Sure, I am Always Talkin’ Food, but I teach NT2 (Dutch as a second language) on the side. Mainly to young internationals who came to Amsterdam for or with love and intend to stay. For privacy reasons the names in these columns are fictitious.
Tonight me and my students are going to immerse ourselves in the Dutch construction “zou + modaal werkwoord”.
A tricky one for non-native speakers of any level.
Where in English you would say “should”, in Dutch you say “zou moeten”. “Could” is “zou kunnen” et cetera.
Emmanuel form France kicks off with ‘Ik zou een croissant eten’ (I would eat a croissant).
I ask the group if this in itself grammatically correct sentence is what we are looking for right now.
Some nod hesitantly, others shake their heads equally hesitantly.
I give Emmanuel the chance to correct himself: ‘Ik zou een croissant willen eten’ (I would like to eat a croissant).
Goed zo, Emmanuel!
Statements follow such as ‘I would like to go on holiday’, ‘I would like to win the lottery’ and ‘Ik zou een huis willen kopen in Amsterdam’ (I would like to buy a house in Amsterdam).
Compassionate laughter from the group.
’Dream on, Yumi,’ Gunnars, the group’s comedian from Latvia, voices everyone’s thoughts.
The Japanese who lives with two flatmates on the outskirts of Amsterdam smiles. ‘I know… Maar ik zou het willen.’ (But I would like to)
Finally, it is Kendall’s turn. What is it that he zou willen? A million euro’s? A better paying job? A huge mansion?
Kendall doesn’t hesitate a moment. ‘Ik zou een beter mens willen zijn’ (I would like to be a better person), the vertical farmer from New York City states with an earnest face.
After a profound silence, the group responds endeared and at the same time a little embarrassed at their own purely materialistic wishes.
Yumi is the first to speak out: ‘Je bent al de beste, Kendall!’ (You’re already the best)
[Great news: You can now also exchange thoughts with me via Substack Notes, where I will take you behind the scenes of my Dutch language classes!]
French bakery lingo*
French baker(y) - De Franse bakker(ij)
Baguette - het stokbrood
Sourdough - het zuurdesem* Most French breads, patisseries and viennoiseries keep their original name in Dutch, albeit pronounced with a Dutch accent (croissant=kra-sànt)
A better bread
For a few years now a new wave in artisanal sourdough bread has been sweeping through Amsterdam. One of the frontrunners and still the best in town started well before this wave between porn shops and 'coffee shops' in one of Amsterdam's more raggedy streets: Gebroeders Niemeijer. This French bakery not only produces superb sourdough baguettes, croissants and fougasses, but also viennoiseries and patisseries such as brioches, canelés de bordeaux, financiers and macarons. On top of that, brother Issa has written a bestselling standard work on bread, Een boek over brood.
Gebroeders Niemeijer, Nieuwendijk 35 Amsterdam. Open: Tue-Fri 8:15 AM-5 PM; Sat 8:30 AM-5 PM, Sun 9 AM-5 PM.