Log inSign up

De brug is niet veilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen.

De brug is niet veilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen.
The bridge is not safe, so we will not drive over it.
FromLesson 18inHardcore Dutch
……

Breakdown of De brug is niet veilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen.

zijn
to be
niet
not
wij
we
dus
so
veilig
safe
de brug
the bridge
rijden
to drive

Questions & Answers about De brug is niet veilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen.

What does er mean in the sentence?
er is a pronominal adverb that refers back to de brug (“the bridge”). In combination with a separable prepositional verb, it roughly corresponds to English “it” or “there.” So rijden er niet overheen literally means “drive not over it.”
Why is overheen separated from rijden?

Dutch has many separable verbs. The base verb here is overheenrijden (“to drive over”). In a main clause, the prefix (overheen) detaches and moves to the end of the clause: • infinitive: overheenrijden
• in our sentence: … rijden … overheen

Could I instead say We rijden niet over de brug?

Yes.
• We rijden niet over de brug is perfectly correct and more literal.
• Er niet overheen rijden is idiomatic when the object (de brug) is already known or has been mentioned.

Why use dus here? Where do you place it?

dus means “so” or “therefore.” When linking two main clauses, dus can start the second clause: • “De brug is niet veilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen.”
In Dutch, coordinating conjunctions or adverbs like dus often come at the beginning of the new clause (position 1), followed by subject and verb.

What’s the difference between niet veilig and onveilig?

Both communicate “not safe,” but:
• niet veilig = literally “not safe.”
• onveilig = “unsafe,” formed with the negative prefix on-.
They’re interchangeable here, though onveilig is more concise: De brug is onveilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen.

Why are there two niets in the sentence?

They negate different parts:

  1. niet veilig negates the adjective veilig (“safe”).
  2. rijden er niet overheen negates the verb phrase “drive over it.”
    There’s no double negation problem because each niet applies to its own element.

More from this lesson

sterkvolDe kast staat vol boeken.Gelukkig voel ik me vandaag sterk en vol energie.gelukkighet beroepTom is gelukkig met zijn nieuwe beroep als leraar.vereisen
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“What's the best way to learn Dutch grammar?”
Dutch grammar becomes intuitive with practice. Focus on understanding the core patterns first — how sentences are structured, how verbs change form, and how words relate to each other. Our course breaks these concepts into small lessons so you can build understanding step by step.

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Dutch

Master Dutch — from De brug is niet veilig, dus we rijden er niet overheen to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Dutch freeBrowse the full course