Breakdown of Het is comfortabel om op de nieuwe stoel te zitten.
zijn
to be
nieuw
new
de stoel
the chair
het
it
om
for
comfortabel
comfortable
zitten
to sit
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Het is comfortabel om op de nieuwe stoel te zitten.
Why do we use "om" before "te zitten" in this sentence?
In Dutch, the construction "om ... te ..." often introduces an infinitive phrase that explains the purpose or reason. It’s similar to saying "in order to" in English. In this sentence, "om op de nieuwe stoel te zitten" indicates the action that makes it comfortable.
What role does "te zitten" play here?
The phrase "te zitten" is the infinitive form of the verb "zitten" (to sit). It shows the action of sitting on the chair rather than just being in a sitting position. The "te" before "zitten" is part of the infinitive construction.
Why is the preposition "op" used instead of another preposition?
In Dutch, you generally "zitten op" a chair, meaning you are physically on top of it. Other prepositions like "in" are used if you are fully inside something like a car seat (although in that case Dutch still often uses "op" depending on context). So "op" is the most natural choice to talk about being seated on a chair.
Could we just say "Het is comfortabel op de nieuwe stoel te zitten" without "om"?
While informally some might drop "om", the correct, more natural-sounding structure is "Het is comfortabel om op de nieuwe stoel te zitten." That "om" really helps clarify the purpose or the condition under which something is comfortable.
Are there synonyms for "comfortabel" that could also work in this sentence?
Yes. You could use "gerieflijk", "gemakkelijk", or "prettig" in a similar way. For instance: "Het is prettig om op de nieuwe stoel te zitten." or "Het is gemakkelijk om op de nieuwe stoel te zitten."