Wij kopen spul in de winkel.

We buy stuff in the store.

Breakdown of Wij kopen spul in de winkel.

• wij: we
• in: in
• kopen: to buy
• de winkel: the store
• het spul: the stuff

Questions & Answers about Wij kopen spul in de winkel.

What does spul mean in the sentence "Wij kopen spul in de winkel."?

Spul roughly translates to "stuff" or "goods" in English. It refers to miscellaneous items or materials and is used in an informal sense.

Why isn’t there an article before spul?

Because spul is treated as an uncountable or mass noun in Dutch. Similar to "stuff" in English, it doesn’t require an article like "het" or "een" when referring to things in general.

What is the grammatical structure of the sentence?

The sentence follows a Subject-Verb-Object order with an additional adverbial phrase of place. Wij is the subject (we), kopen is the verb (buy), spul is the object (stuff), and in de winkel indicates the location (in the store).

Why is the verb kopen not conjugated with a -t ending for wij?

In Dutch, when the subject is wij (first-person plural), the verb remains in its base form. A -t ending is typically added for third-person singular subjects (e.g., hij koopt for he buys), but not for wij.

How does the prepositional phrase in de winkel function in the sentence?

In de winkel is a prepositional phrase that acts as an adverbial modifier of place. It specifies where the action of buying takes place, corresponding to "in the store" in English.

Can the word order be changed for emphasis in Dutch?

Yes, Dutch allows word order changes to emphasize different parts of the sentence. For instance, saying "In de winkel kopen wij spul." places special emphasis on the location, highlighting where the buying occurs, while still conveying the same overall meaning.