Breakdown of Laten we ze er allemaal bij betrekken.
bij
at / near / by
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
ze
they; she (unstressed form of zij) / them (object)
laten
to let (laten we ... = let's ...)
er
it (in 'er ... op/mee', pronominal adverb)
allemaal
all (of them)
betrekken
to involve
Questions & Answers about Laten we ze er allemaal bij betrekken.
How does allemaal work here, and why isn't it right next to ze?
Allemaal means "all." When it modifies a pronoun like ze (them), it usually doesn't sit right next to it (you generally don't say ze allemaal). Instead, it floats later in the sentence to emphasize that the action applies to the entire group, similar to saying "involve them ... all" in English.
What do er and bij mean here?
They are the split parts of erbij (in it). The verb phrase being used is betrekken bij (to involve in). Because the sentence says "involve in it" rather than naming a specific project or situation, Dutch replaces bij het with the "er + preposition" combination erbij.
Why is erbij split up by allemaal?
In Dutch, pronominal adverbs like erbij almost always split. The er part likes to sit as early as possible, right after the main pronouns (we and ze). The bij part gets pushed toward the end of the sentence, just before the main verb (betrekken). This leaves a natural gap in the middle where words like allemaal are placed.
Is Laten we the standard way to say "Let's"?
Yes! Starting a sentence with Laten we (literally "let us") and placing an infinitive verb at the very end (betrekken) is the standard, everyday way to make a suggestion like "Let's [do something]."
Learn Laten we ze er allemaal bij betrekken 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