Breakdown of We waren met z'n allen de brug aan het bewaken tijdens de aanval.
zijn
to be
met
with
de brug
the bridge
we
we (unstressed form of wij)
tijdens
during
z'n
his / its / one's (unstressed)
allen
all
de aanval
the attack
bewaken
to guard
Questions & Answers about We waren met z'n allen de brug aan het bewaken tijdens de aanval.
Why does this sentence use z'n in met z'n allen if the subject is we?
It is a fixed idiom! While you technically can say met ons allen, the expression met z'n allen (literally "with his all") is used universally in Dutch to mean "all together." It does not need to change to match the subject pronoun.
Why is the direct object de brug placed before aan het bewaken?
When using the continuous aan het + infinitive structure, the direct object (de brug) must be placed before the aan het block. Putting it after the verb, as we do in English, sounds unnatural and is grammatically incorrect in Dutch.
What is the difference between bewaken and a simpler verb like kijken?
Bewaken specifically means "to guard" or "to keep secure." While kijken naar is just "to look at" or "to watch," bewaken implies active protection or security, which makes perfect sense during an attack (de aanval).
Could tijdens de aanval be placed somewhere else in this sentence?
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