Zij is de derde student.

to be

Breakdown of Zij is de derde student.

• zij: she
• de student: the student
• derde: third

Questions & Answers about Zij is de derde student.

Does zij mean she or they here?

It can mean either in Dutch, but here it means she because the verb is is, which is singular.

• Zij is = she is
• Zij zijn = they are

So the verb form tells you which meaning is intended.

What is the difference between zij and ze?

Both can mean she in this kind of sentence.

• ze is the more common unstressed form in everyday speech
• zij is the stressed or fuller form, and is also common in writing

So both Zij is de derde student and Ze is de derde student are possible, but zij can sound a bit more emphatic or formal.

Why is Zij capitalized?

It is capitalized only because it is the first word of the sentence.

In the middle of a sentence, it would normally be written zij, not Zij.

Why is is right after Zij?

Because Dutch main clauses usually follow the verb-second rule, often called V2.

That means the finite verb comes in the second position:

• Zij is de derde student.
• Vandaag is zij de derde student.

Even when another element comes first, the verb still stays in second position.