Word
Hij zet de koffer neer.
Meaning
He puts the suitcase down.
Part of speech
sentence
Pronunciation
Course
Breakdown of Hij zet de koffer neer.
de koffer
the suitcase
zetten
to make (coffee/tea) / to put
neer
down (downward, with verbs)
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Questions & Answers about Hij zet de koffer neer.
Why is neer used here instead of beneden for 'down'?
While beneden refers to a fixed location like 'downstairs' or 'at the bottom', neer indicates a downward direction or motion. That is why neer is used when placing an object down, forming the separable verb neerzetten.
Why is neer at the very end of the sentence?
The full verb is neerzetten (to put down), which is a separable verb. In a normal main clause, the conjugated part (zet) takes the second position, and the separable prefix (neer) is kicked all the way to the end of the sentence.
Why do we use zetten instead of leggen for a suitcase?
Dutch makes a strict distinction between putting things upright (zetten) and laying them flat (leggen). A suitcase (koffer) is generally considered to stand upright on its base or wheels. If you specifically meant that you laid the suitcase flat on its side, you would use neerleggen instead.