Dutch for shopping and eating out: phrases you need

The Dutch you need in shops, at the market, in a café and a restaurant: asking for things, prices, paying by card, ordering, the bill — and the one word that answers half the questions: graag.

Updated November 3, 2026 · 2 min read

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In a shop

At the market and the supermarket

• Een kilo appels, alstublieft. — A kilo of apples, please.
• Wilt u een tasje? — Would you like a bag? — Nee, dank u.
• de bon / het bonnetje — the receipt; de kassa — the till
• in de aanbieding — on offer; uitverkocht — sold out

In a café or restaurant

Before eating, eet smakelijk; for a toast, proost — see cheers. Een kopje koffie uses a diminutive — diminutives.

Polite, not stiff

In shops and cafés staff often say je to you; answer however you like — u is always polite. Alsjeblieft also means here you are when they hand you something: please.

Keep learning

• Dutch greetings
• Dutch food words
• Dutch numbers
• The Dutch phrasebook
• Verb tables: zijn, gaan, komen, moeten, zullen, worden, wonen, werken, leren, lezen, schrijven, spreken, luisteren, begrijpen, zeggen, vragen, maken, doen, geven

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