Bedeutung
Explaining your status.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Dutch people appreciate honesty. If you don't know how a system works (like checking in with a chip card), simply saying you are there for the first time will usually get you a very detailed (and sometimes blunt) explanation. In Flanders, the phrase is identical, but the response might be slightly more formal or soft-spoken than in the Netherlands. You might also hear 'Het is de eerste keer dat ik hier ben' slightly more often. In a business meeting, being 'voor het eerst' is a valid reason to ask for a recap of previous meetings. It shows you are engaged and want to catch up correctly. At a traditional Dutch birthday party (where everyone sits in a circle), telling the person next to you that you are there for the first time is the standard way to introduce yourself to the 'circle'.
The 'Excuse' Power
Use this phrase as a polite 'get out of jail free' card if you make a social blunder or don't understand a Dutch custom.
Don't drop the 'het'
Saying 'voor eerst' sounds very broken. Always keep the 'het' in the middle.
Bedeutung
Explaining your status.
The 'Excuse' Power
Use this phrase as a polite 'get out of jail free' card if you make a social blunder or don't understand a Dutch custom.
Don't drop the 'het'
Saying 'voor eerst' sounds very broken. Always keep the 'het' in the middle.
Wait for the reaction
After saying this, Dutch people will often ask 'En, wat vind je ervan?' (And, what do you think of it?). Have a small compliment ready!
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing words to say 'I am here for the first time.'
Ik ___ hier ___ het eerst.
The correct verb is 'ben' (am) and the fixed preposition is 'voor'.
Which sentence is the most natural way to tell a waiter you've never been to their restaurant before?
In a restaurant:
'Ik was hier eerst' means you were first in line. 'Ik ben hier voor het eerst' is the correct idiom.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Welkom bij de club! Ben je hier vaker geweest? B: Nee, ...
The question asks if you've been here more often. 'Nee' followed by 'I am here for the first time' is the logical answer.
Match the phrase to the correct situation.
Situation: You are at a museum and don't know where the audio guides are.
This is the most polite and natural way to ask for help as a newcomer.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 AufgabenIk ___ hier ___ het eerst.
The correct verb is 'ben' (am) and the fixed preposition is 'voor'.
In a restaurant:
'Ik was hier eerst' means you were first in line. 'Ik ben hier voor het eerst' is the correct idiom.
A: Welkom bij de club! Ben je hier vaker geweest? B: Nee, ...
The question asks if you've been here more often. 'Nee' followed by 'I am here for the first time' is the logical answer.
Situation: You are at a museum and don't know where the audio guides are.
This is the most polite and natural way to ask for help as a newcomer.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
4 FragenIt's grammatically okay but sounds a bit translated from English. 'Ik ben hier voor het eerst' is much more idiomatic.
Technically it's a nominalized superlative, but you can just think of 'voor het eerst' as one big adverb meaning 'for the first time'.
No, you wouldn't say 'Ik zie hem voor het eerst' to mean 'I am here for the first time.' But you can say 'Ik zie dit gebouw voor het eerst.'
It works perfectly! 'Ik ben hier [in Amsterdam] voor het eerst.'
Verwandte Redewendungen
De eerste keer
similarThe first time
Nieuw hier zijn
similarTo be new here
Voor het laatst
contrastFor the last time
Eerstens
specialized formFirstly
