Dutch sentence structure
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In this chapter you will learn the basic Dutch sentence structure. You can find the explanation of the Dutch main clauses, negations and interrogatives.
The Dutch sentences contains various elements; the most important are subject, verb, the direct object and the indirect object:
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The subject is the person, or object that performs the action in a sentence. The subject can be one or more words.
To find the subject in de sentence, you can ask the question: 'Who or what does something in the sentence?'
Example | Translation | Subject |
---|---|---|
Hij gaat morgen naar school. | He is going to school tomorrow. | Hij (he) |
Paula eet veel kaas. | Paula eats a lot of cheese. | Paula |
Not all sentences have a subject, for example sentences with an imperative have no subject.
The finite verb tells you what something or someone is doing. A sentence can contain multiple verbs, but only one is the finite verb.
To determine what verb of the sentence is the finite one, you can change the tense of the sentence. The verb that changes when doing this, is the finite verb.
Example | Translation | Finite verb |
---|---|---|
Zij kookt eten vanavond. | She cooks dinner tonight. | Kookt (cooks) |
Herman en Helma zijn tien jaar getrouwd. | Herman and Helma have been married for ten years. | Zijn (have) |
The direct objects undergo the actions of the sentence.
Example | Translation | Direct object |
---|---|---|
Ik eet een banaan. | I eat a banana. | Banaan (banana) |
Zij zoeken een boek. | They are looking for a book. | Boek (book) |
Not all sentences have direct objects.
The indirect object is the one which receives the direct object of the sentence.
Example | Translation | Indirect object |
---|---|---|
Ik ga naar het strand met mijn moeder. | I go to the beach with my mum. | Mijn moeder (my mum) |
Hij geeft de rozen aan haar. | He gives her roses. | Haar (her) |
Not all sentences have direct objects.
The prepositional object is a part of the sentence with a fixed preposition. The prepositional object always starts with a preposition that belongs to the main verb in the sentence.
To find the prepositional object the following three aspects are important:
1. The part of the sentence starts with a preposition.
2. The preposition can not be replaced by another preposition without changing the meaning of the sentence.
3. The preposition forms a fixed combination with the predicate.
Example | Translation | Prepositional object |
---|---|---|
Ik wacht op de bus. | I wait for the bus. | Op de bus (for the bus) |
Hij lijkt op zijn moeder. | He looks like his mum. | Op zijn moeder (like his mum) |
In Dutch the adverbial clause gives more information about what is expressed in the predicate. The adverbial clause can consist of:
You can find the adverbial clause by asking one of the following questions:
Example | Translation | Adverbial clause |
---|---|---|
Gisteren ging hij zwemmen. | Yesterday he went swimming. | Gisteren (yesterday) |
Ik heb vijftig kilometer gefietst. | I biked fifity kilometers. | Vijftig kilometer (fifty kilometers) |
The Dutch main clauses are independent sentences.
The Dutch negation is indicated by 'niet' or 'geen'.
The Dutch interrogatives are formed by having the verb and the subject switch places.
A conditional is used to describe a certain proviso and the result if the condition is fulfilled.
The relative clauses are used to refer to something in the main clause. The clauses begin with a relative pronoun or adverb.
A conjunction usually connects sentences (or sentence parts). The Dutch language knows two kinds of conjunctions:
Examples:
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Hello,I would love to help you improve your knowledge of English.I adapt the lessons following your wishes : are you a beginner and need to get some basic knowledge with grammar and easy texts or do you want to improve your conversation skills. I can help you either way.Looking forward to meeting you !
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I have been with franscoise for nearly 20 lessons now. She has excellent command of English so it is easy to learn the Dutch expression equivalent to the one in english. She can focus on routine grammar stuff as well as useful daily conversation phrases such as “don’t jump the queue “ etc . She can definitely tailor the programme according to my need but in a discreet manner . Franscoise would give me homework such as exercise from the text or essay to help me consolidate what I have learnt , or simply prepare for the next lesson. She travelled a lot and has international perspective as well as cultural sensitivities but keeping her sense of humour. A kind and understanding person to be with. Definitely has a passion to teach and to share. Definitely not a money grabber ! Lucky to have her in my journey of Dutch learning.
