Wij oefenen de nieuwe woorden voor het vak geschiedenis.

We practice the new words for the subject of history.

Breakdown of Wij oefenen de nieuwe woorden voor het vak geschiedenis.

• wij: we
• nieuw: new
• voor: for
• het woord: the word
• oefenen: to practice
• de geschiedenis: the history
• het vak: the subject

Questions & Answers about Wij oefenen de nieuwe woorden voor het vak geschiedenis.

Why do we use the verb oefenen here instead of leren?

Oefenen means “to practice” (repetition to improve), while leren can mean “to learn” or “to study” (acquire new knowledge). In this sentence, you’re rehearsing words you’ve already been introduced to, so oefenen is the more natural choice.

How is oefenen conjugated in the present tense for wij?

Dutch verbs in the present tense follow a regular pattern. For oefenen (an infinitive ending in –en):

• Ik oefen
• Jij/oefent (je oefent)
• Hij/zij/het oefent
• Wij/jullie/zij oefenen
  Because wij takes the full infinitive stem + en, you get wij oefenen.

Why is there a de before nieuwe woorden?

All plural nouns in Dutch take the definite article de (regardless of gender). Since woorden is plural (“words”), you use de. That also triggers the adjective ending: nieuwe instead of nieuw.

Why does nieuwe end in -e and not stay nieuw?

Adjectives in Dutch get an -e ending when they precede a noun with a definite article (de/het) or any plural noun. Here you have de woorden, so nieuw → nieuwe.

What is the role of voor het vak geschiedenis in the sentence?

It’s a prepositional phrase that indicates purpose/field: “for the subject of History.” Grammatically, it functions as an adverbial complement explaining what you’re practicing for.

Why is it het vak geschiedenis and not de geschiedenis?

• Geschiedenis by itself can take de (meaning “the history”).
• When you say het vak geschiedenis, you’re literally saying “the subject ‘History’.” In that construction, vak is the head noun (neuter → het), and geschiedenis is a noun adjunct/name of the subject, so it has no article.

Can you say Wij oefenen met de nieuwe woorden voor het vak geschiedenis instead?

Yes, that’s also correct.

• Wij oefenen de nieuwe woorden = “We practice the new words” (direct object).
• Wij oefenen met de nieuwe woorden = “We practice using the new words.”
  The second version emphasizes the tool or material used in the practice. Both are common.

What’s the difference between we oefenen and wij oefenen?

Both mean “we practice.”

• we is the unstressed, informal form of “we.”
• wij is stressed or used for emphasis, contrast, or formality.
  In everyday speech, we oefenen is more common; use wij if you’re contrasting (“No, wij oefenen wél!”).

Is the word order always Subject–Verb–Object–Adverbial in Dutch?

In main clauses, yes: Dutch is typically SVO. Here:

• Wij (S)
• oefenen (V)
• de nieuwe woorden (O)
• voor het vak geschiedenis (Adverbial)
  If you start the sentence with an adverbial or object, you still keep the verb in second position, but that’s another lesson (inversion).