Breakdown of De toerist vraagt bij de balie of de plattegrond gratis is.
zijn
to be
bij
at / near / by
vragen
to ask
de toerist
the tourist
de balie
the counter
of
if / whether
de plattegrond
the map
gratis
free
Questions & Answers about De toerist vraagt bij de balie of de plattegrond gratis is.
Why is is at the very end of the sentence?
Because this sentence contains an indirect question starting with of (if or whether). The part after of is a subclause, which means the working verb gets pushed to the very end. So instead of the normal question order (is de plattegrond gratis?), the verb goes to the end: of de plattegrond gratis is.
Can of also mean "or"?
Yes! In normal statements, of means "or" (like koffie of thee). But when you use it to introduce a yes/no question inside another sentence, as we do here after the verb vraagt, it translates to "if" or "whether".
Why use plattegrond instead of kaart for "map"?
While kaart is a general word for a geographical map (like a map of a whole country), a plattegrond is specifically a detailed street map of a town, a floor plan of a building, or a layout of a specific place like a theme park. Since the tourist is likely asking for a city street map, plattegrond is the perfect word.
Why do we say bij de balie for "at the counter"?
The preposition bij is used to mean "at" or "near" a location. When you are standing at a desk, reception window, or counter to get help, bij is the standard preposition to use in Dutch.
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