Breakdown of Onze bakker, die ook taarten verkoopt, is vandaag dicht.
zijn
to be
ook
also / -ever (concessive particle)
vandaag
today
verkopen
to sell
de taart
the cake
onze
our (de-words, plurals)
dicht
closed
de bakker
the baker
die
who / that (relative pronoun)
Questions & Answers about Onze bakker, die ook taarten verkoopt, is vandaag dicht.
Why do we use die for "who" instead of a question word like wie?
When referring back to a noun that was just mentioned (like "our baker, who..."), Dutch uses relative pronouns rather than question words. You use die because it points back to onze bakker, and bakker is a de-word. (You would use dat if it were a het-word).
Why is the verb verkoopt pushed all the way to the comma?
The phrase die ook taarten verkoopt is a relative clause. In Dutch, relative clauses act like subclauses, which means they use verb-final word order. The conjugated verb (verkoopt) is pushed to the very end of that specific clause.
How does the word order work for the main sentence after the commas?
It helps to mentally remove the relative clause. If you do, you are left with the main clause: Onze bakker is vandaag dicht (Our baker is closed today). This is just a standard, simple sentence with normal Subject-Verb word order. The relative clause just sits inside it to add extra information.
Doesn't dicht mean "close" as in "nearby"?
It can! Dicht is often used to mean "near" or "close by" (especially in the compound dichtbij). However, it is also the standard, everyday word for "closed" or "shut" (the opposite of open). When talking about a shop or a door, it means "closed".
Why use taarten? Don't the Dutch also use the English word "cake"?
They do, but with a stricter meaning! In Dutch, a cake specifically refers to a plain loaf cake or pound cake. A taart refers to a decorated cake, pie, or flan—like a birthday cake or an apple pie. A bakery that sells fancy cakes is selling taarten.
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