Mijn nicht loopt snel in de straat.

My niece walks quickly in the street.

Breakdown of Mijn nicht loopt snel in de straat.

• in: in
• lopen: to walk
• mijn: my
• de straat: the street
• de nicht: the niece
• snel: quick

Questions & Answers about Mijn nicht loopt snel in de straat.

What does mijn nicht mean, and how does it differ from the English word “cousin”?

Mijn nicht literally translates as “my female cousin.” In Dutch, the term nicht is used exclusively for a female cousin, whereas a male cousin would be referred to as neef. In English, “cousin” is gender-neutral unless further specified.

Why is the verb loopt used in this sentence instead of a verb like rent?

The verb loopt is the third person singular conjugation of lopen, which typically means to walk. Although snel means “fast” or “quickly” and might suggest high speed, in Dutch lopen is used for general movement on foot. If the speaker meant that she is running, they would usually use rennen. So, loopt indicates that she is moving, perhaps briskly, but not necessarily running.

How is the adverb snel functioning in this sentence, and does its form change when used as an adverb?

In this sentence, snel functions as an adverb modifying the verb loopt, explaining how the action takes place. Interestingly, the word snel does not change form whether it is used as an adjective (as in “een snelle auto” meaning “a fast car”) or as an adverb. It remains the same in both cases.

What role does the phrase in de straat play in the sentence?

The phrase in de straat is a prepositional phrase indicating location. It tells us where the activity is occurring. In is the preposition meaning “in,” and de straat means “the street,” with de being the definite article appropriate for the noun straat (which is a common gender noun in Dutch).

Why does the possessive adjective mijn remain unchanged before nicht?

In Dutch, possessive adjectives like mijn do not change form to agree with the gender or number of the noun they accompany. So regardless of whether the noun is masculine, feminine, or plural, mijn is used unchanged, which is why it appears as mijn nicht.

How is the word order in “Mijn nicht loopt snel in de straat.” structured according to Dutch grammar rules?

The sentence follows the typical Dutch word order. It begins with the subject, mijn nicht, followed by the finite verb loopt (which occupies the second position, adhering to the V2 rule in main clauses). Then comes the adverb snel, which describes how she moves, and finally the prepositional phrase in de straat, which provides the location of the action.