Mijn familielid zit in de tuin.

My family member is sitting in the garden.

Breakdown of Mijn familielid zit in de tuin.

• in: in
• de tuin: the garden
• mijn: my
• zitten: to sit
• het familielid: the family member

Questions & Answers about Mijn familielid zit in de tuin.

How is the word familielid constructed, and what does it imply about who is being referred to?

Familielid is a compound word made up of familie (family) and lid (member). This means it refers to a family member or relative. The compound nature makes it a gender-neutral term that simply denotes someone belonging to the family.

Why is the verb zit used in this sentence, and how does its form correspond to the subject?

The verb zitten means “to sit” or “to be situated.” In the present tense, the form zit is used for third person singular subjects (like familielid, which is singular). Thus, Mijn familielid zit in de tuin correctly matches the subject with the verb form.

What does the phrase in de tuin tell us about location, and why is the article de used with tuin?

The phrase in de tuin translates to “in the garden.” The preposition in indicates a location or place. In Dutch, the noun tuin is a common gender noun, so it takes the definite article de (as opposed to het) when specified, hence de tuin means “the garden.”

Are there alternative ways to express this idea in Dutch, perhaps in a more formal register?

Yes, an alternative way to express the same idea is to say Mijn familielid bevindt zich in de tuin. This version is slightly more formal due to the use of bevinden zich (“is located” or “finds itself”). However, the original sentence with zit is more commonly used in everyday conversation.

Does the verb zit only indicate that the family member is physically sitting, or can it also imply being present in the garden?

While zit literally means “is sitting,” context in Dutch can allow it to imply either a physical posture (sitting) or a state of being in a particular place. In this sentence, it suggests that the family member is either seated or simply spending time in the garden. Additional context would help clarify whether it’s specifically about sitting down or just being present.