Breakdown of Hij gaat onverwacht naar de winkel.
hij
he
gaan
to go
naar
to
de winkel
the store
onverwacht
unexpectedly
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Questions & Answers about Hij gaat onverwacht naar de winkel.
What part of speech is onverwacht in this sentence, and what does it mean?
Onverwacht here functions as an adverb of manner. It modifies the verb gaat and means “unexpectedly,” indicating that his trip to the store wasn’t planned.
Why is it onverwacht and not onverwachts?
Not all Dutch adverbs take an –s ending. Many adverbs share the same form as their adjective. Onverwacht is one of those invariant adverbs, so you don’t add an –s.
Why is the adverb placed between gaat and naar de winkel?
In a Dutch main clause the typical order is Subject – finite Verb – adverb – rest of the predicate. Adverbs of manner almost always come immediately after the finite verb, before the object or prepositional phrases.
What if I want to emphasize onverwacht by putting it at the start? How does the word order change?
You must obey the verb‐second (V2) rule. If you front onverwacht, the finite verb still comes in second position, then the subject:
Onverwacht gaat hij naar de winkel.
Why do we say naar de winkel instead of just winkel?
The preposition naar (to) always needs an article if the noun is definite. Here the store is “the store,” so you need de, giving naar de winkel. You can’t drop the article.
Why is the present tense gaat used here rather than a progressive form like English “he is going”?
Dutch does not have a separate present‐progressive form. The simple present tense covers both habitual actions and ongoing events. Context or time words (e.g., “nu,” “vandaag”) tell you it’s happening now.
How do I know if gaat is the movement verb or part of a “going to” future construction?
Look at what follows gaan. If it’s an infinitive (e.g. ik ga studeren), it often marks a near future (“I’m going to study”). If it’s a prepositional phrase indicating place (e.g. naar de winkel), it’s literal movement—he’s actually going somewhere.
Could I replace gaat with another movement verb like loopt or rent, and would that change the nuance?
Yes. Hij loopt onverwacht naar de winkel (“he walks unexpectedly to the store”) highlights walking, while hij rent onverwacht naar de winkel (“he runs unexpectedly…”) highlights running. Gaan is neutral about how he travels.