Vraagwoorden
Open questions start with a vraagwoord (question word). The verb always stays in position 2, and the subject follows. These six words unlock almost any Dutch conversation.
Master these first — they cover the vast majority of everyday questions.
Practice: Translate "why" to Dutch
waarom — "Waarom" means why and asks for a reason. Waarom leer je Nederlands? — Why are you learning Dutch?
| Dutch | English | Example | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| wie | who | Wie is jouw leraar? Who is your teacher? | |
| wat | what | Wat eet je? What are you eating? | |
| waar | where | Waar ligt Amsterdam? Where is Amsterdam? | |
| wanneer | when | Wanneer is je verjaardag? When is your birthday? | |
| waarom | why | Waarom ben je moe? Why are you tired? | |
| hoe | how | Hoe heet jij? What is your name? | |
| welk(e) | which | Welk boek lees je? Which book are you reading? | |
| hoeveel | how many/much | Hoeveel kost dit? How much does this cost? |
Practice: Complete: "___ kost dit?" (how much does this cost?)
hoeveel — "Hoeveel" = how many / how much. It fuses hoe (how) + veel (many): Hoeveel kost dit? — How much does this cost?
The question word takes position 1. The verb stays in position 2. The subject follows immediately after.
Practice: Complete: "___ woon je?" (where do you live?)
waar — "Waar" is the question word for location and takes position 1. Verb (woon) stays in position 2. Result: Waar woon je?
"Hoe" combines with adjectives to ask about degree, size, age, distance, and time.
Practice: Complete: "Hoe ___ is het?" (what time is it?)
laat — "Hoe laat is het?" literally means "how late is it?" — the standard Dutch phrase for asking the time. Laat = late.
"Wie" is for people, "wat" is for things, actions, and ideas. A common mistake is mixing them up.
Practice: Complete: "___ is jouw leraar?" (who is your teacher?)
wie — "Wie" is used for people. Since leraar (teacher) is a person, the question word is wie: Wie is jouw leraar?
Practice Question Words Quiz with vraagwoorden cards
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