Breakdown of Wij kijken naar de sportwedstrijd.
wij
we
naar
to
kijken
to watch
de sportwedstrijd
the sports match
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Questions & Answers about Wij kijken naar de sportwedstrijd.
Why is the preposition naar necessary in the sentence Wij kijken naar de sportwedstrijd?
In Dutch, the verb kijken is typically paired with the preposition naar when indicating what is being watched or looked at. Without naar, the sentence would feel incomplete and unidiomatic because kijken isn’t directly transitive in this usage. The structure clarifies that the action is directed toward something.
What is the difference between kijken and zien in Dutch?
Kijken implies actively watching or looking at something, whereas zien means to see something, often in a more passive or unintentional way. In Wij kijken naar de sportwedstrijd, the use of kijken suggests that the subjects are actively paying attention to the sports match.
How does the subject Wij affect the conjugation of kijken?
The verb kijken is conjugated according to its subject. Because Wij means “we” (a plural subject), the verb remains as kijken. For example, if the subject were singular like Ik (“I”), the verb would change to kijk.
What does the compound noun sportwedstrijd mean, and how is it constructed?
The word sportwedstrijd is a compound noun made up of sport (sport) and wedstrijd (match or game). Together, they form a single word meaning “sports match” or “sports game.” Dutch often combines related nouns into one word, which is why there’s no space between sport and wedstrijd.
Why is the definite article de used before sportwedstrijd?
Dutch nouns have genders, and sportwedstrijd is classified as a common gender noun, which takes the definite article de. Thus, de sportwedstrijd correctly translates to “the sports match.”
Does the sentence structure of Wij kijken naar de sportwedstrijd follow the typical Dutch word order?
Yes, it does. Dutch declarative sentences usually follow a Subject–Verb–Complement order. In this sentence, Wij is the subject, kijken is the conjugated verb occupying the second position, and naar de sportwedstrijd is the prepositional phrase that completes the thought.