How to describe a person in Dutch
Sign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeSign up for free to get all information about private lessons and our available group courses (A1, A2, B2, B2, C1, C2)
Sign up for freeWe offer both private lessons and organized group courses
Sign up for free to get all available courses or contact one of our teachers yourself!
Our offer
This chapter will be all about describing a person in Dutch. Describing his or her face, body and character traits using adjectives, and colours.
To ask someone about their physical appearance, the question: 'Hoe ziet hij eruit?' (What does he look like?) can be used. To answer this question you can use 'Hij ziet er ... uit.' (He looks ...) or by using the verb 'zijn' (to be), you can find some adjectives you can use in the table below.
English | Dutch |
---|---|
Old | oud |
Young | jong |
Small | klein |
Tall | lang |
Slim | slank |
Large | groot |
Pretty | mooi |
Ugly | lelijk |
Muscled | gespierd |
Pale | bleek |
Tanned | gebruind |
Athletic | atletisch |
Take online language lessons with a professional teacher
Personality traits can also be used to describe someone.
The table below will show some specific parts of the face in Dutch that you can describe by not only using the adjectives above but also the colours.
English | Dutch |
---|---|
face | het gezicht |
eyes | de ogen |
nose | de neus |
mouth | de mond |
hair | het haar |
short | kort |
long | lang |
blonde | blond |
curly | krullen |
straight (hair) | stijl |
These parts of the face can also be replaced by the other body parts in Dutch.
Train your skills by doing the exercises below.
Fill in the correct translation of the words and sentences between brackets.
Mijn oma is . (My grandmother is old.)
Haar nichtje is erg . (Her niece is very young.)
Het meisje is . (The girl is small.)
Ik ben in vergelijking met mijn vriendinnen. (I am tall in comparison to my girlfriends.)
Mijn moeder is . (My mother is slim.)
Zijn neus is . (His nose is large.)
Zijn ogen zijn . (His eyes are pretty.)
Hij is . (Het is ugly.)
Haar benen zijn . (Her legs are muscled.)
Loes heeft een gezicht. (Loes has a pale face.)
Wij hebben een huid. (We have a tanned skin.)
Haar lichaam is . (Her body is athletic.)
Fill in the Dutch translations of the parts of the face. Don't forget to add the articles if necessary!
was verborgen achter een doek. (The face was hidden behind a cloth.)
van het meisje zijn bruin. (The eyes of the girl are brown.)
Hij heeft kleine . (He has a small nose.)
Ze heeft eten in haar . (She has food in her mouth.)
Wij hebben lang . (We have long hair.)
is geverfd. (The hair is painted.)
Mijn nagels zijn . (My nails are short.)
Zijn wimpers zijn . (His lashes are long.)
Het haar van kim is . (Kim's hair is blonde.)
Mijn haar heeft geen . (My hair is not curly.)
Het haar van Sanna is . (The hair of Sanna is straight.)
Zij heeft blauwe . (She has blue eyes.)
Fill in the correct translation of the words and sentences between brackets.
Mijn oma is . (My grandmother is old.)
Haar nichtje is erg . (Her niece is very young.)
Het meisje is . (The girl is small.)
Ik ben in vergelijking met mijn vriendinnen. (I am tall in comparison to my girlfriends.)
Mijn moeder is . (My mother is slim.)
Zijn neus is . (His nose is large.)
Zijn ogen zijn . (His eyes are pretty.)
Hij is . (Het is ugly.)
Haar benen zijn . (Her legs are muscled.)
Loes heeft een gezicht. (Loes has a pale face.)
Wij hebben een huid. (We have a tanned skin.)
Haar lichaam is . (Her body is athletic.)
Fill in the Dutch translations of the parts of the face. Don't forget to add the articles if necessary!
was verborgen achter een doek. (The face was hidden behind a cloth.)
van het meisje zijn bruin. (The eyes of the girl are brown.)
Hij heeft kleine . (He has a small nose.)
Ze heeft eten in haar . (She has food in her mouth.)
