Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Anna eet zoete taart.
What does each word in the sentence "Anna eet zoete taart" mean?
Anna is the subject, a proper noun referring to a person. Eet is the present tense, third person singular form of the verb eten (to eat). Zoete is the adjective zoet (sweet) inflected with an -e ending to agree with the noun it modifies, and taart means cake. So, the sentence literally translates to Anna eats sweet cake.
Why is there no article (like a or een) before taart in the sentence?
In Dutch, including an article before a countable noun is common when referring to a specific instance (for example, "een zoete taart" for "a sweet cake"). However, articles can be omitted for stylistic or general statements about food. The omission here may imply a general statement about the type of cake Anna eats, rather than emphasizing a particular cake.
Why does the adjective zoet appear as zoete in this sentence, even though no article precedes the noun?
In Dutch, adjectives placed directly before a noun are inflected with an -e ending when the noun is of common gender or plural, or when the noun is definite. In this case, taart is a common gender noun, so the adjective must take the -e ending, resulting in zoete. Note that if the noun were neuter and used without an article, the adjective might appear uninflected (for example, "mooi huis" instead of "mooi huis" with an -e).
What is the tense and conjugation of the verb eet, and how does it work for the subject Anna?
The verb eet is the present tense, third person singular form of eten (to eat). In Dutch, verbs are conjugated according to the subject. With Anna (a third person singular noun), eten becomes eet. Although eten is an irregular verb, its present tense form remains standard for a third person singular subject.
Does the word order in "Anna eet zoete taart" follow the same pattern as in English, and might it change in more complex sentences?
Yes, this sentence follows the typical Dutch word order for simple sentences, which is Subject-Verb-Object—just like in English. However, in more complex Dutch sentences (especially in subordinate clauses or sentences with multiple verbs), the word order can differ significantly from English.