Ik zie verkeer in de stad.

I see traffic in the city.

Breakdown of Ik zie verkeer in de stad.

• ik: I
• in: in
• zien: to see
• de stad: the city
• het verkeer: the traffic

Questions & Answers about Ik zie verkeer in de stad.

What does ik mean in this sentence?

Ik is the Dutch equivalent of I. It is the first-person singular pronoun used as the subject of the sentence.

What does zie mean, and how is it formed?

Zie is the first-person singular present tense form of the verb zien, which means to see. It indicates that the subject (ik) is performing the action of seeing.

What is the meaning of verkeer in this context?

Verkeer translates to traffic. In this sentence, it refers to vehicular traffic in the city. It’s used as an uncountable noun, much like traffic in English, so no article is needed.

How does the prepositional phrase in de stad function in the sentence?

In de stad means in the city. It is a prepositional phrase that specifies the location where the action – seeing traffic – takes place.

Is the word order in "Ik zie verkeer in de stad" similar to English?

Yes, the sentence follows a similar structure to English. The arrangement is subject (ik) + verb (zie) + object (verkeer) + prepositional phrase (in de stad), which mirrors the English sentence "I see traffic in the city."

Why does verkeer appear without an article?

Since verkeer is an uncountable noun referring to traffic, it does not require an article in Dutch. This is similar to English, where we say "I see traffic" rather than "I see a traffic."