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Questions & Answers about Ik hoor lawaai in de tuin.
What does "hoor" signify in this sentence?
"Hoor" is the first-person singular present form of the verb "horen," which means "to hear." Since the subject is "ik" (I), "hoor" translates to "I hear" in English.
Why is there no article before "lawaai" in the sentence?
In Dutch, "lawaai" is treated as an uncountable or mass noun, similar to "noise" in English. When referring to noise in general, it’s common not to use an article, which is why the sentence reads "Ik hoor lawaai" instead of "Ik hoor een lawaai."
Why does the phrase read "in de tuin" instead of "in het tuin"?
The noun "tuin" (garden) is a common gender noun in Dutch, and such nouns take the definite article "de." Therefore, "in de tuin" is correct. Nouns with neuter gender would take "het," but "tuin" is not one of them.
How does the word order in "Ik hoor lawaai in de tuin" compare to the English equivalent "I hear noise in the garden"?
The sentence follows a similar structure in both languages. In Dutch, the order is:
• Subject: Ik (I)
• Verb: hoor (hear)
• Object: lawaai (noise)
• Adverbial phrase: in de tuin (in the garden)
This arrangement closely mirrors the English word order, making it more accessible for native English speakers learning Dutch.
What is the role of the prepositional phrase "in de tuin" in this sentence?
"In de tuin" is an adverbial phrase of place. It specifies where the action of hearing occurs, clarifying that the lawaai (noise) is coming from the garden. Its position at the end of the sentence is typical for adverbial phrases in Dutch.