Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about De koffie, alsjeblieft.
Why is it de koffie and not het koffie?
In Dutch, the word for 'the' is either de or het, depending on the noun's gender. While you often just have to memorize which one belongs to a noun, a handy trick is that almost all drinks, including koffie, thee (tea), and melk (milk), are de words.
Is alsjeblieft the only word for 'please'?
No, there is also a polite version: alstublieft. You use alsjeblieft in casual situations because it contains the informal word for 'you' (je). If you are ordering this coffee from a stranger, a waiter, or an older person, alstublieft is the safer, more polite choice.
What does alsjeblieft literally mean?
It is actually a mashed-up version of the phrase als het je belieft, which literally translates to 'if it pleases you'. Over time, it was shortened and squeezed into a single word.
Will I hear alsjeblieft when the coffee is handed to me?
Yes! In English, we usually say 'here you go' when handing something to someone. In Dutch, you use alsjeblieft (or the polite alstublieft) for this too. So you use it to ask for the coffee, and the barista uses it when giving it to you.