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Hello! My name is Emilia and I am an experienced language tutor and translator from/to Bulgarian, Spanish, English and Dutch. My biggest passion are foreign languages and I have passed this passion to many of my students throughout the years. Despite the fact I have a Master degree in Economics and International Business and I have worked few years as an economist, my heart always takes me back to my teaching and translation jobs. With 20 years of teaching experience, a great level of patience and dedication to my work, and a great number of happy students, I am here to help you learn Bulgarian and Spanish at your own pace and convenience. Hope to hear from you soon! Best regards, Emilia
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Emilia is a very kind and supportive teacher. With a reasonable amount of lessons I am now able to conduct business meetings completely in Dutch and feel more confident after each lesson. I would highly recommend Emilia as a teacher to anyone interested in learning a new language. Learning a new language is a journey of self improvement and opens you up to new cultures and friends since you can have more authentic conversations. Do yourself a favor and learn a new language!
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Hello, my name is Michel and I'm a Dutch primary school language teacher. I lived in France for 7 years and I worked for an international school that is well known all over France. I moved to Madeira, Portugal and started to work as online Dutch language teacher 4 years ago. Teaching children and adults is my passion aswel as having fun with learning a new language.
My lessons are adapted to your level and due to my job and experience I have acces to teaching methodes to learn you the basics of the Dutch language or to improve your level. I can help you to improve your level of writing and speaking or help you learn your first words and phrases.
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Johannes is a very good teacher. My friends and I have a group lesson with him every Tuesday night and love that moment. He is very nice, patient, funny, explains really well... in short the best online teacher you can have ! :) We can see we are doing progress every week!
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I am Senna Slangen. I teach Dutch and English to non-native speakers in Utrecht and Den Bosch. The classes are from A1 to C1 level. The people I teach are refugees (integration exam and state exam), or expats who have to learn Dutch for work or school. Then it's more about business in Dutch. I would like to help you learn the Dutch language.
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I can really recommend Senna as a Dutch teacher! She is always on time, there is no problem with communication(I had a few teachers before so I see a difference;)) The material is very diverse - we do a lot of grammar and speaking exercises but also discuss articles from newspapers which contain also more informal Dutch. After 4 months of lessons I see a big progress in my Dutch. Moreover Senna is just a nice and patient person so there is no stress during the lesson :)
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Maybe you need to learn French or Romanian and the momentum is missing. Maybe you are an expert in another area, and you don’t feel to learn a foreign language. I understand it very well because I noticed it many times in my 6 years experience as a teacher and examiner. Though, allow me to communicate with you not as a teacher, but as a permanent and impassioned language learner. Allow me to transfer to you a part of my enthusiasm and my conviction that anyone can learn a foreign language in a funny way. Firstly, I promise you that a foreign language is an open door to another mentality, to another culture. I’m writing from my experience; I’m Romanian and I’m learning French since I was 8 years old. It’s not an easy language, especially at advanced levels, yet in my opinion, it’s the most elegant language. French transferred to me not only an elegant way to express myself - even in my mother tongue but also a different way of thinking; I read in French many classical French writers. During my master studies, I had also the chance to live among French students and I borrowed from them a great way to schedule a working day. I honestly think that learning French or Romanian could mean for you adding value to yourself.
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I am very happy to be able to take some Romanian lessons with Daniela. She has a lot of experience and is very focused, it helps me to understand the structure of the language and to remember the vocabulary more easily. Romanian is an interesting language, and I am looking forward to discovering the culture of the country.
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As a graduate of the Catholic University of Leuven in language and literature and with my teacher training degree, I can help you unravel our Dutch language. Whether you have questions about sentence parsing, literature, spelling or whatever: together we keep looking until you get it all!
During class, and therefore also with you, I like an open, interactive learning environment: we discover the theory together, and then put it into practice, preferably in the most fun way possible.
We do that with all kinds of exercises of every kind. This way we always turn it into a great lesson!
