Unknown words: guess first, look up last
Work out what a new word means from the sentence and its parts, and decide when the dictionary is worth the time.
A2 and B19 minLesson 4 of 6
After this lesson you can
- Guess word meaning from the sentence around it
- Split Dutch compound words into known parts
- Use common prefixes and suffixes as clues
- Decide quickly whether a word needs the dictionary
You will always meet unknown words
Even good B1 readers meet words they don't know in every exam text. That is normal and planned. The question is not "Do I know every word?" but "Do I know enough to answer this question?"
Use this order: ignore → guess → split → look up.
Step 1: Do you need the word at all?
Most unknown words are not in the part of the text you need. If the word is not in the sentence that answers the question, skip it. Really. This one habit saves many minutes.
Step 2: Guess from the context
The words around an unknown word often tell you a lot.
Door de storm is de boom omgewaaid. De weg was twee uur lang versperd.
You may not know versperd. But a tree fell because of the storm, and something lasted two hours on the road. The road was blocked. You don't need a dictionary.
Ask yourself:
- Is it a thing, an action or a description? (de/het before it = thing; at the end of a sentence or after te = often an action.)
- Is it positive or negative? Words like helaas, maar, probleem around it suggest negative.
- Is there an example or explanation nearby? Look for zoals (such as), bijvoorbeeld, dat wil zeggen, dus, or a part between brackets.
Neem uw legitimatiebewijs mee, zoals een paspoort of rijbewijs. If you don't know legitimatiebewijs, the examples tell you: an ID document.
Step 3: Split compound words (samenstellingen)
Dutch glues words together. Long words are often just two or three short words you already know.
| Long word | Parts | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| huisartsenpraktijk | huis + arts + praktijk | GP practice |
| ziektekostenverzekering | ziekte + kosten + verzekering | health insurance |
| fietsenstalling | fiets + stalling | bicycle parking |
| afvalkalender | afval + kalender | waste collection calendar |
| ouderavond | ouder + avond | parents' evening |
| wachtlijst | wacht + lijst | waiting list |
Rule: the last part is the main word. A fietsenstalling is a kind of stalling (storage). A kinderfiets is a fiets. The parts before it describe it. Small linking letters like -s- or -en- sometimes appear in the middle (arbeidscontract, pannenkoek). Just skip them when you split.
Step 4: Use prefixes and suffixes
A few word parts come back again and again.
| Part | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| on- | not | onmogelijk (impossible), onbekend (unknown) |
| her- | again | herhalen (repeat), herinschrijven (re-register) |
| ver- | often a change | verhuizen (move house), verlengen (extend) |
| mee- | along, with | meenemen (bring), meedoen (take part) |
| -baar | can be done | bereikbaar (reachable), betaalbaar (affordable) |
| -loos | without | werkloos (unemployed), kosteloos (free of charge) |
| -ing | makes a noun | betaling (payment), opleiding (training) |
So onbetaalbaar = on + betaal + baar = not affordable. You knew betalen; the rest is pattern.
Step 5: When to use the dictionary
Use your paper dictionary only if all three are true:
- The word is in the sentence you need for the answer.
- Context and word parts don't give you a clear meaning.
- The choice between two options depends on this word.
When you look up, look up the main part of a compound or the infinitive of a verb (verlengd → verlengen). Compounds are often not in the dictionary, but their parts are.
Watch out for false friends
Some Dutch words look like English words but mean something else:
- eventueel = possibly, if needed (not "eventually")
- actueel = current, up to date (not "actual")
- slim = clever (not thin)
- brutaal = cheeky, rude (not brutal)
These words love to appear in answer options.
Useful Dutch
- de samenstellingthe compound word
- bijvoorbeeldfor example
- zoalssuch as
- dat wil zeggen (d.w.z.)that is to say (i.e.)
- onmogelijkimpossible
- verlengento extend
- bereikbaarreachable
- kosteloosfree of charge
- eventueelpossibly, if needed
- het legitimatiebewijsID document
- opzoekento look up
Worked example
A word in the answer sentence
Unknown words might be gymzaal and schoongemaakt. Split them: gym + zaal (hall) = gym hall. Schoon (clean) + gemaakt (made) = cleaned. The word 'dus' in the next sentence shows the consequence: no gym clothes needed. So the reason is B. There is nothing about a sick teacher (A), and the children still go to school (C); only gym is cancelled. No dictionary needed.
Common mistakes
- Looking up words that are not in the sentence that answers the question.
- Giving up on a long word instead of splitting it into parts you know.
- Looking up a full compound word that is not in the dictionary instead of its last part.
- Trusting a word that looks like English, such as 'eventueel' or 'actueel'.
Check yourself
Answer all three to mark this lesson as done.
1. What is a 'kinderopvang'? (opvang = care, taking in)
2. What does 'onbereikbaar' mean?
3. 'Neem eventueel een lunchpakket mee.' What does this mean?