Dutch A2.3 Listening Practice: Ask and Give Permission
Listen to a A2 Dutch dialogue about ask and give permission, with audio, transcript, and grammar notes for language learning.
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Level
A2.3
Audio
Segmented audio
Transcript
24 segments
A short Dutch listening chapter with transcript.
Ask to sit in a place, grant the same permission, and state that smoking is not allowed there.
Read while you listen.
1. Marieke · Teacher
Welcome to today's podcast! I'm Marieke. Today we are learning how to ask for and give permission in Dutch using the verb 'mogen'.
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2. Daan · Student
Hi everyone, I'm Daan! I always wonder where to put 'niet' when someone isn't allowed to do something.
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3. Marieke · Teacher
We will cover that right now. Let's listen to a short conversation between Bram and Lotte at a terrace.
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4. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Pardon, mag ik hier zitten?
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5. Lotte · Native Speaker 2
Ja hoor, je mag hier zitten.
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6. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Mag ik hier ook roken?
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7. Lotte · Native Speaker 2
Nee, het spijt me, je mag hier niet roken.
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8. Bram · Native Speaker 1
Geen probleem, dan drink ik gewoon koffie.
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9. Marieke · Teacher
Let's break down what Bram and Lotte said. First, Bram asked: 'Pardon, mag ik hier zitten?' This means 'Excuse me, may I sit here?' Notice how 'Mag ik' comes first to ask for permission.
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10. Daan · Student
So to ask permission, you always start with 'Mag ik' and put the action verb at the end?
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11. Marieke · Teacher
Exactly. You start with 'Mag ik' and finish with the infinitive verb, like 'zitten'.
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12. Marieke · Teacher
Next, Lotte answered: 'Ja hoor, je mag hier zitten.' This translates to 'Yes sure, you may sit here.'
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13. Daan · Student
What does 'ja hoor' mean here?
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14. Marieke · Teacher
It's a friendly Dutch phrase that means 'yes, sure' or 'sure thing'.
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15. Marieke · Teacher
Then Bram asked: 'Mag ik hier ook roken?' meaning 'May I smoke here as well?'
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16. Daan · Student
Is 'roken' the verb for 'to smoke'?
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17. Marieke · Teacher
Yes, 'roken' means 'to smoke', and just like before, it goes at the end of the question.
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18. Marieke · Teacher
Lotte denied permission by saying: 'Nee, het spijt me, je mag hier niet roken.' Meaning 'No, I'm sorry, you may not smoke here.'
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19. Daan · Student
Aha! Where is 'niet' placed when denying permission?
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20. Marieke · Teacher
You place 'niet' right before the final action verb, so 'niet roken'.
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21. Marieke · Teacher
Finally, Bram said: 'Geen probleem, dan drink ik gewoon koffie.' This means 'No problem, then I'll just drink coffee.'
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22. Daan · Student
How is 'gewoon' used in this sentence?
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23. Marieke · Teacher
Here 'gewoon' means 'just' or 'simply'. It's very common in everyday spoken Dutch.
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24. Marieke · Teacher
That's all for today! Practice asking 'Mag ik...?' and granting permission with 'Je mag...'. Tot de volgende keer!
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