Wij zitten rustig op de nieuwe stoel.

We sit quietly on the new chair.

Breakdown of Wij zitten rustig op de nieuwe stoel.

• wij: we
• nieuw: new
• de stoel: the chair
• rustig: quietly
• zitten: to sit

Questions & Answers about Wij zitten rustig op de nieuwe stoel.

Why do we use zitten instead of a more generic verb like zijn?

In Dutch, zitten describes the physical act of sitting. While zijn can indicate a state of being somewhere, zitten clarifies that you’re actually sitting down. It’s similar to how in English we say “We are sitting” rather than just “We are on the chair.”

What does rustig mean, and how does it function in this sentence?

Rustig means “calm,” “quiet,” or “peaceful.” In this sentence, it modifies how you are sitting: calmly or quietly. It can also indicate a relaxed manner, so you’re describing both the state (sitting) and the manner (calmly).

Why do we say op de nieuwe stoel instead of in de nieuwe stoel?

In Dutch, you often use op (on) to describe sitting on a chair. In (in) would typically imply being inside something. A chair isn’t usually described as something you sit “in” unless it’s enclosed, like a very deep armchair or a seat you can sink into.

Why is de used before nieuwe stoel?

De is the definite article used with stoel, which is a masculine/feminine noun in Dutch (it’s not a neuter word, which would take het). Because stoel is a common (de) word, we use de and then add the adjective nieuwe before it.