In de winter is het koud.

to be

Breakdown of In de winter is het koud.

• in: in
• het: it
• koud: cold

Questions & Answers about In de winter is het koud.

Why do we say in de winter instead of just winter?

In Dutch, seasons used as time adverbials require a preposition plus the definite article. You form it as in + de + winter. English often drops the article (“in winter”), but Dutch does not. There is no standard in winter by itself.

What is ’s winters and how does it relate to in de winter?

’s winters is an informal contraction of des winters, literally “of the winter,” meaning “during the winter.” It’s very common in spoken Dutch. Functionally, it’s equivalent to in de winter, though in de winter is more neutral and preferred in writing or formal speech.

Why is is placed before het in this sentence?

Dutch main clauses follow the V2 rule (verb-second). When you start with an element other than the subject—here in de winter—the finite verb (is) must occupy the second position. The subject (het) then comes third:

1. in de winter
2. is
3. het

What is the role of het in in de winter is het koud? Can it be omitted?