Breakdown of Na het eten doet hij hetzelfde als gisteren.
hij
he
gisteren
yesterday
na
after
doen
to do
als
as
het eten
the dinner
hetzelfde
same
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Questions & Answers about Na het eten doet hij hetzelfde als gisteren.
What does "Na het eten" mean, and why is it placed at the beginning of the sentence?
"Na het eten" translates to "after eating" (or "after dinner") and serves as a time expression. In Dutch, it’s common to start a sentence with a time-related phrase to set the context before introducing the main action.
Why does the verb "doet" come before the subject "hij" in this sentence?
Dutch follows a V2 (verb-second) word order rule. When the sentence begins with an element other than the subject—like the time expression "Na het eten"—the finite verb ("doet") must immediately follow that element, causing the subject ("hij") to come after the verb.
What does "hetzelfde" mean, and how is it used here?
"Hetzelfde" means "the same thing" and indicates that the action performed is identical to an earlier one. In this sentence, it replaces a longer description (for instance, repeating the exact action from the previous day) and succinctly conveys that he is repeating the same behavior as before.
How does the word "als" function in the phrase "hetzelfde als gisteren"?
In this context, "als" functions as a comparative conjunction, similar to the English "as". It links the repeated action to the prior instance, making it clear that what he does now is equal to what he did yesterday.
Is there any information omitted in the sentence, and why is that acceptable?
Yes, the sentence is elliptical. A more complete version might be "Na het eten doet hij hetzelfde als hij gisteren deed" (meaning "After eating, he does the same as he did yesterday"). Dutch often omits repetitive elements when the meaning is clear from context, resulting in a more concise sentence.
Can you explain the overall structure of the sentence in terms of Dutch word order?
Certainly. The sentence begins with the time phrase "Na het eten", providing the setting. According to the V2 rule, the finite verb "doet" comes next, followed by the subject "hij". Finally, the predicate "hetzelfde als gisteren" concludes the sentence by indicating what action is being repeated. This structure is typical in Dutch and emphasizes different parts of the sentence compared to standard English order.