Wij fietsen volgend weekend in het park.

We bike in the park next weekend.

Breakdown of Wij fietsen volgend weekend in het park.

• wij: we
• in: in
• het weekend: the weekend
• het park: the park
• fietsen: to bike
• volgend: next

Questions & Answers about Wij fietsen volgend weekend in het park.

Why is the present tense “fietsen” used when the sentence refers to an event happening next weekend?

In Dutch, the present tense is often used to describe scheduled or near-future events. The time expression “volgend weekend” makes it clear that the action is set for the future, so there’s no need for a separate future tense construction.

What does “volgend weekend” mean, and why is the adjective “volgend” not changed to “volgende”?

“Volgend weekend” translates to “next weekend.” In Dutch, when an adjective comes before a neuter noun in an indefinite context (like “weekend”), it typically does not take the -e ending. That’s why we use volgend instead of volgende here.

What is the role of the pronoun “Wij” in this sentence?

“Wij” means “we” and serves as the subject of the sentence. In Dutch, the subject pronoun is usually included to avoid ambiguity and to give emphasis, even if it might sometimes be omitted in informal contexts.

How is the word order structured in this sentence?

The sentence follows the common Dutch order: the subject (Wij) comes first, followed by the main verb (fietsen). Then you have the time expression (volgend weekend), and finally the location expression (in het park). This subject–verb–time–place order helps clearly indicate when and where the action occurs.

Could you add an auxiliary verb such as “gaan” to clearly express a future intention, and how would that change the sentence?

Yes, you could insert the auxiliary verb “gaan” to form “Wij gaan volgend weekend in het park fietsen,” which translates to “We are going to bike in the park next weekend.” However, as explained earlier, using the present tense without “gaan” is also common and completely acceptable when the context makes the future time clear.