Supermarket Dutch: 20 Phrases You Actually Need (and How to Say Them Naturally)

If you live in the Netherlands, you might recognize this: you can follow Dutch conversations, but when it’s your turn to speak, you hesitate, translate in your head, and the moment is gone.

Supermarket Dutch is basically a fixed script. Once you own it, confidence jumps.

The 10-minute speaking loop

Use this daily. Keep it small enough that you actually do it.

1. Warm-up (1 min) — say 5 filler phrases out loud (no thinking).
2. Scenario (6 min) — roleplay one real situation. Don’t stop; paraphrase if you get stuck.
3. One correction target (2 min) — fix one thing (word order, de/het, pronunciation, pacing).
4. Retell (1 min) — summarize the scenario in new words.

Example lines to practice

• Heeft u een bonuskaart?
• Wilt u het bonnetje?

A simple prompt you can use today

Pretend you’re speaking to a colleague/shop employee. Say:

• what you want
• why you want it
• what you already tried
• what you’re asking them to do next

Where ChickyTutor fits

ChickyTutor is a speaking-first AI voice tutor: pick Dutch, press the mic, and speak. It responds instantly and corrects pronunciation/word choice/grammar while keeping you talking.

Try it for free and aim for 10 minutes a day. The goal isn’t perfect Dutch — it’s reliable Dutch under pressure.