Breakdown of Ik ga naar de dokter.
naar
to
gaan
to go / to go off (of an alarm)
de dokter
the doctor (everyday word)
Questions & Answers about Ik ga naar de dokter.
Why is ga translated as "am going" instead of just "go"?
English uses the continuous "am doing" form a lot, but Dutch usually sticks to the simple present tense. So Ik ga can mean both "I go" and "I am going".
Why use the preposition naar here for "to"?
When you are expressing physical movement or travel toward a destination (like a place, a city, or a person), you almost always use the preposition naar.
How would I add an om ... te (in order to) clause to this sentence to explain why I'm going?
You can easily attach a purpose clause to the end! For example: Ik ga naar de dokter om een recept te halen (I am going to the doctor to get a prescription). Notice how om starts the extra information, and te halen goes at the very end of the sentence.
Is dokter the most common word to use, or should I use arts?
Dokter is the standard, everyday word used just like in English. Both are fine, though when referring to their local family doctor or general practitioner, Dutch people very often use the specific word huisarts.
Learn Ik ga naar de dokter 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