Wij hebben lang . (We have long hair.)
is geverfd. (The hair is painted.)
Mijn nagels zijn . (My nails are short.)
Zijn wimpers zijn . (His lashes are long.)
Het haar van kim is . (Kim's hair is blonde.)
Mijn haar heeft geen . (My hair is not curly.)
Het haar van Sanna is . (The hair of Sanna is straight.)
Zij heeft blauwe . (She has blue eyes.)
Unlike in other platforms, all our teachers are manually verified by our professional team. Trust in the experiences of our students.
Hi!
My name is Kirstine. I'm an experienced English and Danish teacher. I teach at a primary and lower secondary school. (Students aged 6-16). But I'm also very interested in teaching both younger and older/adult students.
I'm an international coordinator at my school, and very used to working with students and teachers from all around the world.
I'm used to online teaching.
I love having contact with people from all around the world. I used to travel a lot, but now I love to meet people from other countries either at my AirBnB or through online sessions.
I love to hear from you and teach you either Danish or English.
I have an informal way of teaching, and will work together with you to make the sessions how you prefer them.
We can use a textbook if you prefer, but I also like to read the news, small books, look at online videos and more, and to discuss and learn from that.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
We can definitely recommend Kirstine as a Danish teacher. Our main goal is to learn how to speak Danish and we have been progressing very well through a mix of conversational, grammar, reading, and homework exercises. Kirstine was very open to tailor the classes to our specific needs.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Nancy is an exceptional teacher with a remarkable ability to tailor her approach to suit the individual needs and proficiency level. I've truly appreciated the diverse range of topics we've been able to explore and the various class formats she employs. Nancy is also an incredibly warm and nice person, I highly recommend her without hesitation!
Nancy C.
![]()
Thank you Katsia for your positive kind words. It's a pleasure working with you.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Learn to communicate in Dutch from the first lesson! Enjoyable classes with teaching materials tailored to your needs. First 15 min. class for free. My name is Karin and I'm from Holland, but I live on the Canary Islands. I love teaching DUTCH and have done so for more than 20 years. I have a Diploma in English Philology. I also have two methodology degrees: the CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults of the University of Cambridge) and the FCTBE (Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
I have taught at a Business School and ten companies. In the last two years I've mainly been giving private lessons and I've developed a variety of online self-study DUTCH courses. My schedule is flexible and I adapt myself to the needs and interests of my students so that they reach their objectives in the shortest possible time.
Enjoyable classes, with teaching materials tailored to your needs.
How do the classes work? A class lasts 45 minutes. I'll send you the materials we are going to use in class beforehand so you can print them. After the class I'll send you audios of the notes we made, vocabulary etc. My speciality is communication, from beginner level to advanced. So, you will speak some Dutch in the first class already! Why wait any longer? Let's get started! :-)
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I had my first lesson a couple of days ago and everything went super good! Karin was attentive, transmiting her positivism and helping me with every doubt I had. She really focus on teaching how to pronounce and talk a language, so this is really interesting for me, to practise it & be able to use it in my day by day. I really recommend her to everyone willing to learn a new language :)
Karin L.
Hi Alba! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I enjoyed our class too & I wish you the best of luck with all your future projects :-)
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello,
I'm offering informal Dutch and English lessons based on conversation and will conduct my lessons for as much as possible in the target language.
I use text, weblinks to tv shows to get us talking and am a fan of the TPRS method.
There's a lot of information on that method online. Basically it's getting to know the structure Dutch and English through simple conversation. (questions about 1 or several sentences on any topic)
I have some useful weblinks to tv shows in Dutch (with subtitles in Dutch) adjusted to your level and the shows are entertaining too. :-)
We can discuss the shows preferably in the target language of course.
I can explain some grammar too if needed and have articles and books ready to read from. This again will be adjusted to your proficiency. But of course if you'd like to focus on a topic which has your interest that is possible as well. This makes it more personal and more fun.
I've been teaching for about a year now on another platform to students from all over the world and really enjoy having the experience again as I used to be a vocal coach back in the days when I attended conservatory in the Netherlands.
