There is a set of Dutch phrases that will carry you through the vast majority of everyday situations — shopping, asking for help, navigating transport, ordering food, and handling polite small talk. Mastering these forty or so phrases before anything else is the most efficient investment a beginner can make. They represent the highest-frequency patterns in spoken Dutch and will immediately make you functional in real-life situations in the Netherlands or Belgium.
Greetings and basics: Hallo / Hoi (Hello, informal), Goedemorgen / Goedemiddag / Goedenavond (Good morning / afternoon / evening), Hoe gaat het? (How are you?), Goed, dank je (Good, thank you), Mijn naam is… (My name is…), Ik spreek een beetje Nederlands (I speak a little Dutch), Spreekt u Engels? (Do you speak English?), Tot ziens / Dag / Doei (Goodbye — formal / neutral / very informal).
Shopping and transactions: Hoeveel kost dit? (How much does this cost?), Mag ik dit zien? (May I see this?), Heeft u dit in een andere maat? (Do you have this in another size?), Ik neem dit (I will take this), Kan ik betalen? (Can I pay?), Met pin of contant? (Card or cash? — a phrase you will hear constantly), Kunt u een bon geven? (Can you give a receipt?).
Asking for help and directions: Kunt u mij helpen? (Can you help me?), Waar is…? (Where is…?), Hoe kom ik bij…? (How do I get to…?), Rechtdoor (straight ahead), Links / rechts (left / right), Bij het stoplicht (at the traffic light), Kunt u dat herhalen? (Can you repeat that?), Kunt u langzamer spreken? (Can you speak more slowly?).