Op het postkantoor kopen wij een zegel voor onze brief en sturen wij een bericht naar onze vrienden.

we

Breakdown of Op het postkantoor kopen wij een zegel voor onze brief en sturen wij een bericht naar onze vrienden.

• naar: to
• en: and
• onze: our
• voor: for
• kopen: to buy
• de brief: the letter
• het postkantoor: the post office
• de zegel: the stamp
• sturen: to send
• het bericht: the message
• de vrienden: the friends

Questions & Answers about Op het postkantoor kopen wij een zegel voor onze brief en sturen wij een bericht naar onze vrienden.

Why does the sentence start with "Op het postkantoor" instead of starting with "Wij"?

Dutch word order is fairly flexible. By placing "Op het postkantoor" at the beginning, the speaker emphasizes where the action takes place. You could also say "Wij kopen op het postkantoor een zegel voor onze brief...", but then the emphasis shifts more to "Wij" (we). Both forms are correct, just slightly different in nuance.

Why do we use "wij" rather than "we"?

In Dutch, "we" and "wij" are both first-person plural pronouns meaning "we". "Wij" is the stressed form, often used for emphasis. "We" is the unstressed form and more common in casual speech. Here, "wij" can be used to emphasize the people doing the action, though it's not incorrect to say "we".

Is "zegel" the same as "postzegel"?

A "zegel" can refer more generally to a seal or stamp. However, in modern contexts, when referring to postage, speakers typically say "postzegel". "Zegel" alone can still mean a postage stamp, but "postzegel" is more specific and commonly used in everyday speech.

What does "voor onze brief" signify here?

The phrase "voor onze brief" literally means "for our letter". It indicates the purpose of buying the stamp: it is intended for the letter the speaker(s) plan to send.

Why is "sturen" used here instead of "zenden"?

In many contexts, "sturen" and "zenden" can both mean "to send" in Dutch. However, "sturen" is more colloquial and commonly used for everyday communication like sending messages or letters. "Zenden" sounds a bit more formal or old-fashioned. Both are correct, but "sturen" is more frequent in modern spoken Dutch.

Why do we use "naar onze vrienden" at the end?

In Dutch, prepositional phrases such as "naar onze vrienden" (meaning "to our friends") often appear towards the end of the sentence. This is a standard Dutch word order pattern: subject (wij) → verb (sturen) → direct object (een bericht) → prepositional object (naar onze vrienden). It helps keep the sentence clear and structured.