Breakdown of Tijdens de repetitie was de regie van de monoloog erg moeilijk.
zijn
to be
erg
very / really
moeilijk
difficult
van
from (possession, starting point) / made of
tijdens
during
de repetitie
the rehearsal
de monoloog
the monologue
de regie
the direction (film, play)
Questions & Answers about Tijdens de repetitie was de regie van de monoloog erg moeilijk.
Why is the verb was placed before the subject de regie?
Because the sentence starts with the prepositional phrase Tijdens de repetitie (During the rehearsal). In Dutch, starting a main clause with anything other than the subject triggers inversion, meaning the finite verb and subject swap places.
The word repetitie looks like "repetition". Is that a correct translation?
It is a false friend in this context. While it stems from the same root, repetitie specifically means "rehearsal" in theater or music. If you want to say "repetition" (doing something again), you should use de herhaling.
Can I use regie for any kind of "direction"?
No, regie is strictly used for the artistic direction or management of a play, film, or project (the work done by a regisseur). For physical directions (like North or South), you would use de richting.
Is there a difference between using tijdens and gedurende in this sentence?
Both mean "during", but tijdens is the standard, most common choice in modern Dutch. Gedurende is more formal and often places extra emphasis on the fact that something lasted for the entire duration of the event (throughout the rehearsal).
Learn Tijdens de repetitie was de regie van de monoloog erg moeilijk and more in Dutch
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓ Practice with interactive exercises
- ✓ Track your progress with spaced repetition
- ✓Learn at your own pace — completely free