Question 1

What does hiermee mean, and how is it formed in Dutch?

Accepted Answer

hiermee is a pronominal adverb meaning “with this.” It’s formed by combining the preposition met (“with”) and the demonstrative adverb hier (“here/this”). In Dutch you often fuse a preposition + pronoun (or adverb) into a single word:  
- met + hier → hiermee (“with this”)  
- aan + dat → daaraan (“to that”)  
- in + dit → hiërin (archaic; nowadays hierin)

Question 2

Why is the infinitive openen placed at the end of the sentence?

Accepted Answer

Dutch main clauses follow the Verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb (kan) must occupy the second position. When there is a modal auxiliary like kan, its infinitive (openen) moves to the very end. So the structure is:  
1) Subject (Ik)  
2) Finite verb (kan)  
3) Other elements (hiermee de deur)  
4) Infinitive (openen)

Question 3

Can I swap the order of hiermee and de deur, for example say Ik kan de deur hiermee openen?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Both orders are grammatically correct:  
- Ik kan hiermee de deur openen.  
- Ik kan de deur hiermee openen.  
Switching them may slightly shift the emphasis (focus on the tool vs. focus on the door), but it does not change the core meaning.

Question 4

Why is it de deur and not het deur?

Accepted Answer

In Dutch, nouns have gender (common or neuter). deur is a common-gender noun, so it takes the definite article de. You need to learn each noun’s gender or article as you go; there is no one-size-fits-all rule.

Question 5

Could I use ermee or daamee instead of hiermee?

Accepted Answer

They are related pronominal adverbs but differ in nuance:  
- hiermee = “with this (here, near me).”  
- daamee = “with that (there, over there).”  
- ermee  = “with it / therewith,” often used for abstract or previously mentioned things.  
Use hiermee when you refer to something physically at hand; use daamee for something farther away.

Question 6

Can I replace hiermee with met deze sleutel?

Accepted Answer

Yes, if you explicitly name the tool:  
Ik kan met deze sleutel de deur openen.  
Use hiermee when you’ve already mentioned or are pointing to the item (“this key”), so you avoid repeating a noun.

Question 7

What’s the difference between openen and opendoen?

Accepted Answer

Both mean “to open,” but:  
- openen is the neutral or slightly formal transitive verb.  
- opendoen is a separable-verb more common in everyday speech.  
E.g. Ik open de deur vs. Ik doe de deur open.

Question 8

Could I say Ik open hiermee de deur instead of Ik kan hiermee de deur openen?

Accepted Answer

You can, but you remove the modal kan and change the meaning to a plain present tense:  
- Ik kan hiermee de deur openen. → “I can open the door with this.”  
- Ik open hiermee de deur. → “I open the door with this.”

Question 9

Why doesn’t openen take a preposition for de deur (like aan de deur)?

Accepted Answer

openen is a transitive verb that directly takes its object without a preposition. You say de deur openen (“to open the door”) just as in English, rather than aan de deur openen.

Ik kan hiermee de deur openen.

Breakdown of Ik kan hiermee de deur openen.

Questions & Answers about Ik kan hiermee de deur openen.

More from this lesson

Master Dutch — from Ik kan hiermee de deur openen to fluency