Inchecken in het Hotel
Checking into a hotel · a free Dutch immersion capsule
Useful sentences · 10
Phrases you'll actually use today. Tap Explain for the why behind each one.
Goedemiddag, ik heb een reservering op naam van Van der Berg.
Good afternoon, I have a reservation under the name Van der Berg.
Literal Good-afternoon, I have a reservation on name of Van der Berg.
A natural way to greet hotel staff and immediately mention your reservation in one sentence.
- 'ik heb' = 'I have' — present tense of 'hebben' (to have)
- 'op naam van' = 'under the name of' — a fixed prepositional phrase used for bookings
Kunt u mij vertellen welke kamer ik heb?
Can you tell me which room I have?
Literal Can you me tell which room I have?
Uses the formal polite construction 'Kunt u...?' to ask a staff member for information.
- 'Kunt u' = formal 'Can you' — from 'kunnen'; use 'u' for formal/respectful address
- Infinitive 'vertellen' goes to the end of the main clause — standard Dutch word order
Ik zou graag een kamer met uitzicht op de tuin willen.
I would like a room with a view of the garden.
Literal I would gladly a room with view on the garden want.
Uses the conditional 'zou graag...willen' to politely express a preference — softer than a direct request.
- 'zou graag...willen' = 'would like' — conditional form for polite preferences
- 'met uitzicht op' = 'with a view of' — fixed prepositional phrase
Hoe laat wordt het ontbijt geserveerd?
What time is breakfast served?
Literal How late is the breakfast served?
'Hoe laat' literally means 'how late' but is the standard Dutch way to ask 'what time'.
- 'Hoe laat' = 'what time' — the Dutch question phrase for time
- 'wordt geserveerd' = 'is served' — present passive: wordt + past participle
Is het ontbijt inbegrepen bij de kamerprijs?
Is breakfast included in the room rate?
Literal Is the breakfast included at the room-price?
A practical question about what is included in your booking. 'Inbegrepen' is the past participle used as an adjective.
- 'inbegrepen' = 'included' — past participle of 'inbegrijpen', functioning as adjective
- 'bij de kamerprijs' — preposition 'bij' here means 'in/with' in a pricing context
Kunt u mij de weg naar de lift wijzen?
Can you show me the way to the elevator?
Literal Can you me the way to the lift point?
A polite request for directions using 'Kunt u...?' with 'de weg wijzen' (to show the way).
- 'de weg wijzen' = 'to show the way' — common directional expression
- 'naar' = 'to/towards' — preposition indicating direction of movement
Wat is het wachtwoord voor het wifi-netwerk?
What is the password for the Wi-Fi network?
Literal What is the password for the wifi network?
'Wachtwoord' is a compound noun literally meaning 'wait-word'. A simple 'Wat is...?' question.
- 'Wat is' = 'What is' — direct question with 'wat' fronted
- 'voor' = 'for' — preposition indicating purpose or belonging
Kunt u extra handdoeken naar mijn kamer sturen?
Can you send extra towels to my room?
Literal Can you extra towels to my room send?
A housekeeping request using 'Kunt u...?' with the infinitive 'sturen' placed at the end.
- Infinitive 'sturen' goes to end of clause — Dutch verb-final pattern in infinitive structures
- 'naar mijn kamer' = 'to my room' — directional prepositional phrase with 'naar'
Pardon, kunt u dit nog een keer herhalen?
Excuse me, can you repeat that one more time?
Literal Pardon, can you this one more time repeat?
'Pardon' is borrowed from French and widely used in Dutch. This phrase is essential when you need clarification.
- 'nog een keer' = 'one more time' — adverb phrase indicating repetition
- 'herhalen' = 'to repeat' — infinitive placed at end of clause
Hartelijk dank, ik kijk er al naar uit om hier te verblijven.
Thank you very much, I'm already looking forward to staying here.
Literal Heartily thanks, I look there already towards to here to stay.
A warm closing phrase using 'uitkijken naar' (to look forward to) — a separable verb with 'er...naar uit' as its placeholder structure.
- 'uitkijken naar' = 'to look forward to' — separable verb; 'er...naar uit' splits around other elements
- 'hartelijk dank' = 'thank you very much' — warmer and more formal than 'dank je wel'
New words · 10
Themed vocabulary, each with an example you can borrow.
inchecken
to check in
Ik wil inchecken voor kamer twintig.
I want to check in for room twenty.
Separable verb: present tense splits — 'ik check in'
de reservering
the reservation
Ik heb een reservering op naam van Willems.
I have a reservation under the name Willems.
Plural: reserveringen
de sleutelkaart
the key card
Hier is uw sleutelkaart.
