Breakdown of De leerling schrijft elke dag nieuwe woorden op papier.
nieuw
new
het woord
the word
elke
every
de dag
the day
het papier
the paper
schrijven
to write
op
on
de leerling
the student
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Questions & Answers about De leerling schrijft elke dag nieuwe woorden op papier.
What does the article De in De leerling tell me?
The article De marks leerling as a common-gender noun in Dutch (as opposed to het-words). It also tells you that we’re talking about a specific pupil: “the pupil” or “the student.”
Why does the verb appear as schrijft and not schrijven?
Dutch verbs are conjugated for person and number. Schrijft is the third-person singular present tense form of schrijven (to write). Since de leerling (“the pupil”) is third-person singular, we add -t: ik schrijf, jij schrijft, hij/zij schrijft.
What does elke dag mean, and can I use iedere dag instead?
Elke dag means “every day.” Iedere dag is a perfect synonym; both are correct and equally common.
Why is elke dag placed between the verb schrijft and the object nieuwe woorden?
Dutch word order generally follows: Subject – Verb – Time – Object – Place. Here: Subject: De leerling Verb: schrijft Time: elke dag Object: nieuwe woorden Place: op papier
Why does nieuwe end in -e before woorden?
Adjectives in Dutch receive an -e when they precede a noun that has a definite article (de woorden) or when they modify plural nouns in general. Hence nieuw → nieuwe woorden.
Why isn’t there an article before nieuwe woorden?
When you talk about things in the plural in an indefinite way (just “new words” in general), Dutch does not use an indefinite article. English “some new words” is simply nieuwe woorden.
What role does op papier play, and why do we use op?
Op papier is a prepositional phrase indicating location or medium: “on paper.” Op is the standard preposition for writing on a surface in Dutch.
Why isn’t there an article before papier in op papier?
When referring to the material or medium in a general sense (writing on paper in general), Dutch omits the article. If you meant a specific sheet, you’d say op het papier.
Could I say De leerling schrijft elke dag nieuwe woorden op het papier instead?
Yes, but that changes the meaning: op het papier implies a particular piece of paper. The original op papier keeps it general (“on paper” as a medium).
What is the typical word order pattern illustrated by this sentence?
In Dutch main clauses the finite verb is always in second position. After that, the most common order of elements is:
- Time (elke dag)
- Manner or object (nieuwe woorden)
- Place (op papier)
So we get: Subject – Verb – Time – Object – Place.