I hope to see you here on Co language. :-)
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Less is knowledgeable about teaching. He was positive and encouraging. During the lessons we followed a good routine. Reading aloud and accent corrections. Then review of homework followed by a TPRS exercise. He was always well prepared and punctual. I highly recommend him.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello
My name is Anco Peeters,. I am born in The Netherlands and a native speaker of the Dutch language..
I started my career as a schoolteacher and as a gymnastic instructor.
Later I started working in the ICT sector. Now I am a freelance instructor and consultant who teaches mainly networking and telephony.
I am also an NLP Practitioner
My hobbies are: Yoga, traveling, fitness, walking, meeting people
I would love to teach the Dutch language in an informal way with the accent on learning to speak the language. Grammar is also important. We can talk about any topic. I would like to help you making progress and have a lot of experience in creating an individual plan for every student based on your needs
Would love to see you for a trial lesson
Kind regards
Anco
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Anco is a very charismatic, positive and encouraging teacher. His lessons are extremely interesting. He is very professional, good prepared and providing with interesting materials from many sources. During the conversation he catches immediately what else should be improved. The lessons are dynamic and very productive. I would definitely recommend Anco.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
My mother language is Dutch and I mainly teach Dutch nowadays.
However, I have a Master's degree in Spanish and I am also fluent in English.
I offer interactive classes, often focused on speaking skills. I am patient and helpful.
My students come from all over the world, all levels and ages.
I look forward to meeting you!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Elvira is a wonderful Dutch teacher! Not only she has lots of very useful study material but she also gives great explanations and adds context to make it easier to understand and remember. She explains to me in English but also in Spanish which makes it even easier for me because those are the two languages that I speak.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi there
My name is Lieneke Jansen and I am 56 years old.
I am from a small country in Europe called the Netherlands
I am a TEFL certified English language coach with experience in teaching both children and adults.
Although I am a non-native speaker, I have learned English since high school, and practicing it on a daily basis from then on.
I have over 30 years of working experience in several international companies on a high professional work and think level.
I am specialised in business conversation and practicing speaking skills on every possible level
Looking forward to meet you as my student.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Lieneke is a great teacher. Very professional and sensitive to your needs. She is always positive so lessons are very comfortable.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi there
My name is Lieneke Jansen and I am 56 years old.
I am from a small country in Europe called the Netherlands
I am a TEFL certified English language coach with experience in teaching both children and adults.
Although I am a non-native speaker, I have learned English since high school, and practicing it on a daily basis from then on.
I have over 30 years of working experience in several international companies on a high professional work and think level.
I am specialised in business conversation and practicing speaking skills on every possible level
Looking forward to meet you as my student.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Miss Lien is a wonderful teacher. She teaches Dutch to my 10 year old son. She takes the time to tailor each lesson to his needs and she is also lovely. My kid loves her lessons. 100% recommended.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello,I would love to help you improve your knowledge of English.I adapt the lessons following your wishes : are you a beginner and need to get some basic knowledge with grammar and easy texts or do you want to improve your conversation skills. I can help you either way.Looking forward to meeting you !
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
We spoke in Dutch for most of the lesson which was ideal for me. Francoise was very patient and helpful.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello, my name is Corinne and I am a qualified ESL English teacher from England. I have been teaching in classrooms and online for over 3 years and I have many satisfied students.
My lessons are student-centred and usually take place on Skype. I treat every student as an individual and tailor my lessons to meet their goals. I use a variety of text books and free online resources including exercises, articles and videos. I usually give out a little homework at the end of each lesson to reinforce what we have done together.
In your first lesson, we will discuss your needs and check your current level. From this, we can decide what sort of lessons will suit you the best. Perhaps you struggle with grammar and sentence structure? Perhaps you need to practice English for a specific purpose, like understanding lectures, making phone calls at work, or travelling? Or perhaps you need a structured course so that you can learn English step by step?
