Word
Niemand voelt de vloer trillen.
Meaning
Nobody feels the floor vibrate.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Niemand voelt de vloer trillen.
niemand
no one
de vloer
the floor
voelen
to feel (something) / to seem/feel (a certain way)
trillen
to vibrate
Questions & Answers about Niemand voelt de vloer trillen.
Why is trillen used here instead of trilt?
This sentence uses a verb of perception (voelt) combined with a second action. When you use verbs like seeing, hearing, or feeling something do an action, the second verb stays in its full dictionary form (the bare infinitive). This is just like English: we say "feels the floor vibrate", not "feels the floor vibrates".
Is niemand always treated as a singular subject?
Yes. Niemand means "nobody" or "no one", and it takes a singular verb. That is why we use voelt instead of the plural voelen.
Why is the word order de vloer trillen rather than trillen de vloer?
In Dutch, when a sentence has a conjugated main verb (voelt) and an infinitive (trillen), the infinitive is pushed to the very end of the sentence. The object that is being felt (de vloer) must come before it.
Does trillen only mean "to vibrate"?
It translates to vibrate, but it also means to shake, tremble, or shiver. You can use trillen for a shaking floor, trembling hands, or a buzzing mobile phone.