Bedeutung
Asking for help to find transport.
Kultureller Hintergrund
Dutch people appreciate it when you try to speak Dutch, even if you only know this one phrase. They will likely switch to English after answering to be helpful. In Flanders, 'u' is used more frequently than in the Netherlands, even among younger people in some contexts. It sounds softer and more polite. In big cities like Amsterdam or Rotterdam, people are in a hurry. Keep your request brief and clear. In smaller towns, it's polite to say 'Hoi' or 'Goedemorgen' before asking your question.
Use 'Pardon' first
Always start with 'Pardon' or 'Excuseer me' to get someone's attention politely.
Watch the 'ij'
Don't pronounce 'wijzen' as 'wee-zen'. That means 'orphans'!
Bedeutung
Asking for help to find transport.
Use 'Pardon' first
Always start with 'Pardon' or 'Excuseer me' to get someone's attention politely.
Watch the 'ij'
Don't pronounce 'wijzen' as 'wee-zen'. That means 'orphans'!
The 'u' factor
When in doubt, use 'u'. No one will be offended by extra politeness.
Teste dich selbst
Fill in the missing modal verb and article.
___ je me de weg wijzen naar ___ station?
'Kun' is the correct form for 'je', and 'station' is a 'het-woord'.
Which sentence is the most formal?
Choose the best option for an elderly stranger.
'Kunt u mij' is the standard formal address.
Complete the dialogue.
A: Pardon, kun je me de weg wijzen naar het station? B: Ja, natuurlijk. Het is ___.
'Om de hoek' (around the corner) is a logical directional response.
Match the phrase to the situation.
You are at a hotel and want to be very polite to the receptionist.
The conditional 'Zou u... kunnen' is the most polite form.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Visuelle Lernhilfen
Aufgabensammlung
4 Aufgaben___ je me de weg wijzen naar ___ station?
'Kun' is the correct form for 'je', and 'station' is a 'het-woord'.
Choose the best option for an elderly stranger.
'Kunt u mij' is the standard formal address.
A: Pardon, kun je me de weg wijzen naar het station? B: Ja, natuurlijk. Het is ___.
'Om de hoek' (around the corner) is a logical directional response.
You are at a hotel and want to be very polite to the receptionist.
The conditional 'Zou u... kunnen' is the most polite form.
🎉 Ergebnis: /4
Häufig gestellte Fragen
10 FragenYes, it's shorter and perfectly fine, but 'Kun je me de weg wijzen' is slightly more polite and conversational.
Yes, in Dutch all train stations are 'het station'.
Just say: 'Kun je me de weg wijzen naar Amsterdam Centraal?'
Yes! Especially in busy areas where GPS might be laggy or when you need to find a specific entrance.
'Wijzen' is specifically for directions (pointing), while 'tonen' is for showing an object (like a photo).
Say 'Dank u wel' (formal) or 'Bedankt!' (neutral).
In a very formal setting, use 'mij', but 'me' is generally accepted in 95% of conversations.
Because 'kunnen' is a modal verb, and Dutch grammar requires the main verb to move to the end of the sentence.
Yes, just say 'het busstation'.
It means 'the way' or 'the road'.
Verwandte Redewendungen
De weg kwijt zijn
similarTo be lost
Iemand de weg wijzen
builds onTo show someone the way
Rechtdoor gaan
specialized formTo go straight ahead
Linksaf/Rechtsaf slaan
specialized formTo turn left/right
