Up and down progress (Or: Dutch class 15 by ROC Mondriaan)

Back to hitting the books!

Last night our Dutch teacher had a pretty good explanation for what happens when you learn Dutch – or any other language for that matter. The progress isn’t always as fast as it was in the beginning…

The above photo is quite true. Sometimes at work I have “bad days” (nothing that comes out of my mouth seems to make sense to the library customer!) and then there are “good days” (when I am actually able to articulate myself “on the fly” as it were – or quickly and effortlessly). Work is the hardest place to speak Dutch, because I never know what the other person is going to want or ask. In other situations with family and friends it is much more relaxed.

We also learned a few new vocabulary words (in a section about parents buying mobile phones for their children):

gloednieuw – pas gekocht, helemaal nieuw. Something you just bought, completely new.

peperduur = vroeger kwam peper van Azië en het was heel duur. In the past pepper came from Asia at a terribly expensive price. Now something can be not just duur (expensive) but can also be peperduur.

We also looked at writing a formal letter, something I learned in my last class at Volksuniversiteit, though practice never hurt anyone. One thing I did learn though is this phrase:

Bij voorbaat dank voor uw … Thanks in advance for your…

antwoord / reactie / medewerking … answer, reaction, consideration/participation

Or a few other ways to say you’re waiting for their reply:

Ik hoor het graag van u. I hear it gladly from you.

Kunt u mij snel een reactie sturen? Can you send a reaction quickly?

Ik wacht op uw antwoord/reactie. I wait for your answer/reaction.