🇳🇱 A1 Level · Lesson 2 of 10
Dutch Numbers &
Colours
Learn to count from 1 to 100 and name all the basic colours in Dutch — with an interactive number builder, colour quiz, and more!
🌍
Why numbers matter
The foundation of everyday Dutch
🔢 Numbers in Dutch are used for shopping, telling time, addresses, phone numbers, and so much more. The good news? Once you learn 1–20 and the tens, you can build any number up to 100!
⚡ Key pattern to know
Numbers 1–10
These are unique words — must be memorised individually.
Numbers 21–99
Units come before tens: drieëntwintig = three-and-twenty = 23!
Hundreds & Thousands
honderd = 100 · duizend = 1,000
The "en" connector
en (and) links units + tens: tweeëntwintig = 22
🛒
Cultural Note — Shopping in the Netherlands
Knowing numbers is essential for shopping at Dutch markets like the famous Albert Heijn supermarket or local street markets (markten). Dutch prices use a comma for decimals: €2,50 = twee euro vijftig. Bargaining is not common in Dutch shops!
🔢
Numbers 1–20
Tap each card to hear the pronunciation
🎵 Tip: Practise by counting out loud every day — count your steps, items in the fridge, anything! Repetition is key.
1
één
one
EYN
2
twee
two
TVEY
3
drie
three
DREE
4
vier
four
VEER
5
vijf
five
VAYF
6
zes
six
ZES
7
zeven
seven
ZEY-vən
8
acht
eight
AKHT
9
negen
nine
NEY-khən
10
tien
ten
TEEN
11
elf
eleven
ELF
12
twaalf
twelve
TVAHF
13
dertien
thirteen
DER-teen
14
veertien
fourteen
VEYR-teen
15
vijftien
fifteen
VAYF-teen
16
zestien
sixteen
ZES-teen
17
zeventien
seventeen
ZEY-vən-teen
18
achttien
eighteen
AKH-teen
19
negentien
nineteen
NEY-khən-teen
20
twintig
twenty
TVIN-tikh
🎭 Dialogue 1 — At the market
🧑
Hoeveel appels wilt u?
How many apples would you like?
👩
Zes appels, alstublieft.
Six apples, please.
🧑
Dat is drie euro twintig.
That is three euro twenty.
👩
Dank u wel!
Thank you very much!
💯
Tens: 20–100
Learn the multiples of ten
📐 Grammar Rule: Building numbers 21–99
In Dutch, compound numbers put the unit BEFORE the ten, connected by en (and):
23 = drie + en + twintig = drieëntwintig
45 = vijf + en + veertig = vijfenveertig
78 = acht + en + zeventig = achtenzeventig
Notice: it's all one word written together — no spaces!
20
twintig
TVIN-tikh
30
dertig
DER-tikh
40
veertig
VEYR-tikh
50
vijftig
VAYF-tikh
60
zestig
ZES-tikh
70
zeventig
ZEY-vən-tikh
80
tachtig
TAKH-tikh
90
negentig
NEY-khən-tikh
100
honderd
HON-dərd
📖 Examples of compound numbers
eenentwintig
21 — one-and-twenty
EYN-ən-TVIN-tikh
tweeëndertig
32 — two-and-thirty
TVEY-ən-DER-tikh
vijfenveertig
45 — five-and-forty
VAYF-ən-VEYR-tikh
drieënzestig
63 — three-and-sixty
DREE-ən-ZES-tikh
zevenennegentig
97 — seven-and-ninety
ZEY-vən-ən-NEY-khən-tikh
🧮
Interactive Number Builder
Tap numbers to hear them in Dutch!
🎮 Number Explorer
Tap any number to hear it spoken in Dutch
?
Tap a number below
to hear Dutch
💡 Pattern check: Notice how 13–19 all end in -tien (teen), and 20–90 end in -tig. This makes them much easier to remember once you see the pattern!
