Breakdown of Wij bidden vastberaden om voorspoed.
de voorspoed
the prosperity
vastberaden
determined
bidden
to pray
Questions & Answers about Wij bidden vastberaden om voorspoed.
Why do we use om here instead of voor to mean "for"?
The verb bidden (to pray) takes the fixed preposition om when you are praying for something to happen or be given. This is a common pattern in Dutch for verbs of requesting; you'll also see it in vragen om (to ask for) and smeken om (to beg for).
Since this lesson is about the present subjunctive, is bidden a subjunctive form here?
No, wij bidden is just the standard present indicative (we pray). While plural subjunctive verbs do end in -en and would look identical to this, the present subjunctive in modern Dutch almost exclusively survives in fixed, formulaic third-person singular expressions (like Leve de koning! for "Long live the king!"). This sentence is a normal indicative statement.
How is the word vastberaden formed?
It is a compound of vast (firm/fixed) and beraden (deliberated/counseled). Someone who is vastberaden has made a firm, deliberate choice. In this sentence, the adjective functions as an adverb of manner, meaning "resolutely" or "determinedly".
I know spoed means "speed" or "urgency". How does voorspoed translate to "prosperity"?
Historically, the root spoed meant "success" or "progress" (much like the old meaning of the English word "speed" in the phrase "Godspeed"). When combined with voor (forward), voorspoed literally implies moving forward successfully, giving us "prosperity" or "good fortune".
Learn Wij bidden vastberaden om voorspoed 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