Er is vaak ruzie in de groep.

Questions & Answers about Er is vaak ruzie in de groep.

How could we use elkaar (each other), which we are learning in this lesson, to talk about this group arguing?
You could say Ze hebben vaak ruzie met elkaar (They often argue with each other). To say you are arguing with someone, Dutch uses ruzie hebben met. So you just add elkaar after met.
Why is it just ruzie and not een ruzie (an argument)?
In English, you have "an argument", which is a countable thing. In Dutch, ruzie is usually treated as an uncountable concept when talking about the general state of fighting or bickering. It is similar to saying "There is often conflict" in English.
Does er is work exactly the same as "there is" in English?
Yes! In this specific context, er is (there is) and er zijn (there are) are used to point out that something exists or is happening, just like in English.
Why does vaak (often) come after the verb here?
In a standard Dutch main clause, the verb must be in the second position. Since Er takes the first spot, the verb is must come next. Time adverbs like vaak typically follow right after the verb.

Learn Er is vaak ruzie in de groep 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