Wij hebben vorig jaar samen naar muziek geluisterd.

to have

Breakdown of Wij hebben vorig jaar samen naar muziek geluisterd.

• wij: we
• naar: to
• samen: together
• de muziek: the music
• luisteren: to listen
• vorig jaar: last year

Questions & Answers about Wij hebben vorig jaar samen naar muziek geluisterd.

Why is “hebben” used as the auxiliary verb here instead of “zijn”?

In Dutch, "hebben" is used with most verbs in the perfect tense, especially verbs that don’t indicate a change of state or movement from one place to another. "Zijn" is typically reserved for verbs of movement (like “gaan” or “komen”) or a change of state (like “worden”).

Why do we have “vorig jaar” after “hebben”?

Dutch word order can be flexible, but putting “vorig jaar” quickly after “hebben” emphasizes the time aspect. It’s common to place a time expression relatively early in the sentence, though different placements can also be correct depending on context or emphasis.

What does adding “samen” do in this sentence?

“Samen” means “together,” so it indicates that the action (listening to music) was done jointly. It adds the idea that both persons were involved in the activity at the same time and place.

Why do we say “naar muziek geluisterd” and not just “muziek geluisterd”?

In Dutch, you generally “listen to something,” which is expressed with “luisteren naar.” So you have “naar muziek geluisterd” meaning you literally listened to music.

How is “geluisterd” formed from “luisteren”?

Dutch uses “ge” + the verb stem + “d/t” to form the past participle of many verbs. The stem of “luisteren” is “luister,” and for regular verbs ending in –er, you often add “d.” That’s why it becomes “geluisterd.”