Wij luisteren naar een opname.

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Breakdown of Wij luisteren naar een opname.

• naar: to
• luisteren: to listen
• een: a, an
• de opname: the recording

Questions & Answers about Wij luisteren naar een opname.

What does the verb luisteren mean in this sentence?

Luisteren means “to listen” in English. It implies actively paying attention to a sound rather than just hearing it passively. This distinction is important because Dutch also has the verb horen, which means “to hear” in a more passive sense.

Why is the preposition naar used after luisteren?

In Dutch, several verbs require specific prepositions to connect with their objects. With luisteren, the preposition naar is mandatory. It functions similarly to “to” in the English phrase “listen to”—indicating the target or direction of the action.

What is the structure of the sentence "Wij luisteren naar een opname"?

The sentence follows a basic Dutch word order: Subject + Verb + Prepositional Phrase. Here, Wij is the subject, luisteren is the conjugated verb, and naar een opname is a prepositional phrase acting as the object (specifically, it tells us what is being listened to).

Why is the article een used before opname, and what does it signify?

The article een is the indefinite article in Dutch, equivalent to “a” or “an” in English. It indicates that the speaker is referring to a non-specific recording. If a particular recording were meant, the definite article de or het would be used instead, depending on the noun’s gender.

How does luisteren differ from horen in usage and meaning?

While luisteren and horen can both be connected to the sense of sound, they are used quite differently. Luisteren involves an active, focused effort to attend to sound—as in listening intentionally. On the other hand, horen describes the passive act of hearing something without necessarily directing your attention to it. This nuance helps clarify the intent behind the action in Dutch.