Dutch · A1 (Beginner)
Body in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for body are het hoofd (the head), de hand (the hand) and het been (the leg). The full Dutch body phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Dutch vocabulary for body, with example sentences and English translations. This is A1 (Beginner) material — exactly the kind of practical language you need when you're learning Dutch to live, work, or settle abroad.
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Key body vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| het hoofd | the head |
| de hand | the hand |
| het been | the leg |
| de arm | the arm |
| de buik | the stomach |
| de rug | the back |
| de voet | the foot |
| het oog | the eye |
| de mond | the mouth |
| de neus | the nose |
Example sentences
Ik heb hoofdpijn.
I have a headache.
Ik was mijn handen.
I wash my hands.
Mijn been doet pijn.
My leg hurts.
De arm is geblesseerd.
The arm is injured.
Ik heb buikpijn.
I have a stomachache.
Ik heb rugpijn.
I have back pain.
How to actually learn these
Reading a vocabulary list is not the same as being able to use the words when it counts. Research on adult language acquisition consistently shows that vocabulary retained through contextual use — hearing a word, producing it under mild pressure, and being corrected when you get it wrong — transfers to real speech far more effectively than passive list review. The fastest way to make vocabulary like this stick is to practise it in the actual conversations where it comes up: not drills, but a real back-and-forth where you have to retrieve the word and say it aloud. Language Lab turns vocabulary like this into voiced, real-life scenarios with Sonia, a live AI language tutor who holds real conversations, corrects you in context, and remembers the specific words you keep getting wrong across sessions. The vocabulary stops being something you read and becomes something you say — automatically, under pressure, when you actually need it.
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