Breakdown of We zoeken met z'n tweeën naar het symbool.
twee
two
met
with
naar
to
zoeken
to look for
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
z'n
his / its / one's (unstressed)
het symbool
the symbol
Questions & Answers about We zoeken met z'n tweeën naar het symbool.
What does z'n mean in met z'n tweeën, and does it change depending on the subject?
z'n is short for zijn (his). In the fixed expression met z'n followed by a number or allen, it literally translates to something like "with his two". Surprisingly, z'n does not change even though the subject here is We. You say we zoeken met z'n tweeën just like you would say zij zoeken met z'n tweeën.
Why is the number written as tweeën and not just twee?
In this specific group-quantifying construction (met z'n + number), the number always takes a plural -en ending. For twee, adding -en requires a trema (the two dots) over the e to show that it is pronounced as a new syllable, making it tweeën.
Why do we use naar instead of voor for "looking for"?
In Dutch, the verb zoeken (to look or search) is strictly paired with the preposition naar when you are looking for a specific object. While English uses "for", Dutch always uses zoeken naar and never zoeken voor.
Could I put met z'n tweeën at the end of the sentence?
It sounds much better where it is. In Dutch, phrases that describe how or in what manner something is done, such as doing it as a pair with met z'n tweeën, usually come right after the conjugated verb and before a prepositional phrase like naar het symbool.
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