Dutch · A2 (Elementary)
Work in Dutch: Words & Phrases
Quick answer: The most useful Dutch words for work are het contract (the contract), het salaris (the salary) and het verlof (the annual leave). 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 A2 (Elementary) 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 contract | the contract |
| het salaris | the salary |
| het verlof | the annual leave |
| het overwerk | overtime |
| ontslag nemen | to resign |
| aanstellen | to hire |
| vast contract | permanent contract |
| tijdelijk contract | fixed-term contract |
| het sollicitatiegesprek | the job interview |
| thuiswerken | remote working |
Example sentences
Ik heb een nieuw contract getekend.
I have signed a new contract.
Mijn salaris is tweeduizend euro netto.
My salary is two thousand euros net.
Ik heb vijfentwintig dagen verlof.
I have twenty-five days annual leave.
Ik heb een vast contract gekregen.
I have got a permanent contract.
Ik wil ontslag nemen.
I want to resign.
Ik werk twee dagen per week thuis.
I work two days per week from home.
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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