Questions & Answers about Gisteren waren ze met z'n vijven in de escaperoom.
How does the phrase met z'n vijven work to mean 'the five of them'?
In Dutch, to say a group did something together, you use the structure met z'n + the number + -en. Even though z'n normally means 'his', in this fixed phrase it acts as a general pronoun for a group. So met z'n vijven translates to 'the five of them' or 'as a group of five'.
Why does the number vijf change to vijven here?
When numbers get the -en ending in this structure, they follow normal Dutch spelling rules. Because vijf ends in an f, the consonant changes to a v before the vowel e, just like how the noun wolf becomes wolven.
If the sentence meant 'the five of us' instead of 'the five of them', would z'n change?
It can, but it doesn't have to! In everyday Dutch, met z'n vijven is often used as a fixed phrase for all pronouns (us, you, them). However, you can also adjust the pronoun to match the subject, such as met ons vijven (the five of us). Both are completely correct.
Why is the verb waren placed before the subject ze?