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Questions & Answers about Tom komt nat thuis.
Why is komt used here (and not kom or komen)?
Because Tom is third person singular (“he”), so you use the present-tense form of komen that matches hij/zij/het: ik kom, jij komt, hij komt.
Is thuis a word on its own or part of the verb thuiskomen?
Thuiskomen (“to come home”) is a separable verb. In a main clause the prefix thuis moves to the end. So in Tom komt thuis you see the split. When you add another adverb (like nat), it goes between the conjugated verb and the particle: Tom komt nat thuis.
What part of speech is nat in this sentence?
It’s an adverb of manner (an adjective used adverbially). It answers how Tom comes home—namely, wet.
Why does nat not get an -e ending (like natte)?
Only attributive adjectives (those placed before nouns) take an -e in Dutch under certain conditions. Predicative adjectives (after a verb) or adverbial uses stay in the base form (nat).
Why is nat placed before thuis rather than after?
Dutch prefers the order time – manner – place. Here we have no time expression, so the manner-adverb nat comes before the place/particle thuis.
Could you say Tom komt thuis nat instead?
Grammatically it could be understood, but it sounds odd. Standard Dutch places manner adverbs before place adverbs or separable prefixes, so Tom komt nat thuis is natural.
Why isn’t there a preposition like naar before thuis?
In this sentence thuis isn’t the noun huis (“house”) but the separable-verb particle (or adverb) “home(ward).” If you use the noun huis, you must add a preposition: Tom komt nat naar huis.
What’s the difference between huis and thuis?
Huis is a noun meaning “house” or “home” and usually needs an article/preposition (e.g. in het huis, naar huis). Thuis is an adverb (or separable-verb particle) meaning “at/in one’s home,” and stands alone: hij is thuis, hij komt thuis.
What’s the correct pronunciation of thuis?
Thuis is pronounced approximately /tʏis/. The Dutch vowel ui has no direct English equivalent—round your lips as for “oo” in “book” but try to say “ee” in “see” at the same time.
Where would you put a time adverb if you wanted to say “this afternoon”?
Following time – manner – place, you say: Tom komt vanmiddag nat thuis. You can also front the time element (still keeping the verb second): Vanmiddag komt Tom nat thuis.