Questions & Answers about Men werkt niet op een feestdag.
Why is the verb werkt singular when the English translation says "people", which is plural?
The pronoun men translates to "one" or "people" in a general sense, but grammatically it is a third-person singular pronoun. Just like you say hij werkt (he works), you must say men werkt.
Could I use ze or je instead of men in this sentence?
Yes, but it changes the tone. The pronoun men is quite formal and is mostly used in written Dutch, news reports, or official statements. In everyday conversations, native speakers almost always use je (you/one) or ze (they/people) for this general meaning.
Why do we use the preposition op here?
In Dutch, op is the standard preposition used for days of the week, dates, and holidays. Just as you say op maandag (on Monday), you say op een feestdag (on a public holiday).
Why does niet come right after the verb here?
In a standard main clause, the negating word niet generally comes after the conjugated verb (werkt) and before a prepositional phrase starting with time or place (op een feestdag). Here, it negates the entire action of working on that day.