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Michiel is a great teacher. His excellent teaching style and methods gave me the confidence to speak Dutch and learn from my mistakes. He understood what I wanted to learn and was attentive to my abilities. His enthusiasm and energy made every lesson fun and never boring. Michiel was very accessible and always responsive. I highly recommend taking a class with him.
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Hi there
My name is Lieneke Jansen and I am 56 years old.
I am from a small country in Europe called the Netherlands
I am a TEFL certified English language coach with experience in teaching both children and adults.
Although I am a non-native speaker, I have learned English since high school, and practicing it on a daily basis from then on.
I have over 30 years of working experience in several international companies on a high professional work and think level.
I am specialised in business conversation and practicing speaking skills on every possible level
Looking forward to meet you as my student.
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Lieneke is a great teacher :-) Since we have been working together my Dutch language skills has improved. I sincerely recommend lessons with Lieneke.
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Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
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Hello, I’ve had two lessons with Monique till now but I’d like to keep having lessons with her. She is an exceptional experienced teacher and I like her learning approach, as well as the material she uses in order to help me reach my goals. She is also patient, communicative, supportive and she encourages me to become even better. I am really looking forward to keep up learning Dutch with Monique.
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Good individual help and giving personal attention. She always had a way of communicating info so you could understand.
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Hi! I live in Germany since 2014, I live in the Frankfurt am Main area. I teach German to refugees since the beginning of 2017 and I have been teaching Dutch at several language schools, at peoples homes and in-house at several companies. I passed the C1-level Test for German at the Goethe Institut.
It is my goal to adapt my lessons as much as possible to the wishes of the student. This means that, besides offering regular learning methods, I am open to initiatives like talking about subjects that are of interest to the student, for example reading and discussing articles, watching and discussing educational videos and/or current happenings in the world.
I look forward to meeting you online!
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Marlijn was perfectly on time however we could not agree on a set time which I thought we had. she processed refund instantly, but suggest to agree on a time first before paying.
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Do you want to improve your Dutch for work and daily life in the Netherlands? I help young expats enhance their Dutch skills, so you can speak and write with more confidence. Not because you have to, but because you want to! My lessons are practical and focused on what you truly need, whether you’re a beginner or already at a higher level.
What you can expect:
Lessons for beginners to advanced learners (B2 to C1), with a methodical and structured approach
Exercises that fit your work and life in the Netherlands
Focus on building confidence and keeping your self-respect, as you find your place as a new resident
Long-term collaboration, aimed at lasting progress and making the most of your new country
In my lessons, you’ll not only learn the language but also how to communicate your unique value and fully use the opportunities in your new home. This way, you’ll get to know the Netherlands better and make your own special contribution!
Ready to improve your Dutch? Contact me and let’s explore the possibilities!
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It was a huge pleasure to work with Monique. Not only the resources, tips, and lessons were extremely helpful, but Monique was always available for further questions even outside the "classroom". She was very patient and kind, and this helped me feel more confident about my capacity of finally learning Dutch. I can proudly say if it wasn't because of Monique I would not have passed all my Dutch exams at the first try! Thank you again Monique!
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My mother language is Dutch and I mainly teach Dutch nowadays.
However, I have a Master's degree in Spanish and I am also fluent in English.
I offer interactive classes, often focused on speaking skills. I am patient and helpful.
My students come from all over the world, all levels and ages.
I look forward to meeting you!
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Elvira is an expirience and lovly teacher. She understood very fast when I need to improve and we focus on that. The lessons was fun and helpful, I enjoyed study with her.
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Marjolein is a great, patient and supportive teacher that adapted perfectly to my level. She could provide a personalized course for me according to my initial requests. I can only recommend her. Keep up the good work!
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I approached Linda with the intention to eliminate the grammar issues I had in my written Dutch and to render it more idiomatic. On the whole, I am genuinely contended with the lessons I had, since Linda is one highly educated lady with a good feeling for linguistic correctness and elegancy as well as an understanding teacher. Highly recommended!
