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FlalingoDutch practice

Expats at A2–B1 Dutch giving a handover to colleagues in the Netherlands · NL

Explain a workplace handover in Dutch

A useful overdracht lets the next person act without reconstructing your whole day. Lead with the current status, name what remains, state a concrete risk and ask the listener to confirm ownership. Adapt every example to your workplace's procedures, especially where safety is involved.

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Published 10 Sept 2026 · Editor: Flalingo

Read it once. Then take one role.

A complete Dutch exchange

End-of-shift handover

With a colleague, je is usually natural. Use a fixed sequence: done, open, risk, action.

Medewerker

De bestellingen voor vandaag zijn verwerkt. Eén levering is nog niet binnen.

Today's orders have been processed. One delivery has not arrived yet.

Collega

Om welke levering gaat het?

Which delivery is it?

Medewerker

Om bestelling 418 van leverancier Noord. Die zou om vier uur komen.

Order 418 from supplier Noord. It was supposed to arrive at four.

Collega

Heb je al contact opgenomen?

Have you already contacted them?

Medewerker

Ja, ik heb gebeld. Ze bellen vóór zes uur terug. Wil jij dat opvolgen?

Yes, I called. They will call back before six. Will you follow that up?

Collega

Ja. Ik noteer het nummer en laat het team weten wat er gebeurt.

Yes. I will note the number and let the team know what happens.

Notice: Om welke … gaat het? requests identification. Wil jij dat opvolgen? makes the ownership transfer explicit.

Project handover before leave

Separate completed work from the decision still needed. Finish with where information lives.

Projectlid

De eerste versie van de presentatie is klaar en staat in de projectmap.

The first version of the presentation is ready and is in the project folder.

Collega

Wat moet er nog gebeuren?

What still needs to be done?

Projectlid

De cijfers op pagina vijf moeten nog worden gecontroleerd. Finance reageert morgen.

The figures on page five still need to be checked. Finance will respond tomorrow.

Collega

Is er een deadline voor de definitieve versie?

Is there a deadline for the final version?

Projectlid

Ja, donderdag om twaalf uur. Als Finance niet reageert, vraag dan Mia om een besluit.

Yes, Thursday at noon. If Finance does not respond, ask Mia for a decision.

Collega

Duidelijk. Ik controleer morgen de reactie en werk daarna pagina vijf bij.

Clear. I will check the response tomorrow and then update page five.

Notice: Moeten nog worden gecontroleerd describes pending work without implying that it is already assigned. The reply confirms ownership.

Keep the structure. Change the detail.

Useful phrases

Dit is al afgerond.

This has already been completed.

Point to a specific task.

Dit staat nog open.

This is still outstanding.

Open is common workplace shorthand.

We wachten nog op …

We are still waiting for …

Name a person, decision or delivery.

Let vooral op …

Pay particular attention to …

Use for a concrete operational point, not vague alarm.

Wil jij dit opvolgen?

Will you follow this up?

Ask for explicit ownership.

Kun je herhalen wat je als eerste doet?

Can you repeat what you will do first?

A check for shared understanding, especially in procedural work.

Repair the sentence

Common mistakes and clearer alternatives

Avoid

Alles is bijna klaar.

Use

Taak A is klaar; bij taak B wachten we nog op goedkeuring.

Specific status is more actionable than almost.
Avoid

Jij moet misschien bellen.

Use

Wil jij de leverancier vóór zes uur bellen?

The corrected version assigns an owner and deadline.
Avoid

Ik heb gezet in map.

Use

Ik heb het bestand in de projectmap gezet.

The object and article make the location unambiguous.

Make it fit your situation

Two useful adaptations

The listener interrupts with questions

Goede vraag. Eerst geef ik de status, daarna de open punten en dan lopen we de vragen langs.

Good question. First I will give the status, then the open points, and then we will go through the questions.

A friendly signpost keeps the handover ordered.

A safety-critical point is unclear

Laten we stoppen en de werkinstructie erbij pakken. Ik wil zeker weten dat we dezelfde stap bedoelen.

Let us stop and get the work instruction. I want to make sure we mean the same step.

Use the approved workplace procedure; language practice never replaces it.

Your turn

Say a version that belongs to you

Give a 90-second structured handover

Choose one completed task, one open item, one risk and one next action.

  1. State what is complete in one sentence.
  2. Name the open item and why it is open.
  3. Give one deadline or next check time.
  4. Ask a named colleague to own one action.
  5. Ask the listener to repeat the first action.
This exercise does not submit or save your draft.
Self-check after you speak

Common questions

Before you practise

Should a Dutch handover be very direct?

Clear ownership and timing help, but teams differ. Match your workplace's tone and use please-like forms such as kun je or wil je where appropriate.

Can I use English job terms inside Dutch?

Many teams do, but confirm shared meaning. Use the term found in your team's written process when accuracy matters.

What if the process is safety-critical?

Stop and use the official work instruction, supervisor or required read-back process. A language guide cannot replace workplace controls.

Checked context

Sources

  • Employment contracts in the Netherlands

    Checked 10 Sept 2026 · Employers must provide clear written information on work, hours and arrangements; clear operational terms matter in workplace coordination.

  • U (hoofdletter?)

    Checked 10 Sept 2026 · The formal pronoun u is normally written in lowercase; the guide's register notes distinguish u from informal je.