Here is your key card.
Compound: sleutel (key) + kaart (card)
het ontbijt
the breakfast
Het ontbijt begint om zeven uur.
Breakfast starts at seven o'clock.
Inbegrepen ontbijt = included breakfast
de lift
the elevator / the lift
De lift is aan het einde van de gang.
The elevator is at the end of the hallway.
Dutch uses the British English loanword 'lift'
het wachtwoord
the password
Wat is het wachtwoord van het wifi?
What is the Wi-Fi password?
Compound: wacht (wait) + woord (word)
de handdoek
the towel
Kunt u extra handdoeken brengen?
Can you bring extra towels?
Plural: handdoeken
de kamer
the room
Mijn kamer is op de derde verdieping.
My room is on the third floor.
Also in compounds: slaapkamer (bedroom), badkamer (bathroom)
inbegrepen
included
Is het parkeren inbegrepen bij de prijs?
Is parking included in the price?
Past participle of 'inbegrijpen'; essential for hotel and booking contexts
de verdieping
the floor / the storey
Uw kamer is op de tweede verdieping.
Your room is on the second floor.
Eerste verdieping = first floor above ground (like British English)
Short reading
A tiny story stitched from today's words. Translation is hidden, tap to peek.
Emma stapt het hotel binnen en loopt naar de receptie. Ze groet de medewerker vriendelijk en zegt: 'Goedemiddag, ik heb een reservering op naam van Willems.' De medewerker controleert de reservering en geeft haar de sleutelkaart. 'Uw kamer is op de derde verdieping,' zegt hij. 'De lift is rechts van u.' Emma bedankt hem hartelijk en vraagt nog snel: 'Is het ontbijt inbegrepen?' 'Ja,' antwoordt de medewerker met een glimlach, 'het ontbijt wordt geserveerd van zeven tot tien uur.'
Sentence by sentence
stapt het hotel binnen
walks into the hotel
'Binnenstappen' is a separable verb meaning 'to walk inside'. The prefix 'binnen' splits off and moves to the end of the clause.
ik heb een reservering op naam van Willems
I have a reservation under the name Willems
'Op naam van' is a fixed phrase meaning 'under the name of', used specifically when identifying a booking or reservation.
controleert de reservering
checks the reservation
'Controleren' means 'to check/verify'. Third-person singular present tense adds '-t' to the stem: controleert.
De lift is rechts van u
The elevator is to your right
'Rechts van u' = 'to your right'. 'U' is the formal 'you', appropriate when hotel staff address a guest.
het ontbijt wordt geserveerd van zeven tot tien uur
breakfast is served from seven to ten o'clock
'Wordt geserveerd' is the present passive: wordt (auxiliary) + past participle. 'Van...tot' = 'from...until'.
Pattern of the day
One grammar move, explained once, that unlocks dozens of sentences.
Polite Requests with 'Kunt u...?'
'Kunt u...?' is the standard formal way to make polite requests in Dutch. It is the second-person formal present tense of 'kunnen' (can/to be able to). The verb comes first, then 'u' (formal you), then the object or adverbial phrase, and the main infinitive verb goes to the very end of the clause. This verb-final pattern is essential for speaking respectfully in service contexts such as hotels, shops, and offices.
Kunt u + [indirect object] + [object / adverb phrase] + [infinitive verb]?
Kunt u mij de weg naar de lift wijzen?
Can you show me the way to the elevator?
Kunt u extra handdoeken naar mijn kamer sturen?
Can you send extra towels to my room?
Kunt u dit nog een keer herhalen?
Can you repeat that one more time?
Kunt u mij vertellen hoe laat het ontbijt begint?
Can you tell me what time breakfast starts?
Mini practice · 5
Low-pressure, never graded. Just enough to make it stick.
Translate to Dutch: 'I have a reservation under the name Van der Berg.'
Hint Use 'op naam van' for 'under the name of'.
Translate to English: 'Is het ontbijt inbegrepen bij de kamerprijs?'
Hint 'Inbegrepen' means included, and 'kamerprijs' breaks into 'kamer' (room) + 'prijs' (price).
Complete the polite request: 'Kunt u mij de weg naar ___ wijzen?' (You want to find the elevator.)
Hint The Dutch word for elevator is a short, borrowed word.
You want to ask for extra towels to be sent to your room. Which sentence is correct?
Rewrite this as a polite 'Kunt u...?' request: 'Ik wil dit nog een keer herhalen.' (I want to hear this one more time.)
Hint Drop 'Ik wil' and start with 'Kunt u', placing the verb at the end.
That’s today’s phraseberry.
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