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Breakdown of Mijn grootouders drinken elke middag koffie op het terras.
drinken
to drink
elke
every
mijn
my
de koffie
the coffee
op
on
de middag
the afternoon
de grootouder
the grandparent
het terras
the terrace
Questions & Answers about Mijn grootouders drinken elke middag koffie op het terras.
Why is grootouders written as one word instead of groot ouders?
In Dutch, compound nouns are formed by joining modifiers and nouns into a single word. Here groot (big) combines with ouders (parents) to form grootouders (grandparents).
What is the singular of grootouders, and are there alternatives?
The regular singular is grootouder (grandparent). However, in everyday speech Dutch speakers often use grootvader (grandfather) and grootmoeder (grandmother) instead.
Why use mijn before grootouders, and can I use an article instead?
mijn is a possessive pronoun meaning “my,” specifying whose grandparents are meant. If you said de grootouders, that would mean “the grandparents” in a general sense, not necessarily yours. You can’t combine mijn with de (no “mijn de grootouders”).
Why is there no article before koffie, and how do I refer to a single cup?
In Dutch, drinks like koffie are treated as uncountable (mass nouns) when talking in general, so no article is needed: koffie drinken. If you want one serving, you say een kop koffie (a cup of coffee).
Why is it elke middag and not elk middag or iedere middag?
The quantifier elk(e) appears as elke before most singular time nouns: elke dag, elke week, elke middag, etc. The form elk middag is not used. iedere is a slightly more formal synonym, but in everyday speech elke middag is most common.
What is the usual Dutch word order for this sentence? Why does elke middag come after drinken?
In main clauses Dutch follows the pattern: Subject – Verb – Time – Object – Place. So we have:
• Mijn grootouders (Subject)
• drinken (Verb)
• elke middag (Time)
• koffie (Object)
• op het terras (Place)
Can I start the sentence with elke middag instead? What happens to the word order?
Yes. Fronting a time expression is common. The verb must stay in second position, so you get:
• Elke middag drinken mijn grootouders koffie op het terras.
Notice drinken still comes right after the time phrase.
Why op het terras and not in het terras?
Dutch uses op (“on”) for open platforms or surfaces where you sit or stand: op het balkon, op het dak, op het terras. You use in (“in”) for enclosed or interior spaces (e.g. in de kamer).
Can I use 's middags instead of elke middag?
Yes. 's middags is a fixed adverbial phrase meaning “in the afternoon.” You can say:
• Mijn grootouders drinken 's middags koffie op het terras.
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