…
Breakdown of Wij moeten sneller naar de markt fietsen om op tijd te zijn.
zijn
to be
wij
we
naar
to
om
for
de markt
the market
moeten
must
fietsen
to bike
tijd
time
sneller
faster
Questions & Answers about Wij moeten sneller naar de markt fietsen om op tijd te zijn.
Why do we use sneller instead of just snel?
Sneller is the comparative form of snel, which means "fast." So sneller translates to "faster." It describes that you have to bike more quickly than you would otherwise do.
Is sneller an adjective or an adverb in this sentence?
In Dutch, the comparative form sneller can serve as an adverb describing the manner of biking (how you are biking: fast), rather than describing a noun. Here, it modifies the verb fietsen ("to bike"), so it's an adverb.
Why do we see fietsen instead of fiets?
In Dutch, when two or more people are involved and combined with wij (we), the correct form is fietsen ("we bike"). Also, infinitive forms appear after certain constructions (like moeten + infinitive), so we use fietsen rather than fiets or fietst.
What does the phrase om op tijd te zijn signify?
Om op tijd te zijn literally means "in order to be on time." The word om is paired with te + infinitive to express purpose or why the action is done, in this case to indicate the reason for biking faster.
Is there a direct object in this sentence?
The sentence Wij moeten sneller naar de markt fietsen om op tijd te zijn doesn’t have a traditional direct object. It has a direction or destination (naar de markt) rather than an object being acted upon. The focus is on the manner of traveling (faster) and the purpose (to be on time).
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 Wij moeten sneller naar de markt fietsen om op tijd te zijn 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