Shopping, ordering food and drinks

Shopping

Familiarise with common Dutch phrases used while shopping like “Kan ik u helpen?” (Can I help you?), “Wat kost het?” (How much does it cost?), or “Ik zoek…“ (I am looking for…).
Learn names of common shops: bakkerij (bakery), groenteboer (greengrocer’s), slagerij (butcher’s), boekhandel (bookstore).
Understand terms related to payments: contant (cash), pinpas (debit card), creditcard (credit card), rekening (bill).

Ordering Food

Understand various phrases used in Dutch to order food such as “Ik wil graag…“ (I would like…), “Mag ik…“ (Can I have…), or “Zonder…“ (Without…).
Learn to identify common Dutch dishes like “Stamppot” (a traditional Dutch dish made of mashed potatoes with different ingredients), “Pannenkoeken” (Dutch pancakes), or “Bitterballen” (deep-fried Dutch meatballs).
Learn common food-related vocabularies like vlees (meat), vis (fish), groenten (vegetables), fruit (fruit), brood (bread), kaas (cheese).

Ordering Drinks

Learn different types of drinks: bier (beer), wijn (wine), water (water), koffie (coffee), thee (tea), frisdrank (soft drink).
Understand how to order drinks: “Een glas…“ (a glass of…), “Een fles…“ (a bottle of…), or “Een kopje…“ (a cup of…).
Understand how to specify your preferences, like “Zonder suiker” (without sugar), “Met ijs” (with ice), or “Extra heet” (extra hot).

Customer Service

Learn phrases related to customer service: “Heeft u een tafel voor vier?” (Do you have a table for four?), “Kan ik de rekening krijgen?” (Can I get the bill?).
Familiarise with words related to likes and dislikes: “lekker” (delicious), “vies” (dirty/nasty), “Goed” (good), “slecht” (bad).
Understand how to make complaints or appreciation: “Het is niet wat ik besteld had” (It is not what I ordered), “Het was heel lekker, bedankt!” (It was very tasty, thank you!).

Remember that understanding these phrases and words is about more than just the literal meaning. They are also about embracing the delicate balance of politeness, directness and efficiency that characterises Dutch-speaking cultures.