Dutch · A1 (Beginner)
Work in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for work are het werk (the work / job), het kantoor (the office) and de baas (the boss). The full Dutch work phrase list with example sentences is below.
The essential Dutch vocabulary for work, 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.
Source: Language Lab's Dutch curriculum (vocabulary & example sentences). · Join the beta →
Key work vocabulary
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| het werk | the work / job |
| het kantoor | the office |
| de baas | the boss |
| de collega | the colleague |
| werken | to work |
| de baan | the job / position |
| het salaris | the salary |
| de vergadering | the meeting |
| de laptop | the laptop |
| het overwerk | overtime |
Example sentences
Ik ga naar het werk met de fiets.
I go to work by bicycle.
Ik werk op een kantoor in het centrum.
I work in an office in the city centre.
Mijn baas is heel aardig.
My boss is very nice.
Mijn collega's zijn vriendelijk.
My colleagues are friendly.
Ik werk van negen tot zes.
I work from nine to six.
Ik heb een vergadering om twee uur.
I have a meeting at two.
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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