Ik kom uit de tuin.

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Breakdown of Ik kom uit de tuin.

• de tuin: the garden
• uit: from
• komen: to come

Questions & Answers about Ik kom uit de tuin.

What is the literal translation of "Ik kom uit de tuin"?

It translates literally to "I come from the garden." In this sentence, "ik" means "I," "kom" is the first-person singular form of "komen" meaning "come," "uit" means "from" or "out of," and "de tuin" means "the garden."

Why is the preposition "uit" used with the verb "komen"?

In Dutch, the preposition "uit" specifies the origin or source. When combined with "komen," it indicates that the speaker is coming from a particular place. In this case, it tells us that the speaker comes from the garden.

Why do we use the article "de" before "tuin" instead of "het"?

Dutch nouns come with inherent grammatical genders. "Tuin" is considered a common gender noun, so it takes the definite article "de." Neuter nouns use "het." Hence, "de tuin" is correct.

How does the word order in "Ik kom uit de tuin" compare to that in English?

The word order is quite similar to English. The sentence follows the structure of Subject ("ik") - Verb ("kom") - Prepositional Phrase ("uit de tuin"), which aligns with the English "I come from the garden." However, keep in mind that Dutch can show more variation in word order, especially in subordinate clauses or complex sentences.

What pronunciation challenges might an English speaker face with the words "uit" and "tuin"?

Both "uit" and the "ui" in "tuin" feature a unique Dutch diphthong that doesn’t have a direct equivalent in English. It is roughly approximated by the IPA sound [œy], which may require practice to produce. Focusing on the mouth shape and listening to native speakers can help master this sound.