Wij mogen onze vriend na het werk bezoeken.

we

Breakdown of Wij mogen onze vriend na het werk bezoeken.

• de vriend: the friend
• onze: our
• het werk: the work
• na: after
• bezoeken: to visit
• mogen: may

Questions & Answers about Wij mogen onze vriend na het werk bezoeken.

Why is mogen used here instead of other verbs like kunnen or moeten?

mogen indicates being allowed or permitted to do something. In English, it corresponds to “may” or “to be allowed to.” By contrast, kunnen means “to be able to (physically or mentally),” and moeten means “must” or “have to.”

Why do we say onze vriend and not ons vriend?

Dutch has different forms for “our” depending on the gender and number of the noun. onze is used before de-words (like vriend) and all plural nouns, whereas ons is used before singular het-words. Since vriend is a de-word, we use onze.

Why do we include na het werk instead of just na werk?

In Dutch, you usually need an article when referring to work in this context. het werk is a specific reference (it’s your job or workplace), so you say na het werk (literally “after the work”). Just saying na werk would sound incomplete.

Why is bezoeken placed at the end of the sentence?

In a main clause with more than one verb, Dutch grammar usually puts the second (or main) verb at the end. Here, mogen is the first verb and bezoeken is the second verb, so it goes to the end.

Is mogen used only for permission, or can it also mean something else?

mogen primarily indicates permission or possibility. In casual contexts, some speakers also use mogen in a wishful sense (similar to “I wouldn’t mind…”), but the main usage is still about being allowed to do something.