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Questions & Answers about Morgen vertrekken wij vroeg.
Why does the verb vertrekken come before the subject wij instead of after it like in English (“Tomorrow we leave”)?
Dutch main clauses follow the V2 (verb‑second) rule: the finite verb must be in the second position. Since morgen is the first element (a time adverb), the verb moves to slot two, pushing the subject to slot three. Hence Morgen (1) vertrekken (2) wij (3) vroeg.
Why is the pronoun wij used here instead of the more common we?
Both wij and we mean “we.” Wij is the strong/full form, used for emphasis or clarity, and often appears in written or more formal contexts. We is the weak/reduced form, used in casual, spoken Dutch.
Could I say Wij vertrekken morgen vroeg instead? What changes?
Yes. Wij vertrekken morgen vroeg is perfectly grammatical and means the same. You’ve simply placed the subject first and the time adverb later. Dutch word order for time–place–manner (TPM) is flexible. Starting with Wij gives a neutral or subject‑focused emphasis, while starting with Morgen highlights when. Both trigger V2:
- Wij (1) vertrekken (2) morgen (3) vroeg (4)
What part of speech is vroeg, and why does it come at the end of the sentence?
Vroeg is an adverb (of time/manner) meaning “early.” In Dutch, adverbs of this type typically follow the verb (and any objects) in a main clause, so they naturally occur near the end. It answers the question when/how we depart.
How do I know that vertrekken here is the finite verb in present tense and not the infinitive?
In Dutch, the finite verb must occupy the second position in a main clause. Because vertrekken is in that slot (after morgen), it functions as the conjugated (present‑tense, first‑person‑plural) form—even though it looks identical to the infinitive. Position, not form, marks it as finite.
Why doesn’t vertrekken take a -t ending like vertrekt?
Dutch present‑tense endings are:
- Ik vertrek
- Jij/je vertrekt
- Hij/zij/het vertrekt
- Wij/jullie/zij vertrekken
Only second‐ and third‐person singular take -t. First‐person plural (wij) and all plurals use the stem + -en, which matches the infinitive form.
How do I know that morgen means “tomorrow” here and not “morning”?
Morgen can mean both “tomorrow” and “morning.” Context and collocations usually disambiguate. With vertrekken (to depart/leave) and the adverb vroeg, you naturally interpret morgen as “tomorrow.” If you specifically meant “tomorrow morning,” you might say morgenmorgen (rare), vanmorgen (this morning), or morgen in de ochtend, or simply Morgenochtend vertrekken wij vroeg.