Wij bekijken de zonsondergang bij het meer.

We watch the sunset by the lake.

Breakdown of Wij bekijken de zonsondergang bij het meer.

• wij: we
• het meer: the lake
• bij: by
• de zonsondergang: the sunset
• bekijken: to watch

Questions & Answers about Wij bekijken de zonsondergang bij het meer.

What does bekijken mean in this sentence, and how does it differ from kijken?

Bekijken means “to watch” or “to observe” in a deliberate, attentive manner. While kijken can also mean “to look” or “to watch,” it is often used in a more general sense. In this sentence, wij bekijken emphasizes that the group is actively and carefully observing the sunset.

Why is the definite article de used before zonsondergang and het used before meer?

In Dutch, nouns have grammatical genders. Zonsondergang (sunset) is a common gender noun, so it takes de. On the other hand, meer (lake) is a neuter noun and therefore takes the article het. This distinction is a fundamental part of Dutch grammar, meaning learners must memorize the gender of each noun.

What role does the preposition bij play in this sentence?

The preposition bij means “at” or “by” and is used to indicate proximity or location. In bij het meer, it specifies that the sunset is being watched near or at the lake. It helps provide a clear setting for where the action of “watching” takes place.

Can the subject Wij be omitted in Dutch sentences like it sometimes is in English, or is it necessary?

In Dutch, the subject is generally required in declarative sentences for clarity and correct sentence structure. Unlike some informal English contexts where subjects might be dropped, Dutch typically does not allow this omission. Including Wij ensures that it is clear who is performing the action.

How is the phrase bij het meer functioning within the sentence, and why is it placed at the end?

Bij het meer is an adverbial phrase that indicates the location of the action. In Dutch, locational phrases and other modifiers are conventionally placed at the end of the sentence to keep the main clause—the subject and verb—clear and prominent. This word order helps maintain a logical flow and is a common characteristic of Dutch sentence structure.