How do you introduce yourself to strangers in Dutch? Pretty simple. It is a common question that I often get asked by Dutch language beginners. Today, we are going to start by looking at how I introduce myself to strangers.
Introduction In English
- 1) Hello, sir and madam.
- 2) My name is San.
- 3) I am from Rotterdam.
Translation In Dutch
- 1) Hallo, meneer en mevrouw.
- 2) Mijn naam is San.
- 3) Ik kom uit Rotterdam.
Explanation In English
In the above situation, I found myself outside Rotterdam. I met strangers for the first time. I started by saying, “hello, sir and madam.” Telling them my name and the city I am from. Notice how introducing myself consisted of one phrase and two sentences.
English & Dutch Vocabulary
| English | Dutch | |
| 1 | Hello | Hallo |
| 2 | Sir | Meneer |
| 3 | Madam | Mevrouw |
| 4 | And | En |
| 5 | My | Mijn |
| 6 | Name | Naam |
| 7 | Is | Is |
| 8 | San | San |
| 9 | I | Ik |
| 10 | Am | Ben |
| 11 | Out | Uit |
| 13 | From | Van |
| 13 | Rotterdam | Rotterdam |
Confusion In Dutch
Looking and studying the 13 words on the vocabulary list above, it can be confusing for beginners. Partly, because there is no direct translation from Dutch to English. That is why I prefer using very simple Dutch phrases. It is not possible to translate the above word to word.
Asking Questions
Now, you have just found out how I normally introduce myself to strangers and the elderly. How do I ask them questions about themselves? I will create another post to address that question.