Breakdown of We wachten bij de ingang totdat er geen rij is.
zijn
to be
geen
no / not any
wachten
to wait
bij
at / near / by
er
there (existential)
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
totdat
until (conjunction)
de rij
the queue
de ingang
the entrance
Questions & Answers about We wachten bij de ingang totdat er geen rij is.
Why does the verb is go at the very end of the sentence?
Because totdat (until) is a subordinating conjunction. Words like this introduce a subordinate clause, which means the conjugated verb gets pushed to the end. Instead of the normal word order er is geen rij (there is no queue), it becomes totdat er geen rij is.
I see er and is, but they are separated. Is this the Dutch way of saying "there is"?
Exactly! Er is means "there is". In a normal main clause they usually stay together, but because this is a subordinate clause that pushes the verb is to the end, it gets separated from er.
Why do we use geen instead of niet here?
In Dutch, we use geen to negate an indefinite noun (a noun with "a", "an", or no article). Because we want to say there is "no queue" or "not a queue" (een rij), we must use geen rij. You only use niet to negate verbs, adjectives, or specific nouns (like names or things with "the").
Why do we use the preposition bij for "at" the entrance?
Bij is commonly used to mean "at", "by", or "near" a physical location or landmark. Because you are waiting in the general area of the entrance, bij de ingang is the most natural way to say it.
Learn We wachten bij de ingang totdat er geen rij is 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