Breakdown of We moeten met z'n vieren opschieten om te ontsnappen.
vier
four
met
with
moeten
to have to, must
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
te
to (infinitive marker)
om
in order to
z'n
his / its / one's (unstressed)
opschieten
to hurry up
ontsnappen
to escape
Questions & Answers about We moeten met z'n vieren opschieten om te ontsnappen.
Why does the phrase for "the four of us" use z'n, which usually means "his"?
In Dutch, met z'n followed by a number is a fixed expression used to say "with the [number] of us/you/them". Even though z'n literally comes from zijn (his), in this specific grammar structure it has lost its literal meaning. It is a standard building block used regardless of whether the subject is we, you, or they.
Why is an -en added to vier to make vieren?
When you use a number in the met z'n... construction to group people together, the numeral gets a plural -en ending. This turns vier into vieren, just as twee becomes tweeën.
Since opschieten is a separable verb, why isn't it split up here?
Because the main verb in this clause is the modal verb moeten (must or have to). Modal verbs push the second verb to the end of the clause in its full, unsplit infinitive form. The verb would only split in a simple present or past tense, such as in the sentence We schieten op (We are hurrying).
Why do we need om before te ontsnappen?
The structure om te + infinitive is used to express purpose or intention. It is the exact equivalent of the English phrase "in order to". In this sentence, the four of you have to hurry in order to escape (om te ontsnappen).
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