Breakdown of Wij eten fruit, bijvoorbeeld een appel.
eten
to eat
de appel
the apple
het fruit
the fruit
bijvoorbeeld
for example
Questions & Answers about Wij eten fruit, bijvoorbeeld een appel.
What is the difference between wij and we in this sentence?
Both words mean "we". Wij is the emphasized form, used when you want to put special focus on the people doing the action (as in "WE eat fruit, unlike someone else"). If you just want to state a simple fact without emphasizing who is eating, you would normally use the unstressed word we.
Why is the verb eten used instead of eet?
In Dutch, plural subjects like wij (we), jullie (you all), and zij (they) take the plural form of the verb. This plural form almost always looks exactly like the full dictionary form of the verb (the infinitive). Because wij is more than one person, we use eten instead of the singular form eet.
Bijvoorbeeld is a very long word! How can I remember what it means?
It helps to break this compound word down into three simple parts: bij (by or at), voor (for or before), and beeld (image or picture). When you put them together, it translates directly to "for example".
Do the Dutch pronounce fruit exactly like we do in English?
No, even though it is spelled exactly the same, the pronunciation is quite different. The Dutch ui is a unique vowel combination that sounds a bit like the "ow" in "house" but pronounced with tightly rounded lips. It does not rhyme with "boot" like the English word does!