Dutch · A2 (Elementary)
Body in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for body are de keel (the throat), de schouder (the shoulder) and de knie (the knee). 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 A2 (Elementary) 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 |
|---|---|
| de keel | the throat |
| de schouder | the shoulder |
| de knie | the knee |
| de voet | the foot |
| de tand | the tooth |
| het oor | the ear |
| de enkel | the ankle |
| de pols | the wrist |
| de elleboog | the elbow |
| de heup | the hip |
Example sentences
Ik heb keelpijn.
I have a sore throat.
Mijn schouder doet pijn.
My shoulder hurts.
Ik heb mijn knie geblesseerd.
I have injured my knee.
Ik heb kiespijn.
I have toothache.
Mijn oren doen pijn.
My ears hurt.
Ik heb mijn enkel verzwikt.
I have sprained my ankle.
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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