Breakdown of In dit verhaal lopen we figuurlijk over water.
het water
the water
wij
we
in
in
lopen
to walk
het verhaal
the story
dit
this
over
over
figuurlijk
figuratively
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Questions & Answers about In dit verhaal lopen we figuurlijk over water.
What part of speech is figuurlijk, and what role does it play here?
Figuurlijk is an adverb of manner. It modifies lopen, signaling that the action “walk across water” is metaphorical rather than literal.
Why does Dutch use the preposition over with water in this phrase, rather than op?
In Dutch the idiom is over water lopen, literally “to walk across water.” Over conveys the idea of crossing or traversing. Using op water lopen would imply walking on the surface of water in a literal, physical sense, which isn’t the established expression here.
Why is there no definite article before water?
Here water is an uncountable, mass noun used in a general sense, so no article is needed. If you referred to a specific body of water you could say over het water.
Why does lopen come before we in the phrase In dit verhaal lopen we …?
Dutch main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule. When you start with an adverbial phrase like In dit verhaal, the finite verb (lopen) must occupy the second position, pushing the subject (we) to third.
Could you start the sentence with we instead of In dit verhaal? How would that look?
Yes. If the subject comes first there’s no inversion:
We lopen in dit verhaal figuurlijk over water.
This is equally correct, but placing In dit verhaal at the front shifts the emphasis onto the story’s context.
What is the literal English translation, and how might a native speaker naturally phrase it?
Literal: “In this story we walk figuratively across water.”
Natural: “In this story, we’re figuratively walking on water.”
Why use lopen here instead of a verb like wandelen?
Lopen is the general verb for “to walk” and is commonly used in idiomatic expressions. Wandelen suggests a leisurely stroll and isn’t used in figurative or miraculous contexts like over water lopen.
What is the opposite of figuurlijk, and how would that change the meaning?
The opposite is letterlijk (“literally”).
If you said In dit verhaal lopen we letterlijk over water, it would imply that characters actually walk on water, turning the metaphor into a literal or miraculous event.