Questions & Answers about Wij verdelen de taart in drie delen.
Why does this sentence use drie delen (three parts) instead of the fraction derden (thirds)?
While you could say in derden (into thirds), it is very common and natural in everyday Dutch to say you divide a physical object like a cake in drie delen (into three parts) or in drie stukken (into three pieces).
Is there a difference between the verbs verdelen and delen?
Yes! Verdelen means to physically divide, split up, or distribute something into portions, like cutting a cake. Delen means to share something (like sharing a pizza), or to do mathematical division.
Wait, isn't delen a verb? How does it work at the end of the sentence?
In this specific sentence, delen is not a verb. It is the plural form of the noun het deel, which means 'the part'. So drie delen simply translates to 'three parts'.
Do we always use in when dividing things into pieces?
Yes, in is the standard preposition used when cutting, splitting, or dividing things into fractions or pieces. Just like in English, you divide the cake in (into) three parts.