Breakdown of Ik heb een voorkeur voor een huis buiten de stad, want daar is het mooier en rustiger.
ik
I
zijn
to be
hebben
to have
het huis
the house
mooi
beautiful
en
and
voor
for
want
because
het
it
daar
there
buiten
outside
rustig
calm
de stad
the city
de voorkeur
the preference
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Ik heb een voorkeur voor een huis buiten de stad, want daar is het mooier en rustiger.
What does ik heb een voorkeur voor mean, and why does it use a noun phrase instead of a direct equivalent of “I prefer”?
It literally means I have a preference for. In Dutch, it’s common to express a preference by indicating that you “have” one, rather than directly saying “I prefer.” This construction emphasizes that you possess a certain favoring or choice toward something.
How does buiten de stad function in this sentence?
Buiten de stad translates to outside the city. It acts as an adverbial phrase that describes where the house is located. Rather than being an inherent part of the noun phrase, it provides additional information about the setting of the house.
What is the role of want in the sentence, and how does it compare to omdat?
Want is a coordinating conjunction meaning because. It connects two independent clauses without changing the word order in the second clause. Unlike omdat (a subordinating conjunction that requires a shift in word order), want is often used in everyday language for giving reasons in a straightforward way.
How are the adjectives mooier and rustiger formed, and why are they in this form?
Both mooier (more beautiful) and rustiger (quieter) are in the comparative form. In Dutch, you create comparatives by typically adding -er to the positive form of the adjective. Their usage here indicates that, in the location mentioned, things are comparatively more beautiful and quieter than in another setting (presumably the city).
What does daar refer to, and why is it used in the second clause?
Daar translates to there and refers back to the location of the house (i.e., buiten de stad). It is used to avoid repeating the full location phrase and to neatly connect the idea that “over there” the qualities (beauty and quietness) are more pronounced.