)

optellen
aftrekken
vermenigvuldigen
delen

(to add)
(to subtract)
(to multiply)
(to divide)

2 > 1

3 < 4

groter dan
kleiner dan
twee is groter dan één
drie is kleiner dan vier

2x3=6

twee keer drie is zes
2x3=6

twee maal drie is zes
2+3=5

twee en drie is vijf
2+3=5

twee plus drie is vijf

de tafel van twee:
één keer twee is twee, twee keer twee is vier,
drie keer twee is zes, vier keer twee is acht ...

- 2

In elementary school we are taught the tables using keer for multiplication; maal is more scientific. Likewise, en is the elementary school adding word, plus is the scientific term.

3+4-5=2

6x7=42

8:4=2

drie plus vier min vijf is twee
zes maal zeven is tweeënveertig
acht gedeeld door vier is twee

vijf procent
één-tiende procent
één promille

5%
0.1%
0.1%

Dutch does NOT say 'one-tenth of one percent' like English, but just 'one-tenth percent'

twee keer per dag	two times a day, twice daily
het is de vierde keer	it is the fourth time
drie maal is scheepsrecht 2	'three times is naval law' - nonsense remark about things happening three times
keer op keer 2	'time after time'
éénmaal... andermaal ... verkocht!	'[one time ... another time ... sold!] going once ... going twice ... sold!' (what an auctioneer says)
voor de laatste keer ... 2	'for the last time ...'

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Don't be a dief (thief) / dievegge (female thief) - diefstal (theft) - stelen (to steal) - heler (dealer in stolen goods) - hear Dutch - 2