Breakdown of De brug is te laag, dus we kunnen daar niet onderdoor varen.
zijn
to be
niet
not
wij
we
te
too
kunnen
can
de brug
the bridge
dus
so, therefore
laag
low
varen
to sail (travel on water)
daaronderdoor
under that
Questions & Answers about De brug is te laag, dus we kunnen daar niet onderdoor varen.
How is daar... onderdoor formed, and why is it split by niet?
This is a complex pronominal adverb based on the circumposition onder ... door (passing underneath). When you combine it with daar to say 'under that', you get daaronderdoor. It is split here by the negation niet. Splitting these adverbs is very common in Dutch; the pointing word (daar) moves earlier in the clause, leaving the prepositional part (onderdoor) at the end next to the verbs.
Could I write daaronderdoor as one single word in this sentence?
Yes, '...dus we kunnen niet daaronderdoor varen' is grammatically correct. However, splitting it and putting daar before niet puts slightly more emphasis on the fact that you cannot go under that specific bridge. Splitting these complex adverbs is generally the more natural choice for native Dutch speakers.
What is the difference between using daar and er here?
Using daar (daar... onderdoor) translates to 'under that', pointing emphatically back to the bridge. If you used er (er... onderdoor), it would simply mean 'under it'. At B2 level, remembering to use hier or daar for emphasis instead of the neutral er helps your Dutch sound much more expressive and precise.
Why do we need the word door here? Wouldn't daaronder just mean 'under that'?
The word onder just indicates a static position (being underneath). Adding door turns it into a direction, indicating movement entering one side and coming out the other. Saying daaronder varen would imply sailing around in circles directly beneath the bridge, whereas daaronderdoor varen correctly means passing underneath it to the other side.
Learn De brug is te laag, dus we kunnen daar niet onderdoor varen 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