Breakdown of We kopen drie ijsjes.
kopen
to buy
drie
three
het ijs
the ice cream
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
Questions & Answers about We kopen drie ijsjes.
Why do we use the diminutive ijsjes instead of just saying ijs?
The word ijs means "ice" or "ice cream" in a general, uncountable sense (like a large tub of it). When you add the -je suffix to make ijsje, it turns into a single, countable portion of ice cream, like an ice cream cone or a popsicle.
How do we make diminutive words like ijsje plural?
Making a diminutive plural is one of the easiest rules in Dutch! You always just add an -s to the end. So, one ijsje becomes drie ijsjes.
Why is the verb kopen used here instead of koop?
Because the subject is We. In Dutch, plural pronouns like we, jullie (you all), and ze (they) always take the infinitive (the full dictionary form) of the verb.
How should I pronounce the ij in ijsjes?
The Dutch ij is a special sound that is very close to the English word "eye" or the "i" in "hi", but you say it with your lips stretched a little wider.
Learn We kopen drie ijsjes and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free