Whatever you need, I’m here to help. I see it as my job to make you feel safe, build your confidence and make your lessons enjoyable. I look forward to hearing from you and to helping you on your path to speaking better English. Book your first lesson now and let’s get started.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I learn English with Corinne for a long time enough to credit her with the required qualities to be a good teacher. She is a brilliant listener. She can adapt her teaching style on the fly, depending on the student's needs. The learning materials are varied: news articles, grammar exercises, video, ... Finally, Corinne makes recommendations for books, movies, and series which are a good fit for my current level.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Monique is an outstanding teacher. She is a person with a lot of energy, immense experience, structure and humor. I am very satisfied with her teaching methods. Monique has also expertise when it comes to career advices, proper motivation letter and CV. I am very happy with my lessons and I highly recommend her!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi, Mi name is Paul. I'm a certified (TEFL, ELE) teacher with over 10 years of experience in language teaching. I am actually teaching business clients and individuals.
I always try to keep the classes informal and relaxed. It's important that the students like the class, and that they feel comfortable. That results in progress, and that's exactly what we want.
The focus is on conversation (so pronunciation!) and understanding but also reading and writing are important to improve active vocabulary.
Now grammar is also important to understand the structure of a language, but I only touch grammar when needed, so that depends a lot on the level (from A1 to C2).
For lower-level students who still need some native language in class, I speak fluently Spanish, Dutch and some German and French.
The first class is free of charge, so just try it! I'm sure you'll like it.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Paul has done well gauging my level and then setting up lessons to match. With a combination of grammar, pronunciation, and learning new words. And now with more focused work and being able to come up with sentences.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Have you always dreamed of becoming an expert in the English language? Now you can!
I am a sworn translator and have more than 15 years of experience. Together with me you will be a near native speaker in no time!
My name is Wendy and I have been working as a sworn translator and reviser in the English and Dutch language for more than 15 years. In addition, I occasionally help students and pupils with their lessons, young and old.
Would you also like to become a language professional? Or do you just want to be able to get by in the English or Dutch language, and especially want to practice speaking? Then you're in the right place with me. I would be happy to help you!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Wendy is a great teacher, very perceptive and with a great adaptability. I have enjoyed my classes with here and I definitively feel an improvement after studying with her.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
As a graduate of the Catholic University of Leuven in language and literature and with my teacher training degree, I can help you unravel our Dutch language. Whether you have questions about sentence parsing, literature, spelling or whatever: together we keep looking until you get it all!
During class, and therefore also with you, I like an open, interactive learning environment: we discover the theory together, and then put it into practice, preferably in the most fun way possible.
We do that with all kinds of exercises of every kind. This way we always turn it into a great lesson!
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Michiel is a great teacher. His excellent teaching style and methods gave me the confidence to speak Dutch and learn from my mistakes. He understood what I wanted to learn and was attentive to my abilities. His enthusiasm and energy made every lesson fun and never boring. Michiel was very accessible and always responsive. I highly recommend taking a class with him.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello,
I'm offering informal Dutch and English lessons based on conversation and will conduct my lessons for as much as possible in the target language.
I use text, weblinks to tv shows to get us talking and am a fan of the TPRS method.
There's a lot of information on that method online. Basically it's getting to know the structure Dutch and English through simple conversation. (questions about 1 or several sentences on any topic)
I have some useful weblinks to tv shows in Dutch (with subtitles in Dutch) adjusted to your level and the shows are entertaining too. :-)
We can discuss the shows preferably in the target language of course.
I can explain some grammar too if needed and have articles and books ready to read from. This again will be adjusted to your proficiency. But of course if you'd like to focus on a topic which has your interest that is possible as well. This makes it more personal and more fun.
I've been teaching for about a year now on another platform to students from all over the world and really enjoy having the experience again as I used to be a vocal coach back in the days when I attended conservatory in the Netherlands.
I hope to see you here on Co language. :-)
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Since when I started following lessons with Les, I find my Dutch skills improving much faster than just studying on my books. I really like his teaching method, flexible and spontaneous but indeed useful to improve my speaking and reading skills.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hi!
