Breakdown of Jij legt de boeken netjes op de tafel.
jij
you
het boek
the book
de tafel
the table
op
on
leggen
to place
netjes
neatly
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Questions & Answers about Jij legt de boeken netjes op de tafel.
Why is jij used here instead of je, and what's the difference?
jij is the stressed form of the second-person singular pronoun, used for emphasis or contrast. je is the unstressed, more neutral form. The verb conjugation remains the same (jij/je legt).
Why does legt appear in the second position of the sentence?
Dutch main clauses follow the verb-second (V2) rule: the finite verb always occupies the second slot. Here, jij is the first element, so legt comes second.
What is the role of de boeken, and why is the definite article de used?
de boeken is the direct object ("the books") of legt. In Dutch, all plural nouns take the definite article de (regardless of gender), so boeken (plural) must have de.
What part of speech is netjes, and why is it placed where it is?
netjes is a manner adverb meaning "neatly" or "tidily." In Dutch, manner adverbs usually come after the verb and its objects, but before any following prepositional phrases. Hence legt de boeken netjes op de tafel.
Why is op de tafel used to indicate location, and can you drop the article de?
op de tafel is a prepositional phrase meaning "on the table." You can omit de and say op tafel to speak more generally ("on a table"), but include de for a specific table.
How would you form a question using this sentence structure?
Invert the subject and the verb: Leg jij de boeken netjes op de tafel? In less formal speech you use je: Leg je de boeken netjes op tafel?
Can you start the sentence with Op de tafel, and what changes?
Yes. You topicalize the prepositional phrase and still respect V2: Op de tafel leg jij de boeken netjes. With je it becomes Op de tafel leg je de boeken netjes.
What nuance does netjes add compared to leaving it out?
netjes emphasizes that the books are placed in a neat, orderly manner. Without it, Jij legt de boeken op de tafel simply states the action without commenting on how it's done.