Elke leerling krijgt een woordenboek in de les.

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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.