…
Breakdown of Het is handig om belangrijke notities op papier te schrijven en later te oefenen.
zijn
to be
en
and
oefenen
to practice
het
it
belangrijk
important
om
for
het papier
the paper
schrijven
to write
handig
useful
de notitie
the note
later
later
Questions & Answers about Het is handig om belangrijke notities op papier te schrijven en later te oefenen.
Is handig always used in the sense of convenient or useful in Dutch?
Yes, handig can mean useful, convenient, or practical. It is often used to describe something that makes a task easier or more efficient.
Why is there an om before belangrijke notities op papier te schrijven?
In Dutch, om ... te is a common structure used to indicate purpose or intention. Here, om helps introduce the reason or goal: writing important notes on paper.
Why do we use te before schrijven and oefenen?
When a verb follows om to explain a purpose, it stays in the infinitive form, which in Dutch usually takes te before it. So we say te schrijven and te oefenen to maintain the infinitive form after om.
Why is it belangrijke notities (with an 'e' at the end of belangrijk)?
In Dutch, adjectives often get an -e ending when they come before a plural noun (notities is plural). So belangrijk becomes belangrijke to agree with the plural word notities.
What does op papier convey in this sentence?
Op papier literally means on paper. In Dutch, it’s common to specify ‘on paper’ to emphasize that you physically write your notes down, rather than typing or storing them digitally. This phrase highlights the physical act of writing.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Dutch grammar?”
Dutch grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning DutchMaster Dutch — from Het is handig om belangrijke notities op papier te schrijven en later te oefenen to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions