Dutch small talk: the weather, the weekend and work

Dutch small talk: the weather, the weekend, work, your plans — the questions people ask, short answers that keep a conversation going, and the phrases that buy you time.

Updated · 2 min read

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The Binnenhof in The Hague, seat of the Dutch government, across the Hofvijver
Photo: Michielverbeek, CC BY-SA 4.0, resized.

Small talk in Dutch tends to be short and practical — the weather, the weekend, work, holidays. It is also exactly what the warm-up of the speaking exam sounds like.

The weather

Wat een mooi weer vandaag!

Literally: What lovely weather today!

Meaning: The national opener.

Het regent alweer.

Literally: It’s raining again.

Meaning: regenen — to rain

  • Het is koud / warm / benauwd. — It’s cold / warm / muggy.
  • Het waait hard. — It’s very windy.
  • Zou het morgen droog blijven? — Do you think it’ll stay dry tomorrow? (blijven)

The weekend

Wat ga je dit weekend doen?

Literally: What are you doing this weekend?

Meaning: gaan + doen

Lekker niks. En jij?

Literally: Nothing much. And you?

Meaning: lekker — nice; niks — nothing

Hoe was je weekend? — Gezellig, we zijn bij vrienden geweest.

Literally: How was your weekend? — Nice, we went to see friends.

Meaning: gezellig — see what gezellig means

Work and plans

  • Wat voor werk doe je? — What do you do for work? (werken)
  • Druk? — Busy? — Ja, best wel. — Yes, quite.
  • Ga je nog op vakantie? — Are you going on holiday? (reizen)
  • Hoe lang woon je al hier? — How long have you been living here? (wonen)

Phrases that buy you time

  • Nou… — Well…
  • Goede vraag! — Good question!
  • Hoe zeg je dat? — How do you say it?
  • Wat bedoel je? — What do you mean?

Conversations, line by line

16Word’s Dialogues track gives you the other person’s line and asks for yours — in Dutch, with audio. Page 1 is free.

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Frequently asked questions

What do Dutch people talk about in small talk?

The weather, the weekend, work and holidays — short, practical exchanges.

How do you ask what someone does for work in Dutch?

Wat voor werk doe je? — or formally, Wat voor werk doet u?

How do you say nothing much in Dutch?

Lekker niks — or niet veel.

How do I ask what someone means in Dutch?

Wat bedoel je? — or Wat bedoelt u?

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