Wij lezen bij de schuur.

we

Breakdown of Wij lezen bij de schuur.

• lezen: to read
• de schuur: the shed
• bij: by

Questions & Answers about Wij lezen bij de schuur.

Why do we use wij instead of we in this sentence?

In Dutch, wij and we both mean we, but wij is the stressed form while we is the unstressed form. If you want to emphasize the subject more strongly, you use wij. If there is no special emphasis on the subject, you can use we.

What does bij mean in this context?

Here, bij means near or by, indicating a location. Essentially, the sentence conveys that you are reading in the proximity of the shed.

Why do we use the article de before schuur?

In Dutch, nouns are either de words or het words, and schuur is a de word. There is no strict rule for predicting which article goes with which noun, so it often has to be memorized.

Is the word order correct if I say Bij de schuur lezen wij instead?

Yes, that word order is acceptable. Dutch allows some flexibility, especially when you bring the location or another element to the front. However, remember that if you move bij de schuur to the beginning, the verb (lezen) generally appears right after it in a main clause.

How is schuur pronounced?

schuur is generally pronounced with the sch sound similar to an S and a guttural CH combined. The uu is pronounced like the u in French words such as lune. It may take practice to get this sound right.