Breakdown of Laten we hier verzamelen om onze rechten te beschermen.
hier
here
onze
our (de-words, plurals)
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
laten
to let (laten we ... = let's ...)
beschermen
to protect
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
verzamelen
to gather
het recht
the right
Questions & Answers about Laten we hier verzamelen om onze rechten te beschermen.
Why isn't the verb verzamelen at the very end of the whole sentence?
The phrase Laten we pushes the main action verb (verzamelen) to the end of its own clause. This sentence actually has two parts: the main suggestion (Laten we hier verzamelen) and the purpose (om onze rechten te beschermen). The verb verzamelen goes to the end of that first part, right before the new clause begins.
What is the om ... te doing in this sentence?
In Dutch, to express "in order to" do something, you use the structure om + [extra information] + te + [infinitive verb]. Here, "to protect our rights" is translated with this pattern: om onze rechten te beschermen.
Why do we use onze here instead of ons?
The singular word for "right" is a het-word (het recht), so for "our right" you would say ons recht. However, this sentence uses the plural "rights" (de rechten). Because all plural nouns act as de-words, they always take onze instead of ons.
I thought verzamelen meant "to collect things". Does it also work for people gathering?
Yes, it works for both! You can use verzamelen when collecting objects (like stamps or coins), but it is also the standard verb for a group of people coming together, assembling, or gathering in one place.
Learn Laten we hier verzamelen om onze rechten te beschermen and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free