Breakdown of Hij is verliefd op het meisje.
zijn
to be
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
het meisje
the girl
op
on
verliefd
in love
Questions & Answers about Hij is verliefd op het meisje.
Why does the Dutch sentence use op instead of a word for 'with'?
In Dutch, being 'in love with' someone is expressed using the fixed combination verliefd op. Prepositions rarely translate word-for-word between languages, so you just have to memorize that verliefd goes with op (literally 'in love on'), even though English says 'in love with'.
Is verliefd a verb here?
No, verliefd is an adjective meaning 'in love'. Just like in English, you use it with the verb zijn (to be). So hij is verliefd acts just like 'he is happy' or 'he is tall'.
What is the difference between hij is verliefd op and hij houdt van?
Hij is verliefd op specifically means he is infatuated or romantically 'in love with' her. Hij houdt van means he 'loves' her, which is a deeper affection and can also be used for family, friends, or even hobbies. Notice that both use different fixed prepositions (op versus van).
Why is it het meisje and not de meisje if a girl is a female person?
All words ending in -je are diminutives (words for small things), and in Dutch, every single diminutive gets the article het. Even though a girl is a female person, the grammatical rule for the -je ending always wins, so it is het meisje.
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