Breakdown of De trein vertrekt om kwart voor vier.
vier
four
de trein
the train
om
at (time)
vertrekken
to leave / to depart
het kwart
quarter
voor
to (time), before
Questions & Answers about De trein vertrekt om kwart voor vier.
Why is there no "een" (a) before kwart?
In English you say "a quarter to four", but in Dutch you don't use an article for this. You just say kwart voor vier (literally "quarter to four").
Does voor mean "to" or "before"?
It means both! When telling time, voor means "before" or "to" the hour. So kwart voor vier means 15 minutes before 4:00 (3:45). If it were 4:15, you would use over and say kwart over vier (quarter past four).
Why do we use om before the time?
The word om is the standard preposition used for specific times on the clock. Whenever you want to say "at" a certain time in Dutch, you use om.
What is the dictionary form of the verb vertrekt?
It comes from the verb vertrekken, which means "to leave" or "to depart". It is a very common verb for talking about trains, buses, airplanes, and starting a journey.
What happens if I start the sentence with the time (Om kwart voor vier)?
Dutch uses a "verb-second" rule. If you put the time first, the verb vertrekt must come immediately after it, swapping places with the subject. The sentence becomes: Om kwart voor vier vertrekt de trein.
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