Weekly words
Please and thank you: The three most important words to learn in any language, whether you are on vacation or staying for an extended period, are `yes', `no' and `thank you'. The Dutch ja, nee, and dank u wel or dank je wel lead to one of the most common multipurpose terms in the language: alstublieft or asjeblieft. Its polite (alstublieft) and informal (asjeblieft) forms reflect the courtesy inherent in the situation. Not only can this handy reply mean `your welcome' but also fits when handing something to someone as a `here you are,' or `here you go'. You may sometimes even hear it as an abbreviated alsje.
