Kalenderdatums en feestdagen
Calendar dates and holidays
- De basisdata en feestdagen (The basic dates and holidays)
- Hoe formuleer je de datum? (How do you formulate the date?)
Learn how to express calendar dates, holidays, and plan appointments in Dutch with practical examples and dialogues. This beginner lesson covers essential time expressions, conjugation of planning verbs, and common Dutch holidays like Kerstmis and Nieuwjaar.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (13) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Put the words in the correct group: Holidays or Time expressions.
Feestdagen
Tijdsaanduidingen
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
De agenda
The diary
2
Pinksteren
Pentecost
3
Kerstmis
Christmas
4
De feestdag
The holiday
5
Oud en nieuw
New Year's Eve
Oefening 5: Gespreksoefening
Instructie:
- Noem de naam van de feestdag en de datum. (Say the name of the holiday and it's date.)
- Wat zijn je plannen voor de feestdagen? Met wie ga je ze doorbrengen? (What are your plans for the holidays? With whom are you going to spend it?)
- Welke dag is het vandaag? (What day is today?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
Kerstmis is op vijfentwintig december. Christmas is the twenty-fifth of December. |
|
Zomervakantie is in juli en augustus. Summer holiday is in July and august. |
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Pasen valt altijd op een andere datum. Easter is always on another date. |
|
Ik ben van plan om kerst met mijn familie te vieren. I plan to celebrate christmas with my family. |
|
Ik ga nieuwjaar vieren met mijn vrienden. I am going to celebrate new year's with my friends. |
|
Vandaag is het veertiende februari 2025. Today is the forteenth of february of 2025. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ik _____ een vakantie in juli.
(I _____ a vacation in July.)2. Wij _____ een feest op 5 juli 2025.
(We _____ a party on 5 July 2025.)3. Jij _____ de vergadering voor volgende week.
(You _____ the meeting for next week.)4. Zij _____ altijd haar afspraken goed in de agenda.
(She _____ always her appointments well in the agenda.)Exercise 8: Plans for the holidays
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Plannen - To plan
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik plan
- jij plant
- hij/zij/het plant
- wij plannen
- jullie plannen
- zij plannen
Vallen - To fall
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
- ik val
- jij valt
- hij/zij/het valt
- wij vallen
- jullie vallen
- zij vallen
Exercise 9: Hoe formuleer je de datum?
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: How do you formulate the date?
Show translation Show answersop 5 juli 2025, op, in, op 10 maart, op 31 december 2023
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Plannen to plan Share Copied!
Onvoltooid tegenwoordige tijd (OTT)
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| (ik) plan | I plan |
| (jij) plant / plan je | you plan |
| (hij/zij/het) plant | he/she/it plans |
| (wij) plannen | we plan |
| (jullie) plannen | you plan |
| (zij) plannen | they plan |
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Welcome to the Lesson on Calendar Dates and Holidays
In this beginner Dutch lesson, you will learn how to talk about dates, holidays, and planning events clearly and correctly. We focus on commonly used phrases for stating specific calendar dates, discussing holidays, and setting appointments—all essential for everyday conversations.
Key Topics Covered
- Formulating Dates: Learn how to say and write dates like "op maandag 3 april" and "op 25 december," essential for arranging meetings or talking about special days.
- Holidays and Festivals: Discover important Dutch holidays such as Kerstmis (Christmas), Nieuwjaar (New Year), Pasen (Easter), and Pinksteren (Pentecost), including how to mention their dates.
- Time Expressions: Understand words related to the calendar and time, like weekend, week, and de datum (the date).
- Making Appointments: Practice setting appointments using verbs like plannen (to plan), with example sentences such as "Ik plan een afspraak op maandag 3 april."
Important Language Points
The lesson highlights the conjugation of key verbs like plannen in the present tense to express planning activities. You will also explore full sentences and dialogues that simulate real-life scenarios including office meetings, discussing holidays with colleagues, and organizing events.
Useful Phrases and Example Sentences
- "De vakantie begint op 5 juli 2025." (The holiday starts on July 5, 2025.)
- "Kerstmis is op 25 december." (Christmas is on December 25.)
- "Wanneer is de vergadering?" (When is the meeting?)
- "We vieren oud en nieuw op 31 december." (We celebrate New Year's Eve on December 31.)
Note on Instruction and Dutch Date Expressions
In Dutch, dates are often introduced by the preposition "op" followed by the day of the week and the calendar date, for example, "op maandag 3 april." This structure differs from English where the day usually follows the date ("Monday, April 3"). When planning or discussing appointments and events, Dutch speakers commonly use the verb plannen, which conjugates regularly but requires attention to subject agreement. Additionally, Dutch places considerable emphasis on holidays, and their names are often used as proper nouns without translation in conversation.
Useful words include de feestdag (holiday), de datum (date), de kalender (calendar), and het weekend (weekend). Knowing these will strengthen your ability to understand and use date-related vocabulary fluently.
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