Wij zoeken samen naar het boek dat op de tafel lag.

the book

Breakdown of Wij zoeken samen naar het boek dat op de tafel lag.

• wij: we
• de tafel: the table
• dat: that
• samen: together
• liggen: to lie
• zoeken: to look for

Questions & Answers about Wij zoeken samen naar het boek dat op de tafel lag.

Why is wij used instead of we?

Dutch has two forms for the personal pronoun "we": we (unstressed) and wij (stressed). The form wij is used for emphasis, as if drawing attention to the subject, or in more formal contexts. The meaning is essentially the same, but when you want to emphasize "we" specifically (as opposed to others), you use wij.

What is the function of samen in this sentence?

Samen means "together". It describes how the searching is done – collectively, indicating that more than one person is involved in looking for the book.

How does the phrase naar het boek work with the verb zoeken?

In Dutch, when you look for something, the verb zoeken is often followed by the preposition naar. So you say zoeken naar iets (meaning "to search for something"). This is different from English, where you can use "look for" without a preposition like "to look towards".

What is the role of the relative clause dat op de tafel lag?

Dat op de tafel lag is a relative clause modifying het boek. It tells us additional information about the book – specifically, that it was lying on the table. The pronoun dat refers back to het boek.

Is the verb order in dat op de tafel lag standard in a Dutch subordinate clause?

Yes. In Dutch subordinate clauses, the finite verb (in this case, lag) typically comes at the end. The structure is:

1. The relative pronoun dat,
2. The extra information op de tafel,
3. The verb lag at the end.