Breakdown of We hebben nog twee potten mosterd in de kast staan.
hebben
to have
twee
two
in
in
staan
to stand
de kast
the cabinet / the closet
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
nog
still, yet / more, another (with a quantity)
de pot
the pot
de mosterd
the mustard
Questions & Answers about We hebben nog twee potten mosterd in de kast staan.
Why is there no word for 'of' between potten and mosterd?
In Dutch, when you express a quantity using a measure word (like potten for jars) followed by a substance (like mosterd), you do not use a preposition. You simply place the two nouns right next to each other. This noun juxtaposition is standard for quantities in Dutch.
Why do we need the verb staan at the end of the sentence?
Dutch strongly prefers using posture verbs (staan, liggen, zitten, hangen) to describe where things are. Since jars are stored upright, they stand (staan). The combination of hebben and the infinitive staan translates to 'have ... standing' and sounds much more natural here than just saying they 'are' in the cupboard.
Why is staan placed at the very end of the sentence?
This sentence uses a verb bracket. The conjugated verb hebben takes the second position in this main clause, which forces the infinitive staan to the very end. The rest of the information, like the objects and the prepositional phrase for the location, gets sandwiched between them.
Could I leave out the word nog?
Grammatically, yes. But in this context, nog means 'still' or 'left'. It adds the specific nuance that you have a remaining supply of mustard, which is exactly how a Dutch speaker would phrase things when checking their pantry inventory.
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