Log inSign up

Ik hoor lawaai in de tuin.

Ik hoor lawaai in de tuin.
I hear noise in the garden.
FromLesson 11inHardcore Dutch
…

Breakdown of Ik hoor lawaai in de tuin.

ik
I
in
in
de tuin
the garden
horen
to hear
het lawaai
the noise

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.

More from this lesson

de afwasIk moet de afwas doen na het eten.samenwerkenWij moeten samenwerken.Mijn broer wil graag helpen met de afwas, omdat hij het leuk vindt om samen te werken.het gordijnhet raamZij gaat de gordijnen openen om het raam te wassen.
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Dutch grammar?”
Dutch grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Dutch

Master Dutch — from Ik hoor lawaai in de tuin to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Dutch freeBrowse the full course