Breakdown of Wij fietsen rechtdoor naar school.
wij
we
naar
to
de school
the school
fietsen
to bike
rechtdoor
straight
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Questions & Answers about Wij fietsen rechtdoor naar school.
What does the word fietsen mean in this sentence?
Fietsen is the Dutch verb for “to cycle” or “to ride a bicycle.” In this sentence, it tells us that the action being performed is cycling.
What does rechtdoor mean, and how is it used here?
Rechtdoor translates to “straight ahead” or “directly forward.” It is used as an adverb to describe the manner in which the cycling is done, indicating the direction in which the speakers are riding.
Why is the subject pronoun Wij used, and what does it indicate?
Wij means “we” in English. It serves as the subject of the sentence, showing that the action of cycling is being performed by the speaker and others.
What role does the prepositional phrase naar school play in the sentence?
The phrase naar school acts as a directional indicator. Naar means “to,” and school is the destination. Together, they tell us where the cycling is headed.
Why is the adverb rechtdoor placed immediately after the verb fietsen?
In Dutch sentence structure, it is common for adverbs—especially those describing manner or direction—to follow the finite verb directly. This placement ensures that the adverb clearly modifies the verb, much like in English phrases such as “cycle straight ahead.”
Why is there no article before school in this context?
In Dutch, it is typical to omit an article when referring to institutions like school in a general sense. In this sentence, naar school is used to mean “to school” without specifying a particular school, which is a common practice in Dutch.