Breakdown of Namens de directie nodigen we jullie uit.
jullie
you (plural)
uitnodigen
to invite
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
namens
on behalf of
de directie
the management / the board (of directors)
Questions & Answers about Namens de directie nodigen we jullie uit.
Why do we use namens here instead of voor?
Namens specifically means "in the name of" or acting as a representative for someone else. If you used voor (for), it might sound like you are doing a favor for the management rather than speaking as their official voice.
Why is the word order nodigen we rather than we nodigen?
This happens because the sentence starts with the phrase Namens de directie. Dutch strictly follows the "verb second" rule in main sentences, meaning the conjugated verb (nodigen) must be the second piece of information. The subject (we) is pushed to the other side of the verb.
Why is the word uit sitting at the very end of the sentence?
The full verb here is uitnodigen (to invite), which is a separable verb. In a main clause, the core part of the verb (nodigen) takes the second position, while the prefix (uit) gets sent to the very end of the sentence.
Can I use van (from) instead of namens to say the invitation is from the management?
In English you might say an invitation is "from" the management, but in Dutch, when you are officially passing on a message or acting for an organization, you must use namens. Using van here would sound unnatural.
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