Wij delen de pizza in gelijke porties.

We divide the pizza into equal portions.

Breakdown of Wij delen de pizza in gelijke porties.

• wij: we
• in: into
• delen: to divide
• de pizza: the pizza
• gelijk: equal
• de portie: the portion

Questions & Answers about Wij delen de pizza in gelijke porties.

Why is there in after delen? Could I say Wij delen de pizza gelijke porties instead?

In Dutch you always use in when you want to express “divide into” parts. The structure is delen … in + (plural noun). So you must say Wij delen de pizza in gelijke porties. Without in the sentence would sound incomplete or ungrammatical.

Why is gelijke an -e ending? Why not just gelijk porties?

Preceding an indefinite plural noun (no article), adjectives take the strong inflection -e. Since porties is plural and there’s no article (de/het/een) before gelijke porties, you add -e to gelijk. Hence gelijke porties.

Why is there no article before gelijke porties but there is one before pizza?

De pizza is a specific object (“the pizza”), so you use the definite article de. Gelijke porties here just describes how you cut it up, not a specific set of portions you’ve already mentioned. That’s why you leave out de or een before gelijke porties—it’s indefinite.

Can I drop Wij and start with the verb? Like Delen we de pizza in gelijke porties?

Yes. In spoken Dutch the subject pronoun is often dropped or replaced by we (“we divide”). You can also form a question: Delen we de pizza in gelijke porties? In a neutral declarative sentence you might simply say We delen de pizza in gelijke porties. Including Wij adds emphasis or formality.

What’s the difference between delen and verdelen?

Both can mean “to divide” or “distribute.”
• Delen often emphasizes sharing: you share something with others.
• Verdelen focuses on dividing something up (e.g. tasks, land) into parts or portions.
In this pizza example you can actually use either verb:
Wij delen de pizza in gelijke porties.
Wij verdelen de pizza in gelijke porties.
Both are correct, with only a slight nuance in emphasis.

Why not use snijden (to cut) instead of delen?

You can if you want to focus on the physical cutting action:
Wij snijden de pizza in gelijke porties.
That means “we cut the pizza into equal portions.”
Using delen highlights that you’re both cutting and sharing/distributing the slices.

Is pizza a de-word or a het-word?

It’s a de-word. You always say de pizza, never het pizza. Loanwords ending in -a (like agenda, pizza) are almost always de-words in Dutch.

How do I specify the number of portions? For example, “… into six equal portions”?

Just insert the number before gelijke:
Wij delen de pizza in zes gelijke porties.
Numbers go directly before the adjective, which still takes the -e ending.