Learn Dutch: Wat doen jullie op vakantie? - What do you do on holiday?

In English, we use an extra helper "do" to make questions, alongside the main verb "do". Dutch doesn't use helper words like this. To ask "What do you do?", Dutch simply says Wat doen jullie? (literally "What do you?").

Why does the verb doen come right after wat?

When you start a question with a question word like wat (what), wie (who), or waar (where), the verb always comes immediately after it. The subject comes next. So the order is "Question word + Verb + Subject".

Who is jullie referring to here?

jullie is the plural "you". You use this when asking two or more people about their holiday. If you were asking just one person, you would use je or jij, which changes the verb: Wat doe je op vakantie?.

Can I use a different preposition instead of op for "on holiday"?

No, in Dutch the standard fixed phrase is always op vakantie for "on holiday" or "on vacation". Prepositions often don't translate exactly between languages, so it is best to memorize this as a set combination.