Wij moeten groenten en fruit op de markt kopen.

We have to buy vegetables and fruit at the market.

Breakdown of Wij moeten groenten en fruit op de markt kopen.

• wij: we
• en: and
• kopen: to buy
• de groente: the vegetable
• het fruit: the fruit
• de markt: the market
• moeten: must

Questions & Answers about Wij moeten groenten en fruit op de markt kopen.

Can I say "We moeten groenten en fruit op de markt kopen" instead of "Wij moeten groenten en fruit op de markt kopen"?

Yes, you can. In Dutch, wij and we both mean "we," but wij is used more often for emphasis or in more formal contexts. We is more neutral and often used in everyday speech.

Why do we say "groenten" in plural but "fruit" in singular?

In Dutch, groenten (vegetables) is typically used in the plural because we usually refer to multiple types or pieces of vegetables. The word fruit in Dutch is normally treated as a singular, uncountable noun—similar to how we might treat "fruit" in English when speaking generally.

Is "moeten" always followed by an infinitive form like "kopen"?

Yes. Moeten is a modal verb, just like "must" or "have to" in English, and it is always followed by an infinitive. So you’ll see moeten + kopen, moeten + lezen, and so on.

Does the word order matter here? Could we say "Wij moeten op de markt groenten en fruit kopen"?

Yes, Dutch word order can be flexible, and op de markt can be placed earlier in the sentence. However, the standard flow of subject + verb + direct object(s) + other elements (Wij moeten groenten en fruit op de markt kopen) is quite common. Moving op de markt earlier doesn’t change the basic meaning but might sound slightly more emphatic or stylistically different.

Why do we use "op de markt" and not something like "in de markt"?

In Dutch, you often use op to indicate a location where an activity takes place, especially in contexts like op de markt, op het station, etc. It’s an idiomatic usage: you go to the market and buy things at the market, which translates to op de markt in Dutch.