Questions & Answers about Zij zijn vandaag beiden aanwezig.
Why does beiden end with an -n here instead of just being beide?
In Dutch, we add an -n to words like beide (both) and alle (all) when two conditions are met: they refer to people, and they are used independently (meaning they are not placed directly in front of a noun). Here, beiden refers back to the people in Zij and stands completely on its own, so it gets the -n.
Can I use allebei instead of beiden in this sentence?
Yes, you absolutely can! Zij zijn vandaag allebei aanwezig means exactly the same thing. In fact, allebei is more common in everyday spoken Dutch, whereas beiden sounds a little more formal or written.
Why does beiden come after vandaag?
Dutch sentences generally follow a strict "Time, Manner, Place" order. The time word vandaag (today) wants to be as close to the finite verb (zijn) as possible. Because beiden acts as a modifier telling us more about the subject, it gets pushed behind the time indication.
Could I use Ze instead of Zij at the start of this sentence?
Yes, Ze works perfectly. You use the stressed form Zij when you want to put emphasis on the word 'They' (for example, if you are pointing out that they are present, but someone else is not). If there is no special emphasis needed, the unstressed Ze is actually the better choice.