Ik zal de televisie direct aanzetten na het avondeten.

I will turn on the television directly after dinner.

Breakdown of Ik zal de televisie direct aanzetten na het avondeten.

• ik: I
• na: after
• zullen: will
• het avondeten: the dinner
• aanzetten: to turn on
• de televisie: the television
• direct: directly

Questions & Answers about Ik zal de televisie direct aanzetten na het avondeten.

Why do we use zal instead of ga to talk about the future in Dutch?

In Dutch, you can use zal or ga to express the future. However, zal is slightly more formal and often indicates a more certain or planned future. Ga is sometimes more colloquial and can suggest an immediate plan or intention (similar to going to in English). Both are correct in everyday speech, and the difference is mostly a matter of style or context.

Why is direct positioned in the middle of the sentence: "Ik zal de televisie direct aanzetten na het avondeten"?

In Dutch, adverbs such as direct (meaning immediately or right away) often come directly after the conjugated verb or near the part of the sentence they modify. Here, direct modifies aanzetten (turn on), describing how soon you will turn on the TV. You could also say Ik zal direct na het avondeten de televisie aanzetten, which slightly shifts the emphasis but remains correct.

Could I replace na het avondeten with nadat ik heb gegeten?

Yes, you can say Ik zal de televisie direct aanzetten nadat ik heb gegeten, which is more like I will turn on the television immediately after I have eaten. Both versions are correct. Na het avondeten is more concise, referring specifically to the meal. Nadat ik heb gegeten focuses on the action of eating rather than the occasion of dinner.

Is avondeten the only word for dinner in Dutch?

Avondeten is a common term for the evening meal. Another less formal term you might come across is eten (when referring to the evening meal in context, people sometimes just say eten). Some regions of the Netherlands and Flanders also use avondmaal or diner, but avondeten is widely understood and very standard.

Can I move na het avondeten to the beginning of the sentence?

Absolutely. You could say Na het avondeten zal ik de televisie direct aanzetten. In Dutch, you can start with a time phrase for emphasis or variety in sentence structure. However, when you put na het avondeten at the beginning, remember to keep the conjugated verb (zal) directly after that phrase, as Dutch generally places the conjugated verb second.