Ik geef de brief op het postkantoor af.

I hand in the letter at the post office.

Breakdown of Ik geef de brief op het postkantoor af.

• ik: I
• de brief: the letter
• het postkantoor: the post office
• op: at
• afgeven: to hand in

Questions & Answers about Ik geef de brief op het postkantoor af.

What does afgeven mean in this sentence?

Afgeven is a separable verb that means “to hand in” or “to drop off.” In this context, it conveys the idea of delivering the letter at a specific place (the post office).

Why is af separated from geef and placed at the end of the sentence?

Dutch has many separable‑prefix verbs (scheidbare werkwoorden). In the present tense and in main clauses, the prefix (here af) moves to the end of the sentence, while the verb stem (geef) stays in second position. So afgeven splits into geef … af.

Why do we use op het postkantoor instead of bij het postkantoor?

Op indicates being “on” or “at” a location in Dutch—so “op het postkantoor” means “at the post office” (inside or on the premises). Bij het postkantoor would mean “by/near the post office” (in its vicinity), not necessarily inside it.

Could I say Ik lever de brief af op het postkantoor instead?

Yes. Afleveren is another separable verb meaning “to deliver.” Ik lever de brief af op het postkantoor is perfectly fine and very similar in meaning. You can also use brengen (“to bring”): Ik breng de brief naar het postkantoor.

Why does op het postkantoor come before af?

Because of Dutch word‑order rules for separable verbs in main clauses: you place all objects and adverbials (like location phrases) between the finite verb (geef) and its prefix (af). So it becomes: Subject – finite verb – object – location – prefix.

Can I move the word order to Ik geef op het postkantoor de brief af?

Grammatically it’s not wrong, but it sounds less natural. Dutch typically puts the direct object (de brief) immediately after the finite verb (geef) and then the location. Moving de brief after the location can feel awkward unless you have a special emphasis.

Why is it geef and not geeft?

The verb geven (“to give”) in the present tense conjugates as follows:
– Ik geef
– Jij geeft / U geeft
– Hij/Zij/Het geeft
Since the subject here is ik (“I”), we use geef.

How would you say this sentence in the past tense?

You must use the past‑tense form of geven and keep the prefix at the end:
Ik gaf de brief op het postkantoor af.
Here gaf is the simple past of geven, and af remains separated.