“Het Tegenstellingenspel” — Opposites Game Song in Dutch for Kids
In “Het Tegenstellingenspel” (The Opposites Game), kids sing key Dutch words like blij, verdrietig, hard and zacht, going back and forth between English and Dutch, so the meaning is never a mystery. It's a early-learner (A1) song from Unit 23: Opposites, 2:19 long, made for ages 2–8.
- 🇳🇱 Dutch
- Level: A1
- Unit 23 · Tegenstellingen
- ⏱ 2:19
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“Het Tegenstellingenspel” lyrics with English translation
Every line as it's sung, with its meaning beside it. Dutch is shown in teal.
| Sung | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ready for the opposites game? | Klaar voor het tegenstellingenspel? |
| Klaar? Say it back! | |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| Happy, blij—smile at me! | |
| Ik ben blij. Are you blij? | |
| I say sad. | Jij zegt verdrietig. |
| Jij zegt verdrietig. | I say sad. |
| I feel sad. | Ik ben verdrietig. |
| Ik ben verdrietig. | I am sad. |
| Happy, blij! | |
| Sad, verdrietig! | |
| Say it once, then say it twice! | Zeg het één keer, en dan twee keer! |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| I say sad! | Jij zegt verdrietig! |
| Jij zegt verdrietig! | I say sad! |
| Blij and verdrietig, say it with me! | |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| Opposites—one, two, three! | Tegenstellingen — één, twee, drie! |
| I say loud! | Ik zeg hard! |
| Jij zegt hard! loud | |
| Now quiet… zacht. | |
| Zeg het zacht. | Say it quietly. |
| It is day! | Het is de dag! |
| Het is de dag! | It is day! |
| It is night! | Het is de nacht! |
| Het is de nacht! | It is night! |
| Old and young? | Oud en jong! |
| Oud en jong! | Old and young? |
| Awake or asleep? | Wakker of in slaap! |
| Wakker of in slaap! | Awake or asleep? |
| I am awake! | Ik ben wakker! |
| Ik ben wakker! | I am awake! |
| Now asleep… | Nu in slaap… |
| Ik ben in slaap. | I am asleep. |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| I say sad! | Jij zegt verdrietig! |
| Jij zegt verdrietig! | I say sad! |
| Blij and verdrietig, say it with me! | |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| Opposites—one, two, three! | Tegenstellingen — één, twee, drie! |
| Yes! | Ja! |
| Ja! | Yes! |
| No! | Nee! |
| Nee! | No! |
| Hot or cold? | Warm or koud! |
| Warm or koud! | Hot or cold? |
| Fast or slow? | Snel or langzaam! |
| Snel or langzaam! | Fast or slow? |
| I say—ik zeg! | |
| You say— | Jij zegt — |
| Jij zegt! | You say! |
| Happy! | Blij! |
| Blij! | Happy! |
| Sad! | Verdrietig! |
| Verdrietig! | Sad! |
| Loud! | Hard! |
| Hard! | Loud! |
| Quiet! | Zacht! |
| Zacht! | Quiet! |
| Day! | De dag! |
| De dag! | The day! |
| Night! | De nacht! |
| De nacht! | Night! |
| Old! | Oud! |
| Oud! | Old! |
| Young! | Jong! |
| Jong! | Young! |
| Awake! | Wakker! |
| Wakker! | Awake! |
| Asleep! | In slaap! |
| In slaap! | Asleep! |
| Yes! | Ja! |
| Ja! | Yes! |
| No! | Nee! |
| Nee! | No! |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| I say sad! | Jij zegt verdrietig! |
| Jij zegt verdrietig! | I say sad! |
| Blij and verdrietig, say it with me! | |
| I say happy! | Jij zegt blij! |
| Jij zegt blij! | I say happy! |
| Opposites—one, two, three! | Tegenstellingen — één, twee, drie! |
| Day in the night? | De dag… in de nacht! |
| De dag… in de nacht! | Day in the night? |
| Fast and slow? | Snel… langzaam! |
| Snel… langzaam! | Fast and slow? |
| Yes says no? | Ja zegt nee? |
| Ja! Nee! Ha-ha! | Yes! No! Ha-ha! |
| Jij zegt, ik zeg—now you know! | |
| Blij! Verdrietig! Play again! | |
Key Dutch words in this song
The 14 words and phrases this song is built around.
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| blij | happy |
| verdrietig | sad |
| hard | loud |
| zacht | quiet |
| de dag | day |
| de nacht | night |
| oud | old |
| jong | young |
| wakker | awake |
| in slaap | asleep |
| ja | yes |
| nee | no |
| ik zeg | I say |
| jij zegt | you say |
How to use this song with your child
- 1
Count the “jij zegt”s
“jij zegt” means “you say” and comes up on 14 lines. Keep count on your fingers together; older kids can try to predict when it's coming next.
- 2
Split the parts
Once the song is familiar, you sing the English lines and your child sings the Dutch ones, then swap. It turns listening into speaking.
- 3
Make it a routine
At 2:19, play it once a day at the same moment for a week. Make every opposite in the song with your body as it's sung.
More opposites songs in Dutch
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134 Dutch songs, 32 topics, one joyful habit
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