…
Breakdown of Voordat wij de televisie aanzetten, bespreken we onze ervaringen met het onderzoek.
wij
we
met
with
onze
our
we
we
voordat
before
bespreken
to discuss
het onderzoek
the research
aanzetten
to turn on
de televisie
the television
de ervaring
the experience
Questions & Answers about Voordat wij de televisie aanzetten, bespreken we onze ervaringen met het onderzoek.
Why does the sentence start with voordat instead of voor?
In Dutch, voordat is a subordinating conjunction that introduces a whole clause indicating something happens before another action. By contrast, voor (without dat) does not create a subordinate clause but rather functions more like a preposition (e.g., voor de deur). Here, voordat signals that there is an entire action (turning on the TV) that will happen after the discussion.
Why do we see wij instead of we?
In Dutch, wij and we both mean we, but wij is the stressed form used when you want to emphasize the subject or contrast it with another subject. In normal speech or less formal contexts, we is more common. The sentence could still be correct if it said Voordat we de televisie aanzetten… It’s just a slightly different emphasis.
What is the role of aanzetten here?
Aanzetten is a separable verb in Dutch meaning to turn on (for devices such as a TV). In the sentence, it appears in its infinitive form because it’s part of the subordinate clause introduced by voordat. When the sentence is rearranged, the verb splits (e.g., Wij zetten de televisie aan).
Why is the word order different after voordat?
Dutch uses a different word order in subordinate clauses. After voordat, the finite verb (in this sentence, aanzetten) usually goes to the end of the clause. So you get voordat wij de televisie aanzetten, instead of voordat wij aanzetten de televisie (which would be incorrect).
What does onze ervaringen met het onderzoek refer to in a grammatical sense?
Grammatically, onze ervaringen is the direct object of the verb bespreken (to discuss), and met het onderzoek tells us the specific context of those experiences—namely, that they are related to the research. So onze ervaringen is what is being discussed, and met het onderzoek modifies what those experiences pertain to.
More from this lesson
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Dutch grammar?”
Dutch grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning DutchMaster Dutch — from Voordat wij de televisie aanzetten, bespreken we onze ervaringen met het onderzoek to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.
- ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
- ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
- ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
- ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions