Tom plakt de stukjes papier met sterke lijm op een blad.

Tom plakt de stukjes papier met sterke lijm op een blad.
Tom sticks the pieces of paper onto a sheet with strong glue.
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Questions & Answers about Tom plakt de stukjes papier met sterke lijm op een blad.

What does plakt mean and how is plakken conjugated here?

plakt is the 3rd person singular present tense of plakken (‘to glue’, ‘to stick’). In the present tense you have:

  • Ik plak
  • Jij/u plakt
  • Hij/zij/het plakt
  • Wij/jullie/zij plakken
Why is it de stukjes papier and not het papieren stukje or something else?
  1. stukjes is the plural of the diminutive stukje (‘little piece’).
  2. All plural nouns take de, so de stukjes.
  3. papier is used as a modifier (like “pieces of paper”), so you say de stukjes papier rather than using an adjective.
What does stukjes exactly mean, and why the -je ending?

The suffix -je (or -tje after certain consonants) makes a noun diminutive, implying smallness or endearment.

  • stuk = “piece”
  • stukje = “little piece”
  • stukjes = “little pieces” (plural diminutive)
Why is it stukjes papier and not papieren stukjes?
  • papieren would be the adjective form: papieren stukjes = “paper little pieces.”
  • More commonly, Dutch stacks nouns when the first noun describes the material: stukjes papier = “pieces of paper.”
Why is it met sterke lijm and not met sterk lijm?

Adjectives preceding a de-word (and most plural or definite/indefinite nouns) get an -e ending:

  • de lijm → sterke lijm
    Even without an article, lijm (glue) is treated like a “de-word,” so the adjective takes -e.
Why is there no article before sterke lijm?

When talking about a non-specific mass noun in general, Dutch often omits the article:

  • met sterke lijm = “with strong glue” (glue in general)
    If you wanted a specific glue, you could say met de sterke lijm (“with the strong glue”) or met een sterke lijm (“with a strong glue”).
What does op een blad mean, and why use blad instead of vel or pagina?
  • op = “on” (indicates location)
  • een blad = “a sheet” or “a (piece of) paper.”
    blad is common in everyday Dutch for a sheet of paper or a page.
  • vel also means “sheet” but is more formal/technical.
  • pagina means “page” (especially in a book or document).
How do the prepositions met and op function in this sentence?
  • met expresses the instrument or means: met sterke lijm = “using strong glue.”
  • op expresses location or target: op een blad = “on a sheet.”
    Typical Dutch order: Verb → Direct object → Manner/instrument (met…) → Place (op…).
What is the subject and what is the direct object in the sentence?
  • Subject: Tom
  • Direct object: de stukjes papier
  • The phrases met sterke lijm and op een blad are adverbial modifiers (instrument and location).
Can you swap met sterke lijm and op een blad?

Yes, you can say:
Tom plakt de stukjes papier op een blad met sterke lijm.
But Dutch prefers to put instrument/manner (met sterke lijm) before place (op een blad).