Breakdown of Wij bezoeken de provincie Utrecht.
wij
we
bezoeken
to visit
de provincie
the province
Utrecht
Utrecht
Questions & Answers about Wij bezoeken de provincie Utrecht.
Why is there no Dutch word for 'of' in de provincie Utrecht?
In Dutch, when you combine a geographical category (like province, city, river, or mountain) with its proper name, you put them directly next to each other. You do not use van (of). So, 'the province of Utrecht' simply becomes de provincie Utrecht.
If I want to say 'the map of Utrecht', do I also drop the word van?
No, you would say de kaart van Utrecht. You only drop van when the first noun is the geographical category of the second noun (since Utrecht is a province). A map is not a category of Utrecht; it is a relationship of possession or origin, so van is required.
Could I use the phrase op bezoek gaan instead of the verb bezoeken to translate this?
No, that wouldn't sound natural here. The phrase op bezoek gaan bij is used almost exclusively when visiting people. Because you are visiting a geographical location or a tourist attraction, you must use the verb bezoeken.
How does the word order change if I add a time word, like 'tomorrow' (morgen)?
You would place it right after the verb: Wij bezoeken morgen de provincie Utrecht. In Dutch, time elements usually come as early as possible after the conjugated verb, pushing the direct object (de provincie Utrecht) toward the end of the clause.
Learn Wij bezoeken de provincie Utrecht 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