Breakdown of Velen komen bijeen in de grote menigte.
groot
big
veel
much / many / a lot of
in
in
bijeenkomen
to gather (to come together)
de menigte
the crowd (group of people)
Questions & Answers about Velen komen bijeen in de grote menigte.
Why does velen have an -n added to it?
The word velen means many people. You add the -n suffix because it is used independently, meaning it is not followed by a noun, and it refers specifically to human beings.
What happens if I want to refer to many things instead of people? Do I still use velen?
No. When referring to things, animals, or abstract concepts independently, you must drop the -n and just use vele.
Is there a difference in meaning between velen and veel mensen?
They mean the exact same thing, but velen is more formal and commonly found in written Dutch. In everyday conversational speech, you are much more likely to hear veel mensen.
Why isn't the separable prefix bijeen at the very end of the sentence?
The infinitive verb is bijeenkomen, meaning to gather. While separable prefixes often go at the very end of a main clause, prepositional phrases like in de grote menigte can optionally be placed after the prefix. Both Velen komen in de grote menigte bijeen and the sentence above are perfectly correct.
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