🎨
Colours
Tap each colour to hear it in Dutch
🎨 Grammar note: Colours in Dutch can change their ending. The base form (rood) is used predicatively: De auto is rood. When placed before a noun, they usually add -e: De rode auto.
rood
red
ROHT
blauw
blue
BLAW
groen
green
KHROON
geel
yellow
KHEYL
oranje
orange
oh-RAN-yə
paars
purple
PAHRS
roze
pink
ROH-zə
bruin
brown
BRŒYN
zwart
black
ZVART
wit
white
VIT
grijs
grey
KHRAYS
lichtgroen
light green
LIKHT-khroon
🎭 Dialogue 2 — Describing things
🧑
Wat is je lievelingskleur?
What is your favourite colour?
👩
Mijn lievelingskleur is blauw. En jij?
My favourite colour is blue. And you?
🧑
Ik hou van groen en oranje.
I love green and orange.
👩
Oranje — dat is de kleur van Nederland!
Orange — that is the colour of the Netherlands!
📖 Colour sentences — practise these!
De lucht is blauw.
The sky is blue.
Het gras is groen.
The grass is green.
De auto is rood.
The car is red.
Mijn tas is zwart.
My bag is black.
De bloem is geel.
The flower is yellow.
🔗
Exercise: Match the Pairs
Tap Dutch → then its English meaning
👆 Tap a Dutch word, then its English translation
🇳🇱 Dutch
acht
twintig
vijftig
groen
zwart
honderd
🇬🇧 English
twenty
one hundred
eight
black
fifty
green
🎉 All pairs matched! +30 XP earned!
✏️
Fill in the Blanks
Type the missing Dutch word
💬 Complete each sentence with the correct Dutch word
1
The number 7 in Dutch is:
💡 (se-ven)
2
De lucht is
.
💡 (the sky is...)
3
The number 50 in Dutch is:
💡 (vayf-tikh)
4
Het gras is
.
💡 (the grass is...)
5
23 in Dutch:
💡 (three-and-twenty)
6
De auto is
.
💡 (the car is...red)
7
The number 12:
💡 (tvaalf)
8
100 in Dutch:
💡 (hon-derd)
🎯
Final Quiz
10 questions — numbers & colours!
🎯 Lesson 2 Quiz
Numbers, colours and compound numbers
What is this number in Dutch?
8
✅ acht = 8. Remember: 6=zes, 7=zeven, 8=acht, 9=negen!
❌ 8 = acht in Dutch.
What colour is this?
✅ blauw = blue. The colour of the Dutch sky and canals!
❌ This is blauw (blue).
How do you say 45 in Dutch?
45
✅ vijfenveertig! Unit (vijf) + en + ten (veertig). Always unit-first in Dutch!
❌ 45 = vijfenveertig. Unit first, then "en", then ten!
What colour is this?
✅ groen = green! As in the Dutch fields and tulip leaves 🌷
❌ This is groen (green).
What is "twaalf" in English?
twaalf
✅ twaalf = twelve (12). Elf = eleven, dertien = thirteen.
❌ twaalf = twelve. Elf (11), twaalf (12), dertien (13).
Translate: "De auto is rood."
De auto is rood.
✅ auto = car, rood = red. De auto is rood = The car is red!
❌ auto = car, rood = red → The car is red.
How do you say 70 in Dutch?
70
✅ zeventig = 70. Zestig=60, zeventig=70, tachtig=80, negentig=90.
❌ 70 = zeventig. (zeven = seven + -tig suffix)
What colour is "oranje"?
oranje
✅ oranje = orange — the national colour of the Netherlands! 🇳🇱⚽
❌ oranje = orange — the famous Dutch national colour!
What is 15 in Dutch?
15
✅ vijftien = 15. Numbers 13-19 end in -tien (like English "-teen")!
❌ 15 = vijftien. (vijf = five + tien = ten)
How do you say 32 in Dutch?
32
✅ tweeëndertig = 32. Twee (2) + ën + dertig (30). Unit always comes first!
❌ 32 = tweeëndertig. twee (2) + ën + dertig (30).
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🚀 Next: Lesson 3 — Days, Months & Time
Learn the days of the week, months, and how to tell the time in Dutch