Breakdown of Wij zetten muziek op in de keuken.
wij
we
in
in
de muziek
the music
de keuken
the kitchen
opzetten
to put on
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Wij zetten muziek op in de keuken.
What does the verb zetten … op mean in this sentence?
This is the separable verb opzetten, which means “to put on” or “to turn on” (e.g. music, a radio, a TV). In a main clause you split it as zetten … op.
Why is op placed at the end of the sentence rather than next to zetten?
In Dutch main clauses, separable verbs split: the prefix (op) goes to the end of the clause, while the stem (zetten) stays in second position after the subject.
Why is there no article before muziek?
Muziek is an uncountable noun when you talk about music in general, so you omit the article. If you referred to specific music (e.g. a playlist), you could say de muziek.
Could you say Wij zetten de muziek op in de keuken instead?
Yes. Adding de makes it clear you mean “the music” you already mentioned or have chosen, rather than music in general.
Why is the preposition in used with keuken?
Dutch uses in for enclosed spaces or rooms, just like English. Since a kitchen is a room, you say in de keuken (“in the kitchen”).
Can you move in de keuken to the front of the sentence?
Yes. Dutch is a V2 language, so if you start with In de keuken, the finite verb zetten must come next, then the subject:
In de keuken zetten wij muziek op.
Do you have to include wij, or can you use we or omit it altogether?
You can replace wij with the weaker pronoun we, which is more common in speech.
You cannot entirely omit the subject pronoun in Dutch (unlike in Spanish or Italian), so you’d say We zetten muziek op in de keuken.
Why isn’t there a te before zetten (e.g. Wij te zetten)?
You only use te before infinitives in subordinate clauses or certain constructions. In a simple main clause like this, the finite verb appears without te.