Breakdown of Lijk jij op je moeder?
jij
you
de moeder
the mother
lijken op
to look like
je
your (unstressed)
Questions & Answers about Lijk jij op je moeder?
Why is the word op used here instead of a direct translation for "like"?
The verb lijken (to appear) goes hand-in-hand with the fixed preposition op to mean "to look like" or "to resemble". Just as you say "waiting for" in English, in Dutch you must say lijken op. You cannot use direct translation words like als or zoals here.
Why is the verb lijk instead of lijkt? Doesn't jij usually get a -t?
Normally, the verb form for jij ends in a -t (for example, jij lijkt). However, when you ask a question and put jij or je right after the verb, that -t is dropped. That is why it becomes lijk jij.
Why does this sentence use jij and then je?
Jij is the stressed subject pronoun ("you"), emphasizing who the question is about. The second word, je, is the unstressed possessive pronoun ("your"), which is a common, softer alternative for jouw.
Does lijken op only refer to physical appearance?
Not necessarily! While it often translates to "looking like" someone physically, lijken op can also mean you resemble someone in character or behavior. You could use this exact sentence to ask if someone acts like their mother.