My name is Kirstine. I'm an experienced English and Danish teacher. I teach at a primary and lower secondary school. (Students aged 6-16). But I'm also very interested in teaching both younger and older/adult students.
I'm an international coordinator at my school, and very used to working with students and teachers from all around the world.
I'm used to online teaching.
I love having contact with people from all around the world. I used to travel a lot, but now I love to meet people from other countries either at my AirBnB or through online sessions.
I love to hear from you and teach you either Danish or English.
I have an informal way of teaching, and will work together with you to make the sessions how you prefer them.
We can use a textbook if you prefer, but I also like to read the news, small books, look at online videos and more, and to discuss and learn from that.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
We can definitely recommend Kirstine as a Danish teacher. Our main goal is to learn how to speak Danish and we have been progressing very well through a mix of conversational, grammar, reading, and homework exercises. Kirstine was very open to tailor the classes to our specific needs.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I want to help people to improve the level of their chosen language.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Nancy is an exceptional teacher with a remarkable ability to tailor her approach to suit the individual needs and proficiency level. I've truly appreciated the diverse range of topics we've been able to explore and the various class formats she employs. Nancy is also an incredibly warm and nice person, I highly recommend her without hesitation!
Nancy C.
![]()
Thank you Katsia for your positive kind words. It's a pleasure working with you.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Learn to communicate in Dutch from the first lesson! Enjoyable classes with teaching materials tailored to your needs. First 15 min. class for free. My name is Karin and I'm from Holland, but I live on the Canary Islands. I love teaching DUTCH and have done so for more than 20 years. I have a Diploma in English Philology. I also have two methodology degrees: the CELTA (Certificate of English Language Teaching to Adults of the University of Cambridge) and the FCTBE (Foundation Certificate for Teachers of Business English of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry).
I have taught at a Business School and ten companies. In the last two years I've mainly been giving private lessons and I've developed a variety of online self-study DUTCH courses. My schedule is flexible and I adapt myself to the needs and interests of my students so that they reach their objectives in the shortest possible time.
Enjoyable classes, with teaching materials tailored to your needs.
How do the classes work? A class lasts 45 minutes. I'll send you the materials we are going to use in class beforehand so you can print them. After the class I'll send you audios of the notes we made, vocabulary etc. My speciality is communication, from beginner level to advanced. So, you will speak some Dutch in the first class already! Why wait any longer? Let's get started! :-)
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
I had my first lesson a couple of days ago and everything went super good! Karin was attentive, transmiting her positivism and helping me with every doubt I had. She really focus on teaching how to pronounce and talk a language, so this is really interesting for me, to practise it & be able to use it in my day by day. I really recommend her to everyone willing to learn a new language :)
Karin L.
Hi Alba! Thank you so much for your wonderful review! I enjoyed our class too & I wish you the best of luck with all your future projects :-)
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Hello,
I'm offering informal Dutch and English lessons based on conversation and will conduct my lessons for as much as possible in the target language.
I use text, weblinks to tv shows to get us talking and am a fan of the TPRS method.
There's a lot of information on that method online. Basically it's getting to know the structure Dutch and English through simple conversation. (questions about 1 or several sentences on any topic)
I have some useful weblinks to tv shows in Dutch (with subtitles in Dutch) adjusted to your level and the shows are entertaining too. :-)
We can discuss the shows preferably in the target language of course.
I can explain some grammar too if needed and have articles and books ready to read from. This again will be adjusted to your proficiency. But of course if you'd like to focus on a topic which has your interest that is possible as well. This makes it more personal and more fun.
I've been teaching for about a year now on another platform to students from all over the world and really enjoy having the experience again as I used to be a vocal coach back in the days when I attended conservatory in the Netherlands.
I hope to see you here on Co language. :-)
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials
Less is knowledgeable about teaching. He was positive and encouraging. During the lessons we followed a good routine. Reading aloud and accent corrections. Then review of homework followed by a TPRS exercise. He was always well prepared and punctual. I highly recommend him.
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
Learning materials