Schrijven · A2 · B1 · Vocabulary · 7 min read

10 phrases for every exam email: from Beste ... to Met vriendelijke groet

Almost every writing exam for the inburgeringsexamen and the Staatsexamen NT2 has an email or a short message in it. You write to a neighbour, a teacher, your landlord, a shop or the gemeente. The topic changes, but the frame of the email is always the same: an opening, a reason for writing, a question or request, and a closing. If you know ten fixed phrases by heart, that frame costs you no thinking time, and you can spend your energy on the content.

Below are the ten phrases we see working best in exam answers. Each one comes with an informal version where it makes sense, so you can switch between writing to a friend and writing to an organisation.

First: formal or informal?

Read the task and ask yourself who you are writing to. A company, a school, a doctor, the gemeente or a person you don't know: write formally and use u. A friend, a family member, a colleague you know well or a neighbour you are friendly with: write informally and use je or jij. Don't mix them in one email. If you start with u, keep using u and uw until the end.

Kunt u mij helpen?(Formal: can you help me?)

Kun je mij helpen?(Informal: can you help me?)

1. The opening: Beste ... or Geachte ...

Beste is the safest choice. It works for almost everyone, formal and informal. Geachte is more formal and fits a letter to an organisation. If you don't know the name of the person, write Geachte heer, mevrouw. Always put a comma after the opening, and start the next line with a capital letter.

Beste meneer Jansen,(Dear Mr Jansen,)

Geachte heer, mevrouw,(Dear Sir or Madam,)

Beste Sanne,(Dear Sanne, (informal))

Hallo Sanne,(Hi Sanne, (informal, also fine))

2. Saying why you write

The first sentence tells the reader what the email is about. The examiner looks for it too, because it shows you understood the task. Use omdat, and remember that the verb goes to the end.

Ik schrijf u omdat ik een vraag heb over mijn afspraak.(I am writing to you because I have a question about my appointment.)

Ik stuur je dit bericht omdat ik je wil uitnodigen.(I am sending you this message because I want to invite you.)

Ik schrijf u omdat ik heb een klacht.(Wrong: after omdat the verb goes to the end.)

3. Introducing yourself in one line

When the reader doesn't know you, say who you are before you ask anything. Keep it to one short sentence.

Mijn naam is Sara Ahmadi en ik woon op de Kerkstraat 12.(My name is Sara Ahmadi and I live at Kerkstraat 12.)

Ik ben de moeder van Lucas uit groep 4.(I am the mother of Lucas from year 4.)

4. Asking politely: Zou u ... kunnen ...?

This is the most useful structure in the whole exam. Zou u (would you) goes first, kunnen (be able to) goes last, and the main verb comes just before it. It sounds polite and it shows the examiner a more advanced sentence.

Zou u mij kunnen laten weten wanneer de monteur komt?(Could you let me know when the mechanic is coming?)

Zou je mij morgen kunnen bellen?(Could you call me tomorrow? (informal))

5. Asking for information: Ik wil graag weten ...

Not every question needs a question mark. Ik wil graag weten followed by of, wanneer, hoe or hoeveel is a polite way to ask for information. These words start a subordinate clause, so the verb goes to the end.

Ik wil graag weten of de cursus ook in de avond is.(I would like to know whether the course is also in the evening.)

Ik wil graag weten hoeveel een abonnement kost.(I would like to know how much a subscription costs.)

6. Apologising: Het spijt me dat ...

Many tasks ask you to cancel something or explain why you were late. Start with an apology, then give the reason. Sorry is fine in an informal message; Het spijt me is a little more serious and works everywhere.

Het spijt me dat ik gisteren niet kon komen.(I am sorry that I could not come yesterday.)

Sorry dat ik zo laat reageer!(Sorry for the late reply! (informal))

7. Giving bad news: Helaas ...

Helaas (unfortunately) is a small word that makes a refusal sound friendly. Put it first and the verb comes right after it, before the subject.

Helaas kan ik op vrijdag niet komen.(Unfortunately I can't come on Friday.)

Helaas ik kan op vrijdag niet komen.(Wrong: after helaas, the verb comes next.)

8. Suggesting something: Zullen we ...?

When you invite someone, propose a new date or plan something together, Zullen we ...? (shall we) is short and natural. In a formal email, use Is het mogelijk om ... te ...? instead.

Zullen we volgende week dinsdag afspreken?(Shall we meet next Tuesday?)

Is het mogelijk om de afspraak te verzetten?(Is it possible to move the appointment?)

9. Saying thank you: Alvast bedankt

Before you close, thank the reader. Alvast bedankt means thanks in advance, and it fits any email where you ask for something. After a request in a formal email, Ik hoor graag van u (I look forward to hearing from you) is the classic last line.

Alvast bedankt voor uw hulp.(Thank you in advance for your help.)

Ik hoor graag van u.(I look forward to hearing from you.)

Bedankt voor de uitnodiging!(Thanks for the invitation! (informal))

10. The closing: Met vriendelijke groet

Met vriendelijke groet is the standard closing for every formal email. Put a comma after it and your name on the next line. For friends and family, Groetjes or Liefs is normal. Don't forget your name: an email without a name looks unfinished to the examiner.

Met vriendelijke groet, Sara Ahmadi(Kind regards, Sara Ahmadi)

Groetjes, Sara(Cheers, Sara (informal))

Putting it together

Here is a short formal email to a landlord, built only from the phrases above plus one sentence of content. Notice how little you need to invent yourself.

Beste meneer Jansen,(phrase 1)

Ik schrijf u omdat de verwarming in mijn woning kapot is.(phrase 2)

Het is al drie dagen erg koud in huis.(your content)

Zou u zo snel mogelijk een monteur kunnen sturen?(phrase 4)

Alvast bedankt. Ik hoor graag van u.(phrase 9)

Met vriendelijke groet, Sara Ahmadi(phrase 10)

Three mistakes to avoid

Switching from u to je halfway through the email. Choose one and keep it.
Forgetting a point from the task. Every bullet point in the task needs at least one full sentence; a missing point costs you more than a small grammar mistake.
Writing only fixed phrases. The phrases are the frame; the examiner still wants to see your own sentences about the situation in the task.

Free word list: E-mails en brieven →The 16 words you need most in exam emails, with example sentences. No account needed.

Then try a real exam-style email task. Our grader checks whether you answered every point, flags u/je mix-ups and word-order mistakes, and explains each one in plain English.