Introduction: Winkelen (Shopping)

Whether you're buying groceries, ordering coffee, or looking for souvenirs, knowing some basic shopping phrases is essential for navigating daily life in a Dutch-speaking environment.

Asking the Price

• General questions:
• Hoeveel kost dit? (How much does this cost?) - Pointing at or holding a het-word item.
• Hoeveel kost deze? (How much does this one cost?) - Pointing at or holding a de-word item.
• Hoeveel kost dat? (How much does that cost?) - Referring to something further away (het-word).
• Hoeveel kost die? (How much does that one cost?) - Referring to something further away (de-word).
• Hoeveel kost het? (How much does it cost?) - General question.

• Specific items:
• Hoeveel kost deze broek? (How much do these trousers cost?)
• Hoeveel kost dit boek? (How much does this book cost?)
• Wat kosten de appels? (What do the apples cost? / How much are the apples?) - Using plural kosten.

Understanding the Price

You will likely hear the price stated as:

• Dat kost [amount] euro. (That costs [amount] euros.)
• Het is [amount] euro. (It is [amount] euros.)
• [Amount] euro. (Just the amount.)

Remember your numbers! (e.g., vijfentwintig euro = ë25)

Ordering or Requesting Items

• Polite requests (using graag - gladly/please):
• Ik wil graag een koffie. (I would like a coffee.)
• Ik wil graag deze schoenen passen. (I would like to try on these shoes.)
• Wij willen graag betalen. (We would like to pay.)

• More direct requests:
• Ik neem een brood. (I'll take a bread / I'm having a bread.)
• Mag ik een menu? (May I have a menu?)
• Doe mij maar een thee. (Give me a tea. - Informal, common in cafes/bars)

• Checking availability:
• Heeft u dit in maat M? (Do you have this in size M? - Formal u)
• Heb je ook appels? (Do you also have apples? - Informal je)

Paying for Your Purchase

• Kan ik pinnen? (Can I pay by debit card?) - Pinnen refers specifically to paying with a debit card using a PIN.
• Kan ik met creditcard betalen? (Can I pay by credit card?)
• Kan ik contant betalen? (Can I pay with cash?)
• Mag ik de rekening, alstublieft? (May I have the bill, please? - In a restaurant/cafe)
• Alstublieft. (Here you go / Please.) - Said by both customer and staff when exchanging items or money.
• Dank u wel / Dank je wel. (Thank you - formal / informal.)

Other Useful Vocabulary

• de winkel = the shop
• de supermarkt = the supermarket
• de markt = the market
• de bakker = the baker
• de slager = the butcher
• de kassa = the cash register / checkout
• de verkoper / de verkoopster = the salesperson (m/f)
• de klant = the customer
• de bon / het bonnetje = the receipt
• de tas / het tasje = the bag
• contant geld = cash
• de pinpas = the debit card
• de creditcard = the credit card
• duur = expensive
• goedkoop = cheap
• de aanbieding = the special offer / sale
• de korting = the discount

Example Scenario (at a bakery)

• Customer: Goedemorgen. Ik wil graag een volkorenbrood. (Good morning. I would like a whole wheat bread.)
• Baker: Alstublieft. Anders nog iets? (Here you go. Anything else?)
• Customer: Ja, hoeveel kosten deze croissants? (Yes, how much do these croissants cost?)
• Baker: Die zijn één euro per stuk. (Those are one euro each.)
• Customer: Okë, dan neem ik er twee. (Okay, then I'll take two of them.)
• Baker: Prima. Dat is dan vier euro vijftig totaal. (Fine. That will be four euros fifty total then.)
• Customer: Kan ik pinnen? (Can I pay by card?)
• Baker: Jazeker. (Yes, certainly.)
• (Payment)
• Baker: Alstublieft, de bon. (Here you go, the receipt.)
• Customer: Dank u wel. Fijne dag! (Thank you. Have a nice day!)
• Baker: U ook! Tot ziens! (You too! Goodbye!)

Practice these key phrases for asking prices, ordering items, and paying. Using graag makes requests polite. Knowing payment terms like pinnen is very useful in the Netherlands. Don't be afraid to ask Hoeveel kost dit?!