Breakdown of Tijdens de sessie brainstormen we over nieuwe theorieën.
nieuw
new
over
about
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
tijdens
during
de theorie
the theory
de sessie
the session (meeting, activity)
brainstormen
to brainstorm
Questions & Answers about Tijdens de sessie brainstormen we over nieuwe theorieën.
Why is theorieën spelled with -ën instead of just adding an -s or -n?
The singular noun is theorie. For nouns ending in -ie where the stress falls on that final syllable (the-o-RIE), the plural is formed by adding -ën. The trema (two dots) on the e ensures you pronounce the extra syllable correctly instead of blending the vowels together into one sound.
How does this plural rule compare to a word like porie (pore) which is also in this lesson?
It is all about where the stress falls. In theorie, the stress is on the final -ie, so we add a full -ën syllable to get theorieën. In a word like porie, the stress is on the first syllable (PO-rie). For unstressed -ie endings, you only add an -n and move the trema onto the existing e of the original word, making it poriën.
Why is the word order brainstormen we rather than we brainstormen?
The sentence begins with the time phrase Tijdens de sessie (During the session). In Dutch, starting a main clause with anything other than the subject triggers inversion. This means the verb (brainstormen) must swap places with the subject (we) to remain in the second position of the sentence.
Are English loanwords like brainstormen conjugated like normal Dutch verbs?
Yes! Once an English verb is adopted into Dutch, it follows standard Dutch conjugation rules. Here it takes the regular -en plural ending to match the subject we. Notice that it also pairs perfectly with the preposition over (to brainstorm about) just like it does in English.
Learn Tijdens de sessie brainstormen we over nieuwe theorieën 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