Breakdown of Wij houden ervan om in het park te fietsen.
wij
we
in
in
het park
the park
om
for
fietsen
to bike
houden ervan
to like
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Questions & Answers about Wij houden ervan om in het park te fietsen.
What does the expression houden ervan mean in this sentence?
It means “to love” or “to really enjoy.” In this sentence, Wij houden ervan om in het park te fietsen expresses that we love or enjoy the activity of cycling in the park.
What is the role of the word om before te fietsen?
The word om introduces an infinitive clause, much like the English “to” before a verb. It connects the main part of the sentence (expressing what we enjoy) with the specific activity (cycling in the park).
How is the sentence structured grammatically?
The sentence is divided into two parts. The main clause is Wij houden ervan, which tells us who is doing the enjoying and what the feeling is. The following infinitive clause, om in het park te fietsen, specifies the action that we enjoy. This structure is commonly used in Dutch when expressing enjoyment of an activity.
Why is te fietsen placed at the end of the sentence?
In Dutch, when using an infinitive clause, the verb in its base form (with te in front) is typically placed at the end. Here, te fietsen (to cycle) concludes the clause that explains what is enjoyable.
What function does the adverbial phrase in het park serve?
In het park provides the location where the activity takes place. It acts as an adverbial modifier, giving additional context about where the cycling occurs.
Could the sentence be rephrased as Wij houden van fietsen in het park? What is the difference?
Yes, it could be rephrased that way. The difference is subtle. Houden van is used directly with a noun or gerund (like cycling), while houden ervan is typically paired with an infinitive clause introduced by om te. Both sentences communicate a similar meaning, but the original sentence emphasizes the enjoyment of the activity as a whole.
Why is the subject written as Wij instead of using the more informal we?
Wij is the full, emphatic form of we. While both are correct, Wij can be used for emphasis or in more formal contexts, ensuring clarity about the subject of the sentence.