Zij vindt de hond leuk.

From Lesson 13:Yes/no questions·Dutch

Questions & Answers about Zij vindt de hond leuk.

How do I turn this statement into a yes/no question?
To make a yes/no question in Dutch, you swap the subject (zij) and the verb (vindt). The question becomes: Vindt zij de hond leuk? (Does she like the dog?). Putting the verb first like this is called inversion.
If I make it a question, do I drop the '-t' from 'vindt'?
No, it keeps the -t! The special rule about dropping the -t in questions only applies when the subject is jij or je (you singular). Because the subject here is zij (she, 3rd person), the verb stays exactly the same in a question: Vindt zij de hond leuk?
Why are the words for 'likes' (vindt ... leuk) split up like that?
To say you 'like' something in Dutch, you use the phrase leuk vinden (literally: to find fun/nice). In a normal sentence, the main verb (vindt) goes in its usual spot right after the subject, and the descriptive word (leuk) gets pushed to the end of the sentence.
Could I use 'ze' instead of 'zij' in this sentence?
Yes, you can. Both zij and ze mean 'she'. Zij is the stressed form, which you use when you want to emphasize who likes the dog ('She likes the dog, not him'). If you are just stating a simple fact without special emphasis, you can use the unstressed form and say: Ze vindt de hond leuk.

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