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Wat bedoel je met die zin?

Wat bedoel je met die zin?
What do you mean by that sentence?
From Lesson 157:Saying and meaning (bedoelen, lijken)·Dutch

Breakdown of Wat bedoel je met die zin?

bedoelen
to mean
de zin
the sentence

Questions & Answers about Wat bedoel je met die zin?

Why does the sentence use bedoel instead of betekent for "mean"?
In Dutch, bedoelen is used for what a person means or intends to say. Betekenen is used for the actual dictionary definition of a word, symbol, or situation. Since you are asking a person what they mean, you must use bedoel je.
Why is met used here when the English translation says "by"?
Prepositions often do not translate directly between languages. In English, you ask what someone means "by" something, but the fixed Dutch combination is bedoelen met, which literally translates to "to mean with".
Why is it die zin and not dat zin for "that sentence"?
Zin is a de-word (de zin). Whenever you want to point out "that" specific thing with a de-word, you must use die. You only use dat for het-words.
Does the word zin always mean "sentence"?
No, it has a few very common meanings. Besides "sentence", it can mean "sense" or "meaning". It is also used to express a desire or mood to do something, like in the phrase ik heb er zin in, which means "I am looking forward to it".

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