Breakdown of Mogen we hier stoppen?
hier
here
mogen
to be allowed to / may
stoppen
to stop
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
Questions & Answers about Mogen we hier stoppen?
Why does the translation say "are we allowed to" when the Dutch verb is "mogen"?
Mogen is a modal verb used to express permission. While it translates directly to "may", English speakers often use phrases like "to be allowed to" in everyday speech to ask for permission. In Dutch, mogen covers both perfectly.
Why is the verb "mogen" at the very beginning of the sentence?
Because this is a yes/no question! In Dutch, yes/no questions are formed by placing the working verb at the start of the sentence. Here, the modal verb mogen takes that first spot, immediately followed by the subject we.
Why is "stoppen" at the very end instead of right next to "mogen"?
When you use a modal verb like mogen, the second verb (the action you are allowed to do) gets pushed to the very end of the sentence. This second verb is always in its full dictionary form (the infinitive), which is why it is stoppen here.
Could I use "wij" instead of "we" in this sentence?
Yes, you could say Mogen wij hier stoppen? Both we and wij mean "we". You would use wij if you wanted to emphasize exactly who is asking for permission (for example, "Are we allowed to stop here, even if those other people aren't?"). Because there is no special emphasis here, the unstressed we is the most natural choice.