Questions & Answers about Open de deur en breng het boek.
How do we make the command form (imperative) for "open" and "breng" here?
In Dutch, you make a command by using the stem of the verb. This is usually the same as the "ik" (I) form. For the verb openen (to open), the stem is open. For brengen (to bring), the stem is breng.
Why is there no word for "you" in this sentence?
Just like in English, when you give a direct command, you drop the subject pronoun. You simply start with the verb instead of adding jij (you) or u (formal you) to the sentence.
Would the verbs change if I were telling multiple people to open the door?
No! In modern everyday Dutch, the command form stays exactly the same whether you are speaking to one person or a whole group of people. You just use open and breng.
Why does this sentence use both "de" and "het" to mean "the"?
Dutch has two distinct words for "the" depending on the noun's grammatical category (gender). Deur is a common noun, so it uses de, making it de deur. Boek is a neuter noun, so it takes het, making it het boek. You should always memorize the article when you learn a new noun!