Translate Dutch to English online, free and without an account
For emails from Dutch colleagues, letters from the Netherlands or Flanders, and messages from family. Dutch to English translation often means moving verbs that sit at the end of a clause and choosing how formal the Dutch u should sound in English.
More actions
Formal or casual tone for your English
Translation
Everyday Dutch phrases in English
| Goedemorgen | Good morning |
| Hoe gaat het met je? | How are you? |
| Dank je wel | Thank you very much |
| Graag gedaan | You’re welcome |
| Waar is het station? | Where is the station? |
| Mag ik de rekening? | Could I have the bill, please? |
| Hoeveel kost dit? | How much does this cost? |
| Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands | I speak a little Dutch |
| Kunt u dat herhalen? | Could you repeat that? |
| Ik begrijp het niet | I don’t understand |
| Sorry, ik ben te laat | Sorry, I’m late |
| Eet smakelijk | Enjoy your meal |
| Tot straks | See you later |
| Zullen we een afspraak maken? | Shall we make an appointment? |
| Het document is bijgevoegd | The document is attached |
| Met vriendelijke groet | Kind regards |
What changes when you translate Dutch into English
Verbs move to a different place
In Dutch subordinate clauses the conjugated verb usually goes to the end: «Ik weet dat hij morgen komt» becomes “I know that he is coming tomorrow.” Main clauses keep the verb in second place, so «Morgen ga ik naar Utrecht» turns into “Tomorrow I’m going to Utrecht,” without the inversion. Separable verbs split too: in «Ik bel je morgen op», bel and op belong together, and English uses the single verb “call.”
One English “you” for u and jij
Dutch has a polite «u» and a familiar «jij» or «je». English only has “you,” so formality has to come through word choice instead. Use “Tone” to pick “Formal (business email)” or “Casual.”
False friends to watch
«Eventueel» means “possibly” or “if needed,” not “eventually.” «Actueel» means “current” or “topical,” and «brand» means “fire.”
Numbers and dates
Dutch writes decimals with a comma and puts the day first: €12,50 is €12.50, and 3-5-2025 is 3 May 2025. American English writes the month first, so check dates in the result.
How do I use this translator for a Dutch text?
Type, paste or dictate your Dutch text in the left box, keep English as the target and start the translation. You can then change the “Tone,” try “Show alternatives,” or copy the result.
Is this Dutch translator really free?
Yes. It runs in your browser with no signup, no account and nothing to install. A free account is only needed if you want to sync your saved phrasebook.
Why does the word order change so much in English?
Dutch often places verbs at the end of a subordinate clause and splits separable verbs like «opbellen» across the sentence. English keeps the verb next to its subject, so sentences usually need to be rebuilt rather than translated word for word.
How should the formal u come across in an English translation?
English has no separate polite “you,” so formality shows through phrasing. Choose “Formal (business email)” for letters to authorities or clients, and “Casual” for messages to friends.
Can I translate a whole Dutch document?
Each run accepts up to 5,000 characters, so split longer texts into parts. You can open a DOCX, ODT, RTF or TXT file and its text is placed in the editor, but the formatting is not kept, and PDFs and images are not supported.
Is it safe to paste private letters or work emails?
Your text is sent to an AI model, translated, returned and then discarded. It is not stored and not used for training.
Does it work for Flemish as well as Dutch from the Netherlands?
Belgian Dutch uses the same written standard, so texts from Flanders translate the same way. For regional or dialect words, compare the options in “Show alternatives” and look at the “Meaning kept:” check.
Can I translate English back into Dutch?
Yes. Click “Swap languages” to reverse the direction while keeping your text in place.
Can I hear the translation or translate from a photo?
“Read aloud” speaks the English result, and “Dictate” lets you speak Dutch into the input box. Photo and image translation is not available, so type or paste the text instead.