Zeventien studenten lezen.

Dutch often leaves out an article in very simple plural sentences when speaking generally or when the number already makes things definite enough.

Here, zeventien studenten means seventeen students. You do not need de or een:

• zeventien studenten = seventeen students
• not de zeventien studenten unless you specifically mean the seventeen students

So this sentence is just a neutral statement about a group of seventeen students.

The singular is student and the plural is studenten.

A very common way to make Dutch plurals is by adding -en:

• student → studenten
• tafel → tafels or -en depending on the word
• leraar → leraren

So studenten is simply the plural form meaning students.

Because the subject is plural: zeventien studenten.

In Dutch present tense, the verb changes depending on the subject. For lezen:

• ik lees = I read / am reading
• jij leest = you read
• hij/zij leest = he/she reads
• wij lezen = we read
• jullie lezen = you plural read
• zij lezen = they read

Since zeventien studenten is plural, Dutch uses the plural verb form lezen.

It can mean both, depending on context.

Dutch often uses the simple present where English can use either:

• Seventeen students read
• Seventeen students are reading

Both can match Zeventien studenten lezen.

If you want to make the ongoing action more explicit in Dutch, you can use another construction, but the basic sentence with lezen is completely normal.

Because zeventien studenten is the full subject of the sentence.

The structure is:

• Zeventien studenten = subject
• lezen = verb

Dutch, like English, often puts the subject first in a basic main clause. So this sentence follows a very straightforward pattern:

• Subject + Verb

That makes it a good example of normal Dutch word order.

Yes. Dutch numbers like zeventien are normally written as one word.

Some examples:

• tien = ten
• elf = eleven
• twaalf = twelve
• zeventien = seventeen
• twintig = twenty

Dutch also often writes larger compound numbers as one word, which is something English speakers need to get used to.

A rough English-friendly guide is something like ZAY-vun-teen or ZEH-vun-teen, depending on accent.

A few helpful points:

• z in Dutch is usually like the z in zoo
• the v can sound softer than in English
• the final -tien sounds a bit like teen, but with Dutch vowel quality

The stress is usually on the last part: zeven-TIEN.

A rough guide is styu-DEN-tun or stu-DEN-tən, depending on accent and how closely you want to imitate Dutch pronunciation.

Useful things to notice:

• the stress is on the second syllable: stu-DEN-ten
• the final -en in Dutch is often pronounced as a reduced vowel plus n, something like -uh(n)

So in natural speech it may sound lighter than an English speaker expects.

A rough guide is LAY-zun.

A few details:

• ee in Dutch is a long vowel, somewhat like the vowel in say, though not exactly the same
• z is pronounced like English z
• the final -en is often reduced in everyday speech

So lezen does not sound like English lesson or laser. It is closer to LAY-zuh(n).

Yes. studenten is a normal plural word for students and can refer to a mixed group or a group of any gender.

In many contexts, Dutch uses plural forms like this in a general way, much like English students.

Yes, depending on context.

Dutch student often strongly suggests a university or higher-education student, more than English student sometimes does. In some contexts, leerling would be used for a school pupil.

So studenten often means college/university students, though the exact meaning depends on the situation.

Yes, it is a complete and perfectly normal sentence.

It has everything needed:

• a subject: zeventien studenten
• a finite verb: lezen

Dutch does not need extra words here. Short sentences like this are very common in grammar examples because they show the structure clearly.

Yes. In a yes/no question, Dutch usually puts the verb first:

• Zeventien studenten lezen. = Seventeen students are reading.
• Lezen zeventien studenten? = Are seventeen students reading?

This verb-first pattern is very common in Dutch questions.