Zij zitten graag bij de rivier om de zonsondergang te bekijken.

They like to sit by the river to watch the sunset.

Breakdown of Zij zitten graag bij de rivier om de zonsondergang te bekijken.

• om: for
• zij: they
• graag: gladly
• zitten: to sit
• bij: by
• de rivier: the river
• de zonsondergang: the sunset
• bekijken: to watch

Questions & Answers about Zij zitten graag bij de rivier om de zonsondergang te bekijken.

Why is the adverb graag used, and what does it add to the sentence?

In Dutch, graag is used to indicate that someone enjoys or likes doing something. In this sentence, it tells us that “they” really enjoy sitting by the river. Although it literally translates to “gladly,” it effectively means “like to” in this context.

What does the phrase bij de rivier mean, and how is it used?

The phrase bij de rivier literally translates to “by the river.” It functions as a location phrase, describing where the action (sitting) takes place. This is comparable to saying “at the river” or “by the river” in English.

How is the structure om de zonsondergang te bekijken formed, and what does it express?

This part is an example of a purpose clause in Dutch. It uses the construction om + [object] + te + [infinitive] to indicate purpose, meaning “in order to watch the sunset.” The word om introduces the reason or goal, while te bekijken is the infinitive form of “to watch.”

How does the word order in this sentence compare to typical English sentence structure?

Although the overall meaning is similar to an English sentence like “They like to sit by the river to watch the sunset,” Dutch often places the purpose clause at the end. Additionally, adverbs like graag are placed directly after the verb, which might differ from English emphasis. Overall, while both languages position the subject, verb, location, and purpose in a logical order, the specific arrangement follows Dutch word order rules.

Why is the infinitive bekijken preceded by te in the purpose clause?

In Dutch, when expressing purpose or intention with an infinitive, the particle te is used before the base form of the verb. This construction—om de zonsondergang te bekijken—clearly shows that the action of watching the sunset is the purpose of sitting by the river. It functions similarly to the English “to watch” in purpose clauses.