Breakdown of Elke leerling krijgt een woordenboek in de les.
in
in
elke
every
een
a, an
krijgen
to receive
de leerling
the pupil
het woordenboek
the dictionary
de les
the class
Elon.io is an online learning platform
We have an entire course teaching Dutch grammar and vocabulary.
Questions & Answers about Elke leerling krijgt een woordenboek in de les.
Why does elk become elke before leerling?
In Dutch, when elk is used as a determiner directly before a noun, it always takes an -e ending. That’s why you say elke leerling, elke dag, elke keer, etc.
Why is the verb krijgt in the second position of the sentence?
Dutch main clauses follow the V2 (verb-second) rule: the finite verb must appear in the second slot. Here the subject Elke leerling occupies the first slot, so krijgt comes second.
What happens if I start the sentence with in de les? Do I have to change the word order?
Yes. If you move in de les to the front as a time adverbial, the finite verb still stays in second position. You get:
In de les krijgt elke leerling een woordenboek.
Why is woordenboek singular instead of plural (woordenboeken)?
Because the sense is “each student gets one dictionary.” A singular noun with an indefinite article (een woordenboek) expresses that every individual receives one copy. Plural (woordenboeken) would suggest a pile of dictionaries but doesn’t focus on one per student.
Why is the indefinite article een used here instead of the definite article het?
Een signals “a/an,” i.e. any dictionary, not a specific one. If you referred to a particular dictionary you had already mentioned, you’d use het woordenboek (“the dictionary”).
What part of speech is in de les, and what role does it play?
In de les is a prepositional phrase functioning as a time adverbial. It tells us when the action (getting a dictionary) takes place.
Can I replace in de les with tijdens de les or in de klas?
Yes.
- Tijdens de les (“during the lesson”) is almost identical in meaning.
- In de klas means “in the classroom,” focusing more on location than time.
What’s the difference between Elke leerling krijgt and Alle leerlingen krijgen?
Both convey that all students receive a dictionary, but:
- Elke leerling krijgt uses a singular subject with singular verb, highlighting “each individual.”
- Alle leerlingen krijgen uses a plural subject with plural verb, speaking of the group as a whole.
Can I use iedere leerling instead of elke leerling? Are they the same?
They’re largely interchangeable in everyday Dutch.
- Elke leerling often emphasizes the individuality of each student.
- Iedere leerling feels a bit more general.
Grammatically both need the -e ending before a noun: iedere leerling.