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Hi! I live in Germany since 2014, I live in the Frankfurt am Main area. I teach German to refugees since the beginning of 2017 and I have been teaching Dutch at several language schools, at peoples homes and in-house at several companies. I passed the C1-level Test for German at the Goethe Institut.
It is my goal to adapt my lessons as much as possible to the wishes of the student. This means that, besides offering regular learning methods, I am open to initiatives like talking about subjects that are of interest to the student, for example reading and discussing articles, watching and discussing educational videos and/or current happenings in the world.
I look forward to meeting you online!
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I've learnt so much from Marlijn! She is a great teacher that adapts the lessons to the student's needs and is available to provide additional material and correct homeworks also outside the lecture. Her friendly personality made me very comfortable and able to learn in a relaxed environment. Communication was great. I strongly recommend her!
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Hello,I would love to help you improve your knowledge of English.I adapt the lessons following your wishes : are you a beginner and need to get some basic knowledge with grammar and easy texts or do you want to improve your conversation skills. I can help you either way.Looking forward to meeting you !
Reviews
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Punctuality
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I have been with franscoise for nearly 20 lessons now. She has excellent command of English so it is easy to learn the Dutch expression equivalent to the one in english. She can focus on routine grammar stuff as well as useful daily conversation phrases such as “don’t jump the queue “ etc . She can definitely tailor the programme according to my need but in a discreet manner . Franscoise would give me homework such as exercise from the text or essay to help me consolidate what I have learnt , or simply prepare for the next lesson. She travelled a lot and has international perspective as well as cultural sensitivities but keeping her sense of humour. A kind and understanding person to be with. Definitely has a passion to teach and to share. Definitely not a money grabber ! Lucky to have her in my journey of Dutch learning.
Review
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Hello! My name is Emilia and I am an experienced language tutor and translator from/to Bulgarian, Spanish, English and Dutch. My biggest passion are foreign languages and I have passed this passion to many of my students throughout the years. Despite the fact I have a Master degree in Economics and International Business and I have worked few years as an economist, my heart always takes me back to my teaching and translation jobs. With 20 years of teaching experience, a great level of patience and dedication to my work, and a great number of happy students, I am here to help you learn Bulgarian and Spanish at your own pace and convenience. Hope to hear from you soon! Best regards, Emilia
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Emilia is a very kind and supportive teacher. With a reasonable amount of lessons I am now able to conduct business meetings completely in Dutch and feel more confident after each lesson. I would highly recommend Emilia as a teacher to anyone interested in learning a new language. Learning a new language is a journey of self improvement and opens you up to new cultures and friends since you can have more authentic conversations. Do yourself a favor and learn a new language!
Review
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Hello, my name is Michel and I'm a Dutch primary school language teacher. I lived in France for 7 years and I worked for an international school that is well known all over France. I moved to Madeira, Portugal and started to work as online Dutch language teacher 4 years ago. Teaching children and adults is my passion aswel as having fun with learning a new language.
My lessons are adapted to your level and due to my job and experience I have acces to teaching methodes to learn you the basics of the Dutch language or to improve your level. I can help you to improve your level of writing and speaking or help you learn your first words and phrases.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
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Johannes is a very good teacher. My friends and I have a group lesson with him every Tuesday night and love that moment. He is very nice, patient, funny, explains really well... in short the best online teacher you can have ! :) We can see we are doing progress every week!
Review
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
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I am Senna Slangen. I teach Dutch and English to non-native speakers in Utrecht and Den Bosch. The classes are from A1 to C1 level. The people I teach are refugees (integration exam and state exam), or expats who have to learn Dutch for work or school. Then it's more about business in Dutch. I would like to help you learn the Dutch language.
Reviews
Teaching methodology
Communication
Punctuality
Internet connection
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I can really recommend Senna as a Dutch teacher! She is always on time, there is no problem with communication(I had a few teachers before so I see a difference;)) The material is very diverse - we do a lot of grammar and speaking exercises but also discuss articles from newspapers which contain also more informal Dutch. After 4 months of lessons I see a big progress in my Dutch. Moreover Senna is just a nice and patient person so there is no stress during the lesson :)
Review
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Communication
Punctuality
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