Breakdown of In werkelijkheid is de reis korter dan we denken.
zijn
to be
wij
we
in
in
kort
short
denken
to think
de reis
the trip
dan
than
de werkelijkheid
the reality
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Questions & Answers about In werkelijkheid is de reis korter dan we denken.
What does in werkelijkheid mean, and how does it differ from in de werkelijkheid?
In werkelijkheid is a fixed adverbial phrase meaning “in reality” or “actually” when you want to contrast what’s real with what’s expected. You can say in de werkelijkheid when talking about the real world (literally “in the reality”) as opposed to imagination or theory, but in werkelijkheid is the standard way to say “actually” in everyday Dutch.
Why is the verb is in second position, even though the sentence starts with an adverbial phrase?
Dutch main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule: the finite verb must occupy the second slot, regardless of what comes first. Since in werkelijkheid counts as the first slot, is immediately follows in slot two.
How is the comparative korter dan formed in Dutch?
You form comparatives by adding -er to the adjective stem (kort → korter) and then introduce the comparison with dan: korter dan = “shorter than.”
Why does the verb denken stay in second position and not move to the end in dan we denken?
Although dan looks like a conjunction, in comparative clauses it is not a subordinating conjunction. It doesn’t push the verb to the end; you keep main‐clause word order (subject we, then verb denken, then the rest).
Why is we used instead of wij, and when would you choose one over the other?
We is the unstressed, informal pronoun for “we.” Wij is the stressed form and is used for emphasis or contrast, e.g. Wij gaan morgen, niet zij. In neutral sentences you’ll almost always hear we.
Why is there no article other than de before reis, and why not het reis?
Reis is a common‐gender noun (a “de‐woord”), so it always takes de. Dutch doesn’t allow het reis. And as a singular, countable noun, it needs an article—there’s no zero‐article here.
What’s the difference between in werkelijkheid, eigenlijk, and werkelijk?
- In werkelijkheid = “in reality,” contrasting reality with expectation.
- Eigenlijk = “actually” or “in fact,” often introducing a nuance or correction (“I thought… but actually…”).
- Werkelijk = “real” or “really,” more formal, can be adjective or adverb (e.g. een werkelijke verandering, dat is werkelijk waar).
Could you add a comma after in werkelijkheid, or is it incorrect?
A comma after a short introductory adverbial like in werkelijkheid is optional. In most everyday writing you’ll leave it out for smoother flow, but you won’t be marked wrong if you include it.
Could you say korter dan wat we denken instead of korter dan we denken?
In spoken Dutch you’ll often hear wat in comparative clauses (korter dan wat we denken), but in standard written Dutch wat is usually omitted.
What if I want to express a past assumption: can I say korter dan we dachten?
Yes. If you want to compare reality with what you thought before, use the past tense: In werkelijkheid is de reis korter dan we dachten.