Questions & Answers about Wij stoppen met het werk.
Why is the word met in this sentence when the English translation does not say "with"?
In Dutch, the verb stoppen (to stop) is almost always paired with the preposition met (with) when you mention the activity you are stopping. You are literally saying "We stop with the work."
Why is it het werk (the work) instead of just werk?
Dutch often uses a definite article (de or het) before general activities or concepts (like work, nature, or school) in phrases where English usually leaves it out.
The translation says "are stopping". How do I know it does not just mean "stop"?
Dutch does not have an exact equivalent of the English "am/is/are doing" form. A simple present tense verb like stoppen can translate to both "stop" and "are stopping", depending on what makes the most sense in context.
How would I use the modal verb moeten to say "We must stop work"?
You would place the conjugated modal verb moeten (must) in the second position, which pushes the main verb stoppen to the very end of the sentence. It becomes: Wij moeten met het werk stoppen.
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