Word
Hij naait de stof met naald en draad.
Meaning
He sews the fabric with needle and thread.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Hij naait de stof met naald en draad.
hij
he / it (referring to a 'de'-word)
en
and
met
with
naaien
to sew
Questions & Answers about Hij naait de stof met naald en draad.
Why does stof mean "fabric" here instead of "dust"?
Stof has two common meanings in Dutch: "dust" and "fabric" (or "material"). Because he is sewing (naait), context tells us it means "fabric" here.
Why are there no articles before naald en draad?
Just like in English, Dutch often drops the articles in fixed expressions or natural pairings. Saying met naald en draad is exactly like saying "with needle and thread".
What is the infinitive form of naait and how is the vowel combination pronounced?
The infinitive is naaien (to sew). The -aai combination is pronounced much like the English word "eye" but slightly longer, blending into a "y" sound at the end.
Does draad just mean thread for sewing?
It means "thread", but it is also the standard word for "wire". For example, a wireless internet connection is called draadloos (literally "wire-less").