Breakdown of Hij gaat regelmatig naar de sportschool.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
naar
to
gaan
to go / to go off (of an alarm)
regelmatig
regularly
de sportschool
the gym (fitness center)
Questions & Answers about Hij gaat regelmatig naar de sportschool.
Why is regelmatig placed right after the verb gaat?
In standard Dutch sentences, adverbs of frequency like regelmatig usually sit right after the conjugated verb (gaat). They typically come before other details in the sentence, such as the destination (naar de sportschool).
Can I put regelmatig at the end of the sentence like in English?
No, putting it at the very end sounds unnatural in Dutch. Unlike English, where you can easily say 'He goes to the gym regularly', Dutch adverbs of frequency need to stay much closer to the action (the verb).
What if I want to emphasize regelmatig by putting it at the beginning of the sentence?
You can definitely start with it, but you must remember that the verb must always be the second idea in a standard Dutch sentence. If you start with regelmatig, the subject (hij) and verb (gaat) have to swap places: Regelmatig gaat hij naar de sportschool. This swapping is called inversion.
Why do we use naar to mean 'to' in this sentence?
When you are talking about physically moving toward a destination, like going to the gym, a city, or a friend's house, Dutch always uses the preposition naar.
Is sportschool the usual word for 'gym'?
Yes, it is the most common, everyday word for a gym or fitness center. It is a literal combination of sport (sports) and school (school). You might also occasionally hear the English loanword 'gym' or fitnesscentrum, but sportschool is the standard term.
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