situatie_05_name
IntermediateStory context
Intro
You ask a passerby where the picket fence is. He answers: 'You can see the right side or the left side and then you can't see anything bad.' The rest sounds like instructions for a treasure map.
Setting
Tuesday afternoon 3 pm, somewhere in the center of Ostend, looking for the picket fence.
Challenge
Getting lost in Ostend. Or worse: having to admit that you are a washed-up person who does not understand West Flemish.
Vocabulary (15)
| General | West-Flemish |
|---|---|
| Unpleasant | nar/noa |
| behind/behind | bachten |
| left | links |
| right | rechs |
| straight ahead | rechte deure |
| street | stroate |
| pier/railway | staketsel |
| auto | nauto |
| train | tring |
| sea wall | zeediek |
| Police | poliesje |
| house | us |
| animal | beestu |
| bucket | seule |
| station | stoasje |
Exercises (38)
You are lost in Ostend. You want to go to the picket fence but every clue sounds like a riddle. Time to learn the direction words.
Pol says: 'Tis door bachten.' You know 'there'. But what does 'bachten' mean?
You want to ask about a street. In Dutch you say 'straat'. How do you say that in Ostend? There is an -e after it...
You want to ask: 'Where is the picket fence?' Translate the question.
Pol says: 'Go straight doors and tons of lefties.' What does 'straight door' mean?
You try to remember the clues. Connect the Dutch direction words with the West Flemish ones.
Pol explains: 'Right and then left.' Translate this to West Flemish. 'And then' becomes 'e ton'.
You want to say, "It's back there." Put the words in the correct order.
You will find the picket fence! Pol shouts after you: 'Congratulations, washed up!' You smile. You understand him now. What exactly is the picket fence?
Pol points to the boulevard: 'The sea wall is closed!' 'Zeedijk' is changing in West Flemish. How do you say it?
Pol asks if you are by car. In Dutch you say 'car'. This will be different in West Flemish!
You want to go to the Ensor museum (Mu.ZEE). You ask: 'Where is the Ensor museum?' Translate to West Flemish.
You want to go to the station to take the train. You ask: 'Where is the station for the train?' Translate to West Flemish.
Pol points: 'T'Casino is closed.' What does he say in Dutch?
Pol explains: 'Go straight through the seagulls.' What does he say in Dutch?
Fill in the missing word: 'Vroag't an de ___ doar!' Pol points to an officer.
You are looking for Kapellestraat and want to ask for directions. Translate 'street' into West Flemish.
Pol points to the Mu.ZEE museum: 'Did you know that James Ensor was born here?' Ensor was a famous Belgian painter. What was special about his work?
In the Ensor House you will see posters of a costume ball. 'Bal du Rat Mort,' you read. Pol laughs: 'Yes, the dead rat's ball!'
Pol tests your knowledge of everyday West Flemish words. Connect the Dutch words with the West Flemish words.
You want to ask if that's his house. Put the words in the correct order: 'Is that his house?'
You walk along the harbor. In the distance you can see the blue-white lighthouse. "That's Tall Nelle," says Pol. "She's flashing O in Morse code!"
At the City Museum you can read about the 'drowned Ostend'. Pol says: 'There used to be an island here, Testerep. Now that's wild water.'
You ask for directions to the famous lighthouse of Ostend. How do you ask that in West Flemish?
You want to walk to the picket fence. You ask if it is far. How do you say that?
Pol explains the way: 'Right to the door and to the left'. What should you do?
Want to practice?
Download Côté and practice interactively with these lessons on your phone.
Download the app